Travel to Canada

DM412 wrote:

One caveat about 5G service. In some areas Bell/Tellus only have LTE service on their towers, while Rogers may have a 5G cell. In those cases, you will only be able to get LTE service. Rogers doesn’t seem to let T-Mobile use their 5G. There’s also an app called “TowerLocator” that can be used to see locations, providers, and cell frequencies for towers in Canada that you may find useful.

There is currently no roaming agreement with Rogers and hasn't been since 2016. 

Bell/Telus have a very different deployment strategy than Rogers.  Bell/Telus won't upgrade sites until they absolutely have to where Rogers likes having the title of, Canada's Fastest Wireless Network.  

One caveat about 5G service. In some areas Bell/Tellus only have LTE service on their towers, while Rogers may have a 5G cell. In those cases, you will only be able to get LTE service. Rogers doesn’t seem to let T-Mobile use their 5G. There’s also an app called “TowerLocator” that can be used to see locations, providers, and cell frequencies for towers in Canada that you may find useful.

It’s been a while since I’ve done the rapids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEl0wRxdo1k

formercanuck wrote:

I haven’t been around as much of Ontario as I used to, since I’ve been in SoCal, but with the +105F (see road trips).

Planning next summer already  Buffalo → Dunlop Lake → Ottawa (OWL river tours) → Buffalo

If work allows, remote work for 1 month at Dunlop Lake (Starlink internet is included there)

That sounds awesome!  

I haven’t been around as much of Ontario as I used to, since I’ve been in SoCal, but with the +105F (see road trips).

Planning next summer already  Buffalo → Dunlop Lake → Ottawa (OWL river tours) → Buffalo

If work allows, remote work for 1 month at Dunlop Lake (Starlink internet is included there)

I’ve been through most of the north - Hwy 17 (and 11) from Thunderbay through Ottawa, spent years in Niagara, Ottawa and north of Lake Superior.

formercanuck wrote:

syaoran wrote:

The 15's have decent modems.  The 13 is more than likely an Intel modem.  It's a good time to upgrade that one to the 16 in a few weeks.  

The better service in southern Ontario is on Rogers (AT&T).  They use a lot of the lower band like band 71 that T-Mobile uses.  They were T-Mobile's roaming partner back pre-2016 but Rogers is kind of like Verizon in the sense that their service is good in more populated areas but is terrible or nonexistent in rural areas. 

I’ll agree with that for the most part.  One exception - NW Ontario where Rogers ≈ TBayTel.  North of Lake Superior.  Rogers (TBaytel ≈ Superior Wireless) has most of the coverage on highway 17 from the Sault to Manitoba.  Bellus (Bell/Telus) is adding - but has larger gaps - nothing between many towns.

I haven't been up that far in forever.  I love Algonquin Park in the fall but that's as far as I have been up that way since COVID.

syaoran wrote:

The 15's have decent modems.  The 13 is more than likely an Intel modem.  It's a good time to upgrade that one to the 16 in a few weeks.  

The better service in southern Ontario is on Rogers (AT&T).  They use a lot of the lower band like band 71 that T-Mobile uses.  They were T-Mobile's roaming partner back pre-2016 but Rogers is kind of like Verizon in the sense that their service is good in more populated areas but is terrible or nonexistent in rural areas. 

I’ll agree with that for the most part.  One exception - NW Ontario where Rogers ≈ TBayTel.  North of Lake Superior.  Rogers (TBaytel ≈ Superior Wireless) has most of the coverage on highway 17 from the Sault to Manitoba.  Bellus (Bell/Telus) is adding - but has larger gaps - nothing between many towns.

As a dual citizen - much of your service will most likely be on Bell (was in Northern Ontario in July), and 5G service - rural isn’t bad these days either.  You’ll have a difficult time hitting Rogers - I have had it work in the past.  +300Mbps in Sault Ste. Marie, ON.  

Brockville is in that ‘gap’ between Kingston and Montreal.  Service was ‘meh’ a few years back when I crossed the border near Alexandria Bay.  TBH, it was worse in upstate NY on T-Mobile and I was actually often roaming on a weak site (or 2) from Canada.  I didn’t spend much time near that area - but travelled down to Cobourg and had no issues.  Don’t forget after ~5GB you’ll be throttled.

The 15's have decent modems.  The 13 is more than likely an Intel modem.  It's a good time to upgrade that one to the 16 in a few weeks.  

The better service in southern Ontario is on Rogers (AT&T).  They use a lot of the lower band like band 71 that T-Mobile uses.  They were T-Mobile's roaming partner back pre-2016 but Rogers is kind of like Verizon in the sense that their service is good in more populated areas but is terrible or nonexistent in rural areas. 

Yeah one was an iPhone 15 ProMax and one a 13 ProMax.  Very well could be different modems.