Cortesians will get to choose their internet providers next Spring

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Sometime this spring, possibly as early as March, Cortes Island residents will get to choose their internet provider.

After building Twincomm up to the company islanders recognize today, on June 28, 2021, former General Manager Dino Tsakonas left to join CityWest.

In an interview at that time, he told Cortes Currents that this came about as a result of the Connected Coast project, which will bring reliable high speed internet to Cortes Island. CityWest partnered with the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) to become the local provider.

“I was heavily involved with that because I was trying to get more fibre optiks so we can better serve our Twincomm customers. What happened is that project continued, and they got the grants. We were trying to work out a deal last fall between Twincomm and CityWest. That fell through and then CityWest just offered me a job. I decided it was my best interest to switch teams.”

“After that, I got them both back at the table to make some type of deal. Now we're in negotiations to see if CityWest can purchase Twincomm. That way it's a smooth transition, but it's very entirely possible that both the CEOs decide not to make a deal, that's out of my hands now, but I brought them both back to the table.”

Twincomm’s much anticipated deal with CityWest never occurred. Instead, on June 30, 2022, TELUS acquired Twincomm ‘as part of its Mascon by TELUS brand.’

Colleen Dragseth, who has beenTwincomm’s General Manager since Tsakona’s departure, emailed Cortes Currents that the migration to Mascon by TELUS will occur later in 2023.

“At this time, Twincomm will not be providing an interview. Please feel free to contact us again in the spring. Once we have more information regarding our transition to Mascon by Telus, customers will be contacted. ”
We do not know what Twincomm will look like after it becomes part of Mascon by Telus. Colleen and Debbie Dragseth, Lyle Brulhart, Jason Thompson, Dave Blinzinger and Liesa van Rossem have been working there for years. Will they still be in the new Mascon by TELUS team? Twincomm’s infrastructure will most likely improve. Mascon by TELUS is offering download speeds of up to 120 Mbps, and upload speeds up to 12.5 Mbps up on Quadra Island.

Dragseth emailed a description of four of Twincomm’s current service speed plans. They all have upload speeds of up to 5 Mbps but the download speeds range from ‘up to 8’ to ‘up to 30 Mbps,’ depending on what people are willing to pay.

Cortes Currents uses the Standard Plus plan and in 6 out of 7 recent speed tests was clocked at +16 down/+6 up. My low score was 15.32/6.54. That is still better than the 15/5 advertised for this plan.

Dragseth explained, “We allow slightly more if the network capacity allows it.”

Tsakonas said, “You get 16 MBps? That's half of what our lowest speed is.
We offer up to 1,000 Mbps. You can get it for $138 a month.”