[Paul Yardy]

Reviewing an advertisement for the wireless internet Bell started offering in Rural ONTARIO last spring.

Does anyone know of have any experience with it, 3.5Ghz with a fixed antenna mounted outside.

Does anyone have any access to coverage maps for this .

when I call Bell they pass me to 3 different people before someone says, Yes we have DSL in your area, when can we visit to connect it for you sir.

I'm finnished dealing with the lack of experience at 310-BELL.

 

[JamesK]

There are other alternatives. For example, Rogers/Fido offer a wireless service. There's also a company called Standard Broadband that goes after rural areas.

 

[Paul Yardy]

Fully realize that there are other alternatives but I have a friend 2-3 KM away with this service but Bell is saying it's not available in my area so they cant sell it to me.

I don't believe what they are telling me except they say Fiber is planned for my area and won't sell me this wireless service my friend has.

 

[Neoneva]

https://aliant.bell.ca/Bell_Internet/Products/Fixed-Wireless-Internet

that is all i can find on the website, has very few towns listed

 

[Paul Yardy]

Thanks Neon,
Looks close to the offering here in Ontario although equipment here uses different hardware. IFWA-630 antenna and HOMEHUB2000.

 

[hpk464]

https://www.bell.ca/Bell_Internet/Products/wireless-home-internet

Here's the link.

Bell thinks it can get away with offering this to thousands of homes in my city instead of upgrading its ancient 2-6 meg DSL. It is good for those outside of the city though.

 

[bbakernbay]

I have a cottage at Lake Talon, 30 kms east of North Bay and I have Bell SAT TV and land line phone and internet. The always on landline internet is very, very slow especially for the price Bell charges per month. I just checked the availability map for their new Bell Rural Wireless Internet service but the coverage area is very minimal at present. Checking various other Ontario locations the coverage is actually fairly widespread outside of the designated urban centre. Has anyone actually hooked up to this new Wireless Rural Internet service and how is it performing?

 

[PorkySlutter]

Which area you are at? I can look up the WHI covereage map for you

 

[JoeSoap]

I recently moved to the country and there weren't any good internet providers, so we went with Bell's turbo hub - $150 for 50GB, $2GB overage. That is not a typo (and Roger's hub overage was even worse). Speedwise it was fine but with that cap size, we had no Netflix, had to be aware when HD streaming was happening, and no wifi for guests.

About 2 months ago, there was a hanger Ad on the front door for rural service, at the time I couldn't find anything on Bell's web site. About a month ago I called them and arranged for the service. I asked how come I wasn't told about this when I recently got the hub, they said it was a new service.

They come out and do a signal test first, and will only proceed if good. They really don't know until they come on site. I don't have clear line of site in all directions, but fortunately it was clear to a nearby tower and the technician said my signal was very good.

It is 79.95 for 350GB. I have bell sat tv so I was able to get a bundled price cheaper than that. No contract. I have been getting 20ish Mbps consistently. It is a bit slower than turbo hub, but I only know that because of speed tests. But now we can stream at will. There is also a smaller/cheaper plan, I think it was for 100GB?

We've been happy so far.

 

[PorkySlutter]

Map

19km from the nearest tower, too far for your cottage for now

 

[Bpke]

Are those maps available online?

 

[PorkySlutter]

No, not available for public

 

[tcasar]

Wireless access near Kemptville

I'm located just across Hwy. 416 next to Kemptville.You'd think I was in the third world when it comes to Internet access. All I really get is 4 Mbps DSL download with an upload speed that is not much better than the dial-up modem I had 10 years ago. I keep checking on the Bell website to see if the newly advertised Bell rural wireless will be available for me, but when I enter my address, I just get transferred to their existing DSL offering. So I currently with Teksavvy until something better and affordable comes along. Yes, I theoretically have access to Storm, Xplornet and a couple of other wireless or satellite offerings, but to get anything a lot faster, you quickly get up to $100 monthly.

And I sometimes consider myself lucky as I have many friends who live in the region and don't have even speeds close to 4 Mbps. The CRTC keeps on saying how everyone in Canada should have at least affordable 10 Mbps Internet yet here we are less than 10 km for the boundaries of Ottawa, and we're still limping along at under 5 Mbps. Rural Canada has essentially been ignored by the Canadian Internet industry.

 

[ExDilbert]

...but to get anything a lot faster, you quickly get up to $100 monthly.

Internet from most companies is close to $100 these days. Bell starts at $80 and Rogers starts at $85. TPIAs such as Teksavvy have cheaper plans but they are not that much cheaper, are usually slower and don't include hardware. Expect to pay $50 or more for even the cheapest plan that's significantly faster than DSL.

 

[JamesK]

Rogers starts at $85

I'm paying $70 for 75/10.

 

[ExDilbert]

There were price increases recently. That price is no longer advertised. The current price is $75 + $10 modem rental. It may be possible to get new customer promotions, bundle discounts and loyalty discounts that will reduce the price.

 

[Bp86]

Consider yourself lucky to have DSL. I live between Kemptville and Richmond and can't get any service besides xplornet and Storm. I have Xplornet and it is TERRIBLE. When I first signed up there weren't many users, so I could actually get close to the 10Mbps advertised speed. Now I can't even watch a 144p YouTube video. Speeds are maxing out around 250kbps at the best of times. Storm recently put up some towers nearby, but for some reason want an 80ft tower erected for me to get their offerings, which costs thousands of dollars, just for the tower. I've been pleading with Bell to hook me up to their fixed wireless, but they say it's not available in this area because "they're focused on offering fibe internet to everyone in my postal code". Like that will ever happen.

 

[djdorman]

Hi,

Would you be able to check your map for "Wireless Home Internet" service for Chandos Lake in Apsley (North Kawartha)? Located near the end of Trotter Ointment Road off of highway 620.

Last week Bell (April 23) upgraded the tower thats about 10KM away and the site says my area has service but the reps have been unable to verify my service address.

 

[Jase88]

@djdorman Bell's website lists North Kawartha as within their service area. You may wish to visit their site here and type in your address for more accurate results.

 

[PorkySlutter]

Hi,

Would you be able to check your map for "Wireless Home Internet" service for Chandos Lake in Apsley (North Kawartha)? Located near the end of Trotter Ointment Road off of highway 620.

Last week Bell (April 23) upgraded the tower thats about 10KM away and the site says my area has service but the reps have been unable to verify my service address.

Sorry for long reply, been busy, you are 3.8km away from the nearest tower, unless you in a deep walley you should get this service.