Canadian wireless providers Bell and Telus to launch iPhone next month

[NXTMIKE]

Bell and Telus will turn up the competition once they launch iPhones under their service by the next month to remove the exclusive Rogers-only stamp currently held.

Full article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/bell-telus-to-launch-iphone-next-month/article1312692/

 

[brad.c]

Good post! I just read this online. I wonder if Bell will offer term-free purchases out-of-the-gate.

 

[abz786]

would you guys make the switch?
current rogers iphone 3gs owner (horrible luck with the iphone and rogers bad network) --> bell/telus?

 

[brad.c]

I don't have an iPhone. I have a failing Palm Treo on Bell's prepaid service. I would be interested in more flexible data-only plans, but generally am interested in seeing more competition.

 

[tryppy]

would you guys make the switch?
current rogers iphone 3gs owner (horrible luck with the iphone and rogers bad network) --> bell/telus?

Hell yes I'll switch. That will net me an employee discount! I had no idea of this. But I don't work in the mobility sector.

oh this excites me to no end.

 

[charliehustle]

telus is notoriously known for screwing over their customers..

 

[Hutch1]

I have both a bell phone and an iPhone on Rogers and travel in South and South Western Ontario and unless Bell has increased their coverage I wouldn't think of it as their coverage sucks.

 

[RumMunkey]

Same:

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/10/05/bell-telus-launching-iphone-rogers.html


Just heard it on 680 News as well.

 

[charliehustle]

I copied and pasted a readers comments on the article..

can anyone shed some light on it to see if he's right or not?


The author does not know his facts. All iPhones are GSM and not CDMA. I have not heard any iPhones using CDMA coming out. Telus and Bell cell phone network is CDMA not GSM. The iPhone can only use the data part of the Telus and Bell network (high-speed packet access - HSPA)

It is also not cost effective currently to do a voice call over a cellular data network (HSPA).

 

[anjinha]

I copied and pasted a readers comments on the article..

can anyone shed some light on it to see if he's right or not?


The author does not know his facts. All iPhones are GSM and not CDMA. I have not heard any iPhones using CDMA coming out. Telus and Bell cell phone network is CDMA not GSM. The iPhone can only use the data part of the Telus and Bell network (high-speed packet access - HSPA)

It is also not cost effective currently to do a voice call over a cellular data network (HSPA).

According to the article Bell will launch their GSM network next month:

Bell announced on Monday that it will launch in November, months ahead of schedule, the next-generation wireless network it has been building with Telus. The build-out extends the companies' existing 3G (third generation) network to include the same technology standard employed by Rogers, the nation's largest cellphone company.

It would have been obvious to that commenter if he had actually read the article.

 

[KnightWRX]

I copied and pasted a readers comments on the article..

can anyone shed some light on it to see if he's right or not?


The author does not know his facts. All iPhones are GSM and not CDMA. I have not heard any iPhones using CDMA coming out. Telus and Bell cell phone network is CDMA not GSM. The iPhone can only use the data part of the Telus and Bell network (high-speed packet access - HSPA)

It is also not cost effective currently to do a voice call over a cellular data network (HSPA).

He failed to read the article :

Bell announced on Monday that it will launch in November, months ahead of schedule, the next-generation wireless network it has been building with Telus. The build-out extends the companies' existing 3G (third generation) network to include the same technology standard employed by Rogers, the nation's largest cellphone company.

...

Until now, Rogers has enjoyed a Canadian monopoly on that standard, known as high-speed packet access (HSPA), as well as its precursor GSM, and with it, one of the hottest products of the IT age.

2 things comes to mind :

1- Bell is the absolute worse in customer service.
2- New network = probably very bad coverage. Though Bell today enjoys the best coverage of all cellular networks in Canada, building a whole new network will mean a few months or years of decreased coverage.

 

[charliehustle]

According to the article Bell will launch their GSM network next month:



It would have been obvious to that commenter if he had actually read the article.

ya, I thought something didn't sound right..

thanks a lot..

 

[profets]

He failed to read the article :



2 things comes to mind :

1- Bell is the absolute worse in customer service.
2- New network = probably very bad coverage. Though Bell today enjoys the best coverage of all cellular networks in Canada, building a whole new network will mean a few months or years of decreased coverage.

#1 i agree with.. but #2 is incorrect. Bell/Telus' new HSPA network has the same coverage as their current cdma network. if you get an iphone or other hspa phone with bell/telus soon, you'll be on 3G 100% of the time, no edge fallback.

 

[profets]

also, this is going to be nationwide hspa+ 21mbps..

http://www.bce.ca/en/news/releases/bm/2009/10/05/75220.html

 

[RKpro]

I've avoided the iPhone because I don't want a 3 year contract with Robbers which is the least competitive company in the world. They just buy out all their competition, and offer sh*t service at monopoly prices.

Bell and Telus aren't much better, but at least I'm being treated with respect by Telus. So I might be down for this.

However, I was also waiting for that new Globalive GSM provider to launch next year. If they offer an iPhone, or at least some Android phones, I'd love to support the new comer and support competition, and hope that Rogers doesn't buy them.