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TOTA Mobile/Wireless/Celluar/VOIP Thread (pg. 58)
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View this Thread in Original format
| Tadz101 |
guys
my telus contract expires end of the month and im stuck on which phone to get or even going to rogerss
im interested in the BlackBerry™ 8703e or maybe the pearl
any ideas? or plans . Im worried about gettn raped on the data plans
thanks |
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| dEsidEL |
Rogers, Telus, and Bell are safe.. for now
| quote: |
Cell firm stocks leap as the field looks clear
Government auction of wireless airwaves won't include big U.S. players
April 02, 2008
Chris Sorensen Business Reporter
Canada's big three cellphone carriers, Bell, Telus and Rogers, are breathing easier after it was revealed that an upcoming government auction of wireless airwaves won't include any big U.S. telecom players, although some say the reprieve could be short-lived.
While Canadian cellphone users may covet the sorts of cut-rate prices advertised south of the border, investors had been concerned the entry of a big foreign telecom firm such as T-Mobile or AT&T Inc. would threaten the profitability of the country's cozy $12.7 billion wireless sector.
Shares of Rogers Communications Inc. rose nearly 8 per cent yesterday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, while shares of Telus Corp. finished 4 per cent above Monday's closing price. BCE Inc.'s stock, meanwhile, finished up slightly amid continued fears that a $52 billion leveraged buyout of Bell Canada's parent may not be completed.
There had also been widespread industry concerns about the motivations of a mysterious company called Niagara Networks Inc., mainly because of an ambitious initial application that included an $800 million deposit – enough to bid on all of the spectrum being auctioned.
But Industry Canada documents released on Monday revealed that Niagara had withdrawn.
"We're pumped now that this Niagara thing isn't real," said Anthony Lacavera, the chief executive of Globalive Communications, which is among the remaining 27 "qualified" bidders in the process and is best known for its Yak long-distance service.
"We were concerned that it was an investor with such extreme wealth, and no wireless experience, that they would be prepared to substantially overpay for the spectrum."
Industry Canada's spectrum auction, scheduled for late May, seeks to foster more competition in the industry by reserving some airwaves for new entrants.
Lacavera said Globalive is still working with Weather Investments, an international wireless company controlled by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris and European wireless investment firm Novator, which is controlled by Icelandic billionaire Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson.
Neither firm was listed as a beneficial owner in Industry Canada documents.
Other potential new entrants, defined by Industry Canada as holding less than 10 per cent of the national wireless market, are familiar names such as Shaw Communications Inc., Quebecor Inc. and MTS Allstream Inc., which is being backed by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and U.S. private equity firm Blackstone Group.
As well, it was revealed on Monday that John Bitove, the founder of XM Canada satellite radio, has managed to recruit the financial backing of Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen for his bid to enter the Canadian wireless market.
But despite the presence of several billionaire backers, there's no guarantee that a fourth national wireless player will emerge to challenge the incumbents, which collectively control about 95 per cent of the market.
"We continue to believe a national facilities-based competitor is unlikely to emerge, and that we will instead likely see new regional competition," Jeffrey Fan, an analyst at UBS Investment Research, stated in a note to clients yesterday.
Fan noted most bidders "do not usually win licences, and winning bidders may not necessarily build networks to operate those licences."
Others, however, maintain Canada's wireless landscape is poised to undergo significant changes.
"We're not just talking about your mom-and-pop shops," said Amit Kaminer, an analyst at SeaBoard Group.
"(Quebecor's) Vidéotron and MTS Allstream are big companies that can bundle a few things together and realize some synergies."
He added that the auction's winners may not be able to acquire enough spectrum at the right price to roll out a new wireless service, forcing them to enter into partnerships or sell the airwaves to someone else.
"I'm not ruling out some intervention by a foreign entity," he said. "What we have now is not necessarily what we'll see in two or three years."
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source:
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/408940
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| dEsidEL |
hello CRTC are you listening yet??
and i don't buy the 'Canada is a large country and it costs more to build network infrastructure' argument.. just compare Canada's per capita population density with others, especially in large urban centres
| quote: |
LOSING OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE
In many ways, the iPhone saga merely confirmed what many Canadian consumers and businesses have known for some time.
