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In Today’s Issue

The Podcast

Episode #15 - 1,000 Kilometers and Counting: YorkNet’s Fiber Playbook, Laura Bradley, General Manager, YorkNet

Municipalities are taking broadband into their own hands.

In this episode, I speak with Laura Bradley, General Manager of YorkNet, about how York Region is building and managing its own fibre network.

Laura shares how YorkNet went from connecting a few buildings in 2002 to deploying over 1,000 kilometers of fiber today, why open access infrastructure matters, and how strategic planning is shaping the network’s future.

The conversation also touches on unexpected challenges, lessons learned, and why local ownership of digital infrastructure can change the game for residents, businesses, and entire communities.

What you'll learn in this Episode:

💡How York Region built a 1,000+ km open access fiber network in under a decade
💡 Why municipalities should consider treating broadband like roads and water
💡 The design choices that future-proof a network for decades of growth
💡 How to make the financial and political case for a municipal build
💡 Ways to partner with ISPs while still driving local competition
💡 Why extra capacity in the ground today will save millions tomorrow

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🙉 Listen on your favourite player of choice or on Spotify.

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What’s Happening On Earth?

🇨🇦 Rogers selling data centres to InfraRed Capital Partners to pay down debt - Rogers Communications Inc. has signed a deal to sell nine data centres to InfraRed Capital Partners as part of its plan to divest itself of non-core assets and pay down debt, deviating from its rivals’ strategies to double down on business-to-business data centre offerings.

My Take: Sell it off, bit by bit - “It is part of Rogers’ plans to sell $1-billion in non-core assets, including part of its real estate portfolio, in order to reduce leverage. As of the end of its last quarter, the company had $40.8-billion in long-term debt.”

🇨🇦 'Dangerous decision': Telecom CEO blasts Joly’s decision to uphold CRTC's wholesale internet rules - What we saw last week, by the minister's decision, is more reminiscent of old Trudeau era, superficial policies,' said Cogeco’s CEO Frédéric Perron

My Take: Telus is the only one who’s happy. Eastlink suggests they may actually shut down some networks. Rogers and Bell both say they’re not investing. Will they release all the now-dormant funding they’re sitting on? Cogeco is really angry. I don’t think any of this is over.

Multi-core Fiber - There is a relatively new fiber technology that most readers will not have heard about. Multi-core fiber (MCF) is a technology that packs multiple strands of fiber inside a bundle that is about the same size as a single strand of fiber today. The benefit of packing more fibers into a tiny strand is obvious – it means a lot more bandwidth can be sent through a single physical strand of fiber.

My Take: More cores = more data capacity without needing more cables. Instead of laying 8 separate fibers, you could have 1 fiber with 8 cores. Saves space, reduces installation cost, and makes big upgrades possible without digging new trenches.

Rethinking Indoor Connectivity: Why It Matters More Than Ever - Mobile networks have seen major upgrades in recent years—from 5G rollouts to expanded spectrum to denser infrastructure—but indoor coverage is still a major weak spot. Whether in office towers, schools, hospitals, or transportation hubs, buildings often block or weaken cellular signals, creating a frustrating experience for users and a missed opportunity for mobile network operators (MNOs). In many cases, indoor coverage gaps pose more than an inconvenience; they create real risks for public safety and limit economic potential for property owners.

My Take: There are solutions to provide indoor connectivity - but there’s also a cost.

Ubiquity Smart Buildings cracks the code for MDU fiber overbuilds - Ubiquity is a full-service fiber provider with edge data center assets and an internet service provider in FiberFirst, boasting a portfolio of 300,000 passings and over 30,000 customers. The Smart Buildings division specializes in the deployment of optimal fiber-to-the-unit for private access MDU and SFU properties, building the last-mile infrastructure that enhances connectivity for residents.

My Take: Seems like people are buying into it.

Extreme eyes HPE-Juniper, Cisco discontent to elevate enterprise gains - Extreme Networks CEO Ed Meyercord expects a surge in market opportunities tied to growing upheaval at larger rivals Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Cisco but does not expect those opportunities to shake the vendor’s core focus on the enterprise market.

Is HPE’s Juniper honeymoon already over? - A deal with Elliott Investment could alter integration priorities

Extreme eyes HPE-Juniper, Cisco discontent to elevate enterprise gains - Market dynamics are ripe with conquest opportunities

My Take: I only have an interest because I worked for Juniper from 14 years and remember the last time Elliot Management, the “activist investor”, was involved back in 2015. I don’t recall that it was a fun time.

AT&T CTO touts ‘millions’ of 5G SA connections - AT&T CTO Jeremy Legg said the carrier has “millions” of customers on its 5G standalone (SA) core, highlighting work toward opening up its network assets to new revenue-generating opportunities.

