Some eastern Ontario residents who lost access to the Internet after last weekend’s storm are disappointed, saying the storm highlighted the shortcomings of the digital age.
“It’s all downloaded online,” said Amber McCoy, who lives in Russell, Ont. “Go online. Go online. Go online. And when it’s gone, where do you go? “
After the storm ended, McCoy – who was left without running water in his home – began looking for basic information, such as the scale of the storm and how long power outages could last.
She was disappointed by the lack of useful information broadcast immediately on the radio.
McCoy kept goats on his farm as a hobby, but felt left out in the dark as he struggled to connect to the 3-1-1 hotline in search of fresh water. Since gas was a precious commodity, she did not want to waste it walking uselessly.
“There still needs to be some back-up, clear basic communication methods to deal with this kind of scenario,” she said.
Challenging work from home
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson pointed to free WiFi in public libraries, community centers and the city hall.
“I have heard from a number of people who are obviously worried and upset that their internet service is off,” the mayor told a media briefing on Wednesday.
“But they will really have to contact their supplier. As I mentioned, we have options available for people to come. I know it’s not perfect.”
According to Bell’s website on Wednesday night, most service problems come from zip codes starting with K1A, K4C, K1H and K0A, which are part of downtown Ottawa, Cumberland, Alta Vista and many cities around the national capital region.
Similarly, the Rodgers website says most reports come from zip codes starting with K1A, K0A and K4C, with internet access being the most common problem.
Orleans resident Nancy LeBron has repeatedly been disappointed with her service provider, which is missing deadlines to resume service.
“I work part-time at home and I need the internet, and my husband works from home every day and was without the internet,” she said. “So it was pretty destructive.”
Although Nancy LeBron’s power supply has been restored after the storm knocked her down, she still has no internet access. She said the lack of communication was disappointing. In the photo above, a neighbor is standing near a tree that fell in their neighborhood in Orleans. (Nancy LeBron)
Bells Corners resident David Gilbert said the lack of internet access is affecting his livelihood, which includes virtual customer connections.
As he heard updates on when electricity could be restored, he heard only “deafening silence” about when the Internet could be back on.
“Is it more of a day? Is it a week more? And for those who rely on the Internet for all sorts of reasons, it’s a challenge.”
“Definitely has some drawbacks”
McCoy said her Internet problems are compounded only by the number of people using data on their devices, which clogs up cell towers and makes it harder to access and download web pages.
As its power and the Internet returned, she said an even simpler web page – one without graphics – could have made it easier to access critical information.
“As great and amazing as it is, during something like this, it definitely has some drawbacks,” she said. “And we can’t lose sight of the importance of other means of communication.”
Add Comment