New Telus/Bell Network - Getting iPhone in November [MRG] - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Azure · 09-17-2009, 10:26 PM

Whatever it is....will be out between now and Jan.

And they expect a whole slew of new phones, including the possibility of the Iphone. I guess that means that the network will be GSM too.

Info from someone who works for Telus.

mykalberta · 09-18-2009, 08:53 AM

They have partnered with Bell and have planned to have it rolled out before the Olympics because Bell is a primary sponsor.

I originally heard that it was going to be Vancouver/Whistler only until late 2010 but then I heard they upped their time table.

Barnes · 09-18-2009, 09:48 AM

I thought this was only for Vancouver/Whistler so that Bell/Telus can rape our vistors for roaming fees and so that Rogers wasn't the only one making money.

They would then roll they system across Canada after that. A hybrid CDMA/GSM similar to what Japan uses.

GoinAllTheWay · 09-18-2009, 09:49 AM

Man I hope so. My phone is on life support and I need a new one. Would love an iPhone but would have to pay out my currenct contract to sign up with Rogers.

silentsim · 09-18-2009, 10:34 AM

I believe it is HSPA Technology which will NOT work with alot of GSM phones, it needs support for it.

FanIn80 · 09-18-2009, 11:13 AM

I'm still not buying the whole "iPhone to Telus" thing.

Besides the obvious technology shift they would have to make, there are two other big concerns:

1. Rogers has an exclusivity contract. Admittedly, I haven't kept up-to-date on this. Maybe it's expiring or something.

2. Telus is notorious for charging competitive rates for less-than-competitive products. They have a remarkable history of crippling their phones with their "Telusized" version every manufacturer's OS. They disable silly things like the ability to use your own mp3 ringtones, or they'll cripple the built-in bluetooth service to only connect to mobile earpieces, instead of bluetooth stereo headphons... etc etc.

I haven't even touched on the fact that they overcharge and under deliver for all of their plans. They're still charging $35/mo for 500MB of data.

They're going to have to change a lot more about their company than just CDMA -> GSM before they'll get the iPhone. Rogers had to change almost every aspect of how they do business, I just can't see Telus playing along with that. One thing Telus has always been is absolutely unwilling to play ball with anyone but themselves.

I'm no guru by any stretch. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. This is one those things that I will believe only when I see it, though.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, if they were to bring in the iPhone and were able to match the same 6GB/$30 data plan that Rogers has, I might be tempted to switch myself. The one thing Telus has that Rogers doesn't is sheer area coverage. Nothing worse than dropping 3G every time I leave the city.

Azure · 09-18-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnes

I thought this was only for Vancouver/Whistler so that Bell/Telus can rape our vistors for roaming fees and so that Rogers wasn't the only one making money.

They would then roll they system across Canada after that. A hybrid CDMA/GSM similar to what Japan uses.

Nope.

According to my source the new network is coming to everyone in Alberta between now and Jan.

Azure · 09-18-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentsim

I believe it is HSPA Technology which will NOT work with alot of GSM phones, it needs support for it.

My source couldn't go into that.

She did say that Telus was very interested in offering the Iphone due to the sheer amount of interest. Said that they lose a lot of customers to Rogers because of it.

And with the Iphone you need GSM, right?

GoinAllTheWay · 09-18-2009, 02:34 PM

No, the latest iPhone is supposed to run on the HSPA (sp?) network. It's my understanding that Rogers never had an exclusive contract for the iPhone, simply they were the only provider in Canada with a GSM network that all previous versions of iPhone ran on.

Kinda disturbing if you are correct about "Telusized" phones, Fanin1980. That would really piss me off.

Cliche · 09-18-2009, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

No, the latest iPhone is supposed to run on the HSPA (sp?) network. It's my understanding that Rogers never had an exclusive contract for the iPhone, simply they were the only provider in Canada with a GSM network that all previous versions of iPhone ran on.