My Take: 👍

Russia has been cutting the internet to stop drones — and it's driving a cash comeback - Russians are withdrawing more cash due to internet outages disrupting electronic payments.

My Take: That means that retail clerks need to work on their change-making skills.

🇨🇦 Bell deploys subsea cable in Newfoundland, Canada - Canadian telco Bell has deployed a domestic subsea cable linking several of its islands in Newfoundland.

My Take: Fogo island. Nice place. Remote place. And now they have better connectivity. Look it up on a map. Odd hotel there as well. A very expensive odd hotel.

The Undersea Infrastructure Bringing More People Online in Emerging Markets - Submarine internet cables stretch over the sea floor. The trick is getting more of them to lower-income countries.

My Take: The trick is stopping bad actors from sabotaging them and paying for them to be repaired when a trawler accidentally drags an anchor.

AOL Finally Shutting Down its Dial-up Internet Service - AOL introduced many households to the world wide web for the first time in the 90s and early 2000s.

Muy Take: I just imagine an old 286 computer with a built in modem card, RJ11 to a phone jack an external speakers signing the tune of modems modulating and handshaking with each other. And then, “You’ve got mail!”. According to some quick research and US census dta, anywhere between 163,000 and 175,000 people in the US still use dialup for Internet access (not necessarily AOL).

Universal Broadband: Subsides are Half the Issue - Can broadband networks be made both populist and profitable? What constraints on technology and capability exist in meeting that goal? Obviously this is one of those things that require a balance between the characteristics of a service and the cost, that balance being impacted by the distribution of the service users and thus the efficiency of infrastructure required.

My Take: Good article from Tom. The Third Party Internet Access regulatory environment in Canada adds an additional dimension to the outcome - and not a positive one, I would suspect.

What's going on with fixed wireless and BEAD? - Advocates for fixed wireless access (FWA) were among the first to cheer the Trump administration's rewrite of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, but early results show a low level of FWA activity and wins.

States want more fiber for BEAD but eligible locations plummet - Fiber still seems to be the gameplan for states re-evaluating their buildout strategies for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. But initial bidding results are a mixed bag as fewer eligible locations are on the table.

Cisco exec touts network tech to optimize BEAD opex - Garcia noted that the first move could be in moving toward a converged IP platform that allows for easier management and control over an increasingly expansive optical broadband footprint. This also has the additional benefit of allowing those providers to offer more revenue-generating services.

My Take: “The Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute (ACLP) estimates approximately 4.2 million unserved and underserved locations are currently BEAD-eligible – down 65% from roughly 12 million in 2022.”.. suggesting more FWA is in play, however “..as states start to share their re-bidding results and select BEAD award winners, the number of fixed wireless providers in the mix remains relatively small compared to participation from low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite and fiber providers.”

Will FWA Run Out of Gas? - You probably haven’t noticed, but the press is no longer full of articles claiming that FWA cellular broadband is a poor broadband choice for customers.

My Take: Nope. Seems it’s just getting started, and expanding in areas of Canada as well.

Drone geofencing has Qualcomm's 6G Spidey Senses tingling - 6G is still years away but when it does arrive in all its glory around 2030, Qualcomm says drone geofencing will be among the first major use cases for the new wireless standard.

My Take: Are drones the real use case?

🇨🇦 Varcoe: The game 'is just getting started' — the pursuit of Alberta's $100B data centre dream revs up - With a deregulated power market, huge natural gas reserves to generate electricity and rising renewable power supply, Alberta aims to be a leader in hosting data centres

My Take: I wonder what it will all look like from the air? Those who have fiber will be the winners.

This map tells the story of where hyperscalers are headed next. - Primary U.S. data center markets are at 1.9% vacancy... With capacity maxed out in hubs like Northern Virginia, hyperscalers are now chasing capacity in secondary markets, where power is still available and girds are less trained - from Salt Lake City to Florida - these are becoming the next battleground for capacity; but the road ahead isn’t smooth.

My Take: For now. Lots of LNG in Canada to power data centres. With data centres and power comes fiber and the need for cooling solutions.

What’s Happening In Space?

What’s in Space This Week?

🇨🇦 Hey Canada, we have a spaceport! - NordSpace's beautiful Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) is officially under construction outside the town of St. Lawrence, in Newfoundland and Labrador! With our first launch of a Canadian commercial rocket from a Canadian commercial spaceport set to take flight in the coming weeks, the future of a true sovereign capability for assured access to space has never looked so promising. We're thrilled to share footage of ASX's SLC-02 publicly for the first time.

My Take: This is really exciting, and important for Canada. It’s so exciting that I have already spoken with NordSpace’s CEO about recording a podcast episode. Watch the video at in the article link.

🇨🇦 Canada's new space race is about one main thing: Satellites - 70 years ago, this story would have been about racing to the moon. Today, it's about space-leading countries launching sovereign Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems into the sky.

