- Bell calls on provincial and federal governments to join the
fight to protect critical infrastructure and increase fines and
implement amendments to the Criminal Code
- Innovative aerial alarms launched across Bell's network, with
plans to expand deployment to more locations
- Aerial alarms provide real time alerts of vandalism, primarily
copper theft, allowing for faster response by local law
enforcement
FREDERICTON, NB, March 13,
2024 /CNW/ - Bell has made security enhancements
to its network, including the installation of aerial alarms, to
enhance reliability for its customers and protect critical
communications infrastructure from vandalism, primarily in the form
of copper theft.
Earlier this year, Bell started installing aerial alarms across
its network, with plans to expand deployment to more locations. The
alarms are designed to alert local law enforcement as soon as an
incident is detected so they can respond quickly, ideally catching
vandals in the act, enabling law enforcement to charge the
perpetrators with harsher penalties.
On February 26, 2024, an aerial
alarm in Fredericton, New
Brunswick successfully notified the local RCMP of a cable
cut. They quickly dispatched and arrested two suspects at the time
of the incident – charges are still being finalized.
"Canadians deserve reliable communications networks to stay
connected, reach emergency services, and conduct their daily lives.
We're enhancing the security measures to our network – including
the installation of aerial alarms – to better protect our critical
infrastructure from vandals and hold them to account. We're pleased
that these enhancements are already having an impact and resulting
in local arrests and we thank the law enforcement agencies that
have partnered with us in making this a priority area of
intervention."
- Marc
Duchesne, Vice President Corporate Security and
Responsibility, Bell
With nearly 1,000 physical security incidents to Bell's network
since January 2022, copper theft
continues to increase and is responsible for 87% of physical
security incidents on Bell's network. The most impacted regions
include Ontario with 55% of
incidents, New Brunswick with 23%
and Québec with 14%. Each incident takes on average 10 to 12 hours
to repair, and during this time customers may not have access to
Internet, TV and home phone, and impacts their ability to reach
emergency services.
While the addition of aerial alarms has been successful to date,
more still needs to be done in order to prevent these crimes from
happening and to enforce stronger repercussions. Bell is calling on
provincial and federal governments to help communications providers
improve the resiliency of Canada's telecommunications networks.
Enhancing security protocols is only part of the solution. It's
imperative that the government and law enforcement take decisive,
timely action to strengthen laws, increase fines and make
amendments to the Criminal Code, reflecting the essential nature of
critical communications infrastructure on the security of this
country.
About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications company,1
providing advanced broadband Internet, wireless, TV, media and
business communication services. Founded in Montréal in 1880, Bell
is wholly owned by BCE Inc. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or
BCE.ca.
Through Bell for Better, we are investing to create a
better today and a better tomorrow by supporting the social and
economic prosperity of our communities. This includes the Bell
Let's Talk initiative, which promotes Canadian mental health with
national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's Talk
Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access,
research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the
country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
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1 Based on total revenue and
total combined customer connections.
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Media inquiries
media@Bell.ca
Investor inquiries
Richard
Bengian
richard.bengian@bell.ca
SOURCE Bell Canada