Goulais (Buttermilk) Operational in CDMA Mode Only 20 Jun 11

Up dated 22 Jun 11- Goulais (Buttermilk) 3G/4G HSPA became operational on 21 Jun 11


Tbaytel confirmed on Monday, 20 Jun 11 that only Bell/Tbaytel CDMA service is currently available from the Goulais (Buttermilk) site.

Canopy broadband (high speed Internet) and Rogers/Tbaytel HSPA is not yet available.

Goulais (Buttermilk) Cell and Broadband Site as of 18 Jun 11

The Goulais (Buttermilk) site may be working. While I have not received any confirmation from Tbaytel, I have received reports from a number of other sources stating that they seem to be getting a functional CDMA signal from the site.

I drove around the site in Saturday afternoon and along Hwy 17. I also got a CDMA signal but I found it rather inconsistent. It fluctuated from one to five bars in a very short distance.

I do not have any HSPA test equipment so if anyone in the areas of Goulais (Buttermilk) with a Rogers or Tbaytel HSPA handset, is getting a signal please post something in the comment section below.

I have no word on the Canopy broadband (high-speed Internet) at this time.

I hope to get a confirmation of the official status of the Goulais (Buttermilk) site from Tbaytel on Monday and will update at that time.

East Algoma et al New Cell Site Location List

On 14 Jun 11 , NOHFC announced funding for 24 new cellular telephone sites in Northern Ontario.
Of particular interest to the residents of East Algoma, are the four new cell towers to be built near Spanish and Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation along the Hwy17 corridor, and Highway 108 and Highway 639 in the Elliott Lake region. These sites will help close the current gaps in highway coverage.
This announcement culminates the collaborative efforts of ADnet, Blue Sky Net and NetCentral to improve the overall cellular coverage in their respective regions . ADnet thanks NetCentral for acting as the lead CBN on the project over the past 4 years.
This is  a full list of the sites approved by NOHFC:
The following sites to be constructed and operated by Rogers. The dollar amount shown  is the NOHFC share of the public-private partnership for the $15.8 million project.

•                 $1.9 million for two (2) cell sites on Hwy 108 (one north of the city and one near the airport) and two (2) sites on Hwy 17 near Spanish and Sagamok First Nation
•                 $2.9 million for six (6) sites including Bonfield, Hwys 654/534, West Arm of Lake Nipissing, Hwy 64 near Alban, Shane and Monetville
•                $3.4 million for seven (7) sites including the Town of Temagami, Hwy  11  near Martin River, Hwy 64 near Field and Loon Bay, and three (3) sites on Hwy 63 from North Bay to Temiscaming (Feronia, Balsam Creek and Hwy 63/533)
•         $3.4 million for seven (7) sites on Manitoulin Island including Hwy  6 near Willisville, Whitefish Falls, Sheguiandah First Nation, Manitowaning and South Baymouth), Mindemoya (Hwy 542/551) and M’Chigeeng First Nation

The sites will be built by Rogers in the 2012/2013 time frame.They will be 3G/4G HSPA capable which means they can provide both voice and broadband service.

North Sault Broadband Implementation Report 10 Jun 11

The limited feedback I received to date concerning the implementation of the Canopy fixed wireless broadband in the North Sault area is very positive. Users appear happy to be getting the service and are satisfied with the quantitative improvements over dial-up or satellite service.

One report indicates a download speed of 3.75 Mbps and an upload speed of .92 Mbps. While this may not seem like much to urban dwellers in places like Ottawa where Rogers announced they will introduce wireless (cellular) LTE service via a data stick in the 300 Mbps/70 Mbps range later this summer, it is a marked improvement.

I have received one account that a potential user was in a Canopy wireless “dead zone” and could not receive a signal with the necessary strength. Even so, he was very complementary about the effort made by the installer to try all options in an attempt to find a location on the property that might get a signal. He may try the 3G/4G HSPA service discussed below.

I am also getting feedback that people within range of the Bellevue tower 3G/4G HSPA service are using Rogers data hubs to install broadband (high speed Internet) and home phone service. One comment said the data hubs are out-of-stock until next week in the local area. Additional information on how this works is available through this ADnet website link

More people are likely to take–up this choice as additional 3G/4G HSPA sites come on line.

Deferral Account Information as of 08 Jun 11

Readers interested in the latest information on the Bell Canada Deferral Account project for the areas of Echo Bay, Goulais River, St. Joseph Island and SSM – Airport should refer to the ADnet website where I posted the latest information available to me as of 8 Jun 11.

It’s Magic – Tbaytel Grows a Generation

Tbaytel has now joined the other cellular companies and Xplornet Communications in calling their networks 4G HSPA+ as shown in this extract from their website.

To read my opinion of this change, see the blog entry The Latest on 3G and 4G Terminology.

Additional HSPA Sites Operational Along Hwy 17 North

The following cellular sites along the Hwy 17 corridor north from the Sault towards Thunder Bay are now operational in both the 2/2.5G CDMA (Bell, Telus and Tbaytel compatible hardware only) mode and the 3G HSPA (Rogers and Tbaytel compatible hardware only) mode. A single handset capable of both 2/2.5G CDMA and 3G HSPA operation is not available :

1. Bellevue
2. Michipicoten
3. Wawa
4. Marion Lake
5. White River

Additional sites are scheduled for commissioning between now and September 2011.