Removing Broadband Deployment Obstacles in Rural Canada

WireIE President & CEO Rob Barlow today formally submitted the following comments to the federal government on it’s consultation entitled: “Improving Canada’s Digital Advantage, Strategies for Sustainable Prosperity”

I appreciate the opportunity to share my views in response to the Government of Canada’s Consultation Paper on a Digital Economy Strategy.

As President & CEO of a Canadian based global broadband wireless company, I am keenly aware of the benefits modernized ICT infrastructure bring to an economy. Economic and social development varies from one economy to another, but in every case, significant, measureable increases in GDP are realized when access to broadband is made universal.

Much of my company’s work is in the developing world where access to broadband is extremely limited if available at all. By providing universal broadband access to education, health, industry, business and individual citizens, societies have been transformed in very dramatic ways. Creative minds are unleashed and given access to develop new products and services, not only for their local economy, but often for the world at large.

As a proud Canadian, I am profoundly disappointed that rural Canada is now lagging behind much of the developing world in terms of broadband access. Recognizing the enormity of our nation’s geography, along with the reality that we are one of the most urbanized countries on the planet, it is somewhat understandable that little attention has been paid to rural broadband access up to this point.

A look at the devil in the details reveals further concerns. For example, there is no clear, consistent delineation between urban and rural broadband service offerings. My office, for example, is located in the “technology centre” of York Region, mere kilometers from the City of Toronto boundary. Within five kilometers of my office, broadband service availability becomes very sporadic, even nonexistent in certain peripheral areas. Many businesses and residences encircling our country’s largest city have no access to broadband.

The Government’s digital economy initiative is a vital element in Canada reclaiming it’s prominence as a global telecommunications leader. The government’s paper on the matter does a good job of capturing the challenges, along with the necessity to address them. With that in mind, I offer the following comments.

I believe serious consideration should be given to defining broadband access as an essential service – much in the way access to electricity and traditional telephony services have been regarded for several decades now. I say this fully recognizing that political and economic realities of today are very different from the days when universal telephone service was being deployed in rural Canada.

It is my belief that one of the reasons our country has fallen so far behind is due to the lack of genuine competition in the telecommunications sector. With that in mind, and factoring in the significant capital infusion required to provide such universality, a structure based on private / public partnerships should be seriously considered.

I also recognize that our deregulated, competitive telecommunications environment necessitates that capital is allocated for broadband expansion based on Return on Investment per project. Understandably, areas with low population densities produce poor and very often negative ROIs.

The digital economy, however, is a broad, complex, multilayered concept as the Government’s paper describes so well. While the delivery systems (i.e.: telecommunications infrastructure) may yield poor or negative ROIs in many areas of the country, the creation of content, new products and services as a result of universal broadband have the potential to generate enormous wealth in the longer term. Put another way, universal broadband provides a consistent foundation from which immeasurable wealth can be generated over and above network operator revenue. This modernized infrastructure has the added benefit of providing remote and rural government offices and facilities with broadband, allowing for operational cost reductions, along with greater opportunity to offer services in more areas at a consistent level of quality and overall user experience.

A likely reciprocal result of this creation of wealth would be made-in-Canada innovation in the telecommunications sector itself. Our once global reputation as an innovator in telecommunications would be reestablished, but this time it would be substantially reinforced by services afforded by universal broadband access to the Internet and World Wide Web.

Realizing the longer term return on such a scenario, it is essential to incent telecommunications providers to expand where shorter-term ROIs are unattractive – even when augmented by public funds. Tax breaks are an obvious option but other incentive-oriented mechanisms should also be explored. For example, an easing, or where practical, elimination of radio frequency license fees in rural areas would aid in the provision of both broadband backhaul and access. Another deterrent for network operators in rural areas – both from a cost and logistical perspective – relates to inflexibility in accessing rights-of-way. Rigidity around collocation of multi-operator telecommunications facilities is another impediment. I believe that by clearing these obstacles, significant progress can be made in delivering universal broadband in rural Canada.

We deservingly pride ourselves on being a well educated society. Creation of wealth and the sharing of knowledge need not be confined to parts of our country where broadband is available. Our rural areas are bursting with clever, creative, educated people driven by an entrepreneurial spirit. Other rural residents long to learn and have access to the same infinitely rich resources enjoyed by their urban counterparts who take broadband access for granted.

I thank you for considering my comments on this extremely important matter and look forward to a bright future where every Canadian has the choice to participate in the Digital Economy.

Robert Barlow
President & CEO
WireIE Holdings International Inc.

