KAP CELL SURVEY
Rural Disconnect
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to KAP’s
cell survey are dissatisfied with mobile and
internet coverage
BY RICHARD KAMCHEN
Connectivity is a sore spot
in rural Manitoba. This
was most recently dem-onstrated
by a KAP sur-vey
that found almost
two-thirds of respon-dents
were dissatisfied with their mobile
phone and internet coverage.
“Farm operations require strong
internet and cell coverage to conduct
business and ensure that food continues
to make its way to market,” said Jill
Verwey, KAP vice-president and chair of
the rural policy committee.
By the numbers
The poll, launched February 19 and
closed March 31, received responses from
113 municipalities that were nearly split
between producers and non-farmers.
Of the 1,557 respondents, 62.9 per
cent report being either somewhat or
very dissatisfied with their internet ser-vice,
and 64.6 per cent report being either
somewhat or very dissatisfied with their
mobile phone service.
“The cell and internet coverage in
south central Manitoba is brutal, to be
honest,” said Jason Voogt, owner/opera-tor
of Field 2 Field Agronomy.
Just over 50 per cent of respondents
report experiencing one or multiple
daily internet service disruptions, while
Tero Vesalainen/123rf
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Manitoba Farmers’ Voice § Summer 2020 § 39