Building Digital Infrastructure
Fiber optic cables run under streets. Cell towers rise on hilltops. Data centers hum in industrial parks. Digital infrastructure—the physical systems that enable digital communication—is as essential as roads and bridges, yet often invisible until it fails.
Components of Digital Infrastructure
Wireline Networks
Fiber optic: Glass or plastic fibers carrying data as light pulses. Highest capacity, fastest speeds, most expensive to deploy. The gold standard for fixed broadband.
Coaxial cable: Originally built for cable television, upgraded for internet service. Less capacity than fiber but widely deployed.
Copper telephone lines (DSL): Legacy infrastructure repurposed for internet. Limited capacity, degrades with distance. Being phased out in favor of fiber.
Wireless Networks
Cellular: Mobile networks (4G LTE, 5G) using licensed spectrum. Enables mobile connectivity and fixed wireless home internet in some areas.
Fixed wireless: Point-to-point wireless using towers and antennas. Alternative where wireline deployment is impractical.
Satellite: Geostationary satellites (high latency) and low-earth-orbit constellations like Starlink (lower latency). Serves areas without terrestrial options.
Wi-Fi: Unlicensed spectrum wireless for local connectivity. Connects devices within buildings to wireline or wireless backhaul.
Data Centers
Facilities housing servers that store and process data. Cloud computing concentrates processing in large data centers, making their location, capacity, and reliability critical.
Internet Exchange Points
Locations where networks interconnect, enabling traffic to flow between providers. Exchange point location affects latency and routing efficiency.
Deployment Challenges
Urban vs. Rural
Dense urban areas have multiple competing providers and ongoing upgrades. Rural areas may have single providers, limited capacity, and long upgrade cycles.
The economics differ dramatically. Urban deployment reaches many subscribers per kilometer of infrastructure; rural deployment reaches few. Private investment flows to profitable urban markets.
Rights-of-Way and Zoning
Wireline infrastructure requires access to streets, poles, and private property. Municipal permitting, utility pole access, and right-of-way rules can accelerate or impede deployment.
Wireless infrastructure faces zoning challenges. Cell towers and antennas face local opposition, height restrictions, and permitting delays.
Timelines
Major infrastructure takes years to plan and build. Funding announcements today produce connected homes years later. Communities waiting for connectivity experience extended exclusion.
Cost-Sharing
Who pays for infrastructure deployment? Models include full private investment, public subsidies, public ownership, and various public-private partnerships. Different models produce different outcomes for coverage, price, and service.
Canadian Infrastructure Status
Urban Canada has competitive broadband markets with multiple providers offering high-speed service. Most urban Canadians can access service exceeding national targets.
Rural and remote Canada has significant gaps. Many communities lack any broadband option meeting national targets. Some rely on satellite as the only option.
The federal government has committed to universal connectivity by 2030, with billions allocated to broadband expansion. Progress is underway but the goal remains distant for many communities.
Infrastructure and Equity
Infrastructure investment shapes opportunity. Communities with good connectivity can attract businesses, enable remote work, and access digital services. Communities without it cannot.
Historical patterns of infrastructure investment often reinforced existing inequalities. Ensuring digital infrastructure does not replicate these patterns requires intentional equity focus.
The Question
If digital infrastructure is foundational to modern life, then who builds it, where, and how fast are decisions that shape opportunity. How should infrastructure investment be prioritized to address gaps rather than reinforce advantages? What role should government play—funder, regulator, or builder? And how can communities without connectivity influence decisions about infrastructure that affects them?