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- Canada - Toronto & Southern Ont.
-- TOTA Mobile/Wireless/Celluar/VOIP Thread
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quote:

Bell undercuts iPhone plans with unlimited Instinct JACK KAPICA Globe and Mail Update * E-mail Jack Kapica * | Read Bio * | Latest Columns July 3, 2008 at 12:06 PM EDT The smartphone that has been hailed as "the iPhone killer" by online pundits is coming to Canada on Aug. 8. The Samsung Instinct, which has many of the same features as the Apple iPhone, differs from the iPhone in one major way: Its monthly price plan, which will dramatically undercut the iPhone plan announced last week by Rogers Wireless. A subscriber can buy the Instinct for as low as $149.95 and then pay less than $40 a month for a modest voice plan accompanied by an unlimited data plan on Bell's high-speed data network. * Is it the phone or the plan? Answer the poll question at Globetechnology.com In contrast, Rogers Wireless's cheapest iPhone plan costs $60 per month, and includes only 400 megabytes of data. Like Rogers, Bell Mobility offers a variety of voice plans, but asks $10 a month for the unlimited data plan, applicable to the Instuinct alone. The plan includes unlimited Web browsing and Internet e-mail (including Hotmail and Gmail accounts), as well as attachments. Features such as the global positioning system as well as live and on-demand TV are treated as separate expenses, such as the optional $15 per month streaming music plan. The lowest price plan for the Instinct includes 100 minutes of local calls for $20; 1,000 minutes of voice calls from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. and weekends (Fridays from 9 p.m. to Mondays at 7 a.m.); an $8.95 monthly system access fee; 75 cents for 911 emergency calls, and the $10 unlimited data plan. The monthly total comes to $39.70 before taxes. There is also one-time activation fee of $35. The only feature the Instinct does not support is the use of the Instinct as a "tethered" device offering roaming wireless data access for laptops. The Instinct offers touch or stylus navigation on a QWERTY-style touch-screen keyboard. It also offers a global positioning system GPS with traffic updates, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail; mobile television, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, and a 2.0 MP camera/camcorder. The phone also has a slot for a Micro SD card, which can handle 8 gigabytes of data. Bell is also offering access to its Full Track Music service, which has 2 million songs in its catalogue, for an extra $15 a month. The Instinct will be available for $149.95 on a three-year contract, $249.95 on a two-year contract or $399.95 on a one-year contract. Without a contract, the phone will be available for $449.95. In more technical details, the Instinct has a full-touch screen with haptic feedback, meaning it responds when keys are pressed, and connects to the EV-DO Rev A high-speed data network.

source:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...wgtinstinct0703

Also Telus is getting the Touch Diamond.

http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/cdmaflavored_htc_diamond_to_hi.html

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Originally posted by dEsidEL source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...wgtinstinct0703

you have to pay to get GPS?!?!?!?!

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Originally posted by Orko They (Palm) had the best philosophy: get to any option, part of the OS within 3 clicks from the desktop. It made life so easy. I miss my old Palm Zire 71. *tear*

BlackBerry, same philosophy.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Z BlackBerry, same philosophy.

Hahah, I often toy around with my a friend's 8703 and let me tell you there's no goddamn way they had that philosophy when that model was made. Most confusing shit ever, even worse than WinMo.

Anyone have a hookup at rogers?
My phone spent the night in a cup of water and is obviously fucked..
ugh.
pm me if you can help <3 id really appreciate it

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 Hahah, I often toy around with my a friend's 8703 and let me tell you there's no goddamn way they had that philosophy when that model was made. Most confusing shit ever, even worse than WinMo.

The problem with the BBs is that they didn't plan the settings menu too well originally, so now they're stuck with it. Like if you have BB with GPS, you have GPS menu under Settings -> GPS, and you have GPS advanced options under Settings -> Advanced Options -> GPS

wtf?

it should be, Settings -> GPS -> Advanced Options

also, some of the advanced options should be in regular options, and some regular in the advanced

but other then that, there really aren't more than 3 different layers on the tree

I'm trading my Touch for a Sony Ericsson K850i.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Allen "Practically speaking, signing an internet petition is the adult equivalent of writing a letter to Santa Claus."

Just checked my Rogers account summary after getting an email that my bill for this month is available.

$602.58.