Mobile data pricing in Canada is among the highest in the world, creating a significant barrier to the introduction of new mobile services and causing many consumers to carefully ration their mobile use for fear of being hit with a hefty bill at the end of the month.
The impact of uncompetitive pricing is felt beyond the consumer market. Last month, the World Economic Forum pointed to problems in the wireless market as a key reason for Canada's slipping global ranking for "network readiness" (Canada has gone from 6th worldwide in 2005 to 13th today).
Canada ranked 75th in the number of mobile subscribers, trailing even El Salvador, Kazahkstan and Libya. It also lagged behind countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Italy, Sweden, and Norway on mobile pricing.
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| quote: |
iPhone shines spotlight on our wireless flaws
May 05, 2008
Michael Geist
Last week's announcement that the Apple iPhone will make its long-awaited Canadian debut later this year generated considerable excitement. While analysts focused on the bottom-line impact for Rogers Wireless, it may be that the most important impacts have already been felt in Canada.
The reason is that, more than any industry statistics or speeches, the iPhone's slow entry into Canada has crystallized the view that the Canadian wireless market is hopelessly behind the rest of the world with limited competition, higher prices, and less choice.
The year-long delay of the iPhone – Apple first launched the device last June in the United States followed by France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, and Austria – provided tangible evidence that the Canadian market desperately needs an injection of competition (as the sole GSM provider, Rogers was the only carrier capable of supporting the iPhone) and more competitive pricing (Canadian data prices are far above the U.S. offer of unlimited data for $20 per month).
As the country falls further behind the competition, it is time to acknowledge that market forces alone will not solve the issue. It therefore falls to policy makers to focus on developing a marketplace framework that encourages greater competition and innovation.
The first step in that direction came last fall when Industry Minister Jim Prentice announced a set-aside for new entrants in the forthcoming spectrum auction. The auction, which runs over the next few weeks, is expected to pave the way for several new wireless competitors, who may join forces to create a fourth national carrier.
While the spectrum set-aside was a good first step, more is needed. Prentice's goal should be to create the world's most flexible regulatory environment that encourages openness and interoperability. The next round of spectrum auctions, which involves the coveted 700MHz band, could include mandatory open access requirements that allow carriers, device manufacturers and service providers to use Canada as the sandbox for mobile innovation.
Many companies are also beginning to focus on the potential of "white spaces," small bits of spectrum that exist between television frequencies. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is currently considering a proposal to make the white space home to unlicensed uses, thereby encouraging further experimentation. Assuming that potential frequency conflicts can be resolved, Canada should follow suit.
The emphasis on openness could also extend to telecommunications ownership where the current foreign ownership restrictions may artificially limit Canadian competition. There remains concern about completely opening up the Canadian market to foreign ownership, however, that may be a price worth paying to address the current malaise.
Prentice could also encourage competition by removing the barriers that consumers face in moving between providers. The introduction last year of wireless number portability, which allows consumers to retain their phone number when they change carriers, helps in this regard.
However, restrictive long-term contracts and government plans to introduce legislation that could prohibit consumers from unlocking their cellphones would represent a case of one step forward, two steps back.
Finally, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission may want to take a closer look at the mobile marketplace. The CRTC is committed to a de-regulatory approach and has for years largely left the mobile marketplace alone (with the exception of undue preferences and unjust discrimination), yet the regulatory hole has not served Canadians well.
Canadian iPhone fans may finally get their coveted device, but it is going to take more than a great phone to fix what ails the Canadian mobile marketplace.
Michael Geist holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. He can reached at [email protected] or online at www.michaelgeist.ca.
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source:
http://www.thestar.com/article/421352
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| exstasie |
So..apparently Rogers is Getting the Nokia N95 as of next week! Woohoo.
