The Difference Between Northern Lights Fiber and Your Cable Provider

The Difference Between Northern Lights Fiber and Your Cable Provider

The Difference Between Northern Lights Fiber and Your Cable Provider

For years, the best option for internet in Wembley has been cable internet. When it works, it can provide an adequate connection, but it’s susceptible to weather-related outages, peak hour slowdowns, and bandwidth limitations.

Fortunately, something better is on the way (and also here for many Wembley Alberta residents): fiber internet from Northern Lights Fiber. While other providers may advertise “fiber” internet, it’s still built on outdated cable infrastructure. Only our network is 100% fiber. And while we haven’t connected the whole county yet, we’re making progress every day.

But why is fiber better than your past service options? We’re so glad you asked.

#1: Local Support and Service

We separate ourselves from cable companies right away by being a local service provider. Your neighbors from the region are the ones installing the fiber lines, answering your questions on the phone, and helping you get connected. They’re members of your community and care what happens around here, just like you. In fact, our founders are from the Peace Region!

Our focus will always be serving you. We’re never going to strong-arm you into a contract you don’t want or restrict your access to great internet. Our job is to create a fiber internet network that makes your life better.

We understand that reliable internet access is essential for your family. It empowers you to pursue the remote career of your dreams and conduct telehealth visits from home. It ensures remote learning helps your child stay on track (without making you want to throw your computer out the window). And it enables family movie nights that aren’t interrupted by slow download speeds or dropped connections.

And when you have problems or there’s an issue, you can count on us to work hard—and quickly—to make things right.

#2: What You See Is What You Pay

You don’t like seeing surprises on a bill (and neither do we!). That’s why we don’t have hidden fees or fluctuating prices. What you see is what you pay. You can count on it being the same every month. We don’t send inflated bills or charge you when you call in for help. And if you want to make a change to your account, we’ll make sure to accommodate you.

Our pricing is straightforward and https://lightupwembley.ca/products-pricing/ for all to see. Curious about available promos? Just give us a call! We’re committed to transparency and happy to answer any questions you may have.

#3: The Freedom of Fiber

Cable internet providers want you to be dependent on them for both your internet and television access. 

When you switch to fiber internet, you have the freedom of choice. You can cut the cord on cable TV (and those expensive bills!) and enjoy many options for watching live television or streaming your favorite TV shows and movies.

But reliable internet is for more than watching TV—fiber upgrades your life in so many ways! You can skip the waiting room and have a telehealth visit at home. Or you can cut the commute and enjoy the flexibility of remote work.

Better internet is on the way. And we’re excited for you to experience all of the positive changes fiber internet will provide. If you’re still on the fence about making the switch, take a look at this chart and see how we compare to your cable provider:

If fiber internet isn’t available in your neighborhood, don’t worry, it will be soon! You can stay up to date on the installation process by signing up https://lightupwembley.ca/pre-register/. Then, you’ll be notified when fiber internet is available in your neighborhood. We can’t wait to get you connected!

Jumping Into The World Of VR – The Basics

Have you ever wanted to experience a different side of life? Now you can change up your reality by going virtual! Virtual reality (VR) isn’t a new technology. In fact, it’s been around for decades. But in the past five to 10 years, VR as a source of entertainment has really taken off–and it’s made possible by Northern Lights Fiber.

Read on to discover more about our “new reality” in this Q&A for virtual reality beginners. 

Q: What is VR? 

A: Virtual reality is a combination of hardware and software that offers you a unique and immersive experience. VR allows you to enter a world of pretend—but one that can feel quite real!  

When you put on the headset, it’s like stepping into another dimension. Every sight, every sound, and every movement is simulated, created through thousands of hours of design, development, and rendering by 3D artists, photographers, and videographers.  

Q: What do you need to make the most out of VR? 

A: To become immersed in the VR experience, you’ll need a VR headset. This chunky piece of gear consists of a frame mounted over your head, which covers your eyes. The shape could probably compare to an old-fashioned View-Master. Within the headset, there is a screen that sits at a fixed distance from your eyes.  

The headset completely surrounds the eyes. The goal is to block out the world outside, allowing you to become immersed in the experience. The headset has a Stereoscopic 3D display, stereo sound, and motion-tracking sensors. Some VR sets also utilize handheld controllers to enable more abilities and range of movement inside the simulation. 

Q: What’s it like? 

A: Most people would say that you can’t truly understand the experience of VR until you experience it for yourself. Some people report motion sickness after use, which speaks to the intensity of the experience. 

Different headsets have various motion-tracking capabilities, allowing you to move both your head and body to navigate the virtual reality you’re seeing. Current VR headsets have a limited FoV, or field of vision, which means that what you see through the headset is a bit narrower than what you would see with your eyes. This means the headset will present the virtual world surrounded by a black border, so it’s kind of like peering through ski goggles. 

