Telus joins the fun, gets itself an iPhone this November
By Ross Miller 
posted Oct 6th 2009 10:41PM
posted Oct 6th 2009 10:41PM
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I just want to see lower priced iPhone plans, but knowing Canadian plan pricing, that probably won't happen.
I'm on a Telus plan with unlimited data for $60. Iphone...nah! I want a HTC Leo. Come on Telus!!
I just want the iPhone (or some other cool phone) to come to Verizon. Then again, I don't feel like paying $30 a month for a data plan I'll never use.
I want to see fair data price plans. I don't need unlimited data, but I want to be able to get 1-3GB of data for $25 or less.
Hopefully the competition will get everyone to drop their data rates into the realms of "not a total f**king ripoff".
they need to get rid of that Canadian ownership law for carriers if we ever hope to see decent pricing in this country... these CEO's must just call each other and agree to screw us over year after year...
Prediction: exactly the same prices, slightly crappier networks. Sorry folks, nothing competitive happening here, move along...
I gotta disagree on the 'crappier network'... I've had to put both Rogers and Bell to the test traveling between Toronto & Montreal (something I do on a regular basis), and Bell FAR outshines Rogers. In a 5+ hr trip, Bell (HTC Touch) lost it only once for about 5 minutes, whereas Rogers (iPhone) only maintained a 3G connection about 60% of the time, and had no signal whatsoever for over 45 minutes (in two major chunks, and a number of shorter drops).
I've even maintained a Bell EVDO connection traveling 4 1/2 hrs north of Toronto almost completely unbroken, whereas Rogers gets spotty (to be kind) right around Barrie.
If you travel within Canada and need reliable data, Rogers is absolutely the wrong choice, especially since they have peering agreements with Telus, MTS etc so you can still get data from competitor's towers. That and I pay $7 (seven dollars) a month for unlimited data, and often use my phone tethered to my laptop.
Not a FAN of Bell - kinda hate them really - but Rogers is absolutely hopeless if you're on the road even infrequently.
Second, Telus hasn't specifically stated that it will be November for the iPhone...
http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=2003
Sure, it very likely is, but the sign-up page only references 'Coming Soon'...
http://promotions.telus.com/registration/
Right, except the iPhone won't be on Bell's EVDO, it will be on their HSPA, about which we know very little so far.
I am praying this new network of telus and bells actually opens up competition, god knows we need it up here in the north
That's exactly what's going to happen. Rogers has a monopoly on GSM service here, so if Telus and Bell were to get the GSM iPhone, then Rogers would have a huge headache on their hands
I wish Telus would hurry and announce some other GSM phones, I'm excited to see what they will launch.
Correct me if im wrong, but telus is going GSM.. is this the GSM model? or is this a CDMA model?
This is a purely GSM iPhone.
I dont even want to think about how spotty the coverage will be at first :S
Actually Telus is going HSPA, GSM is 2G.
I was pretty sure that Telus was an EV-DO network but forgot they were putting up their GSM network. I wonder if they are doing it just to get the iphone?
They're both going gsm to cash in on the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver so that Rogers doesn't get all the roaming from the foreigners.
Yes, a lot of it has to do with 2010 (i'm expecting amazing reception in Vancouver, just think of those new network speeds-drools) but the move to gsm is a good one none the less, unlike a lot of stuff happening around Vancouver right now...
Hey, look everyone, another dirty hippie whining about all the "bad" things happening in Vancouver! Why don't you get back on your fixed gear ratio bike and get hit by a car you whining little bitch!! Go Vancouver, Go Olympics. Vancouver is the greatest city in the world so if you don't like it, go back to Toronto ya deusche!!!
Negative Ghostrider : smoke more pot and cool off buddy. if you're what vancouverites are like off pot I'll stay in T.O.
Don't get me wrong I like TO, I'm just soooo sick and tired of hearing of all the people in Vancouver whining about what a terrible place it is and all the bad things that are happening, it's getting really really old. Again, if you hate it soo much, then just leave!! But back to the new network, if it isn't GSM then if you are out of HSPA+ range with Telus or Bell, will you be roaming on Rogers' GSM "Edge" network?
say waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Hear ye! Hear ye!
Now we wait for the US to get this pot of copper
I mean't the nonexclusive stuff O__O
Rogers will just wave there service fee, and everyone will come running to them..
Seriously, Bell and Telus going gsm is possibly the best thing that can happen to Canadian Consumers!
Competitive Over-Pricing anyone?!?!
they already did that, except they replaced it with some government regulatory fee and put all plans up by 5 bucks. now its 50 cents more expensive that before!
Rampage total domination by apple.
It doesn't matter who get's the iPhone in Canada it's all the same you pay so much for so little. Fido maybe the better option by a slight margin.
Telus' plans are WAY better than rogers plan, they don't even come close. Same for CS.