What.

It says I used over 400MB of data. On their super slowass EDGE network. HAHAHAHHAHAH. SPB GPRS Monitor reports that I have used 168.4KB of data this month so far.

400MB. Hahahhahahhahha, oh Rogers. Someone's getting a nice phonecall tomorrow.

quote:

Apple allegedly sanctioning Rogers for iPhone rates After raising the ire of its customers with what are believed to be overly expensive iPhone 3G plans, Canadian provider Rogers Wireless is allegedly being punished by Apple with fewer shipments. Blogger Daniel Smith claims multiple sources, including a senior Rogers representative, claim that Apple has diverted a significant amount of its initial iPhone 3G Canadian deliveries to Europe in retribution for the carrier's steep rate plans, which at similar prices offer a third fewer minutes and limited data compared to AT&T. Stores may be getting just 10 to 20 iPhones each and are being told to "exercise caution" not to promise ample stock on launch day, according to the rumors. At the same time, Rogers is also claimed to be promptly firing the part-time staff that had been hired to handle an expected deluge of customers at some stores. With the story breaking on the weekend, neither Apple nor Rogers officials have commented on the allegations. However, the provider in recent days has faced a steadily mounting backlash against its planned rates with approximately 42,000 would-be iPhone buyers signing a highly-publicized petition for lower rates that they plan to deliver to Rogers in person. Rogers itself has already made an about-face regarding some of its plans. A statement issued to the press clarified that customers will now be able to pick and choose from separate voice and data plans as well as to order extras such as caller ID a la carte rather than as part of mandatory $15 and $20 value packs. A separate statement from Rogers has also alluded to "tweaking" data plan sizes, although it stops short of offering the unlimited data demanded by some of the company's critics. While readers should take caution in accepting the rumor at face value, at least one other carrier has been forced to loosen its Internet access restrictions after facing similar criticism: TeliaSonera has been pushed into extending its Swedish iPhone plans with an unlimited data option after previously giving even its highest-end iPhone plan just 1GB of data per month.

Source: AppleInsider

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 Just checked my Rogers account summary after getting an email that my bill for this month is available. $602.58. What. It says I used over 400MB of data. On their super slowass EDGE network. HAHAHAHHAHAH. SPB GPRS Monitor reports that I have used 168.4KB of data this month so far. 400MB. Hahahhahahhahha, oh Rogers. Someone's getting a nice phonecall tomorrow.

So I call them up, they say that I've used barely 21MB of data, yet it shows on my bill that there is over 400MB of usage. Something's fucked.

They keep trying to tell me that it's a valid charge, that I'll have to pay it. I politely ask to be transferred immediately to customer retentions, because I'd rather cancel my plan than pay those data charges.

2 minutes later, they have reversed all the charges, and given me a free month of service for my troubles.

Sweet.

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 So I call them up, they say that I've used barely 21MB of data, yet it shows on my bill that there is over 400MB of usage. Something's fucked. They keep trying to tell me that it's a valid charge, that I'll have to pay it. I politely ask to be transferred immediately to customer retentions, because I'd rather cancel my plan than pay those data charges. 2 minutes later, they have reversed all the charges, and given me a free month of service for my troubles. Sweet.

LOL you're the man, Cale. ^5 Good win.

O2 UK

quote:

Originally posted by E2EK1EL O2 UK

And now there is no need to wonder why they were forced to stop taking pre-orders after they sold out early yesterday morning on the first day.

So rogers is going to sell out, what about ATT?

Do you guys think ours will sell out??

I have been getting mixed reviews and VERY confused. I know things will clear up the closer we get, but my ADD is kicking in LOL

Anyone know of a good place to buy a flash cable from? Preferably downtown...

ahahaha .. I so hope this is true ..

quote:

