Cell Phone Providers in Calgary

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

So, I'm recently back in Calgary after an 11 year absence, and I'm looking to get a new cell phone now that I'm here--but my family are all utterly clueless about their experiences, and most seem to pay way more per month than I'd like to be paying for wireless service. So I'm throwing a general request out there--what are the main cell phone carriers in the area, and what are the pros and cons of each? My mom has Rogers, but seems to get reception absolutely nowhere. My brother-in-law has Telus, but pays 200 bucks per month on what looks to me like a pretty no-frills plan.

Any advice that the CP braintrust can offer me would be much appreciated. I'm especially interested in knowing what kind of coverage the different carriers offer, and what the customer-service experience is like with each of them.

[csnarpy]

I had Bell for the longest time and really had no problem with them but I just switched to rogers so i could use the Iphone. Once Bell gets GSM, i'm going right back.

Big carriers: Bell, Telus and Rogers/Fido. Bell also has Virgin i think and not sure what Telus's subcarrier is.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

I had Bell for the longest time and really had no problem with them but I just switched to rogers so i could use the Iphone. Once Bell gets GSM, i'm going right back.

Big carriers: Bell, Telus and Rogers/Fido. Bell also has Virgin i think and not sure what Telus's subcarrier is.

That would be Koodoo. The commercials/Ads with the guys in bright neon pants...

I've been with Rogers, Telus and Bell - so far for service I've been most happy with Rogers but my plan has been much better with Telus and Bell.

[MelBridgeman]

cellphone users in canada get hosed on their bill compared to the states.
I have rogers 3G network and it works great.

[old-fart]

If you only want text and voice, Koodoo was rated the best cell phone company in Canada.

After that you'll probably get the best reception with TELUS or BELL as they have the larger network out here (Western Canada).

[FFR]

I think you'll also find that cell phone prices are outrageous here compared to what you can get in the USA. I don't think you'll find a plan even remotely, close to what you could get where you were.

That being said, I like Rogers simply becuase they are using the newest technology - sim cards. WIth Telus and Bell you do not get a sim card so it doesn't work internationally. Also if you get a new phone, you lose all your contact information. I also find their service to be *slightly* better, however, not in the Roger's Plus stores. They are terrible.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

So, I'm recently back in Calgary after an 11 year absence, and I'm looking to get a new cell phone now that I'm here--but my family are all utterly clueless about their experiences, and most seem to pay way more per month than I'd like to be paying for wireless service. So I'm throwing a general request out there--what are the main cell phone carriers in the area, and what are the pros and cons of each? My mom has Rogers, but seems to get reception absolutely nowhere. My brother-in-law has Telus, but pays 200 bucks per month on what looks to me like a pretty no-frills plan.

Any advice that the CP braintrust can offer me would be much appreciated. I'm especially interested in knowing what kind of coverage the different carriers offer, and what the customer-service experience is like with each of them.

Welcome back...

[worth]

Depends how many minutes you need, but I pay about $35 a month with fido and have unlimited text, free evenings and weekends and 100 extra minutes. Includes voicemail, caller id and all that jazz. I hardly use my phone during the day, so i can get by on 100 minutes per month. the evenings and weekends plan works really well. Guess it depends when you use your phone. If you need 400+ daytime minutes, it's gonna be expensive.

[burn_baby_burn]

If you never leave Calgary or the QEII corridor, Rogers will work for you. If you need a cell phone outside of that area, consider Telus or Bell. I have used Telus for a long time just because I need voice and data in rural areas on a daily basis.

Like everyone else will tell you, cell phone service costs a lot more here than you are probably used to paying in the states. A friend of mine that lives in Southern Alberta uses a US address and gets his service from Verizon with a Montana phone number. His plan has 1000 minutes anywhere in NA and he pays a lot less. Maybe that is something you could look into.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Hmm. I have Verizon right now, but roaming would kill me I think. Worth looking into, I guess.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by FFR

That being said, I like Rogers simply becuase they are using the newest technology - sim cards.

That is actually wrong, GSM is an older technology than CDMA.

WIth Telus and Bell you do not get a sim card so it doesn't work internationally.

This is also wrong. If you think you will be doing international travelling you can get phones that are SIM card compatible.

Also if you get a new phone, you lose all your contact information.

And again wrong most Telus and Bell stores can transfer all information over for you when you get a new one.