Kinda disturbing if you are correct about "Telusized" phones, Fanin1980. That would really piss me off.

As an owner of a Telus'ized phone I can fully attest to this, and that it's in general a reason why I haven't picked up a 3rd phone yet from telus. I also probably have to talk to retentions to get a better plan as well, as the original one they gave me, with the subsequent plan changes (SMS messaging fee etc etc.) makes me wonder if the 50$ /month I pay for the convenience of the phone could be better spent with another company. (granted I am a small fish, but still, 600$ a year is better than nothing)

The other place that I am sort of following the new network roll-out is at howardforums, as there are some nice leaks over there. As always a tablespoon of salt must be used.

Azure · 09-18-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Kinda disturbing if you are correct about "Telusized" phones, Fanin1980. That would really piss me off.

I don't know if they still do it with the Smartphones, but I know for a fact that they have their stupid system on most other phones.

Hopefully that will change in the future.

Barnes · 09-18-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

I don't know if they still do it with the Smartphones, but I know for a fact that they have their stupid system on most other phones.

Hopefully that will change in the future.

Apple would yank their phone from telus if they so much as changed the background image.

browna · 09-18-2009, 11:57 PM

I've had Telus phones for the past 15 of the past 17 years and none of them in the past 4 or 5 years have had Telus UI...mostly smartphones (WM and BB), so no need for that concern with the Iphone.

Extremely happy with Telus in that time. Coverage is superior, and, like any carrier, if you can time things right, you get some sweet loopholes. Have had unlimited data for $15 a month for the past 18 months.

The new network will be seperate obviosuly from the exsisting one, (exsisting one sticking around for 5+ years still( so will be interesting to see how they set up plans, and the new billing, and, how hard they push exsisting customers, firstly likely in major centres, to migrate.

HOOT · 09-19-2009, 12:25 AM

HSPA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Speed_Packet_Access

I'm sure both companies will find a way to screw this up.

wooohooo · 09-19-2009, 10:34 AM

I had Telus for a year or two and their customized UI was the biggest pissoff ever. Immediately switched over to rogers and now with Bell (Corporate contract). If you aren't going with a smart phone with Telus, stay far... far... away

TheU · 09-19-2009, 07:01 PM

Some TELUS facts from someone who knows
-TELUS mobility is the most profitable cell phone company in the world
-TELUS spends more than anyone else in north america on upgrading its network
-TELUS is absolutely 100% upgrading their networks to have gsm phones, including the iPhone (if they get the iPhone or not is up in the air of course)

Azure · 09-19-2009, 08:53 PM

Well, if they have a GSM network, they almost certainly will have the Iphone considering it is the big draw for the GSM network.

Shazam · 09-20-2009, 12:56 PM

Err, you guys just wake up from a year long slumber? Have a Rogers phone? Try scanning for networks

photon · 09-20-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Well, if they have a GSM network, they almost certainly will have the Iphone considering it is the big draw for the GSM network.

Depends on the $$ for Apple... There's more than one GSM network in the US but the iPhone is only on at&t, and I'm sure at&t pays Apple to keep it that way.

Same thing with Rogers, just depends on what kind of agreement Apple made with Rogers, how long it is, and what kind of $$ Rogers (or Telus!) is willing to put up.

Azure · 09-20-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

Depends on the $$ for Apple... There's more than one GSM network in the US but the iPhone is only on at&t, and I'm sure at&t pays Apple to keep it that way.

Same thing with Rogers, just depends on what kind of agreement Apple made with Rogers, how long it is, and what kind of $$ Rogers (or Telus!) is willing to put up.

If Apple did that they would probably be the stupidest company in the world.

How far does Rogers 3G service extend too?

Not very far. Telus on the other hand is covering virtually the entire province. How many of those people that can't use a Iphone(like me)...because they're not in range of a Rogers 3G tower would buy one if Telus, who does have 3G, or 4G towers in their area, and they got the Iphone?