Many people who move into rural areas and are surprised by the limits to internet service. The information below is intended to shed some light on the challenges of rural broadband, it’s availability in the Municipality of Hastings Highlands, and what is being done by the Federal and Provincial governments to improve access to high speed internet.
Challenges with Rural Internet
Rural areas typically involve significantly larger landscapes and a much lower population density. This means that expansion of broadband would be very costly for internet service providers (ISPs) since there would be a limited number of households to fund the expansion or generate a sufficient profit.
This problem is exacerbated by the limited number of ISPs providing service in many rural markets across Ontario and the lack of competition means there is little incentive for these companies to improve the service they offer.
The combination of expensive infrastructure, fewer households, and limited competition has resulted in a gap of broadband services for some rural residents. This problem is referred to as “market failure” because the typical market for goods and services (basic supply and demand) has failed to provide what consumers want.
Latest News and Updates
Provincial Broadband Project (2023-2025)
On August 4, 2022, the Province of Ontario announced their commitment to bringing high-speed internet access to every corner of the Province by the end of 2025.
The Ontario government released an interactive high-speed internet map so you can see where high speed internet is available and where work is undergoing or planned. Search by address or municipality then click on the colour lines to learn more.