My Take: Operation Nanook. How Canadian is that? (for reference, “Nanook of the North”)

Kuiper mission updates: Kuiper constellation grows to more than 100 satellites - Follow along for updates as Project Kuiper launches more than 80 missions to deploy our initial low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation.

My Take: 102, but who’s counting. Will they be able to commence with commercial services by the end of the year?

Starlink Replaces Free Pause Mode With $5 Monthly Charge - With standby mode, Starlink Roam and Priority subscribers get unlimited low-speed data that's capped at 500kbps. Customers note that it's 'another rate hike, without calling it a rate hike.'

My Take: CDN$7. That’s enough bandwidth to make a VOIP call, perhaps upload still camera images, send text messages, get IoT telemetry (security systems, remote control, etc) and have an active terminal that can be fully subscribed if needed in an emergency. Tim Belfall has a great solution and use case for this.

Starlink Just Slashed Prices to a Record Low for New Customers. Here’s How to Get It - The satellite internet provider's Residential plan is down from $120 to $99 a month in some areas, and you can get the Residential Lite Plan for $65 monthly (down from $80).

Elon Musk’s Starlink Makes a Desperate Move in a Brutal Satellite Internet War - SpaceX is slashing Starlink's monthly prices to lock in customers as a wave of powerful competitors, led by Amazon, prepares to enter the market.

My Take: Temporary, likely, and it comes along after the free terminal offer period ended. They’re getting to be like the cell phone companies with a new offering, for new customers only, every couple of months.

The Race for Satellite Connectivity: Why medium earth orbit satellites are paving the way forward for enterprises - Satellite connectivity has evolved from a futuristic concept to the backbone of enterprise-grade networks, mission-critical operations, and global-scale mobility. With the global satellite internet market projected to reach $25.67 billion by 2032, decision-makers across industries—from mining and maritime to government and media—are increasingly turning to space-based solutions to solve complex connectivity challenges.

My Take: Offers best balance of coverage efficiency, low latency, and lifespan, so the article suggests.

Firefly soars in public market debut - Shares in Firefly Aerospace rose 34% in the company’s first day of trading on the Nasdaq exchange even after the company increased both the price and number of shares in its initial public offering.

My Take: Firefly was on my watchlist, but of course I didn’t buy any.

FCC takes on China, network red tape through land, sea, and space - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved measures concerning subsea cables and environmental impact in support of U.S. network modernization.

My Take: GSaaS - Ground Station as a Service.. Like open access for ground stations.

NCAT Tools Unpacked - One Short Video at a Time - The Non-GEO Constellations Analysis Toolkit (NCAT) is a powerful, web-based platform built for analysts, engineers, strategists, and investors to simulate, assess, and benchmark LEO and MEO satellite constellations with ease, speed and precision.

My Take: One short video at a time is the best way to do it! A great series of informative videos.

On the cusp of the Kuiper campaign - Will the Amazon project shake up the satellite internet market?

My Take: Starlink has a pretty big lead.

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Enables Competition in the Commercial Space Industry - Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to streamline regulations and foster a competitive commercial space industry, ensuring the United States maintains its leading role in the commercial use of space.

My Take: Maybe he wants to go to Mars with Elon?

Direct To Device

SpaceX rival AST SpaceMobile prepares to deploy nearly five dozen satellites - We are confirming our fully-funded plan to deploy 45 to 60 satellites into orbit by 2026 to support continuous service in the US, Europe, Japan, and other strategic markets, including the U.S. Government,” CEO Abel Avellan said in the report. “We also have planned orbital launches every one to two months on average during 2025 and 2026.”

My Take: See D2D: MSS + Mobile Spectrum Convergence for some additional insights!

Enabling AI

Self-adaptive reasoning for science - Unlocking self-adaptive cognitive behavior that is more controllable and explainable than reasoning models in challenging scientific domains

My Take: Right.

GPT-5 is here. Now what? - The much-hyped release makes several enhancements to the ChatGPT user experience. But it’s still far short of AGI.

My Take: Everyone wanted 4o back, so they’re getting it back.

🇨🇦 AI-generated wildfire images spreading misinformation in B.C., fire officials warn - The B.C. Wildfire Service is sounding the alarm on a rise in AI-generated wildfire images, which it says are contributing to online misinformation and exacerbating stressful situations.

My Take: Isn’t there enough misinformation already in our daily lives?

How Google and NASA are testing AI for medical care in space - As NASA embarks on a new era of human spaceflight, beginning with the Artemis campaign's aim to return to the Moon, preparations are underway to ensure crew health and wellness. This includes exploring whether remote care capabilities can deliver detailed diagnoses and treatment options if a physician is not onboard or if real-time communication with Earth is limited. Supporting crew health through space-based medical care is becoming increasingly important as NASA missions venture deeper into space.

