Manitoba farmers want better phone and internet access and might be able to get it because of Bell Canada Enterprises’ takeover of MTS, says the head of Keystone Agricultural Producers.
However, it will need to push the provincial government to make that a negotiating priority.
“Let Bell and the province move this whole situation forward and really put Manitoba at the forefront of connectivity rather than being behind everybody,” Mazier said.
Bell’s deal to take over MTS, Manitoba’s dominant telecommunications provider, came with a promise that it would spend $1 billion over five years to improve service in the province.
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Poor cellphone, broadband and phone service in Manitoba compared to other provinces, including Saskatchewan, has been a frequent complaint at KAP meetings in recent years.
Many farmers say the problem is getting worse because farming systems, business partners and agriculture service companies expect them to be available almost all the time.
However, they feel they are being left out and are falling behind because of shoddy cellphone access and poor levels of broadband availability.
Bell’s announcement raised the hopes of many farmers that better telecommunications service might be coming, and Progressive Conservative premier Brian Pallister was part of a May 20 announcement in Morris that wireless broadband access would improve from Winnipeg to the U.S. border along Highway 75.
However, Mazier is hoping for much more than that.
He thinks the Manitoba government could pressure Bell and federal regulators to provide broadband access to farmers across Manitoba. MTS owns the land rights to all the landlines, so part of the deal could be forcing Bell to improve internet access so that every farm with a landline has broadband.
“Why couldn’t Bell do that?” said Mazier.
The likely objection is that it would cost too much and create higher rates to pay for it.
Mazier said this is a unique opportunity to improve the unequal access that farmers receive, but it won’t be as easy to achieve after a deal is approved.
“I think we’re at a crossroads,” said Mazier.
“What could be the made-in-Manitoba solution? Let’s look at it seriously and not just say it’ll cost too much money.”
Contact ed.white@producer.com
