The Packet article: Get connected: Broadband internet comes to rural Ottawa
The Friday, December 7, 2007 edition of The Packet contains an article on page 5 entitled 'Get connected: Broadband internet comes to rural Ottawa'. The article basically is basically high-level information about Xplornet's deployment of fixed wireless and satellite high-speed internet service in the rural Ottawa and adjacent areas, plus some background history on the City's rural high-speed internet initiative.
For the most part, there is nothing important in the article that hasn't been covered previously on this blog. The main item of interest is the accompanying graphic, which shows a map of Xplornet's fixed wireless coverage. The map shows solid, blanket fixed wireless coverage for all of Ottawa outside the urban core, except for the south west corner of the City limits, i.e. Burritt's Rapids area. It also shows Xplornet's fixed wireless coverage extending well south of Kemptville along the 416 corridor. Everything else on the map is indicated to be covered by Xplornet's satellite service. The fixed wireless coverage indicated on the map paints a more thorough coverage than readers and contacts from West Carleton are reporting, so there appears to be a discrepancy somewhere.
The article also gives the following contact info, which except for the phone number, have also been previously published on this blog (and appear in the right margin of the main page).
The Packet is a free community newspaper serving South Ottawa, Richmond, Kemptville, and Merrickville. The afore-mentioned article does not appear to be available online, nor does The Packet appear to have any online presence.
For the most part, there is nothing important in the article that hasn't been covered previously on this blog. The main item of interest is the accompanying graphic, which shows a map of Xplornet's fixed wireless coverage. The map shows solid, blanket fixed wireless coverage for all of Ottawa outside the urban core, except for the south west corner of the City limits, i.e. Burritt's Rapids area. It also shows Xplornet's fixed wireless coverage extending well south of Kemptville along the 416 corridor. Everything else on the map is indicated to be covered by Xplornet's satellite service. The fixed wireless coverage indicated on the map paints a more thorough coverage than readers and contacts from West Carleton are reporting, so there appears to be a discrepancy somewhere.
The article also gives the following contact info, which except for the phone number, have also been previously published on this blog (and appear in the right margin of the main page).
- www.xplornet.com
- www.ottawa.ca/rural
- 1-866-841-6001
The Packet is a free community newspaper serving South Ottawa, Richmond, Kemptville, and Merrickville. The afore-mentioned article does not appear to be available online, nor does The Packet appear to have any online presence.
posted by Chris Spencer at 9:36 am
2 comments
2 Comments:
I've been watching this forum and all of the rural internet things since the summer. And I can't decide whether it's worth "gambling" with Xplornet. Yes I know all ISPs have negative (and sometimes very vocal) customer experiences, but it seems that Xplornet may be in over their head a bit here.
Is anyone else using other providers and if so, have any comments? Storm, RIPnet, Bell WiMax, Rogers, ... ?
I use Storm's fixed wireless service (3 Mbps peak up/down), and I'm fairly happy with it (i.e. much, much better than dial-up and good enough for me to stay rather than jump to another ISP).
I typically get 1.0 - 1.5 Mbps down and less than 0.8 Mbps up, so that seems a little low to me and I've been meaning to follow-up with Storm about their burst-versus-sustained data rates.
I've only had excellent dealings with Storm's customer service. For example, the last time I contacted them was via email on a Saturday morning, and I got a response in 15-20 minutes!
As you say, every ISP has some customers who aren't happy. I've seen such comments about Storm. But so far, I'm happy with Storm.
I've also got a couple of colleagues who live out in West Carleton. So far, they are quite happy with Xplornet's speed.
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