Q: Who uses VR? 

A: Pretty much anyone can use VR. At the moment, VR is mainly used by gamers, but it has surprisingly useful real-world applications as well.  

Some people love to use VR for socialization. Unlike typical video games, where you can talk or text with your friends, VR personalizes the experience, allowing you to create realistic avatars and thriving social communities. It has also become an exciting alternative for real estate agents looking to show houses for sale. With VR, buyers can see more properties in less time, often without leaving the comfort of their home or the real estate office.  

VR also enhances specific careers. It’s an incredible tool to help employees simulate training or certification, like handling industrial equipment or flying an aircraft. It is also used by the military, law enforcement, and other first responders to simulate a wide range of experiences for training purposes. In clinical settings, VR is used in psychiatry to help treat patients with PTSD and phobias. In hospitals, it’s a low-risk way to train personnel to handle challenging situations, and it has also introduced specialized medical procedures to doctors in third-world countries.  

Where Will You Go First? 

There’s truly no limit to the places you can go with virtual reality. And with our high-speed, you can enjoy this mind-bending technology from right in your very own home!

Sign up for high-speed, VR ready internet today! Click Here

Why We Use Temporary Drops for Winter Installations

Why We Use Temporary Drops for Winter Installations

Temporary Drops for Winter Installations 

We know the wait for fiber internet installation can be tough. After all, you are on the verge of having fast, reliable broadband fiber internet from Northern Lights Fiber, and all the best streaming entertainment the web has to offer. 

Winter adds to the technical challenges of fiber installation. Frozen grounds, shorter days with less sunlight, excessive moisture from melting snow and heavy rains drenching the soil—all of these issues and more can make it exceedingly difficult to bury and install fiber. It’s also a riskier time for our crew of technicians.  

While permanent fiber installation may sometimes be delayed during winter and early spring, temporary drops can help deliver the high-speed internet you’ve been waiting for—even if you’ll have to wait for better, safer weather and ground conditions for final installation with buried fiber internet lines. 

Below we provide answers to common questions about temporary drops and help explain the process installing them so you’ll know what to expect.  

What is exactly is a temporary drop? 

A temporary drop, also referred to as a temp drop, is simply an above-ground fiber internet connection line that provides fiber internet service temporarily to your home until weather and ground conditions are feasible and safe enough to bury the fiber line in the ground.  

What kinds of conditions necessitate temp drops? 

There are two common reasons why Northern Lights Fiber may not be able to bury the fiber and complete installation during the winter and early spring.  

#1: The ground is frozen. 

During winter and early spring, the colder temperatures can make the ground too hard to dig and bury fiber. And just because the temperatures warm up for a few days doesn’t necessarily mean the conditions are improved enough to complete the installation. In general, the ground must be fully thawed at least one foot deep, which can take weeks of 60 degree-plus temperatures, depending on the soil’s physical and chemical composition. 

#2: The ground is too wet. 

The winter and spring can bring heavy precipitation, from heavy snows and snow melts to days of rain. When the soil is over-saturated, it is simply not feasible to install fiber optic lines below ground safely and effectively.  Additionally, burying fiber when the ground is too wet can upset lawns, flowerbeds, trees, and other vegetation—not to mention upset your neighbors and their lawns, too! 

What are the steps to installing a temporary drop? 

After determining that the conditions do not support burying fiber, a temp drop is authorized. Our technicians will then connect the fiber terminal (i.e., the “box” near the street where internet service is supplied to your neighborhood) to your home via a fiber line placed above-ground to your home.  

So instead of burying the fiber in the ground, the temp drop keeps the fiber line above the ground and connected to your home, temporarily, until the buried installation can occur when the weather and other conditions improve.  

The line may run along your lawn and driveway, but don’t worry! Your car cannot damage the line. The fiber line may also cross over your neighbor’s property, but as with other utilities, there is a “right-of-way” that permits this if necessary.  

Is the temp drop line safe? 

Yes! While we don’t recommend you handle the line, it is not dangerous. Fiber technology consists of tiny glass strings that transmit light. So unlike live electrical wires, there is no risk of electric shock.  

However, we suggest that you do your best to avoid the line while tending to yard work or clearing snow. Although the fiber lines are sturdy, snowplows and other equipment and tools can sometimes harm the line, necessitating more technical support—not to mention the inconvenience of losing internet!  

Northern Lights Fiber and Canadian Fiber Optics greatly appreciates your patience as we strive to provide you with fast, reliable fiber internet as efficiently and quickly as possible! As always, feel free to reach out us with any questions or concerns you may have. 

If you would like to sign up to receive installation of our services, call

1-888-236-2947 or click HERE