Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia - FAQ
Q. Will all locations in Zones 5 and 6 be connected by the end of May, 2010?
A. 100% of our tower sites will be on air for the end of May. Making EastLink High Speed Internet available to all Nova Scotians in our territory.
We are committed to improving the quality of life for people in rural Nova Scotia and to meeting our commitment of 100% coverage in our service areas.
Q. How will I know when service will be available in my community?
A. You can check availability on this Website or contact a Rural Broadband Customer Care Representative at 1-888-345-1111. We will also contact local media and place ads in the local paper to advise that EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet access is available.
Residents and businesses that registered with EastLink will be contacted directly.
Q. What is Broadband?
A. Broadband access to the Internet means high speed access that is many times faster than ordinary dial-up service.
Q. How fast is EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet?
A. EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet has modem speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps download and up to 0.5 Mbps upload, which is 15 times faster than dial-up service.
Q. Once I have access to High Speed Wireless, what features, costs and contracts can I expect?
A.
- Unlimited surfing
- Up to 1.5Mbps download speed and up to 512Kbps upload speed
- 5 email addresses and 30MB of personal webspace
- 24/7 customer support
- $46.95 a month plus taxes
- $99.95 plus taxes for installation
- Seasonal service is $15 plus taxes a month for a maximum of 6 months per year
- There are no contracts to sign.
Q. How has EastLink chosen its locations for towers?
A. EastLink’s engineers, in consultation with government and the public, chooses a tower location that meets all environmental and industry regulations, and that can deliver the best signal coverage to customers.
Q. Are there safety risks?
A. Any emissions from tower sites are significantly lower than the national standard as set by Health Canada (Safety Code 6). Extensive research has been done by the World Health organization to asses any potential health effects from these towers. The WHO found NO evidence of any negative impact on human health resulting from proximity to a fixed wireless radio antenna.
Q. What type of equipment will be installed at my home?
A. An antenna will be installed on the outside of your home to receive the wireless Internet signal from the tower. An Internet modem will be installed inside of your home to connect the antenna to your computer or home network. The customer will then be required to sign a Waiver of Indemnity and Release. Click here to view the Waiver.
A tower is located on a property adjacent to mine. Will this lower my property value? If so, is EastLink going to compensate me?
A. Professor David Townsend, University of New Brunswick Law Department, has written three national reports on the siting of radio antenna towers (1987, 1997, 2005), on behalf of Industry Canada. His 1997 report in particular examined the impact on land values of tower construction in a locality, and could not establish a drop in value in the property surrounding a fixed-wireless radio antenna after its construction. High Speed Internet is vital to communities and with access to more services; one could argue that this will help raise property values.
Q. Why is Wireless Internet Service more expensive than a traditional dial-up ISP?
A. High Speed communications network are technically advanced and provide users with access to significantly more capacity for data transmission, which allows information to be sent and received faster than any dial-up connection. The investment to build and maintain a high speed communications network is significant and gives users access to a range of additional features and benefits not offered by dial-up. Dial-up connections are limited by the capacity of the telephone networks and only offer limited capacity and data transmission.
Q. How fast is EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet?
A. EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet has modem speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps download and up to 0.5 Mbps upload, which is 15 times faster than dial-up service.
OTHER QUESTIONS
Q. Does EastLink plan to add additional equipment to these towers to launch cell phone service?
A. Our focus is on building the towers and installing the necessary equipment to deliver high speed Internet service.
Q. Did EastLink hold public meetings to review the construction process and design of the towers with residents?
A. Yes. EastLink met with municipalities to determine the appropriate public consultation process and held public meetings accordingly.
Q. How will EastLink ensure my children cannot get near the tower? What safety measures are in place?
A. Each tower will be surrounded with a fence and this fence will act as a safety and security feature. Signs will also be posted to warn visitors to the area to keep out.
Q. In the event of a storm, is there a chance this tower could buckle or topple over?
A. The towers will be constructed according to all Industry Canada regulations to ensure every safety precaution is adhered to. Guyed wires will be attached to provide additional support.
Q. What impact will the construction of these towers have on the environment?
A. EastLink is abiding by all provincial legislation in the construction of towers. This includes protecting water-courses, wetlands and other aspects of the environment that are covered by the Environment Act and itsregulations. We are avoiding tower sites that would trigger an environmental assessment and choosing alternative sites where possible.
Q. What happens if it doesn’t work at my house (or business)?
A. EastLink is contracted to provide service to residents are currently unserviceable for high speed internet. We will therefore ensure that equipment and infrastructure is in place to service all homes and businesses.
Q. If I am in a cell phone ‘dead zone’, will I be in a High Speed dead zone too?
A. All homes and businesses will receive EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet service regardless of cell phone ‘dead zones’. There will be no High Speed Wireless Internet “dead zones” when the project is complete.
Q. Can I use my telephone or fax machine when I'm online?
A. Yes. EastLink’s broadband wireless does not use your phone lines.
Q. Can I add my name to a list to be contacted when service becomes available?
A. Yes. Simply complete the online form to have your contact information added to our list and we can advise you when service is available in your community. You can also contact EastLink’s Customer Care Centre and request that one of our representatives enter your contact information for you.
Q. Can weather conditions interrupt my Wireless Internet Service?
A. The equipment used in Wireless Broadband networks is remarkably reliable in poor weather conditions. Some interference could however be experienced during electrical storms and we would recommend that all electronic equipment be turned off and unplugged during an electrical storm.
Q. Can common household devices interfere with my Wireless Internet service?
A. Wireless Broadband operates using radio frequencies. Many newer wireless enabled devices have been designed so that these signals will not interfere however, devices operating at 900Mhz (i.e. cordless phones) may experience some interference.
Q. Is EastLink Wireless Internet Service completely wire free? What kind of equipment do you use and how is it setup at my home?
A. Motorola Canopy technology, which is a fixed-wireless Internet solution, will be used to provide EastLink High Speed Wireless Internet. A signal will be transmitted from the tower to an antenna located on your home. The signal will be sent from the antenna to an Internet modem that will be connected to your computer or home network.
Q. I live in a particularly challenging area geographically, will I still have access?
A. For Nova Scotians who live in a particularly challenging spot, EastLink will return at a later date, and install what we call a repeater pole near your home or business, to ensure you get a good high-speed signal.
