WiFi in Canada's national parks?

[Catchlight]

Does adding wireless Internet access in Canada's national parks appeal to you, or should we preserve some refuges in our world from electronic communication?

Parks Canada rolling out wireless Internet access in national parks

 

[Dave Walter]

Whether we like it or not, our world is moving in the direction of having access to this type of communications wherever we may be. I do not see anything inherently wrong with introducing wifi into the national parks. If someone does not want to use the service, they can leave their devices in the car or at home. I am much more opposed to having unnecessary developments in currently undeveloped areas of our parks. http://glacierskywalk.ca/

 

[J Mac]

I agree with ice-breaker in regards to WiFi in National Parks. What I didn't read was, will it cost the park visitor? Parking in a National Park in Canada is very expensive as it is. $19.60 per day for two people added on to camping fees.

 

[sleepy]

Line 2, from Spuzzum, Turn Down Your Radio

I don't want wifi in any park- it just adds to our shortened attention span. For me, parks are where we go to to break from the demands and diversions that devices, present.

(just about had an illiteration, sorry...).

Yes, wifi seems to be most places but that doesn't mean we need it within our parks. And yes the cost will get passed along- whether its' hidden or obvious.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I did not really figure out to what extent the proposed coverage is. I imagine it would just be in the popular areas with lots of people, and not in the backcountry areas, and I am okay with that. Use it as you will.

When I travel into the backcountry, I do enjoy not having any connectivity to the rest of the world, as it does allow me to truly relax. Still, there are ways of communicating there via satellite if you wish, and satellite communications are getting to be quite cheap now too.

 

[Jim Bennett]

Whether we like it or not, our world is moving in the direction of having access to this type of communications wherever we may be. I do not see anything inherently wrong with introducing wifi into the national parks. If someone does not want to use the service, they can leave their devices in the car or at home. I am much more opposed to having unnecessary developments in currently undeveloped areas of our parks. Glacier Skywalk

Wow! I can't believe I never heard about that thing yet. My first reaction is.....Really?

Not sure what to think yet.

 

[J Mac]

Until such time as we get told we must use National Parks WiFi I really don't see the problem.

 

[dave macrae]

Yes the satellite communicators have come down in price quite a bit. I have a Inreach 2 way communicator that works very well. I used this winter in the mountains snowmobiling and can send and recieve messages to let my wife know that every thing is ok and can send a SOS message to Inreach and they will alert rescue authorities with my excat location. It also does tracking that can be monitored my someone at home.

 

[Seef]

Well, you can always switch off the mobile device.

Thanks for the picture, it brought back sweet memories of our journey in 2012 !

Have fun!

Seef and Yvonne

 

[sturski]

I negotiated and accepted a job,last July, while riding my motorcycle through Yellowstone and on the Beartooth Highway. It took a few tries to find a spot with wifi and cell coverage.

It's just the nature of modern communication. I don't want to see cell towers in the middle of the scenery; but hot spots at campgrounds would seem a reasonable accommodation.

 

[vermilye]

Until such time as we get told we must use National Parks WiFi I really don't see the problem.

2X. If it is there, it will be available to those that want it; all others can ignore it. In my case, having a US cell based data plan, the availability of WiFi in Canada's parks would make the difference between being able to post my travel updates, and waiting until I found another WiFi source.

 

[Dave Walter]

... I don't want to see cell towers in the middle of the scenery; but hot spots at campgrounds would seem a reasonable accommodation.

How about cell towers disguised as trees?

 

[Donna D.]

Dave, there was one of those disguised cell towers right outside of Champoeg State Park. I went by the dang thing about four times before someone pointed it out. It was in the middle of a stand of trees, totally camoed!

 

[J Mac]

How about cell towers disguised as trees?

Cell towers are hidden in Hawaii with a similar design.

 

[Donna D.]

Here's the cell tower outside of Champoeg SP, photo courtesy of Sharen Heath.