About CanWISP

Goals

The Canadian Association of Wireless Internet Service Providers (CanWISP) is an organization that represents Canadian Internet Service Providers. At CanWISP, we are committed to supporting independent service providers by offering advocacy, networking opportunities, and industry insights. Our ISP members provide facilities-based Internet access to households and businesses across Canada on networks that they have built, own, operate and maintain. Our members live in, invest in, and employ people in the predominantly rural communities they serve.

CanWISP strongly believes that all Canadians deserve outstanding access to our technological infrastructure, to better support this belief, CanWISP has recently expanded its mandate to include all facilities-based operators regardless of the connection technology.

To accomplish our mandate, we take part in regulatory discussions with the Canadian Government to promote and share best practices within both government and industry. One of the more important functions of CanWISP is to represent its members to both the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

Some of our past work has included

• Providing input to ISED, CRTC, and other government officials
• Collaborating with other industry groups
• Securing meetings with ISED, MPs, MLAs and MPPs of individual members and supporting them as they discuss their specific needs

History

In January 2013 a group of 12 Wireless ISPs met in Ottawa to begin working together to promote and share best practices and to organize ourselves to take part in regulatory discussions with the Canadian Government.

The result is CanWISP. Since 2013 we have:

• Collaborated with CNOC to respond to “Consultation on Renewal Process for 2300 and 3500 MHz Licences”
• Launched a website and mailing lists
• Secured meetings with Industry Canada to discuss the needs of WISPs for affordable spectrum
• Contributed to the White Space technical committee with Industry Canada
• Code of Ethics
• Associate status with WISPA

Come join us:

• Become a member
• Volunteer for a Committee:
• • Membership
  • Regulatory
  • Technology