Chebucto Community Net -Atlantic Canada’s oldest ISP -Registered Non Profit Charitable Society

The Digital Divider(s) Money I can has bundle? Knowledge I’m afraid of breaking something…. Type of access/location Everything takes too long

The Digitally Left Behind Social Assistance Disability Lower income Illness Unemployed Pension

The Digitally Left Behind

The Digitally Left Behind

What You’ve Told Us…. I have disability and financial issues. However, I am very grateful for all the help with Internet / computer problems. Health issues and age limit my mobility. Our home computer is old and slow. Money is very tight for us and we cannot afford a new computer. There are four of us here who like to use the Internet so it can be difficult to get a chance on the computer. I have health Issues, 7 heart attacks, Peripheral Arterial Disease, etc. My computer is 8 yrs old and there is no money for a new one. Home computer and connection thanks to my Father .... my health issues keep me at home too many days. Chebucto was my first internet connection and I will always be grateful for the start you gave me. Health issues DO keep me at home. I was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. (Est. timeframe left ~ 2 years), and I am currently undergoing chemotherapy. Of course, everyone hates dialup connections compared to broadband speeds, but cost IS an over-riding factor for me. I do NOT have cable, satellite, hi-speed internet OR a cell phone. I am currently seeking lodging within the subsidized housing program (no luck yet). I am *extremely fond* of this affordable CCN service and have used it for many, many years.

Internet access a right? Finland 1st country to make this law. Not just access but defining the speed (1 Mb/sec now) and fixing a date for it to improve (100 Mb/sec in 2015). France, Spain, Greece and Estonia have followed suit with their own legislation. In Halifax, things are going the other way. Currently 1 in 4 have no home access and 1 in 5 have no access at all. We’ve fallen from 2nd place to 10th place amongst Canadian cities for access in past decade.

Internet access a right? BBC World Service March 8, 2010 In a survey of more than 27,000 people in 26 countries, 8/10 said “Yes”. 9/10 of people with Internet access said “Yes”.

Global Digital Divide

Global Digital Divide: Speed/Uptake

Local Bandwidth rates compared Japan National Average - 61Mbps@$17.69/Mo = $0.29/Mbps/Mo x0.04 Eastlink 100 - 100Mbps@$159.95/Mo = $1.60/Mbps/Mo x0.23 Bell Aliant High-Speed Max - 13Mbps @ $49.95/Mo = $3.84/Mbps/Mo x0.55 Eastlink 15 - 15Mbps @ $57.95/Mo = $3.86/Mbps/Mo x0.56 Bell Aliant High-Speed Ultra - 7Mbps @ $39.95/Mo = $5.71/Mbps/Mo x0.82 Canada National average - 7.6Mbps @ $52.67/Mo = $6.93/Mbps/Mo x1.00 Eastlink 5 - 5Mbps @ $47.95/Mo = $9.59/Mbps/Mo x1.38 OmniGlobe Professional (Wifi) – 3.0Mbps@ $59.95/Mo= $19.98/Mbps/Mo x2.88 Bell Aliant High-Speed - 1.5Mbps @ $34.95/Mo = $23.30/Mbps/Mo x3.36 OmniGlobe Elite (Wifi) - 1.5Mbps@ $47.95/Mo = $31.95/Mbps/Mo x4.61 Eastlink Basic - 256Kbps @ $26.95/Mo = $105.27/Mbps/Mo x15.19 Dial-Up Internet Chebucto Plus (Unlimited) - 52Kbps @ $125.00/Yr = $208.40/Mbps/Mo x30.07 Bell Aliant Unlimited Dial-Up - 52Kbps @ $28.95/Mo = $579.00/Mbps/Mo x83.55 Bell Aliant 40 Hrs/Mo Dial-Up - 52Kbps@ $21.95/Mo=$8,017.24/Mbps/Mo x1,156.89 Bell Aliant 15 Hrs/Mo Dial-Up - 52Kbps@$18.95/Mo=$18,457.30/Mbps/Mo x2,663.29 - Prices as of 29 April 2010. Bell Aliant, Eastlink and OmniGlobe prices as listed do not include sales tax.

100 Mbps? Really? Well, not exactly. There’s a 250 GB monthly download limit with $1 per GB charge after that. That means you’d have used up your monthly download limit in just 6 hours of 100 Mbps downloading and if you kept it up your monthly bill would be $30,524.85 + tax (!) If you used just 1/100th the claimed speed – 1 Mbps - you’d reach the monthly limit in just under 25 days and if you kept it up you’d add another $56 to your bill - $216.10 + tax. So what is actually being provided without surcharge is the right to use 0.82 Mbps of download speed for $159.95 a month + tax. This is what is passing for technological advance here.

Local Bandwidth rates compared - AMENDED Japan National Average - 61Mbps@$17.69/Mo = $0.29/Mbps/Mo x0.04 Bell Aliant High-Speed Max - 13Mbps @ $49.95/Mo = $3.84/Mbps/Mo x0.55 Eastlink 15 - 15Mbps @ $57.95/Mo = $3.86/Mbps/Mo x0.56 Bell Aliant High-Speed Ultra - 7Mbps @ $39.95/Mo = $5.71/Mbps/Mo x0.82 Canada National average - 7.6Mbps @ $52.67/Mo = $6.93/Mbps/Mo x1.00 Eastlink 5 - 5Mbps @ $47.95/Mo = $9.59/Mbps/Mo x1.38 OmniGlobe Professional (Wifi) – 3.0Mbps@ $59.95/Mo= $19.98/Mbps/Mo x2.88 Bell Aliant High-Speed - 1.5Mbps @ $34.95/Mo = $23.30/Mbps/Mo x3.36 OmniGlobe Elite (Wifi) - 1.5Mbps@ $47.95/Mo = $31.95/Mbps/Mo x4.61 Eastlink Basic - 256Kbps @ $26.95/Mo = $105.27/Mbps/Mo x15.19 Eastlink 100 ACTUAL - 0.82 Mbps@$159.95/Mo = $195.14/Mbps/Mo x28.16 Dial-Up Internet Chebucto Plus (Unlimited) - 52Kbps @ $125.00/Yr = $208.40/Mbps/Mo x30.07 Bell Aliant Unlimited Dial-Up - 52Kbps @ $28.95/Mo = $579.00/Mbps/Mo x83.55 Bell Aliant 40 Hrs/Mo Dial-Up - 52Kbps@ $21.95/Mo=$8,017.24/Mbps/Mo x1,156.89 Bell Aliant 15 Hrs/Mo Dial-Up - 52Kbps@$18.95/Mo=$18,457.30/Mbps/Mo x2,663.29 - Prices as of 29 April 2010. Bell Aliant, Eastlink and OmniGlobe prices as listed do not include sales tax.

Our current solution? $125/year Chebucto membership = 56K unlimited PPP dialup access, email, web space, and high-speed wifi where available. Wifi great idea with no public support and no money. For $400,000 in capital costs we could cover most of Metro Halifax.

The *Real* Long Term Solution Fiber Optic to the Neighbourhood pod. All providers have equal access to provide fiber optic connections from the local pod to the home. No one provider controls public pod access or network. Local networks peer together to reduce bandwidth costs. Public support needed for fair access to resources. Public funded computer/Internet classes for Senior Citizens/Newbies.