High Spectrum Costs, Regulatory Impediments Slow 5G Rollout: Telecommunications Policy Working Group
High Spectrum Costs, Regulatory Impediments Slow 5G Rollout: Telecommunications Policy Working Group
April 21, 2021 – High spectrum costs and regulatory impediments impact the rollout of 5G and undermines Canada’s technological competitiveness, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute.
At their recent meetings, the Telecommunications Policy Working Group discussed spectrum policy and the consequences of high spectrum costs.
The Working Group agrees Ottawa’s primary goal should be to allocate spectrum most efficiently and ensure competitive access to spectrum. Improved spectrum allocation policy will enable the critically needed 5G infrastructure of the future.
Ottawa’s policy of auctioning off radiofrequency spectrum for telecommunications purposes is designed to minimize interference and ensure its…
Bank of Canada Should Hold Overnight Rate at 0.25 Percent, Reduce Government Bond Purchases: C.D. Howe Institute Monetary Policy Council
April 15, 2021 – The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council (MPC) recommends that the Bank of Canada keep its target for the overnight rate, its benchmark policy interest rate, at 0.25 percent at its next policy rate announcement on April 21st, but reduce its purchases of Government of Canada bonds below $4 billion per week.
The MPC provides an independent assessment of the monetary stance consistent with the Bank of Canada’s 2 percent inflation target. William Robson, the Institute’s CEO, chairs the Council. Council members make recommendations for the Bank of Canada’s upcoming interest-rate announcement, the subsequent announcement, and the announcements six months and one year ahead. The Council’s formal…
Telecom Prices Dropped 25 Percent Over Five Years: Telecommunications Policy Working Group
March 24, 2021 – Cellular services have seen a 25 percent price drop over the past five years, a decline that aligns with Ottawa’s promised wireless rate cut, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute.
At their recent meetings, the Telecommunications Policy Working Group discussed the regulation of prices, modernizing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and mandated access (requiring facilities-based wireless carriers to allow service providers access to those facilities at rates set by the CRTC).
With the federal government’s focus on wireless pricing, the Working Group stressed the importance of timely and transparent telecommunications data that reflects actual prices paid…
Governments Must Cut Red Tape to Build 5G: Telecommunications Working Group
March 9, 2021 – Ottawa must dramatically reduce the regulatory burden on the telecommunications industry to accelerate 5G deployment, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute.
At their recent meetings, the Telecommunications Working Group discussed the jurisdictional hurdles facing Canada’s telecommunications sector and how to best accelerate rural and remote connectivity.
Telecommunications providers face obstacles in gaining access rights to infrastructure for installing telecommunications facilities. These barriers, alongside difficulty navigating government incentive programs for expanded connectivity, could stall the federal government’s aim of extending high-speed internet coverage to 98 percent of…
Bank of Canada Should Hold Overnight Rate at 0.25 Percent, Prepare to Reduce Government Bond Purchases: C.D. Howe Institute Monetary Policy Council
March 4, 2021 – The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council (MPC) recommends that the Bank of Canada keep its target for the overnight rate, its benchmark policy interest rate, at 0.25 percent at least until March of 2022. The MPC was divided on whether the Bank of Canada should maintain its current pace of Government of Canada bond purchases between now and its next policy-rate announcement on April 21st, but members who voted for the Bank to maintain its current pace said it should prepare markets for a winding down of the program.
The MPC provides an independent assessment of the monetary stance consistent with the Bank of Canada’s 2 percent inflation target. William Robson, the Institute’s CEO, chairs…
