Is Bell finally going to flip the switch on that switch to the ON position and broadband the rest of Sauble Beach? Well ... don't hold your breath, but according to the CRTC, it is time to spend all that money the Feds had forced them to skim from the city-folk to fill the coffers for a fund specifically founded for just this purpose. The question is, though, will Bell comply? ...

When the deferral account was created in 2002, the CRTC directed the phone companies to put amounts equal to any potential rate reduction into the account. The aim was to keep rates high enough to encourage new competitors to enter the local phone market.
The CRTC decided two years ago that the money should go to bridge the digital divide for rural areas. Consumer groups have appealed the decision, saying the money should go back to customers. Bell Canada is also appealing.
Bell, Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., Telus Corp. and Saskatchewan Telecommunications have until 2011 to complete the broadband rollout. The CRTC has instructed them to use the lowest-cost technology.
[ reportonbusiness.com: Rural towns to get faster Internet service ]