I'm interested to see if having the iPhone on more than one carrier will sell more iPhones...
Take notes, Apple... feel free to try it in your home country next...
It's hard to do it in the US. The only other HSPA capable network in the US is T-Mobile and it runs on an obscure frequency.
Telus and Bell are not building a GSM network. They went directly to HSPA+, 21 Mbit/s. Rogers has already been rolling out their HSPA+ network in select markets.
Works well in Australia. Competitive plans vs Preminum network, all carriers, available unlocked and outright in the Apple store. National 21mbit HSPDA network available.
The iPhone is gaining broad adoption. You can even get them on prepaid or for $0 upfront.
I'm interested to see if having the iPhone on more than one carrier will sell more iPhones...
Take notes, Apple... feel free to try it in your home country next...
Telus is going GSM with Bell to capture the international GMS user market that will be flooding the WInter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 - come on people everyone knows that. At $10.00/MB of data roaming they will pay for this upgrade long before people get out of the airport .. Knowing Telus that is how things will be.
Judging bu your gas mask picture. People won't make it out of the airport to roam more.
I have to tell Jack Bauer.
Maybe that will be season 8!
wont rogers still get all the euro people since their phones are all on the wrong spectrum for UMTS? The only foreigners that bell/telus will get are the americans
"may the best carrier win"
heh. that would imply that the canadian carriers actually compete with each other, rather than working together to think up new ways to screw their customers.
Telus/Bell is not implementing a GSM network. They're implenting an HSPA network which is completely new compared to GSM. It's HSPA that is known as '3G'. It's confusing when everyone keeps saying Bell/Telus is moving to GSM when in fact they are not.
Yes and no. It's relatively common to refer to the higher-gen network by what they grew out of. It's easier to say CDMA and GSM rather than memorize all the acronyms they keep on coming up like 1xRTT/EVDO and UMTS/HSPA/HSDPA/HSUPA/BBQ.
In practical terms, the only way this isn't GSM is that non-3G GSM phones won't connect to it.
woooo! this means koodo will get it in like 5 years :D
I am glad the sheep are flocking towards the iphone. That gives me the chance to finally get an N900 on Telus.
The future just got friendlier
Wow. Rogers {Fido}, Bell and Telus. What other country has all of its major carriers offering the iPhones?
Telus and Bell aren't the greatest, but they are lightyears better than Rogers!!!
I really like Rogers for the most part, but I have no problem with competition. It's been awhile since anyone has been able to compete with Rogers and now, it's happening.
Good times.
To all the people continually claiming TELUS and Bell are going GSM, you're wrong. Please learn to read before blabbing. As said continually throughout this, they are doing a joint HSPA+ network. The late November launch is for the Olympics as well as holiday season, and it's a brilliant move. With this, that means things like the Leo and HD2 will be coming as well, Rogers is finally going to face some true competition for phones, and TELUS already has far better data plans than Rogers offers. I will certainly be getting an Iphone and launch, and now can finally swap phones without paying $15 bucks. Thank God.
Heheh... unless you needed GSM for international travel on a regular basis, Rogers WAS no competition, what with Telus and Bell both offering various ways to get unlimited data to smart phones for anywhere between $7-15 a month.
I've been using my Bell Touch as a cheap EVDO modem for almost 2 years now.
I just hope the new HSPA network is as robust as their EVDO data, because their EVDO coverage kicks Rogers ass (in Toronto, on the train corridor between Toronto and Montreal, in rural Manitoba and in NFLD).
dont be anal eric+ be nice. everyone understood it just fine. GSM is the frequency that they operated on HSPA+ is the tech that they use for high speed. in that sense, they are still operating on GSM just the data is different. okay? cool.
Meh. Bell won't give me an upgrade allowance for my HTC Touch for another year and a half anyway...
I was paying 75$\month for a 2mb data plan 'till last month on Telus. It's not what I call appropriate for an Iphone. The worst thing about Telus is the fact you have to "uncripple" normally standard features like GPS or bluetooth on half of their handset. I hope they change.
sucks to be you. i have voice plan for 40 bucks including system access fee. so by that standard, you are paying 30 bucks for 2MB data? rofl you might wanna speak with me then . i might be able to hook you up with something better.
but in general, telus has better customer service that every other carrier that i have used.
Telus doesn't support simcards ...
If I can keep my exact same plan on Telus for the iPhone, I'll be set for life. 200 minutes, 10 faves, unlimited data for approx. $60CAD
Could someone please let me know if I buy an iphone from someone, would I be able to take my SIM card out of my current samsung phone and put it in the iphone? Or does it have its own SIM card? I don't want a data plan, because I have no used for it. I can still block data usage on the iphone and if I want to connent to the internet, I can use WIFI. So is it possible to do that or do all iphones have their own special SIM cards?