A new report on rural broadband is highlighting the need for speed online in the north.
Blue Sky Net says many residents in rural Canada have limited access to affordable high-speed internet — and it’s never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report shows that of the 101 municipalities where at least five speed tests took place, North Bay is 13th when it comes to download speeds — at 16.8 megabytes per second.
The city is third with uploading speeds at 20.6 Mbps.
Officials say in 2018 the CRTC issued a target to connect over 90% of Canadian households to services that can deliver 50 Mbps downloading and 10 Mbps uploading by next year.
They say it’s interesting to note that very few communities’ test averages approach these targets.
Chisholm was seventh from the bottom in download speeds while Mattawa was fourth last with upload speeds.
For more check out: http://www.connectednorth.ca/speed-test-report

(file photo of Blue Sky Net receiving $1.3 million from FedNor)