Phone

Nexicom does not, and can not prevent any provider (i.e. Bell, Cogeco, Rogers) from serving our SILEC areas. Just as Nexicom has chosen to operate as a CLEC in Bell and Cogeco areas, so those organizations could do here. They have chosen not to provide their services in these communities because of the cost to operate in a rural area where customer density is low. 

Nexicom is the local service provider in your area (SILEC – Millbrook, Cavan, Ida, Keene, Hiawatha, Lang, and Indian River), which means the lines are owned and operated by Nexicom. We operate in what the CRTC has identified as a high cost serving area. CRTC regulate that Nexicom has an obligation to “stand ready and to serve”. This means that regardless of the location in our exchange, we must have facilities serving each home. This costs money to build and maintain. CRTC mandates that basic phone pricing should be similar across the country so rural customers do not pay the full amount it costs to provide this service. Every Canadian customer pays a portion to a fund that subsidizes those deemed to be in a high cost serving area like ours to keep their rates equitable with those in high density urban areas. Your phone cost is being subsidized to keep it at this rate. In a non-high cost serving area the Dry Loop is less expensive, but there is no subsidy. 

Policy:

Nexicom Inc. does not sell standalone Internet access services to customers in our regulated service areas. Nexicom requires Internet access customers to subscribe to local telephone service as well.

Internet pricing does not include cost to maintain line:

Our retail Internet access monthly rate covers only the cost of the Internet service, and not the cost of the physical line that carries it to your property. However, even if we were to remove voice service from the line, Nexicom would still incur costs to operate and maintain that physical line regardless of whether that line is copper or fibre.

Dry Loop:

If we were to offer standalone Internet access service, we would have to assess a charge to cover the expense associated with operating and maintaining the physical line. This is called a dry loop charge. Nexicom does not have a dry loop tariff and has not applied to the CRTC to offer such a service. As dry loops are a regulated telecommunication service, we are not permitted to offer them without an approved tariff.

Less costly than Dry Loop:

Nexicom is a small independent local exchange carrier and as such, the costs to serve all customers throughout our serving area are recognized by the CRTC as high cost. The local rate paid by customers for our services is far less than the cost to serve such rural areas. The reason is that the rural areas are widespread and diverse with low customer density (unlike serving downtown Peterborough). Thus, in rural and sparsely populated serving areas such as Nexicom’s, the full cost of offering a dry loop would exceed the current CRTC approved charge for a rural subsidized dry loop line. 

A Digital Phone uses digital signals to transmit voice calls over the internet (VoIP), providing clear, reliable, and feature-rich communication. It requires an internet connection and offers a more modern and often more cost-effective solution for home communication.

An Analog Phone uses traditional copper telephone lines to transmit voice signals as analog waves. It’s the standard landline phone that has been used for many years, relying on physical wiring for calls.

The benefit of an analog phone is that it will continue working even if the power goes out, as long as there is no damage to the line. This ensures you can always make emergency calls, providing peace of mind. 

In most cases, you will be able to keep the same telephone number when you transfer to Nexicom phone services.

For specific long-distance fees, it’s best to check Nexicom’s pricing page or contact their customer service, as rates can vary based on the plan and destination.

With over 125 years of experience as a local telecommunications provider, you can trust that Nexicom offers the best home phone services. Nexicom Home Phone offers reliable service with crystal-clear call quality, competitive pricing, and the convenience of features such as voicemail, caller ID, and call forwarding. It’s a cost-effective solution for both local and long-distance calls.