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.

Canadians have reason rejoice, the mobile industry is set to be shaken up. With Rogers (and its subsidary Fido) dominating the GSM side of cell phones in this country, we have had absolutely no choice in carriers when using unlocked phones. The monopoly Rogers has on the market was put to light a year back with all the controversy surrounding Rogers’s outrageous data rates, and the iPhone 3G launch here. I am a Rogers customer after all I have no choice when using a unlocked imported first gen iPhone, unfortunately for me my $500 first gen iphone does not support 3G networks so I will still be stuck with Rogers. Fortunately for everyone else with a standard 3G North American UTMS phone there will be 5 legitimate 3G simcard supporting carriers be the end of next year in Canada.

The two major carriers besides Rogers, Telus and Bell have partnered to build new cell towers across the country and will be switching from CDMA to 3G UTMS aka GSM, in the frequencies of UTMS 850/1900. Which happen to be the same frequencies that most unlocked North American phones, along with Rogers and AT&T support. Both Bell and Telus already have much better data plans and rates on their existing CDMA/EVDO service, and will be launching their new service this Holiday along with the iPhone 3GS. Bell promises 96% coverage of the Canadian population, a much improved figure comparing to Rogers which is sub 70%. As well as these two giants entering Rogers market, there are two new Carriers launching 3G UTMS service.

The first is WIND mobile a carrier promising lower pricing than the 3 mobile giants in Canada, WIND is currently under going CRTC review and is building new towers and hopes to launch this holiday in the major markets including Vancouver. The second new carrier is DAVE wireless (temporary name), this carrier is currently setting up its equipment on Bell towers, and expect the company to launch limited service as east as Quebec by next summer. Unfortunately these two new Carriers are licensing the AWS bands, from the CRTC which means like T-Mobile in the US most phones including the iPhone 3GS will not support these Carriers. However the more competition the better, and hopefully this means a dramatic pricing cuts for Canadians well at least I hope for parity in pricing to US carriers. Rogers must be scared, and I cannot wait to see what happens.