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Ice Wireless
Company typePrivate
IndustryMobile network operator
FoundedSeptember 2005
HeadquartersMarkham, Ontario, Canada
Areas served
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut
Key people
Samer Bishay - President & CEO, Cameron Zubko - Chief Operating Officer
Products4G/LTE mobility services, mobile broadband Internet, fixed line telephone
Number of employees
150
ParentIristel
Websitewww.icewireless.ca
Ice Wireless Building 3G HSPA+ base station
Ice Wireless Retail Store in Whitehorse, Yukon

Ice Wireless is a Canadian mobile network operator and telecommunications company that provides 4G/LTE mobility services, mobile broadband Internet, and fixed line telephone in Canada's northern territories: Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Nunavik, Quebec. The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Markham, Ontario.

History

Ice Wireless was launched in 2005 to serve rural and remote communities in Northern Canada. The network was first developed in the community of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, a base for oil and gas exploration located approximately 100 km (62 mi) from the Arctic Ocean and 200 km (120 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. The network was the first GSM system in Northern Canada, originally designed as a "small cell" system that could be scaled down and economically deployed to rural and remote communities. Due the scalability of its technology, Ice Wireless could offer mobility service in locations that could not be economically reached by larger telecommunications companies. Ice Wireless was the first to launch mobility service in Inuvik, Aklavik and Behchoko (Rae-Edzo) in the Northwest Territories. As customers increased, Ice Wireless expanded service to include Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.[1]

In 2012, Ice Wireless announced a $12.4 million network upgrade to roll out 3G/4G Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) across the three Canadian territories.[2] As part of this upgrade, Ice Wireless launched a full range of telecommunications services, including 3G/4G mobility services, mobile broadband Internet, and fixed line telephone. Ice Wireless also announced a strategic partnership with Iristel, the largest competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) in Canada and the first CLEC to enter Northern Canada.

In 2013, Ice Wireless became the first mobile network operator to launch 3G/4G services to Iqaluit, Nunavut. These services were launched using SES’ AMC-9 satellite.[3] In 2017, Ice Wireless became the first mobile operator to launch LTE service to Iqaluit, Nunavut.[4]

In 2019, Ice Wireless launched 3G LTE service in Kuujjuaq, Quebec and Quaqtaq, Quebec as part of a larger roll-out to all 14 communities of the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec.[5]

The Ice Wireless network now extends across Canada's North and includes the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec.[6]

Services

  • 4G/LTE Mobility Services[7]
  • Mobile Broadband Internet[8]
  • Fixed Line Telephone[8]

Retail stores

Ice Wireless operates its own corporate retail stores, and also conducts business through a network of agents that operate in each local market. Ice Wireless provides 24/7 customer care and technical support for its customers, as well as 9-1-1 service.[8] [9]

Network

As a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) Ice Wireless owns and operates communication towers, facilities and radio access network equipment in all three Canadian territories.[10][7]

Ice Wireless provides UMTS wireless services with HSPA+ for data, using its licenses on the 850 MHz/1900 MHz frequency band, also known as Personal Communications Service (PCS).

Ice Wireless is a member of the GSM Association (GSMA).[11]

Coverage

Ice Wireless offers 4G LTE network coverage in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Northern Quebec.[7][12][7]

City or Town Territory Service
4G/LTE Internet
Whitehorse Yukon Yes Yes
Inuvik Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Tuktoyaktuk Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Norman Wells Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Yellowknife Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Dettah Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Behchoko Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Hay River Northwest Territories Yes Yes
Fort Smith Northwest Territories No No
Iqaluit Nunavut Yes Yes
Kuujjuaq Quebec Yes No
Quaqtaq Quebec Yes No

Roaming

Ice Wireless customers may use smartphones and devices across Canada, USA and internationally through the company's network of roaming partnerships, including Bell, Rogers Wireless, Telus, Vidéotron Mobile, and AT&T.[13]

Smartphones

As of 2020 Ice Wireless offers the following smartphones for use on its network.[14]

ICE home phone services

Ice Wireless offers the ICE home phone service, which provides customers with a home telephone line.[15]

The Ice home phone is a small wireless device and provides telephone service to corded or cordless home telephones. The Ice home phone uses the Ice Wireless cellular network to operate and can be used anywhere in a customer's house or office that there is a wireless signal. The ICE Home Phone needs only be powered; it does not require the use of a home phone wall jack like traditional home phone service. The ICE home phone comes with a set of three VTech cordless phones at time of purchase.

Mobile Broadband Services

Ice Wireless offers two mobile broadband products that provide high speed internet service, wireless and home Internet. The wireless service comes with either an Aircard 763S that allows up to 10 Wi-Fi devices or a BEC 6300 modem, both with 4G/LTE download speeds. Ice Wireless also offers home Internet plans.[16]

Relationship with Iristel

In 2012, Ice Wireless established a strategic partnership with Iristel, Canada's largest CLEC and VoIP service provider.[17][18]

See also

References

  1. ^ About Us, Ice Wireless Corporate Website. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  2. ^ Corporate Overview, Ice Wireless Corporate Website. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  3. ^ "CBC News- Smartphones Come to Iqaluit", www.cbc.ca, November 23, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  4. ^ "Fierce Wireless-Ice Wireless deploys Parallel Wireless gear to connect unconnected Canadians", Fierce Wireless, August 3, 2017.
  5. ^ "Ice Wireless Launches 3G Service in First Nunavik Community", Nunatsiaq News, March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  6. ^ "Globe and Mail - Ice Wireless Ramps Up in Far North", www.theglobeandmail.com, June 25, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d [1], Ice Wireless Corporate Website. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c [2], Ice Wireless Corporate Website. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  9. ^ [3], Ice Wireless Corporate Website. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  10. ^ [4], Ice Wireless Corporate Website. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  11. ^ [5], GSMA Website. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  12. ^ [6], Mobilesyrup. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  13. ^ Ice Wireless Signs Agreement with Videotron to Expand Roaming Coverage to Quebec’s and Canada’s North. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  14. ^ Devices. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  15. ^ Home Phone. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  16. ^ Internet. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  17. ^ About Ice Wireless. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  18. ^ [7], Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
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