TELUS Internet Rural Services

Qualification for TELUS High-Speed Internet with Smarthub:

• TELUS provides Smarthub services only in selected communities to ensure that customers using internet service in these areas get an optimal experience. Since it is a wireless service, speed and signal strength may vary with your configuration, internet traffic, environmental conditions, applicable network management or other factors. For a description of TELUS network management practices, visit telus.com/networkmanagement and telus.com/optimization
• Since this service is available in selected communities, customers have to make sure their address is qualified for service via the qualification tool on www.telus.com/smarthub
  • • Steps and options to enter your address are available on the web page, see tab for rural addresses if your address is not found
    • If your address does not qualify, then we will not be able to offer you Smart Hub services at this time. However, it is our constant endeavour to expand this service, so we request you to check back in the future for service availability

There are 4 ways to check for service availability on www.telus.com/smarthub:

1. My street address: Input your street address in the format shown. i.e. 1225 Range Road 199, Alix, Alberta, not 1225 Rng Rd, Alix, AB. Click on the ‘Continue’ button

2. Legal land description (Alberta only): click on the Rural Address Tab in the qualification window and Input your Alberta Township LLD section in the format shown without letters, i.e. input 1-87-18-4 not 1-87-18-W4. Note that the result is for the centre of the LLD. Click on the ‘Continue’ button, and after the result is shown on the map, click on the map to refine your location.

3. Coordinate location: Click on the Rural address tab in the qualification window. To retrieve your coordinates, you can use your Smartphone and a mapping app such as Apple Maps, Google Maps or a GPS device. Click on the ‘Continue’ button

4. For Rural address entry methods, you can use the map showing your entered location to refine the position. Click on the map to move the location pin.

How can I display current GPS coordinates on my Smartphone?

You can use the Google maps mobile application to find your GPS coordinates in decimal degrees. If you do not have the app, you can download it from the Playstore or App Store. Follow these steps to find your location coordinates in decimal degrees:

• For iphone: First make sure that Location Services is On. Navigate to Settings ->Privacy -> Location Services -> On
• In the list of apps under Location Services, make sure Google Maps is enabled
• Press the Home button to exit Settings
• On your phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
• Touch and hold the area of the map where you are located. You’ll see a red pin appear.
• Depending on your device, the coordinates will be found in the search box or you can scroll downwards to view the coordinates

No. Internet through your Smart Hub is a fixed connection that can only be used at your designated service location. 

If you do move it, your internet service will be blocked and you will be notified via Email. In order to regain your internet access, you’ll need to move your Smart Hub back to its designated service location or follow the instructions from the Email to get your service unblocked. 

What if I’m not receiving the block Email?

• To receive service notifications via email, you will need to have a valid email address on your TELUS account. Please check your TELUS My Account profile to ensure your email address is correct.

To give you an idea of what you’ll be able to stream, here are some recommended settings for popular streaming services:

YouTube video quality speed requirements

• To view 1080p video, you should have a download speed of 8 Mbps
• To view 720p video, you should have a download speed of 5 Mbps
• To view 480p video, you should have a download speed of 2.5 Mbps
• To view 360p video, you should have a download speed of 1 Mbps

Netflix video quality recommended settings

• To view 3D video, you should have a download speed of 12 Mbps
• To view Super HD video, you should have a download speed of 7 Mbps
• To view HD video, you should have a download speed of 5 Mbps
• To view DVD video, you should have a download speed of 3 Mbps
• To view Basic video, you should have a download speed of 1.5 Mbps

There is no simple rule to calculate the amount of coverage a Smart Hub will offer. For everyday use, like surfing websites, streaming videos or sharing photos, it will provide great coverage throughout your home.

The speeds you can achieve within various coverage areas varies with distance from the Smart Hub, along with other factors.

Your Smart Hub will be able to provide coverage throughout your home. On average, maximum speeds and best coverage are achievable within 2000 square feet around your Smart Hub. As you move into further coverage zones, your speeds will slow down.

The size of each coverage zone depends on your usage and your home’s unique characteristics. Some key factors that impact your Wi-Fi coverage and speeds include:

Your surroundings

• Home construction materials that block Wi-Fi signals
  • • E.g. concrete, brick and heated floors
• Electronic devices that emit interference to your Wi-Fi signals
  • • E.g. microwaves, baby monitors and bluetooth speakers
• Home decorations that reflect or distort Wi-Fi signals
  • • E.g. mirrors and fish tanks

• Place the Smart Hub above ground and near a window and on an elevated surface such as a table or shelf. If you have a multi-storey home, the highest floor is best and preferably near the connected devices.

• To ensure the best experience, we suggest moving your Smart Hub throughout your home and conducting a speed test at each location with only one device connected to the hub and the hub connected to it by ethernet cable. The location that gets the fastest download speed should be where your Smart Hub is placed.
• Foliage can impact your Smart Hub connection, which can impact speed. Again, try moving the device around in your home following the steps above if you notice a drop in speed in springtime.
• Avoid placing the Smart Hub on the floor, in basements or in closed-in areas like closets or cabinets. Also avoid placing near mirrored objects, fish tanks or objects that may obstruct the signal.
• If it’s in a location that is surrounded by other electronic items (see a list of items under Minimize radio interference below) move it away from these items to ensure you have good signal strength

Minimize radio interference:

Some devices may cause interference with your Wi-Fi signal if they are within close proximity (8–10 feet) of your Smart Hub. If possible, try removing or turning off sources of potential interference. Try to relocate the following away from your Smart Hub and Wi-Fi devices:

• Cordless telephone base station
• Other wireless modems or routers
• Dense or metallic objects (file cabinets, brick walls etc…)
• Copper or other metallic pipes
• Appliances such as: microwave ovens, air conditioners and television sets
• Garage door openers
• Building materials
• Bluetooth devices
• Wireless speaker system
• Baby monitors
• Wireless security cameras
• Certain monitors and LCD displays

Sharing your Wi-Fi bandwidth:

• Your Wi-Fi bandwidth is shared across all connected devices in your home. Using up this bandwidth can impact the speed and performance of your device.
• Some devices connected to your Wi-Fi may automatically use bandwidth. If you do not require your device to be connected, turn it off and this should help free up some bandwidth
• If you find you are consistently using more than what your plan allows, consider upgrading your plan

Wi-Fi congestion:

• Sharing the same frequency can slow down or disrupt your Wi-Fi service. This is particularly problematic in multi-dwelling units where a neighbour’s Wi-Fi can be operating on the same frequency.

If you continue to experience congestion issues, contact us to discuss other solutions.

Other Factors: 

• Your personal device’s age and technology limitations
  • • Older smartphones and some newer smart TVs have fewer Wi-Fi antennas
• Your Internet speed plan

One-time top-ups: 

• 50GB for $15
• 100GB for $30

Recurring top-ups: 

• 50GB for $15
• 100GB for $30

Pro-tips:

• All Rural Smart Hub data top-ups are non-shareable
• Once a one-time data top-up is added, it will expire after 30 days from the time of activation
• Once a recurring data top-up is added, it will stay on your account until you request to remove it
• Once all the data in the top-up has been used, any additional pay-per-use data charges will be billed according to your rate plan