Universal Broadband Fund – E-blast #6 – February 2021

We are excited to announce that the deadline for UBF applications has been extended to March 15, 2021!

We have heard your concerns and hope that this extension will provide the additional time needed to complete UBF applications. The pathfinder service will continue to be available to assist prospective applicants with questions related to the program. Pathfinders can be reached at get-connected@canada.ca.

We have also been receiving many questions pertaining to eligibility and open access requirements. To be eligible for contributions under the UBF, broadband project proposals must provide open access to Points of Presence (PoPs) that are components of the project. To provide better clarify what we mean by this, we have added some additional explanations:

What is "open access"?

Open access refers to the status of a telecommunication service or facility that is made available to a third party, on a wholesale or retail basis.

What is a point of presence or "PoP"?

In the context of the UBF, a "Point of Presence (PoP)" is a project site in a network that is an interconnection point to a backbone network from where the Recipient either connects to its local last mile infrastructure or connects to another network, including third party networks and mobile networks.

Do I need to include all PoPs funded under the proposed project in template 5?

Yes. Points of Presence are a key element in making access to backbone infrastructures "open", if any are being built as part of a UBF project. Template 5 must be completed for all projects that includes PoPs, including mobile projects benefiting indigenous people.

My project is composed of a very high number of points of presence, is there a specific procedure to follow?

In the case where a large number of project sites meet the definition of a PoP, an applicant may decide to present only one Point of Presence per community in Template 5, as long as all the PoPs are documented in the application and PoPs are open on the same terms.

Still have questions? Contact us at get-connected@canada.ca