Services/Availability  -  Installation  -  Pricing  -  Equipment  -  Advantages  -  Power Users

Services and Availability

How do I know if service is available to me?

You can view our list of Active Towns on our Internet Service Areas page.  If your town is listed there, place an order online or contact our office to provide your information and we will place an order for you.  If you are in a rural location, you can provide your Legal Land Description and we will do a quick analysis to see if you can be reached by our existing service.  We will get back to you within a day or two to let you know the status of your inquiry. 

What service is right for me?

You can view our different packages to determine what best suits your needs.  Our Lite 256 Kbps service is perfectly suited for businesses using POS (point of sale) devices for credit and debit card transactions.  For residential and small businesses, the Basic 2.0 Mbps service is sufficient; for gamers, medium-sized businesses with 3 to 5 employees and users requiring heavier server access, the 3.5 Mbps services are recommended.  If you are still unsure about which service to order, please contact the office and speak to one of our sales associates.

Do I need a Static IP Address?

Static IP addresses are required for any inbound connections or hosted applications.  Static IPs are available at an additional cost and can be set up upon request.  Examples of when Static IPs are required - companies with servers, gamers who wish to host their own games, or small businesses using remote desktop or web-enabled surveillance cameras.

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Installation

When can I get my Wireless Internet installed?

We are currently active in several towns around Calgary.  If you place an order and we do not currently provide service to that region, you will be contacted once service is active in your area.  If you place an order for a location where service is available, you will be contacted for an installation appointment when the installation crew has scheduled time in your town.  Please contact our office at sales@figment.ca for any further updates.  Please note that installations are weather dependent.

What do I need to do before I can get the Wireless Internet installed?

Place an order online or contact our office to speak to one of our customer service representatives.  Once installations are scheduled in your town, we will contact you to make an appointment in one of 3 time blocks during the day.  The only system requirement is that your computer have a Network Interface Card.  If you do not have one, our installers have them and one can be purchased at the time of installation.

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Pricing

How much does it cost to install the Wireless Internet at my location?

The installation is $114.95 + GST.  In addition, 1 month's service fee is required if you pay using our preauthorized payment plan with your credit card or bank account, or 2 month's service fee is required if you pay by cheque or money order.  No additional equipment or rental costs are required unless you need to purchase a router or other equipment for your home network.

Do I need to pay for the equipment?

There are no costs to you for the radio or other equipment that is installed in or outside of your house at the time of installation.  Loss or damage to the equipment, however, will result in fees (see below).  Should you require a Network Interface Card, Router, Switch or other network device, these are an additional cost to you, and the installers will have pricing sheets and products available at the time of the installation.  Should a product be required that the installer does not have on hand, an order will be placed and it will be shipped to you at no additional charge as soon as it is available.

What does it cost for a site survey to be done at my location?

Nothing.  If you have placed an order and we feel it is possible we can provide you service, we will do a site survey at no charge.  If service is available, we will do the installation at that time.  If not, we will keep your information on hand in case we can provide you service at a later date.

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Equipment

What will the equipment look like?
 

Our wireless radios are roughly 3" wide x 12" tall x 1" deep and beige in colour so they will blend in with your building.  On occasion, additional equipment may be required to strengthen the signal to your location.

Who owns the equipment that Figment installs?

As there are no costs to you for the radio or other equipment that is installed in or outside of your house, all installed equipment is owned by Figment (radio, reflector dish, mounting tripod, etc.).   As a result, you will be responsible for the full cost of the equipment should the equipment be lost, stolen or damaged.  We recommend using a surge protecting power bar for your computer and wireless equipment. * Replacement costs can be provided upon request.

When do I need a router?
 

Routers are used to connect multiple computers and other devices to share the Internet at the same time.  It also secures your entire home network from malicious users on the Internet.  If you require a router for your home or office, we are a Linksys Certified Reseller and will configure and secure your router, provide free shipping and after sales support, and offer a 1-year warranty against product defects.  Please contact us for more details.

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Service Advantages

How much faster is this than dial-up?

Our Basic 2.0 Mbps service is approximately 80 to 100 times faster than dial-up.  Dial-up speed is roughly 30 to 50 Kbps.  Our Basic 2.0 Mbps is roughly 2000 Kbps.

How is this different from ADSL service?

Our service does not rely on telephone lines and our range is 25 km line of sight.

How is this different from my Wireless Network in my home or office?

Commercial and residential wireless networks are based on a public standard known as 802.11 which if not secured properly, can expose your computer and your personal information to neighbours and passers-by within 250 to 300 feet.  Figment's wireless network is a point-to-point proprietary and secure system which ensures your information is encrypted and unavailable for interception by others.  Our network is monitored 24-7.

I do a lot of Online Banking - how secure is this wireless system?

Online Banking security is provided by the bank and secures the entire link right from the bank to your computer, including all wireless components in between.  When you are surfing a secure website, you should see a small lock appear in the bottom right-hand side of your Internet browser window which designates the link as secure.  Figment also uses proprietary radios, signaling and security to further protect our network from unauthorized access between our broadcast antenna and your home.

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Power Users

Does the Wireless Internet Service handle Voice Over IP (VOIP)?

Yes, our network supports VOIP, and many of our existing customers use Vonage, Sykpe, etc.  Internet currently under IPv4 is inherently a 'best-effort" service and relies on customer equipment to prioritize VOIP traffic from other Internet activity.  Once IPv6 is implemented, the Internet will be able to provide high quality voice transmission comparable to your current telephone service.  A battery backup is recommended as VOIP telephone services will fail during a power outage.  Figment core equipment is equipped with battery backups in all of our communities to continue to provide Internet services during a power outage.

Something to remember is that services like Vonage and Skype use the public Internet which relies on any number of ISPs to carry your traffic across the globe. If congestion occurs on any single piece of equipment operated by any ISP, your call quality and/or connection will be affected.  Until IPv6 is available, Figment is pursuing a VOIP system that does not use the public Internet, ensuring the highest quality and reliability available.

Does Figment provide VOIP Service?

Figment is currently pursuing a VOIP system that does not use the public Internet, ensuring the highest quality and reliability available.

Does Figment Wireless Internet handle online gaming and online gambling?

Yes, however it is dependant on how the game itself operates.   Some gaming forums require unprotected access on a dedicated static IP address.  If this is the case, you will require a static IP address from Figment.

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