In Calgary you can't really go wrong with Bell, Telus, Rogers, Koodoo, or Solo because the coverages are very strong for most of the city on all the major networks. I would recommend finding out what you are going to be using the phone for and see who will give you the best deal on your plan.

[kukkudo]

There are new providers coming out in Fall

[ma-skis.com]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

There are new providers coming out in Fall

tell us more.

[kukkudo]

New cellphone player Globalive to fight Rogers, Bell and Telus on two fronts

10 hours ago

New cellphone player Globalive will hire more than 1,000 employees as it works to become a major wireless player in Canada, aiming to take away customers not only from Rogers (TSX:RCI.B), Telus (TSX:T) and Bell (TSX:BCE) but also their discount brands.

Globalive Wireless Management Corp. isn't going to position itself only as a discount cellphone player where there's already competition, CEO Anthony Lacavera said Monday.

"Really, we're going to be split into two brands," Lacavera said from Toronto.

Globalive is looking to be Canada's fourth major wireless carrier, with a national presence except for the province of Quebec.

Lacavera said that means fighting the three established cellphone players on two fronts.

One brand will give Globalive's Yak long-distance and Internet customers the opportunity to have cellphones, taking on Rogers' Fido, Telus' Koodoo and Bell's Solo discount brands.

The other higher-end brand will take on Rogers, Bell and Telus with mobile phones, including smartphones, with more features and fixed price plans with no contracts or limited contracts, he said. Its name and launch are still being worked out.

"At the end of the day, it's easier for us to have a two-pronged strategy because we already have the Yak brand in the marketplace with customers."

Toronto-based Globalive said it services more than a million customers with brands such as Yak, Canopco and OneConnect.

While the weak economy is a concern for Globalive, Lacavera said it's "monitoring" competitors Rogers, Telus and Bell even more closely.

Globalive plans to have its wireless network up and running in Toronto and Vancouver with fixed price plans around Christmas, Lacavera said, with other areas coming into service in 2010.

Ottawa held an auction last spring for radio waves over which cellphone networks to create more competition and more choices for consumers in the mobile phone industry, currently dominated by the big three players.

Globalive spent more than $442 million for spectrum in the auction which raised about $4 billion for the federal government's coffers.

Analyst Troy Crandall said the discount end of the market is full.

"Everybody has been going after this lower-end market," said Crandall of MacDougall, MacDougall and MacTier in Montreal.

"So who's left? I guess the people who can't afford to spend $15 a month," he said, referring to Rogers Fido, which has plans from $15 and no system-access fee.

Globalive is one new entrant, along with regional networks being planned by Montreal-based Quebecor (TSX:QBR.B) through its Videotron cable unit and Toronto-based Public Mobile, which was born out of BMV Holdings.

Shaw Communications (TSX:SJR.B), which owns western Canada's largest cable company, also bought spectrum but hasn't announced plans for a wireless network.

Analyst Mark Goldberg said it's still not clear what Shaw and Toronto-based DAVE Wireless will do with the spectrum they purchased, noting that new wireless players have come forward and the three established players have said they need it to increase capacity.

"DAVE and Shaw have written cheques and they're sitting on an asset which is spectrum and it's an expensive asset," said Goldberg of Toronto-area Mark Goldberg and Associates. "I think people want to know when they're going to make use of the asset."

Globalive said Monday it has officially been issued its wireless spectrum licences from Industry Canada and will make a significant investment in its network.

Lacavera said Globalive will hire a couple of hundred people to build its network, 300 to 400 people for its call centre in Windsor, Ont., where it already has 100 employees to support its Yak customers. The balance of the employees will be in support, billing, marketing and management.

Globalive has about 300 employees and Globalive Wireless has 70, he said.

[kukkudo]

http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1528446

This explains everything

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by FFR

That being said, I like Rogers simply becuase they are using the newest technology - sim cards. WIth Telus and Bell you do not get a sim card so it doesn't work internationally. Also if you get a new phone, you lose all your contact information. I also find their service to be *slightly* better, however, not in the Roger's Plus stores. They are terrible.

Ha, ha. I missed this the first time around. GSM is the older technology. CDMA carriers such as Telus have "World Phones" that use SIM cards. If you have a Smartphone and you sync with your PC your new Smartphone will download all your contact info from your PC.