We've been getting a lot of calls lately about broadband internet in Canada -- depending on who you talk to, it's either great or awful.
It all started a couple of weeks ago, when we ran a chart from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development on "high-speed" internet. According to the chart, Canada was the second-most expensive place to get your high-speed fix, with monthly prices closer to $100 than $50.
In truth, the chart makes sense if you consider the kinds of speeds the OECD classifies as "high-speed." They are, for the most part, higher than what most Canadian ISPs offer under the same high-speed label, and what Canadian consumers usually purchase. The few Canadian ISPs who offer speeds that high do offer them at prices close to or even higher than $100. In the ranking of what the OECD considers a sort of mid-speed category, Canada does better, placing eighth out of 30 countries, with prices more in line with the $45 or so I pay for my home Internet connection.
Now another study has come along. The Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford released an analysis based on some 24-million broadband speed test records. The survey concludes that Canada is 17th in the world for broadband leadership, a category that combines broadband speeds and access. The survey puts Canada 30th or 31st for upload speed, download speed and broadband quality. Globally, the study says Japan and South Korea are among the world leaders.
But there's yet a third study, released this week. This one was commissioned and conducted in Canada, and paints a much brighter picture of the country's broadband landscape.
"The report concludes that Canadians benefit from a robust, diversified broadband infrastructure," writes telecom consultant Mark Goldberg, one of the report's authors. "All Canadians who want to subscribe and pay for broadband can obtain service. We have 100% availability when you consider all the technology choices available. The vast majority of Canadians benefit from a world-leading level of choice in access to broadband technologies, using twisted pair, coaxial cable, wireless (fixed and mobile) and satellite."
It should be noted that the report, written by Mark H. Goldberg & Associates Inc. and Giganomics Consulting Inc., was commissioned by a group of Canada's largest Internet Service Providers. The large ISPs have been trying for years to combat the perception that broadband quality in Canada lags behind other developed nations.
We want to hear from you. Tell us your experiences with broadband speed, access and price. How does Canada compare to other countries you've lived in or visited?
