GillTy

After the CRTC’s disappointing decision to deny WIND operating status in late October, it appears last week the Federal Government has stepped in and approved WIND. It also appears in my failing to keep up with the news that WIND has launched in Toronto and Calgary, one notable highlight being WIND’s pro-consumer data policy.

Fair Usage Policy for data: To support unlimited data usage for everyone on our network, we have a Fair Usage Policy. If you exceed 5GB of data usage within any given month, we won’t cap your usage but we may slow your speed so that all Customers can better share the network and enjoy quality access to the Internet. This will likely only happen if you use file sharing software or download large files from the Internet. Media streaming contributes to the use of bandwidth and may, if left permanently on, inadvertently drive usage beyond 5GB in a month.

Unfortunately WIND shares the uncommon AWS spectrum (1700/2100MHz more details here), fortunately the rest of the feature list is quite good. If WIND or T-Mobile can convince apple to launch the iPhone I’ll be there in a heartbeat, however the Nokia N900 which supports AWS is tempting. Either way, I am very excited to see WIND launch and the government supporting competition.

no contracts on any services

caller ID, missing call alert, call waiting, call hold, call forwarding and unlimited conference calling at no extra charge.

no system access fees

no fees for enhanced 911 services

no charges for incoming text

no charge for incoming long distance

no penalties for changing or canceling a plan

unlimited calling to another Wind Mobile customer across Canada

unlimited province-wide calling from the “Wind home zone”

more details at WindMobile.ca

VIA  Toronto Star

Today is a sad day for the Canadian wireless industry for now CRTC for now has denied Globalive permission to operate in Canada. The decision was based on the fact that WIND aka Globalive was backed more than 50 percent financially by a Egyptian telco. It seems the AWS spectrum is dead in Canada.

The CRTC just sent out a press release about Globalive foreign ownership and stated “Globalive does not meet Canadian ownership rules”. We caught up with Tony Lacavera, Chairman of Globalive tonight… check out the phone interview (make sure your volume is turned up though).

“The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission today determined that Globalive Wireless Management (Globalive) does not meet the Canadian ownership requirements set out in the Telecommunications Act. Under the legislation, a telecommunications company is only eligible to operate in Canada if it is not at any time owned and controlled, in law and in fact, by non-Canadians.

via maplesyrup.com

Fear however there is still hope; WIND has certainly set in motion something the industry cannot stop with the change of Telus and Bell already switching to HSPA, there is a posiblity Globalive could buyout Dave Wireless and merge WIND with it, or WIND could find other Canadian backing according to The  Globe and Mail.