Consumers should reassess their technology service "bundles" for cost versus risk in the same way they balance their investment portfolio, according to tech expert Andy Baryer.
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A local tech industry observer joined consumers and others calling for federal policy changes after Friday’s Rogers Communications network outage disrupted every aspect of life, but especially access to emergency services, for millions of users.
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“People need to be able to grab their phone and call 911. Now that we’re moving toward a 5G network, there is an opportunity for the government to really push and tell the networks, ‘we need to co-operate,’ and create a stable, secure option,” said Andy Baryer, technology and digital lifestyle expert at HandyAndyMedia.com.
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The disruption in internet access, cellphone and landline phone connections meant some callers couldn’t reach emergency services via 911 calls, police across Canada said.
Rogers, BCE Inc and Telus Corp control 90 per cent of the market share in Canada.
They could be forced to meet certain stipulations in order to qualify for licenses to operate next generation 5G wireless services, suggested Baryer. Companies could be mandated to immediately share access to emergency services when one network is disrupted.
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Instead, they currently see the Rogers outage as an opportunity to gain new customers, said Baryer.
The situation, which started at about 7:30 a.m. PDT Friday lasted through Saturday, interrupted banking, transport and government access for about a third of mobile users in Canada who rely on the Rogers network, and hit cashless payments systems and Air Canada’s call centre.
“Millions of Canadians couldn’t call 911 yesterday. Hospitals couldn’t call in staff. There was no way to call families so that they could say goodbye to their loved ones at end of life,” tweeted Amit Arya, director-at-large at the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians.
Rogers, which blamed a router malfunction after maintenance, said on Saturday it would credit affected customers and invest more in its network and technology. It did not comment on whether the outage could impact its chances of getting antitrust approval for a $20 billion takeover of Shaw Communications. Canada’s competition bureau blocked the deal earlier this year, saying it would hamper competition in a country where telecom rates are some of the world’s highest.
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University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist, who focuses on the internet and ecommerce law, said the outage “must be a wake-up for a government that has been asleep on digital policy.”
He wrote on his blog that the blame for the outage may lie with Rogers, but the government and Canadian telecommunications regulator should be held accountable for a failure to respond.
Baryer said consumers should reassess their technology service “bundles” for cost versus risk in the same way they balance their investment portfolio.
“Try to diversify your services so you can stay online or connected. I guess the biggest tip would be to keep your Wi-Fi and your home internet and your cellphone on different plans. Unfortunately, a lot of people are on the same (network). They were the ones who had to go to the coffee shop to be able to keep working,” he said.
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Baryer said he uses one of the smaller internet service providers to “stick it to the Big Three companies” and avoid using them. These more entrepreneurial players exist to prevent a complete monopoly of the market, but sell the same infrastructure and services the large companies do.
Aside from carrying some cash, Baryer said consumers should build back habits in case networks are disrupted again. For example, he has now put a lockbox outside his home with a physical, backup key because he has a Smart Lock that relies on Wi-Fi to function.
— With files from Reuters
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2022-07-10 21:58:59Z
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