[Advisors] Only from KPMG? Pity!

[Marita Moll]

Your link is behind a paywall Garth. But the article is accessible if 
you search for "internet municipal service beatty" -- it comes up in a 
service called press reader. This is an article any of us could have 
written -- but would not likely have seen it printed in the G&M business 
section!

After itemizing multiple reasons why the current pandemic context is 
showing up the need for more equitable access to Internet resources it says:

"Typically, the build out of broadband infrastructure has been left to 
the telecoms. But municipalities are closest to their residents and 
should be empowered to respond to their needs. This could be 
accomplished by reimagining our municipalities as 'public utilities' and 
leveraging their assets to create connected digital infrastructure."

It certainly is an interesting opinion piece that would have been 
celebrated all those years ago by public interest advocates trying to 
keep some "public interest" in the increasingly privatized "information 
highway." In the early days, cities and municipalities just didn't see 
this role for themselves and didn't try to fight for it.  Here in Ottawa 
we actually had the capacity and the infrastructure at the time the 
Internet was exploding on the scene (1990's) and gave it away to the 
telcos on the grounds it was not the role of the city to run 
telecommunications. There are, of course, some examples of municipally 
owned fibre -- but I don't know of any new projects.

In answer to your question, is anyone thinking about this now -- I have 
not heard much lately. The article suggests that the introduction of 5G 
could provide some new stimulus for this kind of thinking. 
"Municipalities could then co-develop public-private partnerships to 
fund innovative solutions for a truly connected Canada, as well as 
provide access as a "neutral host" to all qualified telecom providers at 
a fair price to generate revenue."

Here's hoping KPMG people have more luck at tilting windmills than we 
ever did.

Thanks for bringing this forward.

Marita


> Reimagining Internet as municipal service is key to connecting Canada.
>
> Alex Benay is a partner with KPMG in Canada’s digital and infrastructure, government and health care practice. Stephen Beatty is partner and chair of Global Cities Centre for Excellence at KPMG in Canada.
> Why cities are key to a connected Canada.  Globe and Mail, August 24, 2020.  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-why-cities-are-key-to-a-connected-canada/
>
> This is an odd channel to be transmitting TC’s original message.  But I don’t think that the prime telecommunications carriers need to worry about municipalities intruding into their turf, unless some kind of shift in thinking is occurring at the municipal level?  Has anyone sensed any hint of that?
>
> GG
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