Palm Pre definitely coming to Canada on Bell Mobility: 2H 2009
By Darren Murph 
posted May 6th 2009 9:26AM
posted May 6th 2009 9:26AM
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Ugh.. Have you ever tried dealing with Bell customer support? I'd rather poke my eye out with a needle sometimes.
Bell doesn't get the the iPhone, Rogers does. It would be nice to see the two top guys fight it out with these phones.
Don't even bother with a low rank. Just click the report button.
colin, i agree. sadly i must use bell for work... stupid me just bought a storm though, would have waited had i known. 'it's no iphone' blah blah, that may be, but i dislike my storm so very much, the pre has to be better than that.
Yo Darren, we (Bell) also have a 3G network we're launching in tandem with TELUS the 2nd half of this year so we are not just a CDMA carrier. The Pre will use our new 3G network and rumour has it we are making a push to land the iPhone when the exclusivity deal ends with Rogers.
Just a quick fact update for you from the source my man.
eJ
Wow, great job palm. Let's chalk this one up on the big mistakes board. After problems with Bell, everyone in Canada knows rogers is where it's at.
And Rogers charges a fortune with the iPhone, so your pretty much screwed with whoever u go with...
Come to Telus with my unlimted data plan...come to Telus!
I'll just have to buy one in Hong Kong, or wherever they're most likely to sell an unlocked version.
hmm.. wonder how long it'll take for them to launch in Europe.
this is nice!
Talking about USA...only if it were coming to AT&T.
who will be the first to insist that "Canuck" is a racist slur? Will it be you? or you? or YOU?
I think you just implied that Canadians are a different RACE than Americans.
Does that make you a complete moron? Probably.
You.
you might want to tell the Vancouver CANUCKS that.
http://canucks.nhl.com/
There are no racist slurs for sports teams.... Now back to my Cleveland Indians game with that lovable Chief Wahoo.
touché
Man this sucks, no rogers?.
What were you thinking? iPhone is with Rogers.
I was desperately hoping Telus would get it. I like them (compared to the other carriers here) and I pay $15 a month for unlimited data on my smartphone. I have a sinking feeling in my heart right now.
Telus will most probably get the phone as well. I don't think that well will get exclusivity in Canada since they only deal in the eastern half of Canada.
I'm sure it will come with at least a $200 price tag on a mandatory 3 year contract.
Not sure I can do that, I've never owned a phone for three years in my life. Plus the new Globalive GSM carrier is debuting in the first quarter of 2010, I don't want to be locked into a contract when the increased competition starts dragging down prices and contract lengths.
Hey, if I can keep my contract (currently $10/m unlimited data), I might consider this. At the same time, I'd wait till there's a good tethering app for the Pre... tethering my current phone has been a life saver too often to give it up.
AT&T Please!
AT&T doesn't have the 3g coverage/bandwidth to handle a Pre, for now. Go ask a iphone user =D
At least 5 dropped calls per week :o( uh yeah you want the pre on ATT. Sprint has worst customer services but their network is far superior than ATT's.
3G, dropped calls, customer service, blah blah blah
its all irrelevant if Palm sticks with a CDMA only device.
wow. you know, we Canadians complain about telco prices, but I've NEVER had a dropped call on rogers or virgin. I'll take a higher price if it means the product doesn't blow chunks.
I'll be honest, I don't understand this dropped call issue you guys are having south of the border. I don't think this issue is occurring in Canada. I have never had that issue here, unless I am mistaken.
Why do I think this phone will be used by huge assholes like DUDE I'LL JUST BOOK TICKETS ON MAH PRE
HEY PALM
Why don't you work on finalizing a release date and price and letting your first market know before working on and announcing all these other markets.
This is uncalled for. Information, now!
May 30th. $199 w/contract. There.
This is an OUTRAGE! How DARE they use the term canuck! The proper term for us is little America! LOL. (Sorry, had to.)
Let me just say that Bell Canada is everything that is wrong with the mobile communication industry (as well as TV, Home Phone and internet). Bell Canada is nothing but a vampirical corporation that has only their bottom line in interest at the complete and absolute expense of their own customers. Believe me, I was with Bell Mobility for over a year and it perhaps is the worst decision I have ever made. Giving Bell exclusive rights to sell the Pre in Canada is a terrible idea!
