The CRTC’s web survey, launched last month, will continue until August 20th. This is no long-form census: the survey only has five questions, though their relevance is questionable.

The five questions are:

What services should be included as part of basic telephone subscriptions?

What role should the CRTC have in ensuring that all Canadians have access to broadband internet service at comparable rates?

Can wireless phones be considered a replacement for landline phone services?

Can wireless networks such as satellite or 3G be considered a replacement for landline services that connect to the internet?

What activities do Canadians use their home internet services for, and which do they expect to use in the future?

The CRTC claims that its reasons for consulting the public relate to its goal of increasing Canada’s competitiveness by boosting broadband internet adoption.

However, it may find it is in for a rude surprise, as some of the questions seem antiquated and difficult to quantify, such as the request for what services should be included in a basic phone subscription. It would seem that the market is already light-years beyond any regulatory framework that would determine if one were to receive voice-mail or call-waiting with a basic subscription.

It is also foolish to ask whether wireless is a replacement for fixed line. Of course it is: ask any twenty-year-old.  New dorms at McGill University, for example, no longer install fixed line access. To have a consultation process that stares in the rear-view mirror is a little bizarre.

The question about what people do on the internet, and what they plan on doing, is also ridiculous. There is plenty of statistically solid research on internet usage. Why on earth include such a question as part of an unscientific consultation process?

The important question, and one that the CRTC is brave enought to ask, regards the CRTC’s role in the regulatory environment of the future. Though many people want an active and involved CRTC, the commission will likely hear that many Canadians want its power diminished.

"This consultation is important for Canadians because it will set the minimum level of service that they can expect from their telephone and internet service providers," says a FAQ on the CRTC’s consultation website.

The CRTC says it will post all submissions online after the deadline, which may prove a little embarrassing as it could be a forum for venting frustration with the CRTC and the process itself.