July 07, 2008 Has Rogers upset Apple? Posted by Simon Cohen at 4:50 PM | E-mail this post It's 4 days before the much anticipated launch of the iPhone in Canada. But could there be trouble brewing between Apple and their chosen carrier, Rogers? We're not really in the habit of repeating rumours over here at Sync, but some rumours are just too hot to ignore. Two days ago, a blogger named Daniel Smith, who writes a blog called Smithereens, posted an item about a possible falling-out between Apple and Rogers. Based on accounts of events that Smith has gleaned from someone he claims is an insider at Rogers, he has constructed the possibility that Rogers will not be receiving the number of iPhone units they expected for the initial launch on July 11th. Supposedly, the majority of iPhones once destined for Canada are now enroute to Europe. Further citing the layoffs of temporary employees at certain Rogers retails locations as evidence of an unexpected slap on the hands, Smith conjectures that Apple is reacting to both the iPhone data plans that Rogers announced as well as the ensuing backlash by iPhone fans via a heavily supported online petition. If the rumour is true it would certainly be bad news for Rogers, as it faces intense competition in the smartphone arena from both Bell's imminent launch of the Samsung Instinct and Telus's offering of the HTC Touch Diamond. While neither of these phones have the intense aura that surrounds Apple's iPhone, they do come with unlimited data options, which will likely play a role in consumers' decision-making. Disclosure: Sympatico / MSN is a partnership between Microsoft and Bell Canada.

source:
http://www.sync-blog.com/sync/2008/...ogers-upse.html

Get ready to pay for incoming text messages

Companies to bring in 15-cent levy on incoming text messages


Sarah Schmidt , Canwest News Service

Published: Tuesday, July 08, 2008
OTTAWA - Cellphone users are about to be hit with new fees as two of Canada's telecommunications giants plan to bring in a levy on incoming text messages.
Bell Mobility will begin charging customers 15 cents per incoming text message on Aug. 8. Telus Mobility is moving to the same billing practice effective Aug. 24. Until now, their pay-per-use customers who send text messages have been charged a 15-cent fee per message, but it hasn't cost anything to receive them.
The pending new charge has sparked outrage on blogs, with customers saying they can't control who sends them messages, especially when spammers obtain their cell number or retailers send them unsolicited messages.
"This charge is unbelievable. If someone sends me "spam" on my Bell phone, I have to pay for it? I made the mistake of giving my cellphone number to a car rental agency and now I get spam text messages," a Bell customer ranted on a Canadian technology blog.
"I actually work for Bell and I think this incoming text messages being charged is bogus!" posted another.
Text messaging has ballooned in popularity since inter-carrier service came to Canada in 2002.
In its first year, there were 369,000 text messages sent every day, or 11 million annually. Today, Canadians send 45.4 million per day, according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. And cellphone subscribers sent 4.1 billion in the first quarter of this year, close to the annual total of 4.3 billion sent in 2006 and on track to surpass the 10.1 billion sent last year.
Association spokesman Marc Choma said the phenomenon has moved beyond the teenage crowd - known as the "early adopters" - to parents, who use it as a "family management tool."
Telus Mobility spokesperson AJ Gratton cites this rapid growth as the reason for the new charge.
"The growth in text messages has been nothing short of phenomenal," Gratton said. "This volume places tremendous demands on our network and we can't afford to provide this service for free anymore."
Characterizing the annual growth in text traffic on Bell's wireless network as "massive," company spokesman Jason Laszlo said the result has been greater capacity, licensing and support costs.
He said all but one of Bell's North American competitors charge for both incoming and outcoming text messages.
Bell and Telus customers can avoid the charge by switching to Rogers, which says it has no plans to institute a fee to receive a text message. But Bell and Telus both charge penalties if customers break their contracts, at $20 for every month remaining on a broken contract up to $400.
"We just don't charge for it, and have no plans to. Now it's a unique differentiator for Rogers," company spokeswoman Elizabeth Hamilton said of the move to charge for incoming messages.
Howard Chui, based in the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill, runs an online forum about the mobile phone industry in Canada. He isn't optimistic that consumers are going to win this fight. And he's not sure how long Rogers will hold out.
"I think overall customers will just have to take it," he said, characterizing the three Canadian carriers as an "oligopoly."
Rogers is dealing with its own customer backlash over its rate plans for the Apple iPhone, on store shelves on Friday. The company, which has an exclusive iPhone carrier arrangement with Apple Inc. in Canada, is offering monthly plans ranging from $60 to $155.
The proposed fee schedule has unleashed an online campaign against Rogers, under the tagline "Screwing Canadian iPhone customers since '08."
Canadians already pay more than Europeans and Americans for cellphone services. Industry Minister Jim Prentice acknowledged this fact in the spring when he opened Canada's wireless spectrum auction.
Industry Canada set aside 40 megahertz, out of a total 105, for smaller companies to compete against the established telecommunications giants. Prentice said "the intent behind the auction is lower prices, more choice for consumers.'"
� Canwest News Service 2008

^^ Man our telecom industry is fucked up. Instead of getting better deals, with fewer restrictions and better technology we are going backwards. Pay for incoming text messages? And no more unlimited internet? Yup, time to leave Canada. Who knew it would be over technology?

