dax
@bell.ca
| WiMax Unplugged Speed vs Rogers
I've spend most of a whole day trying to get answers from Bell. It's so frustrating.
Both Bell & Rogers wireless internet maps show that I am just within the edge of excellent coverage. Actually both maps are identical in my area.(same tower?) Bell's site insists that my postal code cannot receive their service, but that clearly is wrong since the PC covers many square miles. The map shows it clearly as OK.
Bell customer service says that if I buy the modem and it shows at least 2 of the 5 lights active, I have enough signal strength and I can activate. Their pdf manual says that "A weaker signal does not mean that your connection is slower" So, does that mean that I should be getting the full 3Meg speed? NO. You don't know that until you activate and once you activate, you're locked into the 2 year term. Hmmm. So, if I only get 1, is that fast enough? That's unlikely, they say! But no guarantee.
Rogers says that I have 30 days to get a refund if I am not happy. My personal experience with Rogers has been MUCH better than Bell, but Rogers is 2 Meg. at about the same price.
Now, through forums, I'm reading that Bell may be nowhere near the 3 Meg they state. Maybe the same as Rogers, I don't know. I have no other choice, cable does not reach us and satellite is super expensive. I read that Bell WiMax has the potential to go to much higher speeds that Rogers.
Both have a 30 gig cap, but neither will tell me how much they charge if I go over that limit.
Any advice? Comments?? |
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BryceS
join:2007-09-17
Woodstock, ON
| Bell and Rogers will offer the same service as they teamed up to offer the same service. Just different prices and customer support.
Bell and Rogers are doing this program as a co-op with each other.
Only technical difference may be the modems they use. |
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mlerner
Premium
join:2000-11-25
Nepean, ON
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| said by BryceS  :Bell and Rogers will offer the same service as they teamed up to offer the same service. Just different prices and customer support. Bell and Rogers are doing this program as a co-op with each other. Only technical difference may be the modems they use. That's correct. Performance is exactly the same and it's technically up to 3 mbps, it's just that Bell is advertising the average speed. |
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dax
@bell.ca | reply to dax
Thanks so much. That makes a lot of sense since the coverage map is identical. I'll stick with Rogers unless I hear something otherwise. It will be nice when the market opens up a bit more. |
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BryceS
join:2007-09-17
Woodstock, ON
| reply to dax
The market won't open because the only affordable way for WiMax to cover the 122ish areas was for Bell and Rogers go:
"Okay, we'll compete, but lets split the costs right down the middle and everyone will think that this is competition because customers can bounce back and forth between two companies." |
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Adam20
Premium
join:2007-07-19
Sarnia, ON
 ·Cogeco Cable
 ·Cogeco Voip
·Rogers Hi-Speed
 ·Rogers Portable In..
·Bell Sympatico
| Wimax Unplugged Up to 3 megabits/s has a 10Gig cap dow dl/ul'ing(total) per month, it comes with the first year of unlimited* bandwidth(usual goes, dont strain the network resources)
additional bandwidth is billed at 1.50$per gigabyte up to a maximum of 30$ in additional charges
both companies offer 30 day buyers remorse for full refund, bell is billed through cc and rogers is a monthly bill.
Rogers is 1.5 meg not 2, and bell has a maximum of 3 meg.
both companies offer 2 tiers of speeds available to customers.... hope this helps |
|
estreet
Premium
join:2007-11-25
Beaverton, ON
| reply to dax
OK I'm curious, and perhaps someone can explain why;
When I type my Postal Code either for Rogers or Bell I am shown a map - my property location deep in a green zone (Signal available)
Location - I am 1000 feet from Lake Simcoe shoreline (Facing the Lake - actually from my Bay window, I can see the Lake), 27kms from the Tower (Hawkstone) - (to be fair their are some trees, but not heavily wooded) and yet when the Bell Tech tried to get a signal (external modem) - there was none as in nada - not even 1 light
Question To Bell/Rogers Tech's: When these signal obtainable maps are drawn, does anyone bother to check signal strength, (like get off your behind and really check) or are your Tech's using max. distance prot' from the NLOS Tower to approximate signal strength? (2 dozen of my neighbors would like an answer, incl me)
My Opinion - Rogers and Bell should be brought to task on this issue - Why advertise availability, have people pay for an external modem (Rogers), then go thru the hassle of returning it when it's useless. And furthermore, my location should prove a point (a flat body of water to a NLOS Tower) - don't believe a word of it unless you have proof, ugh, beforehand (just imagine them doing something for the consumer), it won't work.
