Followers of the blog with an interest in the status of the North Sault broadband (high-speed Internet) and cellular service will by now be aware that the services are still not available.
The best I can report is I am receiving updates to the effect that the remedial work required by MTS Allstream on their Bellevue tower before they will approve Tbaytel mounting their equipment is taking longer than planned. The delays are attributed to engineering design work, engineering coordination and the weather. Much of this work is being done by third party contractors.
The Heyden and Goulais (Buttermilk) sites are ready. Once the tower reinforcement and the antenna mounting hardware work is completed at Bellevue, the necessary broadband and microwave antennas will be installed. The system can then become operational
The Bellevue tower is critical to providing service as it acts as the hub and spoke with links to the Goulais (Buttermilk), Heyden and Searchmont sites.
As Albert Einstein said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Wishing to avoid insanity, I am not going to predict a new projected in-service date.
I am in regular contact with Tbaytel staff and will post any credible date they provide. In fairness, Tbaytel is somewhat at the mercy of the Bellevue tower owner, and their third party engineers, who has the final say on what can be mounted on their tower.
On a positive note, I received confirmation from Tbaytel that the 3G HSPA Rogers overlay project will be implemented in the Algoma District, including the North Sault area, this year. I will post additional information as it becomes available to me. See my blog for how it is working in other areas.
Now would my 3G bell iPhone work on those towers for free and you never said anything about a batchewana tower.
ReplyDeleteYour 3G Bell iPhone will not work on the TBayTel network. The 3G network overlay is compatible with Rogers or Tbaytel 3G HSPA hardware.
ReplyDeleteThe blog was written to address cell and broadband operational delay issues at the Bellevue, Goulais (Buttermilk) and Heyden sites.
Batchawana was not addressed because it has been operational with 2/2.5G CDMA cell service for a couple of years and with wireless broadband since last summer. It is included in the list of the sites in the Algoma District that are scheduled for upgrade to 3G HSPA status this year.
This is a summary of capabilities when all the sites are operational and the upgrades completed:
a. All Tbaytel cell sites, including those in the Algoma District, will be 3G HSPA compatible and operate with Rogers and Tbaytel hardware. Bell and Telus 3G HSPA hardware will not work on the network;
b. All Tbaytel cell sites will remain compatible and operate with Bell, Telus and Tbaytel 2/2.5G CDMA hardware. Rogers GSM hardware will not work on the network; and
c. Wireless broadband will be available from the sites at Searchmont, Heyden, Bellevue, Goulais (Buttermilk), Batchawana and Hawk Junction
omg ive been waiting for high speed for so long! sattelite is way too expensive for barely any data atall... i cant wait for the Bellevue tower to be ready!!
ReplyDeleteI have been on satellite for over 7 years and like you I am looking forward to broadband.
ReplyDelete