As many are aware, a war has been waging between Apple and Adobe over Apple’s decision to abandon Adobe Flash in their iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad product lines. Instead, the always forward-looking Steve Jobs, President and CEO of Apple, wants to accelerate the development and ultimate adoption of the integrated video capabilities planned for HTML5.

While Job’s vision is laudable, WireIE also believes there’s a pragmatic side to the debate. At this point, selection of the codec for HTML5 video has not been finalized. While many agree the ubiquitous H.264 codec would be a great asset in the HTML5 multimedia suite, there are potential complications with licensing. Others fear that alternatives such as open sourced Ogg Theora fall slightly short of H.264 in video quality and compression optimization. Regardless, these factors, along with spotty browser support, mean HTML5 and its integrated multimedia support is by no means finalized.

In the interest of being pragmatic, WireIE encourages the industry to give Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1 for mobile a fair hearing. In the video below, Adobe’s Adrian Ludwig demonstrates online gaming along with some beautiful multimedia interactivity with National Geographic’s web site on an HTC Nexus One running Android 2.1 and Flash 10.1

The move by network operators to usage based pricing models will undoubtedly alter the behaviour of many heavy data users. But what could also result from these new pricing models are application developers coding their apps with much greater sensitivity to the fact that unlimited data pricing is all but becoming a thing of the past.

CNET News columnist Marguerite Reardon has assembled an assessment of how this pricing model change will inspire application developers to be more efficient. To quote Dave Grannan, CEO at Vlingo, “It’s a pretty basic economic principle. When there’s a perception of unlimited use, people use the resource in less than efficient ways.”

Reardon’s assessment doesn’t ignore the enormous growth of video services, user created video and the huge impact they have on wireless network bandwidth. To read her column, simply click on the logo below.

Business transformation is on every network operator’s mind as demand for voice levels off while demand for data continues to grow exponentially. As a result of this shift, the industry is being forced to reinvent itself. Fourth generation network technologies promise to bring capital and operating costs in line with the world of data, but for most operators, that’s at least a year or two away and in the meantime, we’re forced to contend with the world around us changing very quickly.

Sponsored by amdocs, The Intelligence Unit of The Economist assembled a team to interview senior executives of network operators and independent industry experts. As expected, there is a global perspective with input from Europe, North America and China. The result is Fighting Smart. Strategy Options for Telecoms Operators.

In a quest to move beyond conclusions of our industry being relegated to “dumb pipe” status, the report delves into five potential business models.

• Smart Pipe
• Efficient Pipe
• Pricing Pioneer
• Defender of the Realm
• Transformer

WireIE has been engaged in the conversation of our industry’s future since the company’s inception and is a strong supporter of the philosophy of Open Mobile.

We invite visitors here to read the report, judge for themselves and by all means, comment here. The report is available for download by clicking on the image below. Again, our thanks to amdocs and The Economist.

WireIE was founded on the basis that significant change was imminent in the world of wireless network technology, our company’s core expertise. This change would impact the way services would be delivered. In fact, the very nature of the services themselves would significantly change. New approaches to designing, deploying and managing networks would result, and WireIE was ideally positioned to be a leader in this changed market.

At WireIE we always have our sights set on the next generation. Of course, “next generation” is a relative term because from the client’s perspective it doesn’t necessarily mean transforming to 4G. As a global company, some of WireIE’s clients operate in markets where the business case for 3G – ‘their’ next generation – is only now becoming valid. Regardless, our industry is well on its way in it’s transformation from the legacy of circuit-switched voice infrastructure to frame/packet data networks based on the Internet Protocol (IP). And it’s not just the infrastructure that’s transforming. So too is the business itself.

As with any transformation, some are challenged to let go of the old and familiar, and embrace the new. Others may be tempted to take experience from the old and superimpose it on the new.

The Telco in a World Dominated by IP

At WireIE, we’re promoting minor adjustments to terminology that we feel more appropriately capture the reality of the transformation our industry is going through. For example, most of our clients have traditionally been telcos – an abbreviation for telephone company, or telecommunications company. In most jurisdictions, telcos are common carriers. A common carrier is an entity that transports goods or passengers for a person or company. The common carrier is usually licensed and regulated by a government authority and is responsible for protecting against any potential loss of goods during transport. Implicit in a common carrier’s obligations are corresponding regulatory protections to ensure the common carrier is financially sustainable.

While we don’t dispute the common carrier aspect of telcos, we believe the historical context of the telco term under-represents and potentially misrepresents the nature of their transformed business.