There's money to be made in fortune telling..........lol |
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BryceS
join:2007-09-17
Woodstock, ON | reply to dax
We can't just go out there and check! That costs money.  |
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sbrook
Premium,Mod
join:2001-12-14
H0H 0H0
·Rogers Hi-Speed
Host:
Rogers
Bell Canada
| There are just about always pockets of low/no signal. I live in a semi-rural area ... if I travel 1/4 mile in any direction I choose, I can get decent cellphone signal, but just where I am, most of the time you can't hold a conversation, even though if you look at the map, there's no question we're in a signal area. You can't guarantee 100% coverage. |
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Adam20
Premium
join:2007-07-19
Sarnia, ON
·Cogeco Cable
·Cogeco Voip
·Rogers Hi-Speed
·Rogers Portable In..
·Bell Sympatico
| It's not really hassle, if it does not work call and get a full refund... It's as easy as that.
The agents who are trained to take these calls know not to second guess the customers as the service does not work in allot of areas.
Therefore all you have to do is call for a refund. |
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FoxTrott
join:2008-01-02
h0h0h0
| reply to dax
The wimax network from Bell and Rogers is provided by Inukshuk. »www.inukshuk.ca/
I recently had to request service in my area, and it was clear that Rogers knows the service and is ready to offer it, and that Bell does not seems ready to sell the service correctly. Their coverage map is inaccurate, with Rogers we get a very precise map, including if we can get the portable or fixed modem. |
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mlerner
Premium
join:2000-11-25
Nepean, ON | They should just copy Rogers, it's the same coverage!  |
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FoxTrott
join:2008-01-02
h0h0h0
| I think that only Rogers offers the fixed modem, that provides a wider range. Bell only sells the mobile modem, it is faster, at 3 mbps, but works on limited area.
The fixed modem runs slower, 1.5 mbps, must be fixed on a wall outside the house, so it is not mobile like the 3 mbps is.
Difficult to get it with you in your car.
Fox |
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dax
@bell.ca
| reply to dax
An update on the problems & answers so far:
On Jan. 3rd after spending another time on hold with Bell and suffering wretched 1940s (WWII)Christmas music that sounded like it was off a scratched 78 for 20 minutes I finally hung up. What are they thinking, people like horrible music that is out of season???
Anyway, finally Vladimir called me and Bell Business side has 3mg download with no limit at $60./month. Initially he said that I could not receive it, then after telling him it was on my Bell coverage map, then yes, I could. Hmm. 30 day return if not acceptable. That is not what Bell consumer side says though. For the $5. extra per month, I'll pay the extra to make sure there is no limit imposed. Bell business will not bundle anything even though I have a Bell business line. Modem is $250. with no contract, $99. with 2 year contract and monthly prices go down with a 3 year contract. He also said that WiMax is NOT Unplugged and that they are different. After reading him the info off the Bell site, his reply was 'that's confusing isn't it?" Ya think so, Bell???
Rogers business has exactly the same thing at exactly the same price. They also said I was out of coverage area and then backtracked when I pointed out the coverage map. I'm waiting for Rogers to get back to me with a Bundle offer since I use cell phone from them, but Rogers Business is a different division from Rogers Consumer. Geeez.
So, you guys that say it's the same stuff are correct. I am told that it is a radio wave, not cell. Who cares though, they're all waves of one length or another. More BS
The consumer side is a little more weird trying to understand the differences, but it certainly appears simply to be an issue of who has more BS in marketing.
Now, whether I can actually get a signal and what speed I get is another question.
It's obvious that Bell, especially the consumer side ABSOLUTELY SUCKS on customer relations. They answer emails with incorrect info and wrong call back numbers, the chat did not work when I used it, all phone calls lead to India tech support and when you go through their automated phone system you end up being asked for your postal code, then promptly disconnected because there is no service to that PC, even though their is.
