The Canadian Internet Registration Authority helps Canadian communities measure and benchmark smart community efforts with new testing program Français

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Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)

Sep 15, 2016, 08:00 ET

Municipal Internet Performance Test maps local Internet speed and performance

OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2016 /CNW/ - The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) announced the first two participants in its national program to support Canadian communities in measuring, assessing, and monitoring local Internet performance.

CIRA has created a customized Internet Performance Test for both the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia and Stratford, Ontario, which allows citizens to test their Internet connection and contribute to a comprehensive Internet performance dataset for their community. Data from the test will help municipal leaders determine where they need market or policy interventions to ensure sufficient broadband access and performance.

Key facts

  • Municipalities across Canada are working to deploy smart community strategies to help equip their communities to compete in a rapidly changing digital economy. Broadband access is the foundation for these programs and by partnering with CIRA municipal leaders can gain insight and analysis on where to focus resources in relation to connectivity.
  • CIRA's Internet Performance Test is built on the globally-recognized M-Labs testing technology, with test nodes across the country. The test operates independently from any major Internet Service Provider network, ensuring unbiased measurements and data.
  • To launch this new service for Canadian municipalities, CIRA is rolling out custom testing portals for up to ten communities across Canada. Interested municipalities should contact CIRA for more information on how to apply to take part in this project.
  • Leveraging a custom heat-map interface, CIRA's solution provides insight into the relationship between geography and connectivity – isolating performance by ward, neighbourhood, or county.
  • CIRA has a portfolio of solutions to help augment smart community projects. From expertise in Internet Exchange Points, advanced DNS solutions for municipal online services, to support navigating the new world of city domains, CIRA is equipped to help communities build resilient and lasting digital projects.

Test your connection now

Executive quotes

"Policy makers know that it is tough to change what we can't measure. CIRA has the infrastructure in place to help us understand the state of connectivity in the Annapolis Valley region as it is experienced by citizens and businesses every day. As we help our community build the tools it will need to compete in a global digital market, this data will help us understand the gaps and where we need to focus."

-   Terry Dalton, President and CEO, i-Valley

"As one of the worlds most advanced communities in the provision of free broadband access to its citizens, the City of Stratford WiFi network not only gives people accessibility to the Internet, but also great public messaging in terms of safety or awareness on different issues. There are spots in Stratford where the WiFi signal simply doesn't reach reliably, and it's something Rhyzome is working to improve. Something that we're continuously looking at is how we get a better experience from our WiFi, and that includes 'heat-mapping' to determine where the signal is good and where it could be better."

-   Ysni Semsedini, President and CEO, Rhyzome Networks

"If we can help communities understand their level of connectivity and how they may be able to support more resilient Internet architectures, we can provide the baseline infrastructure on top of which a smart community will thrive. When the connectivity is in place, communities can create innovative applications and services that work towards building a better online Canada."

-   David Chiswell, Vice President of Product Development at CIRA

Additional resources

  • Find out more information about CIRA's national Internet Performance Testing program at cira.ca/performance.
  • Details on CIRA's Internet Performance Test methodology can be found in this online FAQ.

About the Canadian Internet Registration Authority

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) manages the .CA top-level domain on behalf of all Canadians. CIRA also develops technologies and services that help support its goal of building a better online Canada. The CIRA team operates one of the fastest-growing ccTLDs, a high-performance global DNS network, and one of the world's most advanced back-end registry solutions. CIRA helps to support the Canadian Internet community through investments in Internet Exchange Points, the Canada Internet Forum, and the CIRA Community Investment Program.

About i-Valley

i-Valley (i-Valley Intelligent Community Association) is a not-for-profit movement to create Smart Regions and Communities in the Annapolis Valley and elsewhere in Nova Scotia. Smart Communities mobilize citizens to achieve faster economic growth, better health care and greater sustainability, through the use of advanced enabling technologies.

About the City of Stratford

Rhyzome Networks, the City of Stratford-owned data infrastructure company, is building a data ecosystem for Stratford that is:

  • dependable and carrier-grade, via a 50km grid of optical fibre
  • ubiquitous and mobile, via wireless mesh technology using IEEE 802.11N Wi-Fi.

Data infrastructure is a necessity. With a fibre optic data grid, and a citywide high-speed wireless network, Rhyzome Networks built the data infrastructure that positioned Stratford to emerge as a digital technology centre, broadband economy and Intelligent Community. Rhyzome also work with other communities who are planning and building infrastructure for their citizens in rural and under serviced areas in order to deliver broadband connectivity.

SOURCE Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)

Ryan Saxby Hill, Communications Manager, CIRA, [email protected], 613-316-2397

Organization Profile

Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)