Thankfully there is some good news on the horizon:

quote:

Spectrum auction nearing conclusion The cozy world of Canadian telecom appears set for a shakeup, as Ottawa's auction of wireless spectrum licences draws to an end and a major foreign phone company readies to pump money into a new national network. Canadian consumers can expect to see more enticing price packages tailored to both heavy and light users of mobile voice and data. At the same time, investors in Canadian telecom firms should prepare for weakening valuations, some experts say. The changes won't occur overnight. It will take about two years for the winners of the new licences to build infrastructure and operations. But the auction results are a watershed moment in Canadian communications, said Genuity Capital analyst Dvai Ghose. Six weeks of aggressive bidding have pushed prices far above all initial expectations. But a small, private Canadian firm called Globalive Communications Corp., which sells Yak long-distance services, has managed to win licences across the country, with the critical exception of Quebec. Another new player, Data & Audio-Visual Enterprises Wireless Inc., a venture of Canadian satellite-radio king John Bitove and Microsoft Corp.'s co-founder Paul Allen, has obtained spectrum in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. Regionally, Calgary's Shaw Communications Inc., Quebecor Inc. (which owns Vid�otron T�l�com Lt�e), and Atlantic Canada's Bragg Communications Inc. have each obtained enough spectrum to build wireless networks in their home regions. Industry Canada will conclude the auction when there are no new high bids. Just a trickle occurred yesterday, with bidders vying for control of four slices of airwaves in northern Canada, Southern Ontario and Red Deer, Alta. The results of the auction mean there will be two to three new players in most markets, rather than just one, as originally expected. The exception is in Quebec, one of the most intense battlegrounds, where at considerable cost Quebecor appears to have captured most of the new licences and quashed Globalive's hopes of a truly national network. Analysts, however, say there is plenty of room for Globalive to make a reciprocity deal with Quebecor, possibly opening up Western spectrum for the Quebec firm. In addition to the $444.1-million Globalive has committed to buying spectrum rights, it will need to spend about $1-billion to build its network across the country, Mr. Ghose estimates. This level of upfront cost makes it very difficult for a newcomer to succeed in Canada's telecom market. Today, the $12.7-billion wireless industry is dominated by three companies whose profit margins are higher than almost anywhere else in the world: Rogers Communications Inc., Bell Canada and Telus Corp. But Globalive has collected some powerful partners in its quest to build a new national wireless network: Weather Investments, controlled by Egypt's Naguib Sawiris, and Novator, founded by Iceland's Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson. Through Weather and its holdings in a firm called Orascom, Mr. Sawiris rules a wireless empire with more than 90 million clients in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. His customers are based in such diverse markets at Italy and North Korea. In a recent interview with The Globe and Mail, he said he was attracted to the Canadian market by a dearth of competition. "The competitive environment is not competitive enough, which means at the end the consumer is not getting his best deal," Mr. Sawiris said. With a total of 94 million subscribers around the world, Weather/Orascom "enjoys a level of scale that cannot be matched by any of Canada's wireless incumbents," Mr. Ghose said. For example, the company is the biggest customer to equipment gear maker Alcatel-Lucent, which gives it sway on pricing and financing. The volume of its business also gives it leverage with manufacturers of handsets. Weather will try to use its scale to help Globalive build a network more cheaply than anyone else and give the firm "a significant competitive advantage," Mr. Ghose said. With lower costs, and experience selling competitive phone services in diverse markets, Weather and Globalive will likely offer wireless packages that the incumbents have so far declined to provide, he added. Mr. Ghose says it makes little sense for new entrants to build more than one network and he sees other players buying capacity on infrastructure built by Globalive. In addition, resellers could jump on the bandwagon, buying space from Globalive and offering inexpensive alternatives to the incumbents' discount brands, Fido (Rogers), Solo (Bell) and Koodo (Telus), he says. The new entrants will need time to build their networks and establish their wireless operations and they are unlikely to have an effect for several years. But their mere presence on the sidelines is introducing uncertainty in the market for Rogers, Bell and Telus. Mr. Ghose cut his price targets on both Rogers (to $45 from $54) and Telus (to $43 from $50) yesterday.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...Technology/home

quote:

