Don’t like your internet speed? You may not be alone, according to one regional district in B.C.’s Interior.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says many B.C. communities have raised concerns that federal data on broadband Internet speeds may not accurately reflect the speeds experienced in homes, businesses, and other locations.
And that data, notes the CSRD, is important because it’s used to determine eligibility for funding programs to improve connectivity service.
So, what’s this got to do with you? The regional district and the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) are asking B.C. residents to test their internet speeds.
Both organizations say those tests are key steps in identifying which B.C. communities have inconsistencies between internet speeds that should be available versus actual speeds.
The speed test can be accessed at this website.
When it comes to understanding internet speeds, the acronym Mbps is a standard term. It stands for megabits per second, and it’s a way to measure someone’s internet connection.
For more about Mbps — and how a low or high Mbps number affects how slow or fast webpages or online videos can be viewed or items downloaded — visit this website and this website.
The CRTC says it wants all Canadian homes and businesses to have access to broadband Internet speeds of at least 50 Mbps for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads.
According to the UBCM, a company was selected in April to study speeds in remote and rural B.C. communities and to see which ones experienced speeds below 50/10 Mbps as indicated on federal maps.
The CSRD says this is an important issue, as access to high-speed Internet services improves access to healthcare, education, culture, public safety and economic activity.
“The CSRD already has data showing local internet speeds are lower in some areas than the federal data indicates,” said the regional district.
“CSRD residents, businesses and community stakeholders can help ensure the correct data for Internet speed is recorded by taking part in a simple Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) test.”
Earlier this spring, the UBCM issued a release also asking residents to take part in the study. That release can be seen here.
The CSRD said it is encouraging all residents to take part in the speed test.
“The more responses received from different locations across the region, the more accurate the broadband Internet speed data will be,” said the CSRD.
“The test can be taken multiple times in multiple locations, as internet speed may vary.”