At least with Rogers, you can get a human fairly fast, even though they don't know much, they are trying to be nice to you.
The saga continues... |
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BryceS
join:2007-09-17
Woodstock, ON
| reply to dax
The WiMax In-Home service and the WiMax Unplugged service cannot be offered at the same time. You're either eligible for one or the other, can't have both.
Why? Because my regional manager said so! I don't know the technical reasons, but that is the way it is. |
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LINCSAT
Premium
join:2003-06-15
Markham, ON
| reply to dax
I have sympatico unplugged 3 meg service and have had it for over 1 year now. When I purchased it with the 2 year deal the caps where at 60gig per month and then bell dropped it to 10gig per month but that did not affect me because I had a contract for 60 gig per month. Also bell does not enforce caps on bell unplugged at all peroid.
Another note I would like to point out is when all 5 light bars are on it means that the service is capable to recieve the whole 3meg service. Example I have all five bars and if I move it from a window or to the basement it goes down to 4,3 and even 2 bars and when the bar level drops so does the speed period.
The service for me has been excellent and I would never switch from it because it is portable and it browses fast and downloads at 3meg and it is not affected bt bells torrent woes with dsl customers.
I recommed it!! |
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FoxTrott
join:2008-01-02
h0h0h0 | 2 months ago when I was looking for the service, Rogers told me that the limit is 30GB, but they do nothing when you download more for now  |
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Guspaz
Guspaz
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC
·Colbanet
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to dax
Just because a company doesn't enforce caps today doesn't mean they won't tomorrow. If there is a cap, enforced or not, treat it like it IS enforced for the purposes of considering which provider to go with.
You've got to ask yourself, if they have a cap but don't enforce it, why isn't it listed as "unlimited"?
Bell and Cogeco both had DSL/Cable caps that they didn't enforce. They both now do. Caveat emptor. |
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dax
@bell.ca
| reply to dax
Here we go again...
Rogers Business Rep called me. I can feel the pain starting already. She asked for my wife because she had forgotten my name. Gee, I emailed her back and left a phone message plus the Rogers acct is in my name????
Anyway, she tells me that yes, I can get an AirCard but that would mean I'd have to buy a laptop.
Do you mean I have to buy a Rogers laptop?
No, you would need to buy one.
But why would it not work on my own laptop?
Oh, you own a laptop?
But, I don't want an aircard because they are expensive plans.
How would you know, I haven't told you the price yet.
OK, so what's the price?
Well, if you downloaded 200 meg it would be over a hundred dollars.
So, that's just what I said, expensive. OK, now can you tell me if there is a download limit on Rogers Portable Internet for Business.
I'm afraid that you can't receive Portable internet because your office is beyond Rogers cable area.
Portable Internet is wireless, not on cable.
That product is an AirCard which you don't want because it's too expensive. All we offer is either cable or AirCard.
Believe it or not, this went on for another 5 minutes until she agreed to transfer me to High Speed Tech Support because I think I was really starting to bug her, especially after I suggested that maybe she should look at the Rogers web site that clearly shows Portable Internet. She was upset when I suggested that Bell & Rogers shared the same tower for the service.
So, I called tech support. Spoke to a nice guy who triple checked my location. He suggested that even though I was OK on their map, that he would only buy it with a 30 day refund policy (not automatic on either Bell or Rogers) because I would not be happy with the quality of signal. He confirmed that Bell & Rogers share the same signal and that the download speed is very much dependent upon signal strength. He suggests a minimum of 3 LEDs on the modem and any less will have signal dropping.
So there you have it folks. |
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Leopardmac
@bell.ca
| reply to dax
If Bell and Rogers are the same service then their speeds should be the same also. Could ppl post the fastest speed that they consistently get on Bell or Rogers. Then we can compare if one is truly faster than the other. I have read of ppl getting 2700mbps on Bell. Rogers - I have only read of ppl getting 1700mbps. Can anyone state that they get better speeds than that on Rogers? thanks. speedtest.net may give us a consistent test reading. I realize that the speed is dependant on one's location but wondering what the fastest attainable speed is of each service. Sooooooo who has the fastest Bell Wimax speed and who has the fastest Rogers portable speed. And who is fastest - Bell or Rogers? |
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