KIpawa Lake Internet Options

[Administrator]

Here we go...


Ok guys, I screwed up. I was trying to split out the discussion on internet providers into this topic. It appears those threads are now in cyberspace somewhere. I lost them. So to continue that discussion, please add your experiences here. Sorry!

[hinorth]

Thanks, looking forward to learn more about options

[crunchie]

The options are to me, as good as your cell phone signal.  There's satellite internet "Xplornet" which, from what most people tell me, is not very fast.  I don't think Rogers cell signal is available around Kipawa Lake so the only other dog in town is Bell (Telus, Virgin, Koodo, etc).  IMHO.

[hinorth]

I would like to know if anyone is going to try starlink and prices, availability and timing???

[Fort Wisers]

We are on the waiting list for starlink for both here at home (Oxford Mills Area) and at camp (Mattawa).
We got notified a few weeks ago that we could sign up for home.
However, to get signed up there is a $650 down payment for hardware and the service cost is $130 / month.
While expensive if the speeds are anywhere near what they are advertising we'd likely think about it for home.
BUT the initial sign up email came with a disclaimer that warned because it's still in the beta phase network downtime should be expected.

So, for home we can't go this route yet as both my wife and I do most of our work from home so downtime isn't an option we can live with right now, so we're sticking with our country DSL.

We have yet to receive a sign up notice for the camp and likely wouldn't take the option anyhow.
For camp, starlink cost is simply too high for the little we use it there. Our camp internet is used almost entirely just for monitoring the solar while we're not there.
At camp we're currently running a ZTE MF275R cellular hub with a Lucky Mobile sim card. The ZTE hub's cellular band reception is much better than a typical hand held device. For example, I get 1 bar on my samsung cell phone but the ZTE get's all four. Lucky Mobile piggybacks off Bell. We just went with the lowest data package Lucky Mobile offers so we're only $15 / month. I believe it ran about 4-5MBPS down and close to 1 up when we tested it during initial setup, the reliability has been absolutely rock solid.

I remember though while boating around Kipawa and visiting family, some areas on the lake actually have good cell service, other areas have zero.
So investigation is required to even see what a person has given their location.

Hope that helps.....

[puckster_guy]

 Not much i can add here. ATM Explorenet is my only option. Slow but I can still stream utube ok also trying to stream a live hockey game can be hit and miss. I signed up for Starlink let's see where that goes. Both are ridiculously expensive but what's a fisherman to do without options?

[LanielKid]

I’m connected to Telebec at my camp. Pretty crappy connection but kinda useable. Shaw for satellite TV. Signed up for Starlink last week and it should show up July so we’ll see how that goes.