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Any idea what these pole mounted devices are?

turbanplanner

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I noticed them around the former Nortel HQ. They were there in the 2007 streetview map data so it's very unlikely to be cellular imo!

Google says it's Norris Glen rd but it's actually paxman road.

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I'll have to do some digging when I get home through the ISED database to see if I can find anything.

Part of me thinks it's a device that remotely transmits meter data from a utility provider when they drive by. There are a few in my area like that.
 
Yes, they’re owned by Toronto Hydro and used for remote meter readings.

At one time, these were also considered for double duty as public wifi terminals but the idea wasn’t implemented.
Thanks! Do you know any other area that has them? I saw there was one that was taken down around 2010, weird it wasn't replaced. Hence why I assumed it was a nortel thing


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So, after doing some digging through the ISED Technical and Administrative Frequency List (TAFL) database for every entry that would use some form of frequency to transit or receive, I was unable to find anything on Paxman road. That usually means that the device is defunct and just not taken down.

Usually when a device is as old as this, it tends to hang around because it's cheaper to leave it up than it is to pay a crew to take down, unless they were planning to install new hardware in the exact same location. As an area is rebuilt, these devices are either decommissioned, or another device in the area is added which provides an upgrade to range and data transmission. I would believe that for every 5-10 of these older devices, there's 1-2 new devices within the area that cover it significantly better due to the height, as well as the use of a different spectrum frequency.
 
@turbanplanner

Toronto downtown wifi hubs. 2006 ONEZONE

From AI
Based on available information, there is no evidence that Toronto Hydro’s OneZone, a
public/commercial Wi-Fi network launched in the late 2000s, was used to read hydro meters. Smart meters in Toronto typically use dedicated, secure wireless cellular/mesh networks for data transmission, rather than the public-facing OneZone 802.11g



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