Manitoba wants the CRTC to order more rural coverage from Canada’s mobile carriers in the wake of communications access difficulties for firefighters earlier this month. The Brandon Sun quotes Premier Greg Selinger:
I think there’s a case that can be made for the CRTC, which regulates telephone companies in the country, that those basic levels of services can be provided. There’s no reason why Manitobans can’t make that case along with other parts of the country that have that same need.
Why would this be a CRTC issue? Police and other emergency workers historically operated private radio networks. Don’t you think they should have examined geographic coverage as part of the business case to migrate requirements within public mobile networks? If the coverage requirements are wider than a carrier operates, shouldn’t that have been part of the contract?
The premier’s statement just sounds like he is looking for someone else to pay.