Cell Phone Service along Alaska Highway

[weasel4]

It appears Cell service may be available along the highway by next year.

News Release

[pianotuna]

I must admit, I was quite uncomfortable to have no cell phone service from the Saskatchewan border to Churchill, Manitoba last summer. I had just turned in my last non gsm phone and Manitoba Bell was a late adopter of GSM.

There was also well over 100 miles with no fuel between Hudson's Bay, SK and The Pas, MB.

It is amazing to me how dependent I've become on the secure feeling I have with having the ability to call for help, if need be. In 15 years I've only had to call 3 times--but I felt very stressed.

[2oldman]

It's getting ugly early.

[sue_t]

Veebyes wrote:
How did we ever get by without cellphones?

Same as I do now...there's no cell service at our cabin in the bush near the Alaska Highway. Guess we might get it with this infrastructure install.

That will make folks who visit here happier. Last summer had a family stay for a month; one of the teen boys went through major withdrawal and wanted to visit Whitehorse often so he could check in with his friends back home on Vancouver Island.

[Veebyes]

It will also be interesting to see how many people simply cannot bear to be disconnected for even a few days, & will pay anything to be able to use that phone which has become permanently attached to them.

They will also moan about the high roaming rate they get charged for their hours of idle chatter.

How did we ever get by without cellphones?

[explorenorth]

It will certainly be interesting to see what it will cost to use those towers.