Inukshuk Wireless

Inukshuk Wireless Inc. was a Canadian wireless broadband joint venture established in 2005 by BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications. Its purpose was to combine spectrum and technology assets and create a nationwide wireless Internet network covering 45 major cities and more than 120 rural communities across the ten Industry Canada licensed areas. The venture operated during an early phase of Canadian fixed-wireless broadband development, before LTE became the dominant technology for wide-area wireless data services. The business originated with Inukshuk Internet, formed in 1999. Inukshuk Internet was acquired by Microcell in 2001, and Microcell was subsequently acquired by Rogers in 2004. The acquired spectrum and related technology were merged with Bell's resources in 2005 to form Inukshuk Wireless. The network used Motorola's Expedience pre-WiMAX solution, later associated with Nexpedience Networks. Although Inukshuk Wireless was the underlying network venture, consumers generally encountered the service through Bell and Rogers retail brands rather than under the Inukshuk name. Bell marketed the offering as Bell Internet Portable, previously calling it Sympatico High Speed Unplugged and Bell WiMAX Unplugged. Bell also offered a fixed rural version, Bell Internet Rural, previously known as Bell WiMAX In-home. Rogers marketed a corresponding service as Rogers Portable Internet. Bell also offered an unplugged wireless Internet service for business customers. The network was designed to support portable and fixed wireless broadband. Bell's rural service used the same basic wireless technology as the portable product, but the modem was installed at the customer's home and aimed toward the serving tower, making it a fixed installation rather than a genuinely mobile service. The network also used traffic-management measures: peer-to-peer traffic was throttled during specified evening and overnight peak periods, while bandwidth limits were described primarily as safeguards against network abuse rather than as tightly enforced monthly caps. The retail services were withdrawn in 2012. Bell announced on February 14, 2012 that it would terminate Portable Internet, and Rogers announced on March 1, 2012 that it would terminate its Portable Internet service. The 30 MHz portion of the 2300 MHz spectrum associated with the network was subsequently transferred to Orion Wireless Partnership for a national fixed-wireless LTE network. These developments marked the effective end of Inukshuk's consumer broadband role and the transition of the relevant spectrum and infrastructure strategy toward LTE. The venture is therefore best understood as a historical Canadian wireless broadband platform rather than an active consumer brand.

Inukshuk Wireless developed from Inukshuk Internet, a Canadian wireless Internet business formed in 1999. Inukshuk Internet was acquired by Microcell in 2001. When Rogers acquired Microcell in 2004, the assets became part of Rogers' holdings. In 2005, the relevant spectrum and technology were combined with Bell's resources in a new joint venture, Inukshuk Wireless Inc., owned by BCE and Rogers. The venture's central objective was to build a Canada-wide wireless broadband network. Its planned footprint covered 45 major cities and more than 120 rural communities across the ten licensed areas administered by Industry Canada. The network used Motorola's Expedience pre-WiMAX technology, a fixed-wireless broadband system that preceded the broad adoption of LTE for comparable services. The platform was intended to extend Internet access beyond conventional wired networks and to provide a portable alternative to fixed-line service. Inukshuk Wireless generally functioned as a wholesale or underlying network operation rather than a consumer-facing brand. Bell and Rogers separately sold access to their own customers. Bell's service was initially called Sympatico High Speed Unplugged and later Bell WiMAX Unplugged before being marketed as Bell Internet Portable. Bell also sold Bell Internet Rural, previously called Bell WiMAX In-home. Rogers offered Rogers Portable Internet. Bell made an unplugged version available to business customers as well. The distinction between portable and rural service was important. The portable product used a modem that could be used within the service area, while Bell's rural in-home product used the same basic network technology with the modem mounted and oriented toward a tower. The latter was therefore a fixed wireless installation despite sharing the network with the portable service. The network employed traffic management for peer-to-peer traffic during peak periods. For Bell customers, the published schedule reduced P2P upload and download rates during late afternoon, evening, and early overnight hours, with unrestricted periods during much of the day. Monthly bandwidth limits were described as protective measures against abuse rather than as consistently enforced usage ceilings. The consumer business ended in 2012. Bell announced the termination of Portable Internet on February 14, while Rogers announced the termination of its Portable Internet service on March 1. Following the withdrawal of the retail services, the 30 MHz block of 2300 MHz spectrum was transferred to Orion Wireless Partnership for a national fixed-wireless LTE network. This transfer reflected the technological and commercial shift from pre-WiMAX broadband to LTE-based fixed wireless. Inukshuk Wireless consequently became a historical network venture rather than an active consumer Internet brand.

