This blog was created to keep stakeholders aware of ICT activities in the Algoma District. Disclaimer: This information is for information purposes only. It is not a recommendation or endorsement of any company or organization. THe Author does not receive compensation from the vendors or manufacturers mentioned in the articles. Financial and technical references are considered accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Echo Bay/Hwy 638 Cell Site Active 26 Jul 11
Details about what equipment will work with the site is at the previous blog about the tower.
Friday 22 July 2011
Goulais (Buttermilk) Canopy Service–22 Jul 11
Tbaytel continues to experience problems with the Goulais (Buttermilk) Canopy fixed wireless site. At the moment an antenna problem is not allowing the site to transmit or receive the wireless signal at the necessary strength. This problem does not affect the either of the cellular sites – the CDMA (Tbaytel/Bell) or the HSPA (Tbaytel/Rogers). They continue to operate normally.
Unfortunately, due to a clerical error the local Canopy installer was informed the site was operational. On a few occasions, including at my residence, he was unable to receive a strong enough signal and thus could not install the service. I am working with Tbaytel to determine if some user sites require a re-rest.
For the technically inclined, the receive signal has to be stronger than -80 dBm and preferably in the -75 dBm range.
Tbaytel anticipates it will be 2-3 weeks before they resolve the problem.
Lack of Bell HSPA Coverage in North Algoma
As most readers are aware, the technology used to provide cellular telephone and cellular based broadband (high speed) Internet in the North Sault/North Algoma area and the whole SSM to TB highway corridor in general is a bit of a mess to say the least with Rogers HSPA only (No GSM) available and Bell CDMA only (no HSPA) available.
I recently wrote to my mid-level management contacts at Bell Canada expressing on behalf of the people of the North Sault area our grave concern with the lack of Bell HSPA coverage in the North Algoma District. [Editorial Comment: Experience has taught me it is often better to discuss problems with middle management personnel who can actually do something than to try and get through the firewall of assistants that usually surround the CEO.]
While Bell acts to improve the coverage in the East Algoma and West Sault areas, as explained in the linked blogs, the north seems to be a bit of a forgotten area in terms of overt activity to improve the service with the sole exception of the Deferral Account roll-out in Goulais River scheduled for 2013.
From other sources, I do know Bell management is looking at the situation in considerable detail and I am optimistic that some form of corrective activity may be in place before the aforementioned Deferral Account program.
Friday 15 July 2011
Goulais (Buttermilk) Canopy Update 15 Jul 11
According to a report from Tbaytel today, they have not yet activated the Canopy fixed wireless site at Goulais (Buttermilk) and it is not available for customer service. There are unspecified "technical issues" involved with the site. Tbaytel did not provide a date as to when the site would go operational.
There has been a little confusion over the site as some of the local installers may have received misinformation about the site being available. In addition, the site is emanating a very weak signal that can give the false impression the site is working.
I will provide more information as it becomes available.
Only Batchawana and Searchmont Left for HSPA
This map extract from the Rogers Coverage map shows the approximate coverage area (without Ryan) in red that has 3G/4G HSPA coverage. The major 3G/4G HSPA coverage gap between SSM and Sudbury will be filled by the project previously announced in this East Algoma new site blog.
Friday 8 July 2011
East Algoma Cell Site Echo Bay/Hwy 638
Rogers hardware will not work with this new Bell site.
Monday 4 July 2011
Correction for FIDO Coverage
I wish to correct an entry in my comment to Larry Ash dated July 3, 2011 12:22 in this blog entry concerning Rogers’s FIDO flanker brand. I stated “..Fido will also not work due to frequency incompatibility. The North Sault HSPA operates on the 850 MHz band while Fido operates on the 1900 MHz band. “
While FIDO originally and still does operate in the 1900 MHz band, the new FIDO hardware and SIM card also allows operation in the 850 MHZ band. Therefore, FIDO HSPA hardware is technically capable of gaining access to Rogers’s total HSPA network. However, I would verify by actual trial that it really works on the Tbaytel/Rogers network before signing a long term, non-revocable contract.
I apologize for the incorrect information provided previously.