BTW, here's some new plans for Rogers effective tomorrow (or so I hear):
| quote: | Confirmed as of May 6th 2008
Value Packs Update:
$5 Video Calling
50 Video Calling Minutes (no term)
$11 Value Pack
Caller ID
Enhanced Voicemail
Name Display
Who Called
Mobile Backup
125 Text Messages
$15 Value Pack
Caller ID
Enhanced Voicemail
Name Display
Who Called
Mobile Backup
125 Text Messages
50 Pic & Vid Messages
Unlimited On Device Mobile Browsing
3 Months Unlim SMS/MMS
$15 BB/WM Value Pack
Caller ID
Enhanced Voicemail
Name Display
Who Called
Mobile Backup
2500 Text Messages
1000 Pic & Vid Messages
$20 Value Pack
Caller ID
Enhanced Voicemail
Name Display
Who Called
Mobile Backup
2500 Text Messages
1000 Pic & Vid Messages
Unlimited On-Device Mobile Browsing
Unlimited MobileMail Messages
3 Months Unlim SMS/MMS
Price Plans
My5 Plan Changes
- The $35 & $40 MY5 plans will now include 500 overtime minutes for 3 year terms.
- The MY5 bolt-on bonus for all regions ($5 off the MSF for 5 months) will no longer be offered.
- MY5 plans will no longer include 12 months free EEC.
Mega Incoming Plan Changes
-The incoming minutes on the $25 Mega Incoming plan will be capped at 500 minutes.
Family Voice & Email Plan
$80 for 2 CTNs (40 Each)
400 Weekday, Unlim EW @9
Unlimited Incoming
The $15 BlackBerry/Windows Mobile Plan can be shared by all lines without additional monthly service fees.
Data Add-Ons
Blackberry Data Plan
$100 - 1GB BIS/BES ~ Overage: $1.00/MB w/ Overage Protection
WM Data Plan
$100 - 1GB ~ Overage: $1.00/MB w/ Overage Protection
International Roaming Add-Ons:
Western Europe
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
100 Mins - $190
200 Mins - $365
400 Mins - $640
800 Mins - $1,000
South East Asia
China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
100 Mins - $230
200 Mins - $430
400 Mins - $750
800 Mins - $1,200
UK
UK only
100 Mins - $160
200 Mins - $300
400 Mins - $540
800 Mins - $850
DATA
20 MB - $400
10 MB - $250
4 MB -$110
2 MB -$60
Promotions
Freedom of Speech - 3 Months of Unlim local calls on 3 year renewal or activation
Freedom of Speech - 2 Months of Unlim local calls on 2 year renewal or activation
Freedom of Speech - 1 Months of Unlim local calls on 1 year renewal or activation
Freedom of Email - 3 Months of Unlim Data Usage on 3 year data package
Freedom of Email - 2 Months of Unlim Data Usage on 2 year data package
Freedom of Email - 1 Months of Unlim Data Usage on 1 year data package
Discontinued Price plans and Promos
$11 Every Call Value Package
$12 Every Call Value Package
$11 Communicate Package
$12 Communicate Package
$20 Communicate Package
(ALL GRANDFATHERED) |
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| VERTiG0 |
| quote: | Originally posted by exstasie
So..apparently Rogers is Getting the Nokia N95 as of next week! Woohoo.
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Meh, its the size of a brick. |
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| El K Dee |
so after 7 years im finally thinkig of switching over to GSM from iDen. Mainly due to the fact that I want to clump up my internet and phone bill in one and get some whatevr package discount.
I dont want to sign a contract so i wanted to know if any of you have unlocked/rogers used/new phones you would like to get rid of. pleaaaaaaaaaaase.... |
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| Chris Allen |
| quote: | The BlackBerry 9000 Has a Name - the BlackBerry BOLD?!
Hey BlackBerry Addicts, you heard it here First! As predicted, the BlackBerry 9000 will launch with a name to go along with the numbers, and that name is the BlackBerry BOLD. We've been speculating whether the 9000 would receive a branded name of the Curve and Pearl flavor, and it now appears with *reasonable* certainty that this is in fact the case.
