Yukon pens letters to minister, CRTC and Bell Canada over poor cellular service

The Yukon government is pleading with the CRTC and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to flex their regulatory muscles to improve cellular service in the territory that it says is plagued by persistent “deficiencies.” The territory’s government sent letters to Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic, CRTC chair Vicky Eatrides, and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly last week outlining long-standing concerns about “coverage gaps and service instability” in the Yukon. The letters decry the negative implications for public safety, emergency response and economic activity after continually receiving complaints about dropped calls, “significant coverage gaps” on major and remote travel routes and “degradation during peak usage periods and emergency events.” The letter to Bibic said mobile services in the territory are not discretionary, but rather “essential public infrastructure” due to Yukon’s climate