Tech

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Telus Should Work in Dawson City!

I just got confirmation from a friend in Dawson that my internet key should work this summer! Even though the RV park is 2km from town it gets good cell reception, so it looks like I might actually be set up for internet this summer. I’m definitely going to wait until I arrive before I suspend my service!

I finally managed to set up my online account and checked out how easy it would be to adjust my rate plan. I was a bit concerned when I saw that the plan amounts through the online account were different than from the general website. I had been told that my options were 30, 40, 50, or 65 dollars per month while the online account gave me the options of 30, 50, 65, and 85 dollars for 500mb, 1gb, 2gb, and 5gb respectively. I was concerned about a bait and switch, so I called Telus this morning and they confirmed that the general information is correct, ie. that I can get the 5gb plan for $65/months. Looks like they’ve lowered their rates, which is surprising but great news!

The rep I spoke to said that it would be best for me to call to change my rate plan and that I should do so as near to the end or beginning of a billing cycle, ie. around the ninth of the month. After I hung up, I realised that I should have effected the change to the 1gb plan right then and there. I will be able to use my account next week while on my trip and the billing period will end halfway through my drive north next month, so I’m sure that the bump to 1gb will make sense. I’ll stay on the 1gb plan into the beginning of June when I’ll know if the thing works in Dawson and also how much bandwidth I’m going to really need to do what needs to be done. There’s no doubt that I can eat up 5gb a month on an unlimited plan, but it’s time for me to scale back on my internet use. I think that moving to a limited internet plan is going to help me do that. There really is no sense in my paying $65/month if I can get by on a $40 or $50 plan.

I’m getting more and more excited about this, but will contain my enthusiasm until I can do a test post from Dawson using my own account. If I pull this off, I will save a wad of money this summer since I was seriously considering having the local ISP hardwire me for DSL for four months. Can you imagine the setup costs for that?! The monthly plans were more than I’ll be paying for Telus, too.

This contract takeover is really starting to seem like a great move. The next six weeks on it will be telling.

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Telus Customer Service

I want to be e-billed for my internet account rather than receiving a paper bill or, worse, having the money directly taken from my credit card. The person who effected the change of ownership of the account told me to go to My Telus and register for an online account using my account number, PIN, and postal code.

After putting away my massive Walmart order, I sat down to do the registration process only to discover that I was given an eight digit account number when I needed nine!

Right at the top of the page there was a link for ‘chat support’ for registering online. I decided to try it out. Within seconds, I was connected to a live person. He couldn’t help me out with the account number, but he was still helpful since he gave me the phone number to contact that I would have otherwise had to dig for. I called and within less than a minute I was talking to someone and had the information I needed. I’m impressed!

I am less impressed by the fact that their site is ‘having difficulties’ and that I can’t register. 🙁

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Internet Independence?

I  visit Craigslist almost every day, looking for good deals on items on my wish list. This week, something caught my eye and I followed up on it.

I don’t like contracts because life is unpredictable, but I decided to bend my own rule and take over someone else’s Telus mobile internet contract for a seven month duration in exchange for a free Sierra Wireless 306 Mobile Internet Key.

Sierra 306 Wireless Mobile Internet Key

My initial contact with Telus makes me believe this contract takeover will be a good deal for me since, for a small fee, I can stop it over the summer and restart it in the fall (which would extend the contract into 2011). Telus is the main wireless provider in BC, meaning that so long as I stick to the main roads, ie. the Alaska Highway, I could have internet access most of the way to Whitehorse and back south.

The key alone is worth over $200 and was my biggest obstacle to signing up for such a service since I didn’t want to lock myself into a contract in order to finance the purchase of the key. The plans aren’t cheap, starting at $30 (plus taxes and network fees, of course) for a mere 500mb, up to $65 (plus taxes and network fees) for 5GB. Telus says that I can sign up for a cheap plan and move up to another plan once per billing period if I think I will be going overboard. For May, I will sign on for the $40 1GB plan and see how far that takes me.

I won’t be excited about this purchase until I am parked in a Walmart parking lot or a highway turnout and able to post to the blog, but I can feel the potential of this breakthrough bubbling deep inside me.

Now, I just need to decide on how I’m going to get online in Dawson. One step at a time!

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The Things People Do For Me

I was whining to Croft about the internet yesterday so he sent an email on my behalf and next thing I know a friend of his who works for the internet company has me hard wired. No more wi-fi for two months! I just hope I don’t get used to this!

Virgin Mobile got back to me in regards to Dawson service and it’s no dice, so it looks like I’ll be going with my plan A, getting myself hard wired up there.

Thanks, Croft!!!!