A seemingly innocent blog post comment put us on the initial trail. From there, a search for BlackBerryBold domains revealed that all of them are already registered. Two more tipsters later, my confidence in the BlackBerry Bold name was starting to increase. Watchful eyes may have even noticed the words BlackBerry Bold jump out at you in Part IV of the BlackBerry Bold 9000 Review. Finally, after yet another confirmation from a reliable source, I am now convinced the smartphone RIM will be announcing next week at WES will be called the BlackBerry BOLD 9000.
Assuming I'm right about the 9000 being branded the BlackBerry BOLD, what I want to know is what do you think of the name?! Like it? Love it? Hate it? Rather it just be called the 9000? Don't Care as long as the Device Rocks?! Let us know in the comments!!! |
Source: CrackBerry |
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| dEsidEL |
| quote: | Originally posted by El K Dee
I dont want to sign a contract so i wanted to know if any of you have unlocked/rogers used/new phones you would like to get rid of. pleaaaaaaaaaaase.... |
try searching the www.howardforums.com marketplace section .. there are tons of unlocked phones being sold there. possibly even some older ones being given away if you aren't looking for anything in particular..
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| Jem_hadar |
| quote: | Originally posted by Chris Allen
Source: CrackBerry |
DUDE!!!!! I Want one! I want a blackberry ... THIS ONE in particular, now!!!
UGH... so hawt and wicked!!!! FACK. Seriously in love at the moment with it. |
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| rabbitjoker |
My mother is coming to Toronto for a few months this summer and I think I'm going to get her a Koodo phone.
$35 + tax: 100 day minutes, unlimited evenings (after 7 PM), voicemail, call display
$45 + tax: 100 day minutes, unlimited evenings (after 7 PM), voicemail, call display, unlimited incoming (all day & night)
No system fee. No contracts. No activation fee (if done online).
Phone is $75.
This seems like a steal. |
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| exstasie |
If your currently with Rogers...you can get an EPP (Employee Purchase Plan) without being part of an company.
All you need is a rewards membership for either AirMiles or Aeroplan (i've heard that Esso Extra and Petro Points work as well). This is 100% legit, and is a special promo that most people don't know about!
All you do is call corporate service and ask to switch over to EPP 1247.
Call 1-866-727-2141. Press 2 for account changes. Ask for the 1247EP plan.
They will ask what company you work for and you just say Aeroplan or Air Miles etc. and then they'll ask for your membership #.
The 1247EPP gets you:
200 Daytime minutes
Unlimited Evenings & Weekends
Evenings starting at 6pm
All for $17.50 a month...
Not bad eh?
The catch? They say that this is only available on a 3 year contract, and it automatically renews your contract for 3 years...
However this never happened for me when I swtiched over...no 3-year contract extension and no mention of it from the CSR.
PS. This offer EXPIRES MONDAY MORNING so if you want it, call in ASAP.
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| dEsidEL |
| quote: | Originally posted by exstasie
If your currently with Rogers...you can get an EPP (Employee Purchase Plan) without being part of an company.
All you need is a rewards membership for either AirMiles or Aeroplan (i've heard that Esso Extra and Petro Points work as well). This is 100% legit, and is a special promo that most people don't know about!
All you do is call corporate service and ask to switch over to EPP 1247.
Call 1-866-727-2141. Press 2 for account changes. Ask for the 1247EP plan.
They will ask what company you work for and you just say Aeroplan or Air Miles etc. and then they'll ask for your membership #.
The 1247EPP gets you:
200 Daytime minutes
Unlimited Evenings & Weekends
Evenings starting at 6pm
All for $17.50 a month...
Not bad eh?
The catch? They say that this is only available on a 3 year contract, and it automatically renews your contract for 3 years...
However this never happened for me when I swtiched over...no 3-year contract extension and no mention of it from the CSR.
PS. This offer EXPIRES MONDAY MORNING so if you want it, call in ASAP.
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i believe that this plan may have actually been around for a while. I recall when I was in university there were a lotta ppl reselling it as the "corporate" plan. anyways, definitely a decent deal even with the SAF and voicemail/caller ID added on.
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