And I agree with Colin, Bell customer support is as pathetic and their rate plans, "most expensive in the world".
Don't blame me. Blame these guys: http://canucks.nhl.com/
Don't blame hockey, BLAME CANADA!
GO Canucks GO!
Here come the hawks, the mighty BLACKHAWKS.
Noooo not on Bell... this is the worst company.
Why are carriers called carriers anyways? People should be able to use the device of their choice without unlocking... this way manufacturers could make great phones, customers could buy the ones that fits best their interests and carriers could... carry.
Sad
I was hoping for anybody ( in Canada that means Telus as they are the only CDMA network operators ) but Bell mobility as a Canadian provider. These people are terrible, no kidding.
There are so many departments in that huge company (Bell Canada) that nobody knows anything when you require specific questions. It's like a capharnaüm. The only way to speak to a human there is to not answer to "Emilie" who is Bell's robot answering the phone and trying to direct you to the right department. I say "trying" as it never works or almost as you endup spending very frustrating quality time ( my time ) repeating your answer to that robot's questions as their voice analysis software is underperforming to say the least. I just now wait, not touching any numbers on my phone, for a human to speak to. It takes a while but it is shorter that that crucifying Emilie process.
I'm 46 and have been with them most of that time. I was about to switch to Telus but love my Palm Treo. Reading about the Pre, I was waiting to know who would be the Pre's carrier. I'm disapointed.
Any chance, in your opinion, that Telus or Vidéotron could end up with the later versions of the WebOS devices that will follow the Pre or is it most likely Bell Mobility that will also be the sole provider of these future devices?
Some people complain about Sprint but I have the feeling that these are people who don't even have Sprint since I also hear very good things.
I'm in Canada so I was hoping that the same would be true for Bell, but it's not looking that way.
I really want this phone. I don't want to wait until the second half of 09. Also, I would be really disappointed if they tried forcing a 3-year contract. A 3-year contract might actually push me to keeping my Treo 650 forever.
Oh I have had Bell. I have managed now to be Bell-free for three years or so and it has been decent. I am on Rogers now and it has been alright. What I am really hoping for is the market to open up here with the idea of companies like Globalive launching a new GSM service next year. In the mean time I would maintain my anyone-but-Bell stance but this is going to make it hard to watch. Telus would have been a better choice than Bell IMHO.
just want you to be aware of this, as my company did not look into things, just signed with the prettier sales girl.
bell's unlimited voice plan - $80, similar to rogers (iphone carrier in canada)
with that, data is included... a whole 4mb, same plan on rogers - 500mb (that is not a typo)
max data plan upgrade on bell - 100mb for $100 (yes it's ridiculous)
max data plan on rogers - 4gb for $60
is rogers too cheap... no, still more than at&t... is bell to expensive, imho they will kill their own cell phone market as smartphones become more and more popular if they don't smarten up.
these prices are corporate rates, so personal may be different. but needless to say i was very upset to find out my new storm which does not have wifi would cost me $100 a month for only 1/5th the amount of data that comes standard with rogers.
@ EMoShunz
Bell offers a plan for their current smart phones that runs $70/month.
I don't know if it's available for businesses but I know it's available for the end consumer.
I think it has 400 weekday minutes, unlimited evenings (with 5pm start) and weekends and unlimited web/email/text etc.
That's pretty much as good as it gets here in the Great White North.
I'm on a similar plan with Virgin and I'm don't pay the $10/month for 911 and SAF.
we are not neither in Canada nor USA. what about Europe release date for Vodofone or Turkcell?
bell makes rogers look competent. and less evil.
this news makes me salivate even more for Globalive's new canadian service for later this year.
I was in a Telus store the other day, and a guy who works there is pretty sure Telus is getting the Pre. When I asked him about Android he just looked confused.
You know palm regularly releases their GSM phones unlocked directly from their site right? When this happens I'll likely buy two, I strongly believe in a backup phone (I carry a bold and a jav usually)
What about Telus? Telus better carry the Pre
Down with BELL! Down with ROGERS! Down with TELUS!
CANADIAN PHONE COMPANIES ARE TERRIBLE!
I'm DOWN with that.
