The IT Nerd

New research out today from Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University (“the Catalyst”), funded by the Future Skills Centre through the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Program, examines how AI is changing the work traditionally done by early-career cybersecurity professionals and what that could mean for how they build foundational skills and experience.

The report, Preserving Foundational Skills in AI-Enabled Early-Career Cybersecurity Work, explores how the growing use of AI in cybersecurity could affect entry-level roles, learning opportunities, and the pathways through which new professionals develop their expertise.

The “entry-level paradox”

Employers described a shift in traditional Level 1 cybersecurity work, with tasks such as alert triage, query writing, and incident investigation increasingly automated or AI-assisted. As a result, early-career professionals are taking on more complex investigations, exercising greater judgment, and navigating business and operational context earlier in their careers. Some employers are describing this as “Level 1.5” roles. This shift is creating an “entry-level paradox” where employers want job-ready cybersecurity talent, while AI is reshaping the routine tasks through which newcomers have traditionally become job-ready.

Several employers raised concerns about a potential “loss of practice,” as AI reduces opportunities to independently perform the tasks that build technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and professional judgment. At the same time, the research points to a broader shift in the capabilities employers value. While 64% of consultation responses identified foundational technical and IT knowledge as important, 93% of employers identified human-centred capabilities (commonly referred to as “soft skills”) as increasingly important, including communication skills (36%), stakeholder management (27%) and critical thinking (18%).

AI literacy is not a stand-alone skill. Professionals need to know how to use AI appropriately in the context of their specific tasks. And they need to have these role-specific technical AI skills in combination with communications skills, collaborative abilities, and an ability to think critically about problems.

Rethinking how cybersecurity talent is assessed and developed

These changing expectations also have implications for how cybersecurity professionals are assessed and hired. Nearly 1 in 3 employers raised concerns about assessment and hiring practices as candidates increasingly use AI during technical assessments, certifications, and interviews. Employers questioned whether traditional credentials and assessments provide enough evidence of workplace readiness, and many expressed growing interest in more applied ways of demonstrating readiness, including:

Proof of work (concrete evidence of a candidate’s applied skills and capabilities, like technical portfolios)
Simulations (practical scenarios that assess how candidates apply their skills in realistic situations)
Scenario-based assessments (assessing how candidates approach realistic challenges with and without AI)
Participants also highlighted governance, risk, and practical risk decision-making as increasingly important. Early-career professionals may need to understand not only how to identify technical risks but also how to assess, communicate, and manage those risks within a broader business context.

The research points to a need for employers, educators, and training providers to rethink what “job-ready” means, how job readiness is assessed, and how early-career professionals can build and demonstrate the capabilities needed to succeed as AI changes traditional pathways into cybersecurity. This includes creating more opportunities for hands-on learning and operational experience, using applied assessments that test reasoning and judgment with and without AI, and preparing professionals to validate AI outputs, understand risk, and apply human judgment.

The Catalyst tested these approaches through two pilot training iterations involving 55 early-career cybersecurity professionals, using hands-on simulations, a tabletop exercise, and an AI literacy lab to practice these skills in realistic scenarios.

Ultimately, the research suggests that AI is not eliminating early-career cybersecurity roles but reshaping the work, pathways, and opportunities through which the next generation of cybersecurity professionals develops experience. As those pathways evolve, employers and educators will need to ensure that AI-driven efficiency is matched by meaningful opportunities to learn, practice, and demonstrate the skills cybersecurity work still depends on.

The full report available here

Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) and Rogers Communications today announced the successful delivery of the EORN Cell Gap Project.

5G cellular services are now available across eastern Ontario, improving services for residents, businesses, first responders, municipalities, Indigenous communities and visitors in the region.

Federal, provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners marked the successful delivery of the project at an event in Rockland, Ontario.

The EORN Cell Gap Project is a $300 million public-private partnership. The Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada each contributed $71 million and the municipal members of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) and participating members of the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus (EOMC) collectively contributed $10 million. Rogers contributed the remaining investment of $150 million. The company was selected through a competitive bidding process.

Rogers built 346 new wireless sites, a combination of new tower constructions and colocations. In addition, the company upgraded 311 existing sites with state-of-the-art 5G equipment delivering essential services to municipalities, Indigenous communities and visitors across eastern Ontario.

Quick Facts

• The Cell Gap Project targets were 99% voice call coverage, 95% standard definition coverage, and 85% high-definition coverage in the demand areas where people live, work and travel on major roadways across the municipalities of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) and the participating cities and towns of the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus (EOMC).
• Participating Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) counties are: County of Frontenac, County of Haliburton, County of Hastings, City of Kawartha Lakes, County of Lanark, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, County of Lennox and Addington, County of Northumberland, County of Peterborough, United Counties of Prescott and Russell, Prince Edward County, County of Renfrew and United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. Participating cities of the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus (EOMC) are: Belleville, Cornwall, Gananoque, Kingston, Pembroke, Peterborough, Prescott, Quinte West and Smiths Falls.

