Tag Archives | Internet

YKQT 07 – Internet Service Providers

By on June 3, 2010 in Yk Quick Tips

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Yk Quick Tips is your guide to Yellowknife, NT. Whether you are moving to the city,  just visiting or live here, we can offer information about all the best things. The show will contain information about what to do while visiting, things to know about moving to the City and everything else interesting about Yellowknife.

Internet Service Providers are the topic for Episode 7 of Yellowknife Quick Tips and we have all you need to know about this local attraction.

Last week I received an e-mail from a someone who was about to move to Yellowknife. She asked who the Internet Service Providers were in town and if it was possible to get Unlimited Bandwidth.

The two main ISP that I am aware of are SSi Micro and NorthwesTel. That being said, NorthwesTel owns all the internet pipes coming into the north. Therefore, SSi has to purchase the Internet from them and then resell it to residences and businesses. Below is more information about both:

SSi Mirco: Can provide 8gb of bandwidth a month at the price of $59.99. The nice thing about SSi Internet is that they use a wireless system. They give you a modem that connect to their Internet wirelessly, which ultimately means you can take it anywhere in town or where they have coverage. Their wireless modem is also a down fall though. It needs to be in a location it can see the sky and won’t work very well in high traffic areas.

NorthwesTel: Has 3 different options for Cable Internet. Plans ranging from 5gb to 60gb and prices going from $42 to $84. Their cable Internet is, abviously, done through the cable. They install a special modem. NorthwesTel is often times more reliable for steady Internet, but on occasion does has it outages.

Arctic Data: I mention Arctic Data in the show as a reseller of SSi Internet.

Hopefully this answers most of everyone’s question about ISP’s in Yellowknife. If not, please send me an email to info@ykonline.ca or comment below.

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Javaroma WiFi is Back

By on October 22, 2009 in Cafes, City

This morning I sent out a message saying that Javaroma WiFi was back. At the time I had no idea how truthful that was so I wanted to check for myself.

Upon arriving at Javaroma just after lunch I was greeted by the manager, who I knew. I asked him if the rumors were true, was WiFi really back. Sure enough he said with a smile, it was. My next question was the one I cared about more, price. Months ago when WiFi was first taken out I suggested that they charge for it to discourage people from abusing the service, later I changed my outlook. The proper way to do it would be to continue offering the service for free but with limitations. Such as no downloading.

Well that is exactly what Javaroma has now done. Now, I unfortunately didn’t stay long enough to test it out, but was told that there would be no downloading only browsing online. Which is fine by me, what ever keeps the costs down while making customers happy.

So Yellowknifers who enjoy getting out of the office or house to do some relaxing internet browsing you are once again able to.

Are you going to take advantage of the free WiFi? Well if you do, I’ll see you there!

Comments { 11 }

Sunday Video: Old Town and Dump Talk

By on September 27, 2009 in Video

Today is  Sunday and it is the day of rest, so I’m not going to post anything to deep. I thought a video would be perfect.

Along my travels through the Internet, specifically YouTube, I came across this interesting video of none other than old town. The video was produced by WAMP Film production and Paul Gordon. I’m not sure as the exact time the video was shot but in the description it states it aired in 2001 or 2002. Take a look.

I also found the video below by the same user and thought I would share it to. I actually found this video years ago while in high school and thought it was a neat idea. It is called “Dump Talk” and I thought and still do a think it would make a great web series. *Note there is a little bit of bad language in the video, among other crappy things, so be warned.

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NorthwesTel vs.. SSi NorthwesTel

By on September 2, 2009 in City, Discussion, FP

I’m sure by now everyone who reads this is aware of the upgrade Northwestel has just done to their Internet Packages. I know I was excited even though I am unable to use it where I currently am. They are now offering faster speeds and high bandwidth caps the same as their old packages, which for a heavy user such as myself wonderful news. No longer will I need to continuously check my usage, always in fear of going over.

So that brings us to today and to the article in the Yellowknifer about how SSi considers what NWTel is doing unfair towards them. You see NWTel owns all the cable transporting Internet in to the Northwest Territories and so what SSi does is purchases bandwidth (Internet) as a wholesaler. Now you would think if your are purchasing it in bulk they would be getting the better deal or a more discounted price so that they can afford to resell it to the public. Well that does not seem to be the case SSi says. They believe they are paying 5 times more than what NWTel is offering their Internet Packages for to the public and small businesses. NWTel stated in their advertisements that the rates for small businesses will be going down by 40% and also says that over the last year they lowered wholesaler rates by 35%.

Now personally I have always used NWTel because of a couple reasons. One being it is easy to bundle with cable and second being they offer higher limits and faster speeds. The one thing I do like about SSi though is that portability of their modems. I would also like to point out that the average user does not need more than what SSi offers therefore still making it a semi level playing field. A suggestion would be if you can not match NWTel’s prices would be to focus strongly on something like customer service.

Now as everyone who reads this most likely uses one or the other I would love to get your take on the matter and which provider you use. I can see pros and cons with both and that is the case with most things, how do they affect you?

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A Local Gossip Girl

By on July 26, 2009 in Discussion, FP, Online

UPDATE: Shortly after this post was officially published the site was taken down. For the better I suppose.

I was recently sent a link to a blog that I am assuming is written by a local student. I’m not sure how to take the site.

Guilty pleasures I

Photo Credit: cchiao

This person calls them self the Gossip Girl of YK. I’m sure not all of you are familiar with the TV show Gossip Girl so I will try to explain it the best I can.

In the upper east side of New York there is a school of high class kids with rich parents who seem to get everything they want. The show is full of sex, partying and scandals and it is all based around this Gossip Girl who is anonymous. She runs a website, a blog if you will, about the gossip around these students lives and every time she makes a post about some dirt she has uncovered they all instantly get the update to their mobiles.

Now I would say that this site here in Yellowknife is a long way off from being anything like that and one must remember that the real Gossip Girl is a fictional character in a TV show. That being said seeing this site slightly worries me because if you read through it, it really is making some big accusations about people and making those people mad. Knowing enough about how the internet works I can also guess that the “Gossip Girl” will be found out soon enough through a simple IP check and call to a internet provider.

Then there is the part of me that is intrigued by it and would keep reading but at the same time I feel bad for those being written about.

A word of caution to the writer. You may want to rethink what you are doing. You have already received many threats if you are found out. Be Careful whose toes you step on!

Yellowknife, what are your thoughts on a site like this? I know most of my readers are adults but how would you respond if you read something about yourself you didn’t want anybody to know. What action do you think should be taken?

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