5 Years of Better Networks in Tyne Valley

I sent a letter to the editor of the Journal Pioneer about five years ago complaining about the lack of cell phone coverage and high-speed internet in Tyne Valley. At the time my Aliant cellphone was useless at home or down the hill to the valley. I had a Nortel 1Meg Modem but a lot of people I knew were on a waiting list for high-speed internet.

A lot has changed! I now have a choice between Aliant or Route2 and my old DSL modem was replaced at Aliant's initiative to a Siemens Modem which is 2-3x faster, and the waiting list for DSL from Aliant is cleared (as far as I know). Everybody who wants high-speed now can get it.
Also, Aliant Mobility put a new digital tower (actually a very tall woodpole) at it's CO on Route 11 and Dystant Road. So we have 5x5 CDMA coverage even way down in the valley. The best part of this is the bay is covered, so boaters have great coverage now, and campers at Green Park.

The funny part is I now use Telus for my cell service because their prepaid package gives me Canada wide service, unlike Aliant's maritime only service on prepaid. The thing is, Telus actually uses Aliant's network so it is the same coverage.

Now, if your still with me I'll tell you what I know about Route2. First of all the sad news is that some people who live down by Portage for example are too far away from the Aliant CO to even dial-up the internet. Or they can only connect at pathetic data rates like 14.4 or 9.6kbps. They have no internet none, zero, not even dial-up. So, Route2's Wi-Fi network may reach them, and thank God for that. A funny story, the Aliant tech who upgraded my modem actually used Route2 because he lived in one of those internet dead zones. He said it was ok, slow (half a meg at best) and pretty reliable, but not as solid as DSL or cable. So, for some, Route2 is the only choice, because even dial-up is out of reach. That is an improvement from five years ago.

As far as Rogers cell network I'm not sure, but expect it is also better since they expanded their towers a few years back (probably what prompted Aliant).

More networks, more choice, more people able to work from home (like me) and not be cut off from the world. The only improvement would be if Eastlink would also offer high-speed.