Whitehorse Daily Star

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Northwestel seeks approval for unlimited Internet

Northwestel Inc. wants to offer unlimited internet data options to customers in Whitehorse and Carcross for an extra $10 per month.

By Whitehorse Star on October 15, 2020

Northwestel Inc. wants to offer unlimited internet data options to customers in Whitehorse and Carcross for an extra $10 per month.

On Wednesday, the company submitted tariff applications to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for new business and residential internet packages, including the unlimited data option.

If approved, internet plans with unlimited data would also be available in Fort Nelson, B.C., Yellowknife, and Hay River, Norman Wells and Fort Smith, N.W.T.

Northwestel is seeking to offer unlimited data on three residential internet plans: Internet 250, Internet 125 and Internet 50.

Customers would be able to choose unlimited data on the top two standard internet plans for $10 more per month.

Since CRTC approval is needed, the new plans will not be available to order prior to Nov. 2.

At that time, customers would be able to make requests online or through customer service channels.

Through its own resources and funding from the CRTC, Northwestel plans to introduce unlimited internet to every Yukon and N.W.T. community within three years as part of its Every Community Project.

The public can learn more and share their thoughts at everycommunity.nwtel.ca.

Comments (12)

Up 7 Down 4

Nathan Living on Oct 20, 2020 at 12:30 am

So, we just learned that Yukoners are the highest per capita consumers of alcohol and cannabis and with unlimited internet we may be out in front with mobile viewing and porn.

Up 5 Down 0

Eric Blair on Oct 19, 2020 at 1:42 pm

I read in this mornings news that the CRTC approved Starlinks licence application to deliver service in Canada.
See here: https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/10/18/crtc-approves-spacexs-bits-licence-starlink/

Up 14 Down 0

Art Blair on Oct 18, 2020 at 5:08 pm

Mr. McCallum is correct Telesat is working to provide an alternate internet via satellite option, but I'm not going to get too excited until I hear about NWTel seeking a reduced Internet pricing tariff. They have a history of lining their own pockets before improving their product and its affordability. The CRTC has said the same in some of their decisions.

Up 12 Down 4

Logan McCallum on Oct 17, 2020 at 11:54 pm

Telesat Canada will be in place long before Musk spends $millions to make pennies in northern Canada, and Northwestel already has a deal with Telesat (which has $650 million from the feds to work with).
Ma Bell can sleep well knowing that their stranglehold monopoly will be safe for a long time to come...

Up 13 Down 0

Groucho d'North on Oct 17, 2020 at 9:42 am

@Alex K
A critical factor to line speed is what is known as the final mile- a reference to what connects your home to the outside telecomms plant. Progressive telcos are replacing the copper wire typically used in DSL systems with fibre direct to home providing new standards of speed and bandwidth. NWTel's service area is very rural and very copper compared to metropolitain centres where it is much easier and affordable for service providers to upgrade. So NWTel is behind the eight-ball to bring their outside plant up to modern standards, but the vast service area has been their excuse to charge more to service the area in harsh conditions so they got paid more to invest in upgrading their system but didn't. Soon Starlink is going to become available and will have a significant impact to the staus quo telcos. NWTel is quite aware of how their subscriber base feels about their cost and service levels to date.

Up 6 Down 1

Pete on Oct 16, 2020 at 10:36 pm

Yukon News reports that the unlimited option on the smallest package with 50 Mbps download speed will be $50 more (noT $10).
Then the cheapest unlimited option is total $160.95 + tax

Up 12 Down 3

Alex K on Oct 16, 2020 at 5:22 pm

That's nice and great for everybody on Cable close to downtown... sure would be nice if the people further out on DSL would get a break as well or upgrade the dinosaur of a DSL network to Cable.
Biggest DSL plan costs $183.97 for 15 Down/ .7 Up ( <- What a joke ) @ 450 GB/month
Eqiv. Cable plan right now costs $139.95 for 100 Down / 10 Up @ 450 GB/month

Also impatiently waiting on Star Link, nobody else appears to give a "hoot" about anybody outside of town.

Up 36 Down 0

Colin on Oct 16, 2020 at 5:08 pm

Still grossly overpriced, and 10 steps behind everywhere else in Canada.

Up 3 Down 6

Joe Whitehorse on Oct 16, 2020 at 4:40 pm

Actually pleased it is a reasonable fee. No brainer if you have those plans already which are still pricey but at least now you can surf without stressing out.

Up 11 Down 0

Steven Grant on Oct 16, 2020 at 4:17 pm

This article seems a bit odd. Apparently Northwestel is skipping the internet 100 plan for unlimited?

Also the phrasing "Customers would be able to choose unlimited data on the top two standard internet plans for $10 more per month." Is kind of confusing, do you pay 10$ more for the top two of the three plans mentioned earlier or for other plans.

Hope NWtel itself releases some info soon to clarify what's going on.

Up 22 Down 1

Josey Wales on Oct 16, 2020 at 2:07 am

Art beat me to the fact...
That Starlink is working on their program, one that is certain to put Northwestel into an area of the McBride museum.
Quite frankly Elon gives me inspiration in a time where society has been acting as the zoo...was just set free.
As Art said, thank you Elon.

Up 37 Down 3

Art Blair on Oct 15, 2020 at 3:36 pm

Thank you Elon Musk. This is why telcos are now starting to try and keep their existing customer base by making the tech faster and more available, but they still stumble on affordability.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/03/spacex-starlink-satellite-internet-network-early-tests-show-fast-speeds.html

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