IPTV Gatineau

Gatineau sits directly across the Ottawa River from Ottawa, and plenty of people live on one side and work on the other. At the 2021 census, just over one in four Gatineau residents in the labour force crossed the river to get to work. Home internet doesn’t follow the commute, though. The main cable network on the Quebec side isn’t the one that dominates Ottawa, and knowing which network reaches your home is the first step to streaming TV that doesn’t buffer. Here is how it works in Gatineau, and what Boom TV needs on your connection.

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Five towns, one city since 2002

Today’s Gatineau was created on 1 January 2002, when five municipalities merged: Aylmer, Hull, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers. The 2021 census counted 291,041 residents in the combined city, up 5.4% from five years earlier. Gatineau is part of Canada’s National Capital Region, sitting on the north bank of the Ottawa River.

Each of those five was its own municipality before the merger. For streaming, the city name tells you little: what counts is the network that actually reaches your street, and that can differ from one part of Gatineau to another.

Vidéotron on this side, Rogers on the other

If you’ve just moved over from Ottawa, this is the main difference. Network data compiled from CRTC filings shows:

• In Gatineau, Vidéotron is the main cable (coaxial) network owner. Vidéotron is a Quebec company based in Montreal, and Gatineau is one of its cable service areas.
• In Ottawa, Rogers is the main cable owner. Rogers cable also shows up in about a quarter of Gatineau’s zones, and Bell fibre is mapped across most of Ottawa too.
• Bell owns fibre-to-the-home and DSL across almost all of Gatineau’s mapped zones.
• Smaller operators, including Cogeco and regional fibre companies, are listed as owning fibre in some parts of the city.

So a cable account that served you in Ottawa may not follow you across the bridge. Fortunately, Boom TV doesn’t care which network you’re on. It’s an app you install and sign into. Nothing is installed on the line, and nothing changes on your Vidéotron or Bell account.

How much speed you actually need

Boom TV’s recommended speeds, per stream:

Check your plan against that table. If you’re still on DSL, run a speed test in the evening, in the room with the TV, before deciding how many screens to use at once.

When it buffers, start with the last few metres

If the speed on paper is fine but the picture still stutters, the cause is often inside the home:

• Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi rather than 2.4 GHz. The 2.4 GHz band is slower and gets crowded in apartment buildings and rows of attached houses.
• Run an Ethernet cable to the main TV if you can. A wired connection takes Wi-Fi out of the picture.
• Keep the router central and off the floor. Basements and cabinets cost you signal.
• Count everything else on the network. Video calls, game downloads and cloud backups share the connection with your TV.

Bilingual city, bilingual homes

At the 2021 census, both English and French were spoken in 65.0% of Gatineau households. If different people in your home watch on different screens at the same time, add each stream together using the table above, and make sure your plan covers the total.

Getting set up in Gatineau

1. Start the free 24-hour trial. Test it in the evening, on the TV you actually use, when home internet is busiest. If several people in the house usually watch at once, run several screens during the trial too.
2. Install the app on a streaming stick, TV box, smart TV, phone, tablet or computer, and sign in with the details sent by email.
3. Connect to 5 GHz Wi-Fi or Ethernet and watch for a full evening. If it plays cleanly, choose a plan on the plans page.

No installer, no new wiring, and no change to your internet account, whether you’re in Hull, Aylmer or anywhere else in the city.

Frequently asked questions

Does Boom TV work on Vidéotron internet in Gatineau?

Yes. Vidéotron is Gatineau’s main cable network owner, and Boom TV runs over it the same way it does over Bell fibre or DSL. Nothing on your Vidéotron account changes.

I live in Aylmer, Buckingham or Masson-Angers. Is it the same?

Yes. They have been part of Gatineau since 2002. Only your local internet options vary by street.

Does it work on Bell fibre or DSL in Gatineau?

Yes. Bell’s fibre and DSL networks are mapped across almost all of Gatineau. On DSL, run an evening speed test first and compare it with the table.

What speed do I need for 4K?

About 25 Mbps per 4K stream, and about 10 Mbps per HD stream. Add them together for several screens.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. It lasts 24 hours and is free. Start the trial or compare plans.