Given how long it took this story to load I'd say that NorthWest Tel has a few Internet problems.
I understand the challenge of trying to provide Internet service to the north. There are no fibre optic cables to transfer information as there is down south. Everything has to be done using satellite. Using satellite is far more expensive. And with so much demand on the limited bandwidth available it figures that things are slowing down. I think it has slowed down noticeably in Iqaluit during the two years I've been here. And we have some of the best Internet service in Nunavut compared to the restrictions that Qiniq has (it's much slower and has a cap of 2 gigs of bandwidth a month. Well, you can buy more, but it gets ridiculously expensive).
I know high speed is a relatively new concept for the north and I should feel happy that we simply have it. Cathy was still using dial-up when she was in Rankin back in '05. If I still had to use that I would go mad. But companies and government are going to have to step up at some point soon. Because demand is greatly reducing the qaluity of the service available. And really, I know that things cost more in the north...but $80 a month for the speed I'm getting is going further away from a "it's the north" thing to a "this is a bit of a gyp" sort of a thing.
6 comments:
Well if it makes you feel any better, we pay $120 and it's slow enough that I find myself needing activities while pages are loading.
Oh, I know it's worse just about everywhere else in Nunavut. I know we have it good compared to other places.
But I think the point remains - we shouldn't have to pay as much as we do for the quality of internet serve we're getting. And with Nunavut's population growing fast, the demands on it are only going to get harder.
Funny you mention this, because I did a story on it just this week.
Granted the focus was on Qinik (or whichever you spell it)... but I know, when it comes to them, they were only subsidized by the feds to buy 2000-subscribers worth of bandwidth.
A number they've now doubled. They are into their 9th-year projections after only two years of service.
Also, I was trying to decide what service I am going to go with when I arrive in Rankin, and I did out a little table-like spreadsheet thing, and ... well actually I think I'm just going to post it on my blog.
It's certainly interesting.
Nonetheless, I agree. There needs to be some sort of substantial investment made by govt/industry to get this more on the ball.
Clearly there's demand
That's Jackie's Article you referenced in your blog, I think
Jackie Sharkey's Mom
HAHAHA. I didn't even realize that was my article/story you linked to.
I figured, because as you said it took so long to load, it was a graphics-intensive story.
Wow, now I feel a little silly.
Nope, not graphics intensive, just how crappy the speed was last night when I was surfing.
Although I did think it was a little odd you mentioning writing a story when I had linked to it. But hey, it's the north. You get used to odd pretty quickly
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