My Take: And then they expand it to earth and solve the family doctor shortage problem with robots. Now that I’m thinking of it, do we have robots that draw blood from people yet?

🇨🇦 Bell partners with Perplexity to bring AI assistant to millions of Canadians - The move is part of Bell’s broader strategy to deliver practical AI tools over its high-speed fiber, 5G, and 5G+ networks

My Take: Free for a year, so it seems.

Perplexity offers to buy Chrome for billions more than it’s raised - Perplexity tells TC the terms of the offer include a commitment to keep Chrome’s underlying engine, Chromium, open source and continue to invest in it. Perplexity’s offer includes a promise to invest $3 billion into the open source project.

My Take: One day, Google will be irrelevant.

Trump opens door to sales of version of Nvidia's next-gen AI chips in China - Earlier, the Trump administration confirmed an unprecedented deal with Nvidia and AMD (AMD.O), opens new tab to give the U.S. government 15% of revenue from sales of some advanced chips in China.

My Take: So, it’s OK to sell the stuff to China as long as the US get a piece of the action?

Meta AI takes first step to superintelligence — and Zuckerberg will no longer release the most powerful systems to the public - The Meta CEO believes that AI with the capacity to improve itself is the first step towards a technology that will transform humanity.

My Take: This reminds me of the plot of any superhero movie where the villain had technology to change the world that he keeps and wont let people have. AI with the capacity to improve itself - under the scrutiny and care of who?

This and That!

Earth is running out of oxygen sooner than expected as NASA sets date for 'end of life' - "The lifespan of oxygen-rich atmospheres may be shorter than we previously thought,"

My Take: Well, I know of a few people who, if they stopped talking all the time, would leave lots of oxygen for everyone else.

Amazon rolls out same-day delivery of perishable groceries in 1,000 US cities - Users can now order fresh grocery items, including produce, dairy, meat, seafood, baked goods, and more, alongside everyday household products, electronics, and other items available for Same-Day Delivery.

My Take: If my delivery experience to date is any benchmark, I won’t be ordering eggs.

Verizon and startup Hyfi monitor flooding with 5G sensors - Verizon and Hyfi are deploying 50 floodwater sensors in the Chicago area, which are connected via Verizon's 5G network and can be used to create floodwater maps for local officials, first responders and residents.

My Take: The Hyfi stuff seems like cool technology.

U.S. Drinking Rate at New Low as Alcohol Concerns Surge - The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup’s nearly 90-year trend. This coincides with a growing belief among Americans that moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health, now the majority view for the first time.

My Take: They think it’s bad for their health because that’s what people are told. Think about it. You use alcohol to disinfect and clean things. To remove gunk from surfaces. To clean things.. So it stands to reason that maybe it’s not that good for you?

Diagnostic dilemma: A woman had something in her eye — and it turned out to be parasitic worms - A woman went to the hospital several times with the feeling that something was stuck in her eye. It turned out to be parasites.

My Take: It’s better than a stick in your eye, they say.

Infographic Of The Week

My Take: That’s it. I’m cancelling my trip to Eswatini.

Podcast Recommendation

Each upgrade of home broadband equipment or change of supplier feeds the constant stream of discarded modems, routers and set-top boxes. But who is responsible for all this e-waste, and where does it really go? Operators often fall short in reporting how they dispose of home broadband equipment.

In this podcast episode, analysts Grace Langham and Dongye Liu explore the progress and challenges operators face in building circularity into their home broadband hardware. They also highlight initiatives from operators that are working to responsibly recover, reuse and recycle obsolete equipment.

Listen Here!

Movie/Streaming Recommendation

IMDb: 6/10

JMDb: 🍿🍿/10 (Not my choice, clearly)

"My Oxford Year" is a Netflix romantic drama that follows American Anna (Sofia Carson) as she fulfills her dream of studying at Oxford, only to fall for her witty, troubled lecturer, Jamie (Corey Mylchreest).

The film begins with charming rom-com setups and picturesque Oxford scenery, but quickly shifts toward melodrama as Anna discovers Jamie's secret: a terminal illness. While their chemistry delivers some heartfelt moments and the supporting cast adds lightness, the story falls into familiar clichés, and the script glosses over deeper emotional beats, especially around illness and ambition.

Critics have pointed out the film's lack of depth and character development, with Anna's journey often overshadowed by Jamie's struggles. Despite energetic editing and a few engaging scenes, the movie doesn't fully explore the complexities of love, loss, and self-discovery, settling for predictable, sanitized resolutions.

Suitable for those seeking a glossy, escapist romance, but not for viewers craving genuine emotional resonance.

We all know that I didn’t pick this movie, so let me cut to the chase. Jamie dies in the end.

There. I saved you from having to endure it.

A Word From Our Partner

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