Wasn't sure what to title this - it came up in another thread... Thinking out loud: - heading to NS Nov 14th. We have a cottage outside Bridgewater where we'll be quarantining and then staying for most of the trip. - trying to figure out Internet access for my kids to do online school. I *should* be covered by an International plan through my work cell phone. What I've looked at: - Eastlink - only has "rural broadband" available. 1.5Mbps download speeds, not up to task for 2 kids on Microsoft Teams. - Bell Aliant - has a "high speed ultra" DSL available - 7Mbps down but they can't install until after we quarantine - no appointments before we arrive and they're not being very accommodating. Calls to their customer support make me angry. - Xplornet - not available. So, now I'm looking at cell data options: - I'm looking into our T-Mobile plan to see what $$ it is to get over our 5Gb roaming cap. Which leads me to - can I just get a SIM (or 2?) through Rogers or Bell? Do they even offer unlimited data? It's hard to predict just how much data we'll need.
I was thinking maybe they made huge strides in rural high speed lol I would think you'd be better off going with a slower connection with unlimited data vs a faster connection with a cap
Bell unlimited data plans (Select 'bring your own device') Rogers Infinite - bring your own device Telus worry-free - bring your own device
They all do. After a certain number they drop down to 512.they are an oligopoly. Same packages, same prices, coincidently changing at the same time to the same thing.
Too bad this wasn't here yet https://arstechnica.com/information...takes-user-terminal-into-forest-gets-120mbps/
I was about to make this same thread haha I think I might have an option for Xplornet. The package is 10 mbps and unlimited data for $89.00 per month. This is just going to be at the cabin running netflix, sonos and security cams. That should be enough mbps eh? The only other option is a turbo hub but I think the data limits would kill me.
Just a heads-up on Xplornet: you might see the advertised speed occasionally, but most of the time the average speed is much lower. For what it's worth: https://www.xplornet.com/blog/this-canada-day-lte-50-high-speed-service-hits-pei-and-newfoundland/
I wish there was someone I could call at Bell that could actually get me an appointment before the 14th to set up service - that's the ideal solution but so far, I end up talking to folks who barely understand what I'm asking. The internet service isn't great but would serve my kids enough to do their online school. I'm really frustrated on this one - never expected a 3 week lead time to have someone show up to set up service.
Also really hard to estimate how much data my kids will need for their online courses. About 4 hours a day, 5 days a week using Microsoft Teams. Google hasn't been much help - estimates all over the place.
I don't know if this will help but might be worth a shot: Bell Aliant store in Bridgewater: http://storelocator.bell.ca/bellca/en/NS/Bridgewater/Bell-Aliant-Bridgewater-Mall/BA236 Someone there might be able to help pull a string. Maybe reach out to them on social media as well?
I thought I posted this yesterday... alas it was sitting here as a draft... Having had to work on all of the technologies you've listed and working for one of the 3 companies in your investigated list, I would HIGHLY suggest looking into the cellular data option. Not sure if there is an option out there that allows you to buy buckets of data, though.
I blow through a gig gig.5 a day while working on my cell, and that's with 2-3 hours of teams/slack max and being conservative on use (ie: no streaming music/youtubes).
I managed to get my work cell phone changed to an unlimited international data plan so... they exist at least! It's a bit of a black box for me with the work phone - I know the contract is through AT&T but the rest I don't see - all handled by work.
Saga continues. Finally managed to talk to someone at the Bridgewater Bell store to see about getting the DSL installed before Saturday. No dice even after my offers to pay extra in beer. It was a fun call, though - such a small place, we knew a lot of the same people. Still searching for a data solution for my kids. Then, today - wanted to double check that my cell plan had been updated properly. Went to try tethering to it as well to make sure that hadn't been broken by the update (it'd happened before) - ugh, tethering isn't working. Call the support people for my work phone. I can either have tethered data *or* unlimited roaming internationally. Fuuuck. So now I need an internet solution for work as well. blergh.
Oh, we're not going to stay anywhere different - we'll make it work. The place we're staying is our own property that we purchased just as the pandemic was starting. There are other reasons to want to stay there. I'll just pay what I need to make the data through our cell plan work during quarantine and suck it up. And then bitch at Bell for having such a long lead time on getting things set up. The woman I talked to in Bridgewater says all their installers are working overtime right now on a big push to extend their fibre service into new areas of the province.
Ah, ok, I didn't realize you had purchased the property. It might be worth isolating somewhere with connectivity while a permanent solution is found.
Unfortunately, with the isolation rules, once we arrive at the property, we can't leave for 2 weeks. I had thought I could probably find a small office or something to rent in town but we're not allowed to even go for a walk down the road.
Is 2 day Prime shipping with Amazon not a thing in NS these days? Earliest I’m seeing for almost anything I’ve looked at is the 25th.
It is a thing. Sometimes 1 day depending on the item. I'm guessing where you are very rural it's impacting your delivery times.
mid Bridgewater very rural? I mean, we’re not “in town” but it’s a 5 minute drive. Maybe I’m just forgetting and spoiled after living next to HQ for 4 years now.
just got xplornet at the cabin on sat. its working pretty good. I noticed that while playing Netflix the picture would get shitty from time to time
