WIND Mobile Financier Regrets Entering ‘Protected’ Canadian Mobile Market

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Could this be the way Shaw jumps into the cellular market?

I was wondering the same thing.

[Rathji]

The reason that Shaw ditched their cell phone deployment plan (about 2 years ago?) was that they were losing a bunch of money and were not able to put out capital to build towers while still keeping stockholders happy.

If that situation has changed, then this would be a way back in for them, as I assume the spectrum they previously purchased has already been lost by them.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeBruce

I'm wondering if this has something to do with Fongo's bid to buy Wind. I've heard talks internally that Fongo's Voip, which is currently being used by their large iphone subscriber base will compliment nicely to Wind if they pick up the new network that accommodates the iphone.

Wind reacted very positively to Fongo's bid.

http://business.financialpost.com/20...-mobile-fongo/

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Azure

Regardless of what happens, cell phone contracts still need to be regulated a lot better.

Starting with throwing out the 3 year contract.

After spending a couple months overseas in Lebanon last summer I will never complain about another phone bill in Canada ever again. Spent $500 on a cell phone for 2 months. And even with a plan there it's still a lot more expensive than here.

They pretty much use their phones as pagers there because of how expensive it is. I came back here and paid my phone bill happily.

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

I think Canadians should be more open to explore the cutthroat companoes like koodo(telus) virgin (bell) and fido(rogers). The service is almost identical and much cheaper. I hated WIND when i had it living in edmonton. It was horrid if you had to ltravel just outside the city regularly

[TurnedTheCorner]

So instead of signing up with Telus, Bell, or Rogers -- Canadians should sign up with Telus, Bell, or Rogers. Gotta love competition.

[normtwofinger]

In Costa Rica I pay $32 for 300 minutes, 500 texts, and unlimited data.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanStrandedInEDM

I think Canadians should be more open to explore the cutthroat companoes like koodo(telus) virgin (bell) and fido(rogers). The service is almost identical and much cheaper. I hated WIND when i had it living in edmonton. It was horrid if you had to ltravel just outside the city regularly

I don't think Wind was ever targeting the market that travels out of their home zone on a constant basis.

[Azure]

And I know I complain about MTS a lot, but our company pays around $58 per month, per phone for free MTS to MTS calling, unlimited texting and unlimited data. We get 7500 bulk minutes as well.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanStrandedInEDM

I think Canadians should be more open to explore the cutthroat companoes like koodo(telus) virgin (bell) and fido(rogers). The service is almost identical and much cheaper. I hated WIND when i had it living in edmonton. It was horrid if you had to ltravel just outside the city regularly

Service is identical, there is 0 difference. In fact if you look in your settings under cellular, it says "Bell" for Virgin. That is what I use.

I was with Bell a few years back, then I saw a deal for Virgin. I called Bell and asked if they would match since it was about 20% cheaper for exact same plan. They said no.

Going with WIND is one argument, but why on earth anyone subscribes to Bell over Virgin who is not on a special deal is beyond me. It is paying more to have the Bell logo on your phone, that's it.

I would love to go with Wind, but the iPhone and Home Zone model doesn't really work for me. So I found the next best thing, Virgin, and got them down to $60/mo for 6GB, 400mins, unlimited text, 5PM evenings and weekends. Still more that Wind but I need coverage and iPhone.

(Off topic) I suggest anyone on Virgin to call them up and tell them you are switching to FIDO because of their current promotion. I did that it and they dropped my bill $20/mo right away.

[Brannigans Law]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

After spending a couple months overseas in Lebanon last summer I will never complain about another phone bill in Canada ever again. Spent $500 on a cell phone for 2 months. And even with a plan there it's still a lot more expensive than here.

They pretty much use their phones as pagers there because of how expensive it is. I came back here and paid my phone bill happily.

I don't plan on ever living in Beirut, and Lebanon is a bit of a hole compared to Canada no offense. That's like saying to someone "Hey I'm sorry your plumbing bill was 2000 dollars.. it could be worse though; you could be living in Congo and have no plumbing and fear for your safety at all times"

[MrMastodonFarm]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...95P0OG20130626

Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) has offered to buy Canadian telecom startup Wind Mobile and is in talks to acquire Mobilicity, as it seeks to challenge Canada's three big wireless providers, sources familiar with the deals said on Wednesday.

One of the sources said Verizon had last week presented a tentative offer of $600 million to $800 million for Wind Mobile, with final pricing subject to due diligence. Another source cited Verizon's talks with Mobility, a rival startup.

Both sources declined to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

The U.S. telecom leader, which sold its minority stake in Telus Corp (T.TO) in 2004, is looking to re-enter the Canadian market to boost its growth prospects.

For a relatively small sum, the potential deals would allow Verizon to re-enter Canada's high margin wireless business, placing it in a good position ahead of a government auction of spectrum, or wireless frequencies, said Barclays analyst Amir Rozwadowski.

Stocks of Canada's three biggest telecoms players, which control about 90 percent of the market, tumbled following the news on Wednesday, as the potential deals could reshape the Canadian wireless market with much more competition.

SEPTEMBER DEADLINE

Verizon declined to comment. Last week, Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo however, confirmed publicly that Verizon was interested in entering the Canadian market.

A Wind spokeswoman and a Mobilicity spokesman both declined to comment.

Any new entrants will seek to clarify their ownership before September 17, the deadline to apply for the 700 megahertz spectrum auction due to start on January 14. Auction rules preclude talks between bidding parties after an initial expression of interest.

Verizon being in control of Wind (and Mobilicity) for the upcoming Spectrum Auction (now in January, pushed back from November) would be huge.

[Old Yeller]

It's not like I want Rogers/Bell/Telus to crash and burn, far from it... but I did just go and look at the 1 day stock price chart for each of the big 3 today and it made me smile.

[Azure]

It would be big 4 then. Wish AT&T would get involved as well, so we could make it big 5.

It costs a lot of money to build out a cell network, plus the billions to acquire spectrum, so having a parent company like Verizon owning Wind would be huge.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Might as well get T-Mobile in here too. Hopefully Verizon opens the floodgate to other potential US cellular providers.

[The Yen Man]

The telecom market is the one where I hope the flood gates open in Canada for US competition. I'm tired of getting bent over by the big three. I also smiled a little when I saw the stock prices take a tumble.

[MrMastodonFarm]

That spectrum auction in January can't come fast enough.

[Azure]

You mean 700mhz LTE can't come fast enough.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Azure

You mean 700mhz LTE can't come fast enough.

Well yeah, but that doesn't happen before the auction obviously.

[Joborule]

Oh man, if the US companies start entering the Canadian telecom industry...hello cheaper plans!