The National Operators suck but MTS and Thunder Bay Tel are usually pretty good
Everyone hates their phone company. They're not terrible, their rates are just ridiculously high.
My good sir, you clearly have not used Bell Mobility before....
Not in North America...
Europe either!
this is interesting. Bell is actually starting the switch to GSM this fall...
I will never deal with Bell again. I guess with choosing between the Pre and the new iPhone launching in June, I pick the iPhone and Rogers.
Pity, because I was originally leaning towards the Pre.
This has to come out on Telus too. Bell doesn't cover the whole country (i.e. Manitoba). I'm hoping that it'll be released on both carriers, like the Storm. I can't imagine that they could just not sell the Pre in an entire province.
Coverage is the problem. Rogers only covers about half the country. If you live in the southern part of Central Canada, say Toronto to Montreal, the service is good. If you go north, east or west of that it gets iffy to non-existent. They cover ONE city in the entire province of Newfoundland! The Canadian military, emergency measures organization, police, etc., would never think of using Rogers tiny network.
Part of the reason CDMA is so good in Canada is that Bell has been around forever and had the advantage of both a monopoly and subsidies when installing their network in the boonies, e.g., the mining town of Thompson, Manitoba (pop. 15,000). Another reason is that they share Telus' network (Belus) as they allow their customers on each other's network. Rogers is on their own. Btw, the new Belus network is not the antique GSM. It's HSDPA, on up to LTE.
For those demanding great service, Virgin Mobile (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is way up there, according to the Jan. issue of Consumer Reports (CDN edition). They use the Belus comprehensive networks and they scored solid red dots (i.e., Much Better than Average) right across the board in CR's survey of 18,000 Canadians.
Just because Bell is run by sub-morons and gene pool skimmings does not mean you can't use their great network.
This post among others do not appear in the palm pre featured area; only posts tagged "pre" appear there and recent posts dont have that
whats a canuck?
It's awesome it's coming to Canada, but why Bell? Telus is such a better network.
Both Telus and Bell are switching to HSPA, which will allow for GSM and CDMA.
Palm better step up and expand their market share. CDMA won't make them much money alone, they need to target the GSM crowd by selling an unlocked version.
Again, enough with the pre updates, release it already, and stop boring me to death.
Bell? Ugh.
I want I want, dont disappoint me Bell or Palm...
As much as I love the Pre, I hate Bell even more... Sorry, no Pre for me...
Just a follow up, this is live o Bell's site now @ pre.bell.ca - and it says it will be EXCLUSIVE to Bell! NOOOOOOOO!
Sorry, guys...
So what GSM provider will carry the Pre outside of the US? I'm contemplating getting this for my wife who loves her Centro, if it wasn't for the shit battery life. I have At&t by the way (More bars in more places...bullshit!)
I have bell , and im stoked!
BELLS DATA PLANS ARE ALOT CHEAPER THE ROGERS!
Not in most cases.
Rogers Plans: http://www.your.rogers.com/business/wireless/plans_services/business_plans.asp?plan=dataservice&cat=2&typ=2
Bell Plans: http://www.bell.ca/shopping/PrsShpWls_RtpDetails.page?wlcs_catalog_category_id=DataRatePlans#1
Telus plans: http://www.telusmobility.com/on/plans/pcs/bundlesforsmartphones.shtml
Around $15 Plans:
Rogers - 2 MB of data, $5/MB for the first 5 extra MBs and 5cents a MB thereafter. $15/mnth
Bell - Windows Mobile or PalmOS only. 2 MB of data. $8/MB extra. $15/mnth Must add to voice plan.
Telus - Blackberry Only; Unlimited E-Mail and IM. No other data. $15/mnth Must add to voice plan.
Winner for $15/month packages: Telus
Telus clearly has the best deal here. While the other two carriers give you 2MB, Telus gives you unlimited E-Mail and IM. And Don't complain about web browsing, E-Mail and IM are pretty much all thet a 2MB plan would be good for anyway. Unfortunately, the Telus plan is restricted to BBs. The Bell plan is restricted to Wino and PalmOS and Rogers plan is open.
Around $25 CAD Plans:
Rogers- 500MB of data. 5cents a MB thereafter. $25/month
Bell - 4 MB. $12/MB thereafter. $25/month Must add to voice plan.