With the integration of IP into the very core of our networks, it could be argued the nature of our business begins to have more in common with Internet Service Provision (ISP, or in the case of a wireless network, WISP). Sure, there is inevitably underlying telco infrastructure supporting an ISP, but in the world of IP where routing is highly dynamic and adaptable, and therefore tolerant of carrier facility disruption, we feel it’s more valid to talk in terms of the network. As such, we choose to refer to telcos as network operators.

As a company that transforms networks, there’s a method in our madness. Network transformation of the magnitude we’re seeing as a result of data usage, also means business and operational transformation. Using a term like telco reinforces the cultural inertia some are experiencing in our industry. In our view network operator modernizes the language.

There’s So Much More to Wireless IP Networks Than Wi-Fi

WireIE offers a number of solutions for wireless network access, along with an innovative suite of IP Packet Radio solutions for backhaul. Because of the broad adoption of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) as a wireless IP access technology, many are naturally inclined to assume that when wireless and IP are mentioned in the same breath, we’re talking about Wi-Fi. In this day and age, and certainly going forward, nothing could be farther from the truth.

4G wireless technologies are entirely IP based and 3G/3.5G technologies have significant IP infrastructure supporting their wireless data services. 3G, 3.5G and 4G are macro networks offering ubiquitous coverage and mobility. They support roaming. They also offer predictability and reliable service levels. Designing, deploying and operating a wireless macro network requires highly specialized expertise, along with sophisticated design tools. WireIE extends and transforms macro networks using the industry’s best-of-breed.

Join the Conversation

Feel free to share your views on transforming terminology, or any other topic in our blog by commenting.

There has been much discussion lately about spectrum limitations in light of the market’s ever-increasing appetite for mobile data services. As we look ahead to fourth generation technologies, we recognize that asymmetrical duplexing associated with TDD (Time Division Duplex) will yield some efficiencies over the inherent symmetry of FDD (Frequency Division Duplex). TDD has the additional advantage of being unpaired from an RF channel perspective — allowing for more spectrum allocation flexibility for fourth generation technologies.

LTE’s TDD specification known as TD-LTE is gaining momentum in light of these advantages. In this article, from Fierce Broadband Wireless, Monica Paulini gives us a superb snapshot of the current state of 4G technologies, and what the future likely holds in light of where we are today. She views TD-LTE as “disruptive”.

Hi readers,

Acronyms can be confusing. At WireIE, we constantly like to keep an up-to-date, ongoing list of all the terms that relate to our business and industry.

Click here to access the PDF. We will be updating it again in the coming weeks and will be sure to blog and tweet about it once again.

Please leave us a comment if we are missing any on the list or if you have any requests!

“One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential!” - Maya Angelou

Last week, WireIE’s entire team gathered in Richmond Hill, ON for our regular quarterly corporate meeting.

President & CEO Rob Barlow began the meeting with an inspirational video and then addressed the team with his corporate update and discussed our success as an organization and team. VP of Marketing Neil Buchanan presented our latest WireIE Messaging, and special guest John Barnett presented on “Unleashing our corporate potential”.

The meeting made for a great day and nice to see those from the WireIE team who live outside of Canada in the Caribbean and the United States.

Thanks for a great day all!

President & CEO Rob Barlow presenting and making the team laugh!

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Recently, Jennifer Jones (VP of Business Operations) and Nora Winje (Director, Business Development, CALA) traveled to Dominica for the annual Tele-gathering Conference, organized by Caribbean operators.

Founded in 1995, Tele-gathering is the largest gathering in the Caribbean Telecommunications Community. It unites and celebrates the friendships, interactions, and camaraderie of telecommunications employees from all islands, strengthening the social structure of the organization.

The host island every year highlights their culture, through activities, local tour and local cuisines. As a group, everyone participates in a local community service day that typically involves improvements to a local community property to give back to the population of the host country.

As a result of the exchange visits, employees in the telecommunications industry develop bonds that benefit them professionally and personally.

For more information please visit www.telegathering.com.

Five members of WireIE team attended the CWTA’s “25 Years of Connected to the Community” event which took place on Tuesday, April 20 in Ottawa, ON. The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, delivered the keynote address at the CWTA awards ceremony and met the WireIE attendees.

“WireIE is pleased to support the CWTA and the Canadian government in its efforts to develop a robust return on investment using wireless technologies to embrace the gap in digital divide”, said Rob Barlow, President & CEO of WireIE.

From Left to Right: Bryce Mitchell – VP of Technology, Brian Nelson – VP of Business Development North America, Robert Cressatti – VP of Business Development, Jennifer Jones – Director of Business Operations, Rob Barlow – President & CEO (Far Right)