You have to pay attention at all times as scammers can hit you from anywhere. Now scams are up across the board in relation to Canadian telcos. Here’s a hint: If a telco is offering you a deal via the phone or via email, it’s likely a scam. As a result, scammers are getting crafty.

I was driving home and went underground to park. When I came above ground, I got a voice mail. And when I looked at it I saw this:

Now I knew that this was a scam right away. Why? Let me break it down for you:

• Rogers, who is the telco being impersonated today would never, ever call you to tell your phone is showing signs of unusual activity. Nor would they ever have you speak to customer service because there is zero chance that you would get through to them as evidenced by this or this.
• Rogers would also name you by name or account number to get a hold of you for any reason. I know because my sources inside Rogers told me so.

In short, this is a scam. But we’re not done. Listen the the call itself:

Rogers would never, ever phone you with such a robotic voice. In fact, when I played it for my source at Rogers, they laughed showing how bad of a scam this is. But the thing is, scams don’t have to have success in volume to be successful. Thus is even 2% of people fall for this scam, it’s a success.

So what was the scam in question? I only got the voicemail so I can only guess. And my guess is that the scammers want you to go to a computer, give them control via a download that allows them to get remote control, log into your Rogers account and they somehow get your supposedly secret two factor authentication code. From there, you’ll be talked into a great deal, and you will get either an iPad or a top flight phone such as a iPhone or a Galaxy phone. Then the wrong phone will be shipped to you and you will have to send to address from which it will be shipped overseas and sold. And you are on the hook for it.

Now there’s also the possibility that the scammers will simply take over the account, swap the SIM over to a phone that they control and do their evil from there. If you want to see what a SIM swap scam looks like, click here. Either way, it will never end well for you.

The bottom line is this. Canadian telcos will never ever tell you that your phone is misbehaving. If you hear that, hang up and run. Also, Canadian telcos will never try and save you money as that is not the business that they are in. If you hear that, also hang up and run. In short, don’t be the 2% who fall for these scams. Instead be the 98% who don’t ever fall for these scams.

From road trips and cottage weekends to camping and backcountry escapes, most Canadians are embracing closer-to-home travel this summer. And according to a new survey, not being able to contact someone in an emergency is a trip dealbreaker for many.

The new Rogers survey, conducted using the Angus Reid Forum, found that three-quarters of Canadians said they planned to travel within Canada rather than far-away destinations. Among these travellers, road trips top the list with two-thirds saying they plan to hop into the car for their summer adventure. About four in 10 Canadian travellers plan to go to remote or off-the-grid areas.

But even as some travellers look to unplug, eight in 10 say they still expect connectivity when it matters. Not being able to contact someone in an emergency is a dealbreaker for trips for two-thirds of travellers.

Maps, Weather and Emergencies Matter Most

The survey found staying connected to practical tools tops entertainment and social media, with maps and navigation ranked as the most important (78%), followed by texting and messaging (62%), emergency services (60%), phone calls (55%) and weather apps (55%).

With Rogers Satellite, a first of its kind satellite-to-mobile service in Canada, travellers can use text-to-911 services as well as satellite-ready apps including WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Maps, X and AccuWeather in areas outside of traditional cellular coverage.

Connectivity Is Shaping Domestic Travel Decisions

Only 18 per cent of the country is covered by traditional wireless networks, including stretches of highways. Rogers Satellite helps give Canadians an extra layer of connectivity beyond the reach of these networks.

When travellers think about travelling to areas outside traditional cell coverage, connectivity is increasingly part of the plan:

• 49% say reliable connectivity would make them more likely to explore remote destinations
• 65% expect basic, reliable connectivity for calls, texts and navigation when travelling in rural or remote areas
• 85% say reliable connectivity would make them feel safer in remote areas

To see where Rogers Satellite connectivity is available and to learn more about getting Rogers Satellite for $0 with new Rogers 5G+ mobile plans, visit rogers.com/satellite.

About the Survey 

The online survey was conducted by Rogers using Angus Reid Forum between June 17 and June 23, 2026, among 1,015 Canadians planning to travel within Canada during summer 2026. The survey was conducted nationally in English and French.  

