| reply to jfmezei
Re: Rogers and possibly Bell shutting down Portable outdoor This is horseshit, they received federal grants to supply our rural areas with broadband, then they put up a shoddy "bare minimum" wimax network, and now they are forcing us into the more expensive 4G tier.
To be clear, they are decommissioning the gear that they spent the (government, our tax dollar) money on, and forcing the customers (us rural folk) they gained through that service availability onto a MUCH more expensive plan, ie: if we want to use 30GB (which we can use faster than ever on 4G) we will now pay $400 instead of $40 per month (as we were used to on WiMAX).
I wonder how this would fly if they told everybody in the city with a $40/month cablemodem that they had to switch to a package that will cost 10x as much for no reason other than it's better for their revenues.
I will be writing to everybody I can about this, as this is just another proof that our country is falling further and further behind the technological curve. While rural areas in the USA enjoy far cheaper and more reliable service, our major service providers are strengthening their monopolies and providing less and less value for our dollar. |
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Reviews:
 ·Bell Sympatico
| When you write to "everyone you can" about it, make sure you include that they're not shutting it down in areas where the received federal and provincial grants (Broadband Canada and OMAFRA regions), since contractually they can't.
Those are the only regions (and there aren't many), where they can't shut it down. |
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Reviews:
·Caneris
| reply to ruralguy
said by ruralguy :This is horseshit, they received federal grants to supply our rural areas with broadband, then they put up a shoddy "bare minimum" wimax network, and now they are forcing us into the more expensive 4G tier.
To be clear, they are decommissioning the gear that they spent the (government, our tax dollar) money on, and forcing the customers (us rural folk) they gained through that service availability onto a MUCH more expensive plan, ie: if we want to use 30GB (which we can use faster than ever on 4G) we will now pay $400 instead of $40 per month (as we were used to on WiMAX).
I wonder how this would fly if they told everybody in the city with a $40/month cablemodem that they had to switch to a package that will cost 10x as much for no reason other than it's better for their revenues.
I will be writing to everybody I can about this, as this is just another proof that our country is falling further and further behind the technological curve. While rural areas in the USA enjoy far cheaper and more reliable service, our major service providers are strengthening their monopolies and providing less and less value for our dollar.
Where about's are you ?
There are TONS of rural high speed options out there you likely just do not know about them (Or there may be noone in your area).
You should look for a smaller wisp (Wireless Internet Service Provider) they generally take pride in what they do and do there best to deliver the best internet they can.
If you post your general location I can see if I can get out in that direction. I offer 4 down 384k up for $34.99 and 5 down 512k up for $47.99. My service delivers the advertised speed even during the peak hours. |
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| I am in Ontario, on the border of simcoe and brant county.
It seems I might've been wrong about the grants, there weren't any received by Rogers but I do see bell snared some. What doesn't show up on those reports are any ISPs that Rogers/bell bought that may have received the grants years ago when they rolled it out here. I've complained to the CRTC about Rogers before and that brought results, this time I will be creating a petition to strengthen the argument though.
I work online and require a decent broadband connection to survive. I've been lied to by Rogers which almost threatened my livelihood, and not even two years later they are pulling the service that kept me afloat. 4G is far too expensive to run my business on here, and I may have to sell my house and relocate due to that. |
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| The Inukshuk venture didn't get any cash grants from anyone beyond OMAFRA rural connections or similar programs. They got Look's spectrum when Look died off through a purchase agreement. I don't think Look won any OMAFRA grants.
The current state of rural broadband is really a mixed bag. If you live in the town or village, you often have one or both of cable and telco. If you live further out, you often have neither. There are WISPs out there that aren't controlled by the same factors the telco and cableco are. I suspect that they are really in it for the long run rather than for a minimum contract period required to get a grant. The reality is that if the return on spending a buck in rural canada isn't as good as in more populated areas, you won't get any capital dollars.
And a correction: rural broadband isn't very good in the US either. It doesn't reach many people outside of the town/village and where it does, it often receives huge recurring subsidies, which easily range from $100-$13,000 per line per year. The money is taken from urban residents, rich and poor and spent in the most inefficient way possible by the recipients. |
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| reply to Radar E 33
They are shutting down the portable services out where I live (Essa), and our township + innisfield were part of the rural broadband initiative. Now the portable is going down. Wonder how the townships will respond, seeing as they and the feds dumped monies into it. |
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| reply to Radar E 33
Spoke to Bell rep today about termination notice of rural WiMax service as of March 2012. Very miffed that up the road they can get DSL BUT it has never made it 200m further down the road and Still no word when that might happen but hasn't in several years trying. I gather it won't without a stinger.
The sick joke is their offer of a "better" alternative service aka turbo hub which I think is unfair advertising. IFF I wanted a cell phone service I'd use a smartphone but I have few WISP options available and they also have data caps/overage charges.
I'm not looking for a high speed promise rather a reliable and reasonable service without too much latency. I'm not even very rural being between Guelph and Cambridge and within site of the 401 !
