Arryba Update: Tower Up

Arryba Communications has installed their tower at Acredale Farm, at the corner of First Line and Century. You can see the tower mast atop the farm's tallest (blue) silo. According to Arryba's map page, the First Line tower should be aligned and activated around September 2. Hopefully this means that high-speed service from that equipment will not be much longer in arriving. Stay tuned.

Their map page also shows that Arryba has been busy installing towers throughout rural south Ottawa, including Osgoode, Enniskerry, Bank & Mitch Owens, and the Metcalfe G&CC. They've been busy, apparently.

Arryba Has Secured a Tower Site on First Line

Arryba Communications has secured a tower site on First Line Road. An agreement has been signed and some installation work has been started. The installation should be completed around August 8. I believe that Arryba will be using one of the silos at Acredale Farm, located on the east side of First Line just south of Century.

Furthermore, Arryba has informed me that Telecom Ottawa is scheduled to install fibre to Arryba's main (superPOP) tower at Greely Sand and Gravel on August 12.

Presumably, once both of these installations are completed, Arryba will be offering service in the First Line and Century Road area. Arryba uses non-line-of-site (non-LOS) technology for its wireless network, with a range of several kilometres through vegetation. Most if not all of the people that I know to be interested in high-speed live within Arryba's non-LOS range from their Acredale equipment. Beyond that range, Arryba can provide LOS access.

Arryba will tentatively start customer installations on August 15. Interested parties are advised to sign-up for service on Arryba's website. Arryba has a variety of service levels and payment options, at very competitive prices (IMHO).

Please note that Arryba's services are based on symmetrical speeds, that is, the upload and download speeds are approximately the same. Arryba lists the service as a total of the two speeds. For example, Arryba's 1.0Mbps Symmetrical – 2.0Mb service is 1.0Mbps upload and 1.0Mbps downlaod, for a total of 2Mbps. It is my understanding that this naming convention is fairly standard across other high-speed ISPs as well; I believe that Bell's 3Mbps service is approximately 2.2Mbps download and 0.8Mbps upload.

Please refer to the comments for more info on contract and payment options, or see Arryba's website.

Update, August 22, 2005:
Arryba's installations have met with some delays, but installation is progressing. According to a report that I just received, installation crews will be working at both the First Line Road site and the Greeley Sand & Gravel site again today. Arryba expects to have the installations completed this week.