Remote Rural Broadband Systems in Canada

Abstract

The Rural Remote Broadband Systems (RRBS) program is a unique Canadian initiative to provide broadband access to unserved and underserved regions via fixed wireless service operating on unassigned television frequencies in the 512-608 MHz and 614-698 MHz bands. RRBS operators pay a nominal annual fee to access spectrum and receive a secondary license that offers no guarantee of protection from interference from broadcasting services.In 2011, the year the program was launched, Industry Canada issued 555 licenses for RRBS operations across the country. By 2014, there were 84 RRBS stations in Canada, the majority of which were concentrated in the province of Alberta. In December 2014, Industry Canada placed a moratorium on granting more spectrum licenses for RRBS operations while it examined the potentials of repurposing the 600 MHz band. As of August 2015, there were 52 RRBS stations operating in Canada.This study’s objective is to evaluate the RRBS policy as a method to bring efficient and affordable wireless internet service to remote and rural regions of Canada. This research looks at service providers at the margins of the Canadian wireless industry. Most RRBS providers in Canada are small enterprises that are often run by a few individuals and can have customer bases of less than one hundred. Despite the limited economic potential, early results show RRBS providers remain positive about its possibilities, if given the necessary policy support. This project explores the development of these small enterprises, RRBS business practices, as well as the continued role of the Canadian federal government in developing broadband infrastructures in remote and rural areas. The results of the study include quantitative data collected via surveys of RRBS service providers across Canada, and qualitative information obtained via structured interviews.Among the key questions: What precipitated the enormous drop in interested RRBS providers between 2011 and 2014? Can a secondary licence offer reliable service? Why are so many RRBS providers concentrated in the province of Alberta? What is the role of the federal government in supporting the development of small wireless providers? Is there a viable economic model to provide wireless broadband service in remote regions?This research is the only known study of this unique Canadian wireless broadband initiative. This study contributes to international telecommunication research involving Television White Space and unlicensed spectrum. It will prove valuable for any country with a large hinterland where wired access is a challenge.