It has been a quiet 10 days where I have been in a form of electronic isolation, recharging my batteries while enjoying some time with the family.

No cell phones, no email, no daily newspapers or browsing headlines on the web. It felt good to get away, but it also feels good to be back on the air.

It is now 2011 – a year that promises to bring continued development of Canada’s digital future. Happy New Year!

Yesterday, the CRTC delivered its new rules of procedure, which can be considered to be a guidebook for participation in broadcasting and telecom regulatory processes [press release, full ruling]

3.      In recognition of the significant changes in the industries it regulates and in the technology available to conduct its proceedings, the Commission initiated a public proceeding to establish the new Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure (the Rules of Procedure). The objectives of the Rules of Procedure are to:

• enable informed and effective public participation in Commission proceedings;
• ensure the efficient, transparent and predictable conduct of Commission proceedings;
• eliminate unnecessary costs and delays in the regulatory process; and
• provide a comprehensive set of rules applicable in most Commission proceedings, while maintaining the flexibility necessary to address the specific circumstances of each proceeding.

The detailed manual is a readable, step-by-step guide to participation in regulatory proceedings. As you assemble various toys over the holidays, think of the instruction manuals. CRTC 2010-959 is like an IKEA guide without the pictures.

And hopefully, you won’t end up with any little pieces left over.

Enjoy the holiday reading. I’ll see you back here in the New Year!

The business plan for Australia’s National Broadband Network was released and it confirms that Canada is $41B and a decade ahead [pdf, 3.4MB].

Once the government invests $27.5B in equity and raising a further $13.4B in debt, in the year 2020, Australia will still have 3% of its population served by satellite-based broadband service with an additional 4% served by fixed wireless service. That is 7% of the population that won’t be reached by wired facilities after 10 years and more than $40B.

At last month’s Obligation To Serve hearings, we heard considerable discussion about how to reach the final 5% of Canadians who are beyond the reach of telco or cableco facilities.

John Maduri of Barrett Xplore criticized a proposal to create a new $7B fund for Canada:

7703   Instead, MTS would prefer you ask them to spent $7 billion on wires. The sad part of their proposal is that even with a $7 billion of wires, you will probably still need a satellite to fill in the inevitable gaps in coverage.

7704   I point to the Australian example again where with $40-plus billion to get to 90-plus percent and the balance even with that significant investment, [there is still] the need for satellite and wireless.

The NBN business plan confirms these statements. We have a vast country with many people choosing to live in sparsely populated areas. The private sector is continuing to invest in network upgrades to meet evolving demand.

In the new year, I would like to see the focus on the 20% of Canadians who don’t own a computer. As you have read on these pages [eg. here and here], I would like to see a connected computer in every household with school aged children.

I have thoughts for how this can be done in a competitively neutral manner.

Who wants to join the campaign?

Sparked by OpenMedia.ca, Vancouver city council yesterday called on the CRTC to reverse itself on usage sensitive billing for internet service. This is the same city that wanted to tax telecom companies on a revenue sensitive basis in order to access city streets.

And at this same meeting, the council voted on parking meter rates. I guess the city of Vancouver has different views on usage sensitive billing based on whether it is charging or being charged.

You can watch the video of the meeting here. You will see some fascinating misinformation: that the city is confused about some companies having bid and been granted a monopoly [really?] and the city was told that small ISPs have no other way to reach customers other than through one of these ordained monopolies.

One of the council members argued that Canada provides flat-rate mail service across country; why should internet be different? Maybe Vancouver is different. I don’t have access to flat rate mail service where I live. I pay per packet. In fact, I pay a different rate based on whether the postal packet is going to Canada or the US or overseas. Does Vancouver really have flat monthly rate unlimited postage? That would drive economic development. It would be a shipper’s dream!

Coverage in the Vancouver Sun here. As one city observer tweeted:

Homelessness, property taxes, Olympic Village condos. Nope, Vision Vancouver wants to debate federal CRTC internet billing policy instead

Yesterday’s blog post has attracted attention; I hope it helps stimulate Canada’s digital quotient. I firmly believe that Canada’s social safety net should include access to a connected computer for every household with school-aged children.

Although one of the comments speaks about alternate form factors, let’s start with an agreement on the objective.

As we wind down in anticipation of the upcoming holidays, my updates will be somewhat intermittent until after the start of the new year. Best wishes to all for meaningful time with your families and friends. May the new year be filled with health, happiness, peace and prosperity.