Truly from the WTF category comes this $4-$5 increase in their cellular bills from Rogers (five dollars) and Fido (four dollars). And to add insult to injury comes the fact that some people have joined as little as three months ago. Here’s what iPhone In Canada posted:

Rogers is adding a $5 monthly increase for select wireless customers, set to kick in on or after July 15, 2026. The justification mirrors what Fido told its own customers, a vague nod to network investment. The note on Rogers bills says the company continuously invests in its 5G network to deliver “Canada’s most reliable” experience, and that the monthly fee for affected plans is going up by $5 plus tax to help cover those costs.

Instead of just raising the plan price outright, Rogers is tacking the charge on as its own line item called Wireless Plan Rate Adjustment. That wording has already drawn criticism online, with some customers pointing out that breaking the fee out separately might be a way to get around price guarantees or fixed-rate promises.

What being talked about here is that the CRTC has hit the big three hard in terms of junk fees that stop people from moving carriers easier. So instead of explicitly calling out the fee increases, Rogers and Fido are instead shifting the prices around to bury them as much as possible so that they can’t be called out . Rogers for its part said this on their bill:

“We continuously invest to bring you Canada’s most reliable 5G+ network and the best mobile experience in Canada.”We continuously invest to bring you Canada’s most reliable 5G+ network and the best mobile experience in Canada. To help support these investments, the monthly fee (Monthly Charge) for your wireless price plan will increase by $5 (plus taxes), starting with your next bill, on or after July 15, 2026. This will appear as an additional line item under Monthly Charges on your monthly bill called Wireless Plan Rate Adjustment. The rest of your wireless services remain the same. If you have any questions or no longer wish to subscribe to your wireless service, please reach out to us as indicated in the Contact Us section of this bill.”

But people are not impressed. Some of which phoned me out of desperation. My advice is simple. Freedom Mobile hasn’t got the best coverage. But they have good enough coverage that for most people, their travels in the GTA are good enough. Ditto for many metropolitan areas as well. Plus they have done away with the junk fees that the CRTC is trying to ban. That on top of the fact that my last few trips overseas has seen a substantial reduction in roaming charges. While Freedom isn’t for everyone, that is a solution for Rogers (and ultimately TELUS and Bell) screwing customers over.

Just a thought.

Rogers Communications today announced that it has once again been ranked the best and most reliable 5G+ network by umlaut.

Umlaut is a global leader in independent network performance benchmarking. The ranking is based on umlaut’s Mobile Certificate and Audit Report, which show Rogers wireless customers enjoy the best network performance in the country.

In addition to being awarded the “Best in Test” wireless benchmark award for the eighth straight year, Rogers scored the top performance in voice, data and reliability for wireless networks.  Rogers has led on umlaut’s most reliable wireless network ranking since it was first introduced in 2021.

5G+ is the latest 5G technology, delivered through mid-band spectrum. Rogers 5G+ is powered by 3800 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum, providing customers with faster speeds and more capacity. This mid-band spectrum complements Rogers 600 MHz low-band 5G spectrum, creating consistent and reliable 5G coverage.

Rogers today announced that Rogers Xfinity is bringing next-generation WiFi to more Canadians with Rogers Xfinity Pro. Our most elevated WiFi experience, available as an optional add-on for all Rogers Xfinity Internet plans, includes an upgrade to our best-in-class WiFi 7-enabled gateway with device prioritization and WiFi back up with Storm Ready WiFi to keep customers connected through the unexpected.

Rogers Xfinity Pro elevates in-home WiFi coverage and includes the best technology to enhance and extend customers’ home WiFi network for an even better experience. With Rogers Xfinity Pro, customers can Boost a Device to get the best possible WiFi connection to the device that matters most. The new monthly add-on also includes WiFi backup to stay connected during power or network outages with Storm-Ready WiFi.

The next-generation Rogers Xfinity Gateway, available with Rogers Xfinity Pro, includes trailblazing WiFi 7 technology that can deliver multi-gig speeds over WiFi and connect more devices – all on Canada’s most reliable internet^*. 

To learn more about Rogers Xfinity Pro, visit rogers.com/rogers-xfinity-pro.

Back in April 2021, Rogers had a massive outage. Not as big as the outage that they had a year later. But it was really big. Cell phones stopped working and Interac was down.

Fast forward to today and a class action lawsuit has been approved in a Quebec court that is related to this outage:

The Plaintiffs were ascribed the status of representative to act on behalf of all Class Members in Canada.  They allege in their action that the Class Members suffered damages as of result of the service interruption to the Rogers, Fido and Chatr networks which began on April 19, 2021.

Now Rogers threw Ericsson under the bus for this outage. But clearly this court didn’t buy that and here we are talking about it. Thus it will be interesting to see how Rogers responds to it. Will they defend themselves? Will they simply settle out of court to make this go away? This should be fun to see what route they go with this.