IPTV Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, Ontario sits on the Niagara River, right at the Canada–US border, and it had 94,415 people in the 2021 census. The city was put together in stages, and its internet map has a local twist: the City of Niagara Falls was one of the owners of a regional fibre network. For streaming live TV, what matters is the line into your home and the Wi-Fi inside it. Here’s who owns the wired networks in Niagara Falls, what speed streaming needs, and how to test Boom TV on your own connection before you pay.

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A city built in three steps

Niagara Falls grew from the villages of Drummondville, Elgin and Clifton, and it was incorporated as a city in 1904. The Township of Stamford joined in 1963. In 1970, the village of Chippawa and parts of Willoughby and Crowland townships became part of the city too.

Today it’s a lower-tier city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara, covering about 210 square kilometres. The city plans around 11 communities and 67 neighbourhoods, and its population grew 7.2% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.

Who owns the wires in Niagara Falls

An independent coverage map built from CRTC network-owner filings (the CRTC is Canada’s telecom regulator) splits Niagara Falls into 16 zones. Here’s what it shows:

• Cogeco cable is mapped in 12 of the 16 zones, and Cogeco fibre-to-the-home in 8.
• Bell fibre-to-the-home is mapped in 13 zones, with Bell’s older DSL listed in all 16.
• Niagara Regional Broadband Network fibre is mapped in 5 zones.
• A second, smaller cable owner appears in 1 zone.
• Fixed wireless from several companies, and satellite from Xplore, are mapped in every zone.

These are shares of mapped zones, not homes, and the map counts network owners only. Check your own address.

Boom TV is an app you install and sign into, so nothing is installed on the line. Boom TV doesn’t change anything on your internet account.

A regional fibre network and Cogeco’s 2024 deal

The Niagara Regional Broadband Network used to be locally owned. Before 2024, 75% belonged to a holding company tied to Niagara Falls’ hydro utility and 25% to a utility company owned by the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In February 2024, Cogeco announced it was acquiring the network. The sellers, the City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, were to keep minority shares. The coverage map still lists the network under its own name.

How much speed you actually need

Boom TV’s recommended speeds, per stream:

That coverage map lists the city’s cable at up to 1.5 Gbps and fibre at up to 8 Gbps, far more than a few streams need. Bell DSL is listed at 5 to 100 Mbps, so if you’re on DSL, test your speed before relying on 4K.

Add up your screens. A 4K TV in the living room and an HD stream on a tablet upstairs need about 35 Mbps between them.

Boom TV works on any home connection that meets the speeds above. Test it on your own line with the free trial.

When a fast connection still buffers

The cause is often inside the house:

• Use the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, not 2.4 GHz.
• Run Ethernet to the main TV if you can. A wired connection takes Wi-Fi out of the picture.
• Move the router out of the basement or utility room, or add a mesh point for upstairs TVs.
• Count everyone on the network. Video calls, game downloads and cloud backups share the same connection as your TV.
• Test in the evening, in the room with the TV, when everyone at home is online.

Getting set up in Niagara Falls

1. Start the free 24-hour trial. Test it in the evening, on the TV you actually use.
2. Install the app on your streaming stick, TV box, smart TV, phone, tablet or computer, and sign in with the details sent by email.
3. Connect over 5 GHz Wi-Fi or Ethernet and watch a full evening. If it plays cleanly, choose a plan on the plans page.

No technician, no new wiring and nothing to return.

Frequently asked questions

Does Boom TV work on Cogeco internet in Niagara Falls?

Yes. Cogeco cable is mapped in 12 of the city’s 16 zones, and Boom TV works over Cogeco cable or fibre the same way it works over Bell. Boom TV doesn’t change anything on your internet account.

Is there fibre in Niagara Falls?

On the network-owner map, yes. Bell fibre is mapped in 13 of 16 zones, Cogeco in 8 and the Niagara Regional Broadband Network in 5. Zone shares aren’t homes, so check your own address.

I live in Chippawa. Is it any different?

Chippawa has been part of the city since 1970. For Boom TV, what matters is which network reaches your street and how it holds up in the evening, so run the free trial on your own line.

Will it work on DSL or fixed wireless?

Boom TV works on any home connection that meets the speeds above. Test it on your own line with the free trial.

What do I need for 4K?

About 25 Mbps per 4K stream, plus a device that supports 4K.

Is there a free trial?

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