Originally posted by smuncky Get ready to pay for incoming text messages Companies to bring in 15-cent levy on incoming text messages Sarah Schmidt , Canwest News Service Published: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 OTTAWA - Cellphone users are about to be hit with new fees as two of Canada's telecommunications giants plan to bring in a levy on incoming text messages. Bell Mobility will begin charging customers 15 cents per incoming text message on Aug. 8. Telus Mobility is moving to the same billing practice effective Aug. 24. Until now, their pay-per-use customers who send text messages have been charged a 15-cent fee per message, but it hasn't cost anything to receive them. The pending new charge has sparked outrage on blogs, with customers saying they can't control who sends them messages, especially when spammers obtain their cell number or retailers send them unsolicited messages. "This charge is unbelievable. If someone sends me "spam" on my Bell phone, I have to pay for it? I made the mistake of giving my cellphone number to a car rental agency and now I get spam text messages," a Bell customer ranted on a Canadian technology blog. "I actually work for Bell and I think this incoming text messages being charged is bogus!" posted another. Text messaging has ballooned in popularity since inter-carrier service came to Canada in 2002. In its first year, there were 369,000 text messages sent every day, or 11 million annually. Today, Canadians send 45.4 million per day, according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. And cellphone subscribers sent 4.1 billion in the first quarter of this year, close to the annual total of 4.3 billion sent in 2006 and on track to surpass the 10.1 billion sent last year. Association spokesman Marc Choma said the phenomenon has moved beyond the teenage crowd - known as the "early adopters" - to parents, who use it as a "family management tool." Telus Mobility spokesperson AJ Gratton cites this rapid growth as the reason for the new charge. "The growth in text messages has been nothing short of phenomenal," Gratton said. "This volume places tremendous demands on our network and we can't afford to provide this service for free anymore." Characterizing the annual growth in text traffic on Bell's wireless network as "massive," company spokesman Jason Laszlo said the result has been greater capacity, licensing and support costs. He said all but one of Bell's North American competitors charge for both incoming and outcoming text messages. Bell and Telus customers can avoid the charge by switching to Rogers, which says it has no plans to institute a fee to receive a text message. But Bell and Telus both charge penalties if customers break their contracts, at $20 for every month remaining on a broken contract up to $400. "We just don't charge for it, and have no plans to. Now it's a unique differentiator for Rogers," company spokeswoman Elizabeth Hamilton said of the move to charge for incoming messages. Howard Chui, based in the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill, runs an online forum about the mobile phone industry in Canada. He isn't optimistic that consumers are going to win this fight. And he's not sure how long Rogers will hold out. "I think overall customers will just have to take it," he said, characterizing the three Canadian carriers as an "oligopoly." Rogers is dealing with its own customer backlash over its rate plans for the Apple iPhone, on store shelves on Friday. The company, which has an exclusive iPhone carrier arrangement with Apple Inc. in Canada, is offering monthly plans ranging from $60 to $155. The proposed fee schedule has unleashed an online campaign against Rogers, under the tagline "Screwing Canadian iPhone customers since '08." Canadians already pay more than Europeans and Americans for cellphone services. Industry Minister Jim Prentice acknowledged this fact in the spring when he opened Canada's wireless spectrum auction. Industry Canada set aside 40 megahertz, out of a total 105, for smaller companies to compete against the established telecommunications giants. Prentice said "the intent behind the auction is lower prices, more choice for consumers.'" � Canwest News Service 2008

haha oh man are you kidding me ..

gotta love the Canadian wireless industry .. 1 step forward, 8 steps backwards

is someone old enough here to remember if in fact we used to pay for incoming txt messages when SMS was brand new?

I swear that I used to pay for them in the days of clearnet...

Just to note, you only pay for incoming text messages if you DONT have a text message plan.

If you have a plan where you get like 125SMS a month, you DONT pay for incoming texts. It also doesn't count as a message either.

You only pay if you're not on a plan.