First Nations council in Ont. wants Rogers to delay 3G closure, telling CRTC it’s ‘a matter of life and death’ | CBC News

The Matawa Chiefs Council is warning that Rogers’s planned 3G network shutdown could have consequences for remote First Nations communities in northern Ontario, including putting lives at risk.

The council said it sent a letter to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) this week that calls for an urgent delay to the Dec. 31 shutdown. The CRTC regulates telecom providers, sets basic service standards, monitors access and affordability and can encourage, but not force, companies to maintain service in specific communities.

The chiefs argue the move could “pose serious risks to the safety, health and well-being” of the region’s remote communities, which already face limited access to cellular and broadband services.

The Matawa region includes nine member First Nations, several of which are remote fly-in communities located in the mineral-rich Ring of Fire area, including Eabametoong, Marten Falls, Neskantaga, Nibinamik and Webequie.

“Reliable communications infrastructure is a matter of life and death in our communities,” Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation said in a news release announcing the council’s letter to the CRTC. “In Aroland First Nation, we don’t even have the benefit of 3G (or any other cellular services), but that could change with immediate investment in upgrades to finalize compatibility to meet today’s standards.”

The letter comes as Canadian providers gradually disable 3G networks to free up frequencies for faster 4G and 5G networks, which improve call quality and internet speeds, and support new technologies.

The Matawa Chiefs Council says the issue extends far beyond resource development.

“This is not simply about mineral development; it is about our homelands, peoples and way of life,” the letter says, according to the council’s news release.

The Matawa council is calling on the federal telecom regulator to extend Rogers’s 3G service until January 2027. It’s also asking to immediate funding for Indigenous-led telecommunications upgrades through Rapid Lynx Broadband, a Matawa-owned company. 

The council is asking for federal support to cover the infrastructure, operational and capital costs needed to modernize northern networks, and to “recognize the unique realities of remote northern geography, limited infrastructure and decades of underinvestment.”

“Reliable telecommunications are fundamental to health, safety and sustainable development in our territories,” said Chief Solomon Atlookan of Eabametoong First Nation. “Our Nations cannot be left behind as Canada moves forward. We are ready with a Nation-led solution through Rapid Lynx Broadband, but we need immediate support and commitment from the CRTC, telecommunications providers, and governments.”

Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of Marten Falls First Nation said losing 3G service could be catastrophic.

“Cellular service is a lifeline in Marten Falls First Nation. As treaty partners with Canada and Ontario, it is unacceptable that we could be potentially cut off at the end of this year.”

CRTC, telecoms respond

In an emailed statement, CRTC spokesperson Leigh Cameron said the commission is reviewing the letter from the Matawa Chiefs Council and will determine next steps.

“The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters, and makes decisions based on the public record,” Cameron said in the email to CBC.

Cameron added that while the CRTC regulates the industry, “cellular service providers, independent of the CRTC, decide which communities they serve and which technologies they deploy.”

Rogers says it has been communicating with affected customers.

“We have been proactively communicating with the small percentage of customers using our 3G network since last year to help them migrate to an upgraded network experience,” said Victoria Ahearn, a Rogers spokesperson. “Customers living in Matawa First Nations communities currently serviced by Rogers can migrate to our 4G LTE or 5G network without changing their plan, and we’re offering them a new, compatible device for $0 if needed.”

Susan Church, executive director of the Blue Sky Economic Growth Corporation, said 5G infrastructure is limited in many northern and Matawa First Nations communities. She said problems with phones, electricity and internet connections mean just switching to 5G won’t fix the issue. High costs and technical challenges make deployment difficult.

Responsibility for building and maintaining that service is shared among telecom companies, the CRTC, the federal government and Indigenous organizations.

Bell said it’s prioritizing upgrades to LTE in regions still dependent on 3G to ensure continuity of service, especially for emergency calls.

“To maintain uninterrupted service, especially for critical communications like 911 calls, Bell is prioritizing upgrades to LTE in remote communities,” said Patricia Garcia, manager of public affairs at Bell. “These upgrades are being completed ahead of the national 3G shutdown.”

Tbaytel, which operates its own network in northwestern Ontario, said its systems won’t be affected by Rogers’s plans.

Kaitlin Gaspar, the company’s communications co-ordinator, said, “We are actively working with Tbaytel customers that remain on 3G to migrate in advance of our 3G sunset, which is still being finalized.”

Non-profit warns shutdown could widen digital divide

Church said the issue exposes long-standing gaps in connectivity across the north. Blue Sky focuses on expanding broadband access in underserved areas, and providing technology training and education to local communities.

“It’s a terrible thing for the communities, to be honest with you,” Church said. “Without 3G availability, they’re not able to have the cell service that they need. It’s going to be bad and there’s going to be blind spots. It’s going to be gone. And that’s the tragedy of it all.”

Church said only 23 per cent of northern Ontario was covered by LTE as of 2022 and just five per cent by 5G. That means most communities are dependent on 3G. She estimated that replacing those services with Indigenous-owned infrastructure could cost roughly $28 million.

“It would provide the opportunity for all of the First Nations affected by this loss of the 3G network to either own their own network or upgrade existing towers,” she said. “Right now, there are no cellular funding programs available, whether it’s through CRTC, the federal government or the provincial government. And so I think now’s the time to begin that conversation where  budgets are coming out.”

Church said the situation highlights a “social obligation” for large telecom companies and governments to act.

“They also have to be willing to work with smaller service providers that exist, and they absolutely must be willing to work with First Nation communities,” she said. “It would behoove them to take a look at the social obligation they have to just not leave people stranded.”