As Canada’s telecommunications industry transitions over into NGNs or next generation networks, the country’s digital infrastructure takes a long awaited step toward the future. In fact, the current developments in Canadian digital infrastructure are all the more significant given the benefits provided by NGN, including improved functionality, increased speed, and seamless integration of services by way of IP or Internet Protocol.
As the continued development of wireless technologies spur on the growing use of wireless broadband, the burgeoning mobile devices market now enjoys virtually unbridled power and flexibility. One of the most important aspects of the digital economy, broadband networks give users unparalleled opportunities for social networking and video conference capabilities, and even electronic-based health services and smart electricity.
Investments in Canada’s digital infrastructure continue to grow at an unprecedented rate. As far back as 2008, more than $12 billion were invested by the private sector into digital infrastructure, with much of the funds coursed into the county’s telecommunications sector. As a result, several providers have boosted operations and have begun offering more attractive options to customers. This has made Canadian digital infrastructure even more competitive, with 50 and 100 megabits per second now standard in certain residential markets. A number of wireless providers have even introduced HSPA+ (high-speed packet access plus) networks that theoretically promise peak speeds of 21 Mbps.
As the private sector continues to play an important role in the development of Canada’s digital infrastructure, the Canadian government shares an increasingly important role as well. Among the government’s most recent initiatives are the expansion of broadband services in rural areas and the funding of CANARIE or the Canada Advanced Research and Innovation Network. This project is comprised primarily of an ultra-high speed optical network that is routinely utilized by thousands of scientists and researchers across the country.