MONTREAL — Bell Canada is launching a wireless internet backup service that keeps home Wi-Fi connectivity running during an outage.
Dubbed its “always-on internet solutions,” Bell says the feature is exclusively available, free of charge, to those with bundled mobile and home internet plans in Ontario and Quebec with current Giga Hub 2.0 modems.
During a home internet disruption, the service essentially uses the customer’s smartphone as a hot spot to keep their modem connected so Wi-Fi devices stay online.
Bell says up to 50 gigabytes of data will be applied per cellphone for up to three days, and once that allotment is used up or expires, the customer’s data usage will revert to their regular monthly plan.
In addition, Bell says it is now offering a separate power backup feature to keep modems working during a blackout.
The service, available across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada, includes two uninterruptible power supply options that can maintain connectivity for up to nine hours.