Research Interests

  • Adoption and usage of mobile technologies
  • Broadband internet infrastructures, access and usage

Catherine Middleton, B.A., MBA, Ph.D.

Professor, Ted Rogers School of Management
Ryerson University

Room: TRS 3-094
Phone: + 1 (416) 979-5000 ext. 7923
E-Mail: catherine.middleton@ryerson .ca
Web site: http://www.broadbandresearch.ca

Catherine Middleton, B. A. (Queen's), MBA ( Bond University, Australia), Ph. D. (York). Dr. Middleton holds a Canada Research Chair in Communication Technologies in the Information Society. Her research focuses on the development and use of new communication technologies, with specific interests in mobile devices and fixed and wireless broadband networks. She is also interested in how Canadians use (or don't use) the internet in their daily lives.

Dr. Middleton's research has been funded by SSHRC, Infrastructure Canada, Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society, Statistics Canada and Ryerson University. Current projects investigate the use of ubiquitous communication technologies (like Blackberries) in organizations, the development of next generation broadband networks, competition in the Canadian broadband market, and Canadians' internet use. She was the Principal Investigator for the Community Wireless Infrastructure Research Project.

In October 2010, Dr. Middleton gave a "Big Thinking" lecture to Canadian parliamentarians, exploring what is needed to develop a digital society for all Canadians.

Dr. Middleton is a member of the GRAND Networks of Centres of Excellence project, and is the Leader of the New Media Challenges and Opportunities research theme. She also leads the GRAND Digital Infrastructures project. She is a member of the Board of Directors of CANARIE, Canada's advanced research and innovation network.

Dr. Middleton's article (with Wendy Cukier) titled "Is Mobile Email Functional or Dysfunctional? Two Perspectives on Mobile Email Usage" won the 2007 Stafford Beer Medal for best paper in the European Journal of Information Systems, and her article "Who Needs a 'Killer App'? Two Perspectives on Content in Residential Broadband Networks" was awarded the Australian Committee on Computation and Automatic Control (ANCCAC) Award for best paper in an Australian Computer Society publication in 2002.

Dr. Middleton held a Statistics Canada Fellowship in 2006-07 to work with the Household Internet Use and Canadian Internet Use Survey data, and continues to work closely with Statistics Canada to analyze internet usage data.

Dr. Middleton teaches Innovation and Organization Theory in the MBA/MMSc program in the Ted Rogers School of Management, and teaches and supervises students in the Communication and Culture graduate program.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Additional publications and presentations are available at http://www.broadbandresearch.ca.

Crowe, R. & Middleton, C. (forthcoming). Women, Smartphones and the Workplace: Pragmatic Realities and Performative Identities. Feminist Media Studies.

Taylor, G. & Middleton, C. (2012). Response to Consultation on a Licensing Framework for Mobile Broadband Services (MBS) – 700 MHz Band. Canada Gazette Notice No. DGSO-002-12.

Middleton, C. (2012). Response to Call for Evidence UK House of Lords Select Committee on Communications: Will superfast broadband meet the needs of our “bandwidth hungry” nation? [paper]

Middleton, C. (2011). Canada's Telecommunications Policy Environment. Telecommunications Journal of Australia, 61(4), pp. 69.1-69.14. [paper]

Middleton, C. (2011). Final Arguments regarding Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2011-77: Review of billing practices for wholesale residential high-speed access services. [paper]

Middleton, C. (2011). From Canada 2.0 to a Digital Nation: The Challenge of Creating a Digital Society in Canada. In M. Moll & L. R. Shade (Eds.), The Internet Tree. pp. 3-16. Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Middleton, C. (2011). Structural and Functional Separation in Broadband Networks: An Insufficient Remedy to Competitive Woes in the Canadian Broadband Market. In M. Moll & L. R. Shade (Eds.), The Internet Tree. pp. 61-72. Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Taylor, G. & Middleton, C. (2011). Response to the Industry Canada Consultation on a Policy and Technical Framework for the 700 MHz Band and Aspects Related to Commercial Mobile Spectrum. [paper]

Middleton, C. & Given, J. (2011). The Next Broadband Challenge: Wireless. Journal of Information Policy. (1:1). pp. 36-56. [paper]

