The retirement of 3G cellular service in Northern Ontario has Matawa Chiefs Council (MCC) calling for action.
On December 31, Rogers will no longer offer (third-generation) 3G service as they upgrade to 5G across their networks.
The MCC says the cutoff could pose serious risks to Matawa First Nations communities with Chief Sonny Gagnon calling it a “matter of life and death” in a release.
In a letter sent to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) yesterday, the Council raised their concerns, saying reliable communications infrastructure is vital, especially in remote fly-in communities such as Marten Falls, Neskantaga, Nibinamik and other First Nations communities that rely most on existing 3G cellular networks.
The MCC are calling for support for Matawa-owned telecommunications company Rapid Lynx Broadband to deliver urgently needed cellular upgrades to the region.
The Council is urging the CRTC to fast-track upgrades to 5G infrastructure in Matawa communities ahead of the end of the year and push for a one-year exention of 3G service to allow for transition.
In addition, the MCC is asking for full support for the infrastructure, operational, and capital costs required to modernize cellular systems in northern First Nations and recognition of the realities of remote northern geography, limited infrastructure, and decades of underinvestment.
When asked about their plans, a representative from TbayTel (which partners with Rogers in some Northern Ontario regions) responded in an email that their “3G shutdown approach is independent of Rogers and therefore we can’t comment” but that it is “important to note that any Tbaytel customers roaming outside of the Tbaytel network still using 3G, will not have access to the Rogers network when and where they decide to shut down 3G access.”
