For the past 18 months, Bell has been trying to upgrade its infrastructure in Montreal’s Outremont district. According to a file submitted to the CRTC, the local council has been delaying Bell’s building permits for installing Fibre to the Home (FTTH; FALM – fibre à la maison – in French) and internet speed increases through Fibre to the Pedestal.
It is an interesting file to examine. It all started in September 2010, with what should have been somewhat routine applications for wiring upgrades. It is hard to imagine what gets into the minds of municipal politicians when they reject a fibre build due to “des prétendus impacts sonores et de santé relativement aux ondes émises par l’équipement FALM”. Noise and health impact associated with the waves emitted by the FTTH equipment.
Donnez moi un break.
The initial response of the City to the Bell application provides fascinating insights. “We see no urgency…”, despite delays to customer affecting capacity exhaust set out in the Bell application. Bell had not only asked the CRTC for an expedited process, it asked for immediate approval of two of the permits where equipment was operating at capacity.
Around the world, governments at federal, provincial and city levels are spending gazillions of taxpayer dollars to upgrade communications infrastructure. Governments have begged and subsidized carriers to encourage them to install fibre optic connections for their citizens. But, in the city playing host this fall to The World Congress on Information Technology, roadblocks are being put in front of private sector investment in FTTH.
“Fulfilling the Promise of the Digital Age”?
Not in parts of the host city.
As Bell states in its application, Outremont’s concerns about protecting the “heritage” aspects of the district cannot leave its citizens restricted to legacy services over quaint copper connections. It is time for Outremont to develop a greater sense of urgency and encourage investment in digital networks.