• 2012

  Bell and Rogers withdraw portable services

  [1]Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org

  Bell and Rogers separately announce the termination of their Portable Internet offerings using the Inukshuk platform.

• 2008

  Bell rebrands its WiMAX consumer services

  [1]Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org

  Bell's former Sympatico High Speed Unplugged and Bell WiMAX branding is replaced by Bell Internet Portable and Bell Internet Rural naming.

• 2005

  Inukshuk Wireless joint venture is created

  [1]Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org

  BCE and Rogers combine spectrum and technology assets to establish Inukshuk Wireless and develop a national wireless broadband network.

• 2004

  Rogers acquires Microcell

  [1]Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org

  Rogers acquires Microcell, bringing the Inukshuk-related spectrum and technology into Rogers' portfolio.

• 2001

  Microcell acquires Inukshuk Internet

  [1]Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org

  Microcell acquires the predecessor business and its associated wireless broadband assets.

• 1999

  Inukshuk Internet is formed

  [1]Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org

  Inukshuk Internet, the predecessor to Inukshuk Wireless, is established in Canada.

Early-generation Canadian wireless broadband infrastructure supporting portable, rural fixed, and business Internet access through Bell and Rogers retail offerings.

• Portable wireless broadband

  Bell Internet Portable

  Bell's consumer-facing portable Internet service delivered over the Inukshuk wireless broadband network. The service was previously marketed under Sympatico High Speed Unplugged and Bell WiMAX Unplugged names. It was intended to provide Internet connectivity without a conventional wired connection within supported coverage areas.

• Fixed rural wireless broadband

  Bell Internet Rural

  Bell's rural in-home offering used the same underlying wireless technology as the portable service, but the modem was installed at the customer's residence and directed toward the serving tower. It addressed rural fixed broadband needs rather than providing a fully portable connection.

• Portable wireless broadband

  Rogers Portable Internet

  Rogers' retail portable Internet service based on the Inukshuk network. It offered wireless broadband access in supported Canadian markets and was withdrawn in 2012.

• Wireless broadband network · 2005

  Inukshuk Wireless network

  A Canadian pre-WiMAX wireless broadband network built with Motorola's Expedience solution, later associated with Nexpedience Networks. The planned network footprint included 45 major cities and more than 120 rural communities across ten licensed areas.

• 2012

  Withdraw consumer Portable Internet servicesStrategy

  Background

  Bell and Rogers ended their retail Portable Internet offerings based on the Inukshuk network.

  Action taken

  Bell announced termination of its service on February 14, 2012, followed by Rogers' announcement on March 1, 2012.

  Aftermath

  The related 2300 MHz spectrum was transferred to Orion Wireless Partnership for a national fixed-wireless LTE network.

  Source

• 2005

  Create a Bell–Rogers wireless broadband joint ventureStrategy

  Background

  BCE and Rogers held complementary spectrum and technology assets following the history of Inukshuk Internet, Microcell, and Rogers' acquisition of Microcell.

  Action taken

  The companies combined the relevant assets in Inukshuk Wireless to develop a Canada-wide pre-WiMAX broadband network.

  Aftermath

  The venture supplied the underlying platform for Bell and Rogers portable and rural Internet products.

  Source

1. 1Inukshuk Wirelessen.wikipedia.org