[RadioFlyer]

Bell must have some extra spectrum capacity at 1900 MHz to be able to devote what is generally mobile spectrum to fixed use.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

 

[ExDilbert]

They may be switching to lower frequencies when rolling out 5G services. The 600MHz and 700MHz bands are better for mobile use.

 

[JamesK]

They may be switching to lower frequencies when rolling out 5G services. The 600MHz and 700MHz bands are better for mobile use.

Also, the 850 & 1900 MHz spectrum used by 2G & 3G can used for 5G. IIRC, Bell has shut those down and Rogers will be following in April.

 

[RadioFlyer]

Just to mention that my understanding based on Bell announcements was that this service used the 3500 MHz band and indeed when I first looked at the CASA status page it was operating on LTE Band 42 - TDD 3500. Today I note that it has switched to LTE Band 2 - 1900 MHz. Interesting.

Watching the CASA status page over several days I note that it seems to flip back and forth between the two bands. Don't see any particular pattern nor any perceivable difference in performance.

 

[Jeff Higgins]

Watching the CASA status page over several days I note that it seems to flip back and forth between the two bands. Don't see any particular pattern nor any perceivable difference in performance.

I have noticed this as well except the tower I am on is overloaded so we get absolutely terrible service during park hours, I did notice last night however that when we are on Band 7 (vs Band 42 which we are on most of the time) we have much better service, this is likely because most of my neighbors are connected to one of the other bands.

 

[RadioFlyer]

I have noticed this as well except the tower I am on is overloaded so we get absolutely terrible service during park hours, I did notice last night however that when we are on Band 7 (vs Band 42 which we are on most of the time) we have much better service, this is likely because most of my neighbors are connected to one of the other bands.

Bell have embargoed further installs in our tower's service area reportedly due to a capacity limit.

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[Jeff Higgins]

Bell have embargoed further installs in our tower's service area reportedly due to a capacity limit.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

They told us the same thing the other day but it seems that it was too late, we have essentially no internet at night, it is very frustrating.

 

[RadioFlyer]

Anyone have 50 Mbps? Bell announced the upgrade for this Fall but at least where I am it looks like only 25 Mbps is available.

 

[phishstik]

Haven't heard anything about 50Mbps but I doubt they will even tell us. Ive had mine almost a year now and it's been pretty good. Just before covid a door to door bell rep sold it to me. Got away from Xplorenet in nick of time.

I have gone through 2 of their crappy Hub 2000 however. One failed after a month then the replacement was dead out of the box that they mailed to me. It's extremely frustrating that we have to use their router, I asked tech support multiple times and they always answered that their service/antenna only works with their router.

My tower certainly didn't get overloaded like Xplorenet. The rep said each tower only has so many "panels" and they cannot oversell them, whatever that means. The 350gig limit is sometimes a struggle, we still watch satellite TV and with a household of 4 could not give it up for streaming only at this data cap.

One strange thing, we have a huge Bell cell tower nearby so I assumed my antenna would point to it however their antenna for fixed wireless is on our local town's water tower.

 

[tcasar]

I wonder if the emergence of 5G is going to affect Bell WHI service. I'm in rural Eastern Ontario with a pretty decent Bell Mobility signal, but it's not a viable option for home Internet - $150 for only 50 GB! 5G is supposed to offer both increased data speed and bandwidth; will it lower the cost of Bell Mobility's mobile Internet data plans?

 

[ExDilbert]

5G can offer increased throughput on all frequencies. That alone will not provide enough bandwidth to dramatically lower prices and increase capacity. It also offers new bands that can provide increased range and more capacity. The whizz-bang features and upgrades touted in the press are mostly made possible by using the 60GHz (aka mm wave) band. While potentially offering dramatic improvements in capacity and throughput, the 60GHz band does not have enough range to be effective without major upgrades in infrastructure. It still requires fibre in the neighbourhood and 5G access points with line of sight within a few metres of the customer device.

I suspect that Bell is simply gouging rural customers due to lack of any real competition. They could, of course, build more infrastructure and provide a better signal and more bandwidth for rural customers but won't because the ROI is lower than rebuilding high density urban areas like Toronto. Starlink from SpaceX promises to provide better speeds and higher caps but not cheaper prices. Access is currently limited but Starlink is taking applications for service on a waiting list for installation sometime this year.

 

[RadioFlyer]

A couple of weeks ago our speeds fell to 6 or 7 mbps and I noticed the outdoor unit was operating at 700 MHz which it never does. Out of the blue we got a call from Bell saying they wanted to dispatch a tech to make an adjustment. When the tech came he was surprised that Bell had sent him without us making any kind of report and he seemed unsure of why he was sent. In any event once he left the outdoor unit was again operating at 23 - 26 mbps and I notice that 700 MHz is no longer on the list of allowed bands. Info FWIW.

 

[heans]

so when i checked if bell fibe was available at my place it comes up as you are all set bell fibe wifi is available there. anyone elsev heard of that before?

Edit by Dr.Dave: moved to correct thread

 

[randdon]

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?

Well, I would like to but I cannot add it on to my account online because their system is broken forcing you to call in. And if you call in they try to hit you up for fees because you're not signing up online. Its a scam and fraud!

 

[hpk464]

My city is 100% covered by unlimited gigabit cable. But for most Bell is only offering "Rural" Wireless Home Internet 25mbps or 50mbps. It is (sub)urban here, not rural.

Bell needs to lower its prices on Wireless Home Internet, roll out fibre, or substantially increase the speeds offered from Wireless home internet (like T-Mobile in the USA) to remain competitive.

 

[ExDilbert]

Similar, but worse, situation here. We can get gigabit cable but are stuck with DSL that maxes out at 5Mb due to distance to the CO. We are only 3km from the city center, less as the crow flies, in a well established urban neighbourhood. A Bell sales rep tried to sell us fake Fibe by promising fibre about 10 years ago. It still hasn't happened. Meanwhile, Rogers jacked up our price for TV and internet by about $50 last year.

 

[hpk464]

Similar, but worse, situation here. We can get gigabit cable but are stuck with DSL that maxes out at 5Mb due to distance to the CO. We are only 3km from the city center, less as the crow flies, in a well established urban neighbourhood. A Bell sales rep tried to sell us fake Fibe by promising fibre about 10 years ago. It still hasn't happened. Meanwhile, Rogers jacked up our price for TV and internet by about $50 last year.

Bell has their head so far up their *** it's insane. Who in their right mind would purchase 50mbps 5G Wireless Home internet for $150 (no promotions, I've asked as soon as I saw the equipment installed on a tower 1km away), or in your case 5mbps DSL direct from Bell for probably ~$69, in our markets where there is established wireline competition? I don't think a company more disconnected from reality exists in this country. Prices need to be cut by 1/3 to 1/2 to achieve widespread adoption.

 

[ExDilbert]

A lot of the costs these days are for financing acquisitions such as Bell's purchase of Bell Aliant and MTS or Roger's purchase of Shaw. They make it look good on paper by promising upgrades and benefits but the bottom line is someone must pay for those $billion+ buyouts. Customers and employees get squeezed with higher prices and lower compensation. Former owners walk away with the $billions in proceeds, promptly get huge capital gains tax breaks and then send the rest of the money to offshore tax havens. Working Canadians must then pay for the cost and lost tax revenue.