Telus - BB only. Unlimited IM, E-Mail and Texting. $25/month Must add to voice plan.
Winner for $15 plans:
Rogers. Unlimited IM, E-Mail and Texting on Telus probably don't even take up 500MB anyways, and you can use the Rogers one for any app, not just E-Mail, IM, and Texting.
$30/month Plans:
Rogers - 1GB of data, 3cents a MB for extra. $30/month.
Bell - Not available.
Telus - Any SmartPhone. 500MB of data, plus unlimited Texting. $35/Month. Must add to voice plan.
Winner: Rogers. Do I really need to explain this one?
Around $40 CAD Plans
Rogers - Not available.
Bell - 8MB of data, $8 a meg thereafter.
Telus - 1GB of data. Unlimited texting and Visual Voicemail. $45/month. Must add to voice plan.
Winner:
Rogers, for offering what Telus does for $40 for ten bucks less.
Around $60 CAD Plans:
Rogers - 3GB of data, 3cents a meg after.
Bell - 400 Anytime minutes, Unlimited evenings and weekends. Unlimited data, restricted to E-Mail, Internet, IM and Texting (MMS). Don't need to add to voice pack, it's included. $70/Month
Telus - Not available.
Winner:
Tie between Rogers and Bell. I personally like the Rogers plan better, 'cause it can be used in any app. Bell is restricted but unlimited. (If that makes sense.)
Around $80 CAD Plans:
Rogers - 5 GB of data, 3 cents a meg after.
Bell - Not available, the next up is $100/month, and offers virtually nothing over the $70/month plan.
Telus - Not available.
Winner: Rogers.
Final Score:
Rogers - 5/6 times they had the best deals. That's about %80 of the time.
Bell - 1/6 times, and only cause Rogers and bell tied in one round, Bell had a good deal 1/6 or %16 of the time.
Telus - 1/6. A shame, I like Telus. (Telus has the best deals for Non-Smartphones, though. Though sometimes (rarely) Rogers is cheaper. Rogers usually matches Telus' pricing for Pay as you go on Non-Smartphones.)
So really, Rogers has the best value. Not Bell. In fact, until you get higher up in Price point, Bell is the worst for data (and "higher up" means $70+. AKA Crazy.).
This only includes data packs, Rogers has unlimited browsing for $7/month on monthly and Pay as you Go as a package to add to voice plans. Telus has this for $7/month too, but only for prepaid. Bell has it, but it's $10/month and only for prepaid. I also didn't include the much cheaper telus SPARK bundles, which don't include any separate data (like a certain amount of Megs or Gigs), but include "Unlimited" of certian things the more money you pay. Unfortunately, these are only available for Non-Smartphones. Also, the SPARK packages' only feature that catches my eye is unlimited Web Browsing and Video Straming. Luckily, in this day and age, we have sites like meebo and webmail to let us use IM and Email in the web browser. ;-)
Rogers also has "Flex plans", whick I LOVE. It bills you a different amount of money each month based on how much data you use in any given month.
The truth just is that cell phones cost too much in Canada.
T.T
So it sounds like if your a verizon customer and you are willing to pay full price, you can hook this up on an existing vzw account...
Cuz' yer fifty pounds over
and eighty percent fat,
no matter what I do
you always snaaack,
and Iiii, just turn a blind eeeyyyee
baby you are really fat
Has Bell recently changed their rate plans because comparing them to Rogers is really no comparison at all. I know for a fact that Rogers just changed their plans on June 1, dropping the option of MY5 for the family plan, as well as free evenings at 6 (through costco).
Oh and for basically the same price (well $5 more on rogers you get 2GB of data compared to Bell which gives you unlimited data)
The way I look at it Rogers plans stink now and while the competition improved their plans Rogers made their plans worse (individual as well).
I talked to a couple of people from Bell Mobility and they're predicting the Pre in mid July to early August. I cannot wait, but too bad it's Canada and we have to agree to a 3 year contract. But unlike Rogers AT&T Bell and Telus do allow for 2 years to be selected, I don't know if Bell for the 3 years I hope they don't. Rogers AT&T forces 3 years on popular phones like the iPhone. And jacks up the price for devices on 2 or 1 year terms. They're respectively $50-$100 cheaper than no contract phones.