Middleton, C. & Bryne, A. (2011). An Exploration of User-Generated Wireless Broadband Infrastructures in Digital Cities. Telematics & Informatics. (28:3). pp. 163-175. [preprint]

Middleton, C. & Tul-Hazra, U. (2011). Understanding the costs and benefits associated with advanced e-business solutions in Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises. Report for Industry Canada. [report]

Middleton, C. (2010). Delivering Services over Next Generation Broadband Networks: Exploring Devices, Applications and Networks. Telecommunications Journal of Australia. (60:4), 59.1-59.13. [abstract] [preprint]

Middleton, C. (2010). From Canada 2.0 to a Digital Nation. Big Thinking Lecture Series. Ottawa. [lecture]

Middleton, C. & Given, J. (2010). Open Access Broadband Networks in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore. Telecommunications Policy Research Conference. Arlington, VA. [paper] [presentation]

Middleton, C. (2010). Preparing Canada and Canadians for the Digital Society: Research on Digital Infrastructure and Digital Literacy. Submission to the Government of Canada Digital Economy Consultation.

Middleton, C. (2010). Communication Technologies in the Information Society: Informing our Understanding of Canada’s Digital Economy. Canada Research Chairs 10th Anniversary Panel. Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Montreal. [presentation]

van Gorp, A. & Middleton, C. (2010). Fiber to the Home Unbundling and Retail Competition: Developments in the Netherlands. Communications & Strategies. (78). pp. 87-106. [abstract] [preprint]

Middleton, C., Veenhof, B., & Leith, J. (2010). Intensity of Internet Use in Canada: Understanding Different Types of Users. Ottawa: Statistics Canada – Business Special Surveys and Technology Statistics Division Working Papers. [paper]

Biggar, J., & Middleton, C. (2010). Broadband and Network Environmentalism: The Case of One Million Acts of Green. Telecommunications Journal of Australia. (60:1). pp. 9.1-9.17. [abstract] [preprint]

van Gorp, A. & Middleton, C. (2010). The Impact of Facilities and Service-Based Competition on Internet Services Provision in the Canadian Broadband Market. Telematics and Informatics. (27:3). pp. 217-230. [abstract] [preprint]

Sullivan, J., Scheepers, R., & Middleton, C. (2009). Conceptualizing User Satisfaction in the Ubiquitous Computing Era. Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Phoenix, AZ.

Middleton, C. (2009). Can Broadband Support Environmental Sustainability? An Exploration of Claims at the Household Level. Telecommunications Journal of Australia, 59(1), 10.1-10.14. [abstract] [paper]

Middleton, C. & van Gorp, A. (2009). How Competitive is the Canadian Residential Broadband Market? A Study of Canadian Internet Service Providers and Their Regulatory Environment. Telecommunication Policy Research Conference. Arlington, VA. [paper][presentation]

van Gorp, A. & Middleton, C. (2009). Fiber to the Home and Competition: Developments in the Netherlands & Canada.Telecommunication Policy Research Conference. Arlington, VA.[paper] [presentation]

Cukier, W., Bauer, R., Ngwenyama, O. & Middleton, C. (2009) A Critical Analysis of Media Discourse on Information Technology. Information Systems Journal. (19). pp. 175-196. [abstract]

Middleton, C. & Crow, B. (2008). Building Wi-Fi Networks for Communities: Three Canadian Cases. Canadian Journal of Communication. (33:3). pp. 419-441.

Potter, A. B., McIntyre, N. & Middleton, C. (2008). How Usable are Outdoor Wireless Networks?. Canadian Journal of Communication. (33:3). pp. 511-524.

Middleton, C. (2007). Understanding the Benefits of Broadband: Insights for a Broadband Enabled Ontario. Paper prepared for the Ministry of Government Services, Ontario.

Middleton, C. & Cukier, W. (2006). Is Mobile Email Functional or Dysfunctional? Two Perspectives on Mobile Email Usage. European Journal of Information Systems. (15:3), pp. 252-260. Operational Research Society Stafford Beer Medal Winner.[Preprint]