FAQs
Q. Is Eastlink High Speed Internet available in my community?
A. Eastlink High Speed Internet is available to Nova Scotians in Annapolis, Hants, Digby, Yarmouth, Queens, Lunenburg, Shelburne, and Kings counties.
While the vast majority of our installations are straight forward, we do have a relatively small number of challenging installations due to unique topography and very remote locations. That does not mean you do not have access. We will work with you to determine the best possible solution to ensure you are successfully connected to Eastlink High Speed Wireless Internet.
Q. What is Broadband?
A. Broadband means access to High Speed Internet 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 25 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 500Kbps 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
- As is the case with any Eastlink service, there are no contracts to sign.
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.
Q. Is Eastlink Wireless Internet Service completely wire free? What technology does it use and how is it setup at my home?
A. Eastlink High Speed Wireless Internet is delivered through Motorola Canopy technology, which is a fixed-wireless Internet solution. Wireless systems do connect to some kind of cable at some point. A signal is transmitted from the tower to an antenna located on your home. The signal is then sent from that antenna through an Ethernet cable to an Internet modem that is connected to your computer.
Q. I’ve been installed but I am having trouble with my connection, what do I do?
A. Click here for troubleshooting.
Q. I live in a particularly challenging area geographically, do I still have access?
A. For Nova Scotians who live in a particularly challenging spot, Eastlink will work with you to determine if you require a rooftop installation or a repeater pole near your home or business, to ensure you get a good high-speed signal.
Q. My neighbor has been installed, but I’m not – why?
A. Because of the challenging and complex nature of Nova Scotia’s geography, some areas may not get a strong signal even if you can see the tower or their neighbor has been connected. This does not mean that you do not have access. We will work with you to determine the best possible solution to ensure you are successfully connected to high speed wireless internet.
Q. I’ve been trying to get installed but I’ve been told that another company is involved. Isn’t Eastlink supposed to be connecting me?
A. One of our challenges has been to balance our responsibility to deliver High Speed Wireless Internet to all Nova Scotians in our territory without negatively affecting the existing, smaller, community-focused internet service providers in some of our communities.
We are pleased to partner with the following companies to ensure that you are connected.
North Nova (serving parts of Kings County)
Coastal (serving parts of Digby County)
Cross Country (serving parts of Hants County)
Please contact a Rural Broadband representative at 1-888-345-1111 if you are unsure about whether or not one of these companies is your High Speed Wireless Internet provider or if you have any questions or concerns.
Q. Can I use my telephone or fax machine when I’m online?
A. Yes. Eastlink’s High Speed Wireless Internet does not use your phone lines(s).
Q. Does the service slow down at peak usage times?
A. It is not typical that service slows down during peak usage times. However, the service can be impacted by the set up of home computers so the more computers on any given home network could slow down the service.
Q. What are the minimum requirements for my computer to receive High Speed Internet?
A.
Click here for system requirements.
Q. Can I access my e-mail remotely?
A. Yes, your e-mails can be accessed via webmail.
Click here for information on how to access your webmail.
Q. Do the Broadband Towers pose a safety or environmental risk?
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. Eastlink has abided by all provincial legislation in the construction of our towers. This includes protecting water-courses, wetlands and other aspects of the environment that are covered by the Environment Act and its regulations.
Q. Why is High Speed Wireless Internet Service more expensive than a traditional dial-up ISP?
A. High Speed Wireless 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 Wireless 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. In the event of a storm, is there a chance this tower could buckle or topple over?
A. The towers are constructed according to all Industry Canada regulations to ensure every safety precaution is adhered to. Guyed wires are attached to provide additional support.
Q. Does Eastlink plan to add additional equipment to these towers to launch cell phone service?
A. Our focus is on 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. 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 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.
Troubleshooting
I’m unable to connect to the Internet
- First, check that all cables are properly connected. If everything looks OK with your cables, try rebooting your Wireless Antenna.
- Like your computer, your wireless antenna will need to be reset from time to time. To reboot, shut off your computer first and then turn off or unplug the power supply to your Wireless Antenna or router. Leave the power unplugged for a few minutes and then turn it back on. Restart your computer.
- If you are still unable to connect, please call our tech support at 1-888-345-1111 - Option 2, then 4.
My system is very slow.
This can happen for a variety of reasons including:
- Too many tasks and applications running simultaneously running and overloading your system. Try using MSCONFIG, Startup to stop applications from automatically running at system startup. Only do this is if you know what you’re doing.
- Viruses – be sure you are using a good antivirus tool. Programs like AVG or Avast are free to download.
- You can also try testing your speed although speed tests can be misleading and are not always accurate. If you do wish to test your internet speed, we recommend Speedtest.net.
- If you are still having problems, please call our tech support at 1-888-345-1111 - Option 2, then 4.