IFF anyone is going to take this up I would happily help petition for support. The Bell rep also leaked that the joint region funded towers may only have a stay of execution until 2015. |
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 GonePremium
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON
kudos:1 | reply to ruralguy
said by ruralguy :I am in Ontario, on the border of simcoe and brant county. For a minute there I thought you meant Simcoe County and Brant County which made absolutely no sense, then I realized you probably meant Simcoe as in Norfolk County and Brant County. |
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| reply to millaal
Millaal, if you're monitoring this thread get in touch with me. We have Xplornet 4G WiMAX available in your area, and I'm based in Guelph. 3 new towers in Puslinch. brad@northwindinstallation.com |
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waynemPremium
join:2011-02-04
Metcalfe, ON | reply to Radar E 33
Got my Bell termination letter today.....
Definitely not going 3G so Xplornet is really is the only other option. We had other independent WISPs but they've either been pushed out of business or sold to Xplornet.
And don't put too much hope in Bell or Rogers retrofitting your area.. there is more money to be made doing new developments so you will like always "just miss" making it to the upgrade list. |
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| reply to Radar E 33
Bell is keeping the Wimax service going in areas where they won OMAFRA bids. These would include the following counties/areas:
- Simcoe
- Bruce County
- Middlesex
- Laurentian Valley
- South Glengarry
- Dufferin
- Dawn-Euphemia (Lambton, Chatham Kent)
So, if you live in these areas and get a letter saying it is shutting down, you should call in and tell them you must have received the notice in error. Say where you live (one of the counties listed above) and you should be OK to continue service.
All other towers are shutting down, so won't be any good to say you live there but actually live elsewhere. Your service won't work. |
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GonePremium
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON
kudos:1 | said by wimaxgirl :- Simcoe Is that the Town of Simcoe in Norfolk County or Simcoe County surrounding Barrie? |
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Killer
join:2012-02-06
Penetanguishene, ON | reply to wimaxgirl
Does the Simcoe area include Midland / Penetang? |
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Reviews:
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to waynem
said by waynem:Got my Bell termination letter today.....
Definitely not going 3G so Xplornet is really is the only other option. We had other independent WISPs but they've either been pushed out of business or sold to Xplornet.
And don't put too much hope in Bell or Rogers retrofitting your area.. there is more money to be made doing new developments so you will like always "just miss" making it to the upgrade list.
Can you scan and post a copy of the letter? I'd like to see it... |
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 KardinalDei Gratina ReginaPremium
join:2001-02-04
N of 49th
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to freejazz_RdJ
said by freejazz_RdJ: So it is deprecated in the sense that it is EOL and MD'd. It is to 4G fixed wireless what DBIC/1megmodem was to ADSL. That is an excellent analogy - well done!
Now, you'll get a bunch of questions about what DBIC is. 
--
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All of us do time in the gutter, dreamers turn to look at the cars
Join Team Helix
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| Received the letter today in French (translation below). I live in Gatineau, Qc near Ottawa
Important Informations regarding your Internet Service.
Hello XXX XXX
The Bell internet service that you are presently using will be terminated starting April 24, 2012. To prevent interruption of service, Bell can replace your present service by a better internet solution - the Turbo station. You only have to call us to make the change.
Move to a more performing internet service with the Turbo Station from Bell.
-You only have to plug-in the station into a wall outlet - no technical help or software installation needed.
-You can count on a fast and reliable internet service with speed greater or equal to 512 Kbit/s
-You can connect 2 or more devices with the integrated Wi-Fi.
$22.95 per month (with 2 service bundle) with a FREE Internet Turbo Station with a 1 year contract - a value of $274.95.
There's more: If you sign for one year, you will receive 2 months of free usage.
SMALL PRINT: Regular price is $27.95.(subject to change)
3 GB: 27.95
3 GB to 5 GB: $45
5 GB to 10 GB: $60
More than 10 GB: $0.015 per addtl Mb (or 15 per GB but Bell doesnt say it like that |
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| BTW
I have no idea of the usage I am getting from my Wimax and it would be nice to know what our choice would be.
We do not download movies at all. My kids (2) are using their x-box 360 online about 15 hours/week. We surf the web and watch youtube video and we use our email. Nothing fancy. Speed really not that important, Our 512 is fine. I"m getting 490 kbps right now (snowstorm outised). Thanks you all for your comments |
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| reply to danduc
Re: Rogers and possibly Bell shutting down Portable outdoor Yeah Danduc, I'm the exact same boat as you. I'm well within the city limits, but since I don't have any real neighbors, Bell don't want to upgrade my Phone Line to DSL and Vidéotron don't want to install the cable...
So from what I gather, here's our options:
-Dial-up (ha! I'm not going back to that!)
-Xplornet Satellite: 3Mbps with 20Gb cap for 60$/month
-Rogers apparently have a $45/10gb plan that bumps to $60/30gb plan with their Rocket Hub (link)
-Wind Mobile have a mobile wireless Hub thing with a 35$/month unlimited Gb, but they throttle after 10Gb.
-That Bell Turbo Station
If anyone know an independent wireless ISP in the Ottawa-Gatineau region, please share with us. Something like Storm or GoZoom or what grayfox is offering. |
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GonePremium
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON
kudos:1 | said by traflaz :-Wind Mobile have a mobile wireless Hub thing with a 35$/month unlimited Gb, but they throttle after 10Gb. Throttling after 10GB is not a 100% sure thing, they just reserve the right to do it. There are reports of people who have pulled 200GB+ on Wind and not experienced any sort of throttling. |
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