CRTC should mandate a universal “dig-once” policy

The CRTC, coordinating with federal, provincial and municipal governments, mandate a dig-once policy which includes a set of standards for the construction of duct infrastructure necessary for the installation of fibre optic cable and the requirement to install the conduit infrastructure based on the dig-once standards.  The conduit may be accessed by municipalities, land developers, telecom service providers and other entities to construct FTTP connectivity.  The policy would apply for all new roads construction projects, or where existing roads are being remediated and other municipal rights-of-way as required.  The objectives are to make it easier, faster, and less expensive to deploy fibre optic connectivity throughout the nation.  Combined with a universal service mandate and taxpayer and ratepayer subsidies, it is expected that this dig-once strategy will yield the benefits of fibre optic connectivity to all rural and low-income residents and rural small businesses sooner than it would otherwise occur through the current facilities-based competition regime.

Installing FTTP infrastructure is expensive. The primary reason for not building FTTP networks in Canada's big provinces is cost. FTTP installation costs per subscriber are typically in the $1,000 to $1,500 range.[ii] A US Federal Highway Administration report detailed that up to 90 percent of this cost was tied up in the process of actually digging up roadways, not the fibre lines themselves.[iii]

ISED estimated the cost to achieve ubiquitous FTTP would be $40 - $50 billion.[iv]  If dig once is implemented nationally, it could provide between $36 - $45 billion in savings, bringing the estimated total cost to deploy last-mile FTTP down to $4 - $5 billion.

[i] https://broadbandnow.com/report/dig-once-digital-divide/

[ii] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/gadgets-and-gear/with-fibre-internet-the-future-is-here-but-not-for-most-canadians/article4255358/

[iii] https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/policy_brief_dig_once.pdf/

[iv] https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/110.nsf/vwapj/BTLR_Eng-V3.pdf/$file/BTLR_Eng-V3.pdf, page 15.