Internet speeds within the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) may not be as fast as federal statistics suggest.
According to the CSRD, communities within the region have expressed concern that federal data on local broadband internet speeds does not accurately reflect what people are experiencing at home or with their businesses.
According to a May 28 press release from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District on May 28, many communities within the district don’t think their internet speeds match up with federal data on broadband internet.
A federal internet maps indicate that a 50 megabyte-per-second download time and 10 megabyte-per-second upload time should be available in the district.
The CSRD says this data is important because it is used to determine eligibility for connectivity funding programs to improve service, adding access to high-speed internet services improves access to healthcare, education, culture, public safety and economic activity.
Citizens and businesses in the district are being encouraged to participate in an internet speed test from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.
The test can be found at https://performance.cira.ca/bc.
CSRD directors said the more responses received from different parts of the region, the more accurate the internet data will be.
The responses will be part of an independent study being conducted by the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, Union of BC Municipalities, and Northern Development Initiative Trust. Data analysis will take place this spring and summer and reporting of study results is expected in the fall.
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