What is on the agenda for the year ahead?
As we gear back up after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, it is somewhat customary to look ahead to the coming year.
Here is what tops my list:
- Driving universal adoption
- Online harms
- Regulatory overreach
- Mandated wholesale access
- Impacts of investment on coverage and resilience
- Digital literacy
I published my 2023 reflections in mid-December and indicated that the issue of driving increased adoption would need to be a carry-over to the year ahead. In my agenda for 2023, I wrote “there is a big difference between having universal access to broadband, and attaining universal adoption of that service.”
A number of reports indicate that affordability is not the primary barrier inhibiting broadband adoption. We saw that most recently in Ofcom’s Online Nation report. The UK report matches Canadian data showing just a quarter of those without a home connection cite the cost of service as the main reason. Across the country (including the far north), service providers have targeted programs to address affordability for disadvantaged households.
Still, we continue to have issues with people appreciating the utility of a broadband connection. I sometimes wonder if the social research is sufficiently adept at assessing whether “I don’t have a need for broadband” is a euphemism for “I have other priorities for my limited income”. If a parent is having to make difficult choices about buying name-brand versus no-name macaroni and cheese to feed the family dinner, then maybe a connected computer just isn’t a priority. As various levels of government continue to fund improved broadband access, I believe that more needs to be done to understand the factors that are inhibiting adoption, and then develop actions to relax each of those inhibitions.
Many of my 2024 agenda items have overlap with others. For example, to what extent have concerns about online safety and cyber security hindered adoption of broadband among those who are not yet connected?
Online harms will be on the agenda for the coming year. Misinformation, disinformation, and hate are significant online challenges. However, in a democratic society, what is the appropriate approach to address harmful forms of expression? As I wrote last year, the government is exploring new legislation but I am not convinced that this is the appropriate approach.
Will regulatory overreach be overruled by the courts or by changes in government policy? The CRTC is planning substantial organizational growth (30%) to deal with the Online News Act and the Online Streaming Act. Before the holidays, there was an interesting article from the US Chamber of Commerce, “How the FCC’s Regulatory Overreach Impedes Internet for All”.
We have seen how some of the CRTC’s determinations on mandated wholesale access can lead to reduced competition by stifling investment. How does that impact coverage for broadband, advanced wireless services, and investment in increased network resilience?
Improved digital literacy and education seems to be a common theme across many of the items on this year’s agenda. Can improved digital education help reduce vulnerability to certain forms of cyber attacks?
It is shaping up to be a busy year. Hopefully, I’ll be more successful checking these items off my list than some of my personal New Year’s resolutions.
What else do you have on your telecom policy plan for 2024?