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Microcell Connexions' equipment serves GSM providers including Fido, Cityfone, and SimPro. Microcell Connexions installs and maintains the sites and the sites are often, but not always, marked with their card or sticker. Western Canadian tower sites often have two units at the base, the larger one holding the cellular equipment (below, left) and the smaller unit holding power distribution circuitry and T1 connections (below, middle). Eastern Canadian sites often use a single equipment shelter (below, right).
Make sure to read my opinion of Fido PCS and see the Comparison Plans page.
Microcell Connexions prefers to install their equipment on hydro towers and will take advantage of them whenever possible to avoid municipal height restrictions on new towers. Older Microcell cells are white or grey in colour, rounded at the front and flat at the back. I usually refer to these cells as 'egg-shaped' since this is what they look like when viewed on end. Newer Microcell cells look extremely similar to Telus Mike and newer Telus Mobility PCS cells -- thick, white or grey, with a five-sided front.
Microcell equipment tags. Often attached to cabling on macro and repeater sites and are a good way of identifying their sites. (Added 28 Feb 2001)
| Potential controversial Microcell repeater installed on a house in Saanich. These types are very uncommon in residential settings due to the potential protests from residents over radiation concerns. Microcell did a really good job hiding this repeater in hopes that the general public won't see it as they drive past on a major road. (Added 17 July 2002) |
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The tower that eventually led to the development of this website.
Microcell set up this tower early in 1998 and painted it forest green and installed a set of PCS cells. This site is located along the Pat Bay Highway, just before the Keating Cross Road turnoff. There were no cells on the tower when the picture on the left was taken (just the rack to hold the cells); also note the microwave dish at the bottom of the picture.
In January '99 the height of this tower was almost doubled (right pictures) and the existing Microcell PCS cells were moved to the top. A new rack was added for Telus Mobility/Clearnet PCS cells below the Microcell cells. A new microwave dish belonging to Telus Mobility/Clearnet was added and Microcell removed their microwave dish (which pointed north, not south like the newer Telus Mobility/Clearnet one). |
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Microcell Connexions repeater behind Scale at northern entrance to George Massey Tunnel, Richmond East; Close-up of equipment box used on this repeater. |
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