Crystal City’s skyline was in flames Aug. 20 when fire took a grain elevator and spread to a local hardware store. Locals who came to combat the flames say efforts were hindered by lack of cellphone coverage.

Communications breakdown

In the wake of last week’s fire, Crystal City residents have joined the rural Manitobans 
taking cellphone companies to task for what they say is subpar coverage

Crystal City residents say that poor cell coverage compounded the crisis caused by a fire last week. That’s when fire erupted from the top of the local grain elevator, spewing ash and embers into the air, razing the elevator to the ground and setting a hardware store ablaze. “I heard of one firefighter who was

MTS’ “Ultimate” cellular plan

MTS’ “Ultimate” cellular plan

Our History: June 1994

Not everything is subject to inflation — this ad for MTS cellular in our June 9, 1994 issue featured the “Ultimate” plan — $149.95 per month. That’s $229 in today’s dollars. Just above that ad was another inviting farmers to an AgrEvo field day near Brandon, where they could see a new crop that year



Premier Brian Pallister (r), Wade Oosterman, Pat Solman and Chris Goertzen examine a map of Highway 75.

Pallister cheers on Bell expansion

Bell Canada is targeting Highway 75 in its expanded coverage plan — provided its 
merger with MTS is approved

Reliable cellular service could be coming to Highway 75 if Bell Canada’s proposed multibillion-dollar take-over of Manitoba Telephone Services goes ahead. Speaking at the Morris Stampede and Exhibition grounds, Wade Oosterman, group president of BCE and Bell Canada, said the company promise to invest $1 billion in infrastructure over five years includes building three new


Wildfires in the RMs of Piney and Stuartburn in the spring of 2012 starkly illustrated the need for better rural telecommunications.

CRTC chief deems Internet a necessity

Modern telecommunications are still rare as hen’s teeth in rural areas, but hope is on the horizon

A mid-hearing speech, made by the chairman of the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, is welcome news to rural advocates of digital equality. In recent televised remarks, Jean-Pierre Blais said the necessity of broadband Internet access was a “self-evident truth,” shifting the focus of the current review of basic telecommunications services from proving the need

In the early days of the MTS operator, cord boards were utilized and operators were required to adhere to a strict dress code.


The original Google — just dial ‘0’

As of January of this year, MTS operators have become non-existent and what was once a lifeline in the community has now become another victim of technology

These days, you can check Facebook or the local website for community information, but before computers there was another source — the local telephone operator. But as of January this year, that job no longer exists in Manitoba. Florence Payne fondly remembers her time as a telephone operator as a position that shaped lifelong friendships



News in brief

Canola board elections Staff / Manitoba canola growers elected Huge Drake of Elkhorn, Jack Froese of Winkler, Dale Gryba of Gilbert Plains and Clayton Harder of Winnipeg to represent them on the Manitoba Canola Growers Association board of directors. There were 8,983 ballots mailed out in the election this fall with 1.512 valid envelopes returned.


Crops Briefs Jan. 5

Canola board elections Staff / Manitoba canola growers elected Huge Drake of Elkhorn, Jack Froese of Winkler, Dale Gryba of Gilbert Plains and Clayton Harder of Winnipeg to represent them on the Manitoba Canola Growers Association board of directors. There were 8,983 ballots mailed out in the election this fall with 1.512 valid envelopes returned.

Late Reporter Mourned

briefs staff / The National Farmers Union (NFU) has paid tribute to the late Adrian Ewins, calling him an inspired journalist and a gentleman. Adrian Ewins was always well respected for the integrity and the intelligence he brought to his profession, the association said in a release. Ewins worked as a reporter for the Saskatoon-based