Bell & Telus Join To Build $1B GSM Network

[HOOT]

http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=755973

The announcement will put pressure on Rogers and not just because its two entrenched competitors will be able to offer a similar high-speed network. As well, new wireless companies may now choose to negotiate with Bell or Telus for roaming agreements, giving the two incumbent telcos a revenue boost.

I am hoping Telus/Bell will use the UIM card that KDDI in Japan uses.

For the people who don't know what the UIM card does: http://www.3gnewsroom.com/3g_news/ap...ews_6896.shtml

KDDI subscribers can now access both GSM and CDMA networks with just one card and users will be able to use the same telephone number both domestically and internationally

I don't know what to really think of this. I have never been a fan of GSM technology, I find it slower and it seems Telus/Bell networks never get that "the network is busy please try again" message that my friends get with Rogers.It should be interesting to see what happens in the next week.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by HOOT

http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=755973



I am hoping Telus/Bell will use the UIM card that KDDI in Japan uses.

For the people who don't know what the UIM card does: http://www.3gnewsroom.com/3g_news/ap...ews_6896.shtml



I don't know what to really think of this. I have never been a fan of GSM technology, I find it slower and it seems Telus/Bell networks never get that "the network is busy please try again" message that my friends get with Rogers.It should be interesting to see what happens in the next week.

Actually Rogers can control that as well.

You know how their ads say "Canada's most reliable network"? That is technically true because they have the fewest dropped calls.

The reasoning behind that is as I am sure you know, towers have a certain capacity for the number of calls going through them. Rogers has chosen to cap that so that every single call on the tower is guaranteed to go through.

Bell and Telus don't have that cap, so their towers will TRY to put every call through, but some may drop. Bell and Telus can continue with that with the new towers as well; depends if they want to get into a pissing contest with Rogers over that claim or not however.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

Actually Rogers can control that as well.

You know how their ads say "Canada's most reliable network"? That is technically true because they have the fewest dropped calls.

The reasoning behind that is as I am sure you know, towers have a certain capacity for the number of calls going through them. Rogers has chosen to cap that so that every single call on the tower is guaranteed to go through.

Bell and Telus don't have that cap, so their towers will TRY to put every call through, but some may drop. Bell and Telus can continue with that with the new towers as well; depends if they want to get into a pissing contest with Rogers over that claim or not however.

This makes no sense. If the amount of calls is capped how can every call go through? The only reason a call is dropped is because you go out of service range, it has nothing to do with the amount of people on that particular tower.

When the max amount has been reached on one tower it will not allow any further phone calls to go through, which in turn will give you "the network is busy please try your call again" but this does not happen with Telus/Bell because of the CDMA. This is why Telus/Bell can afford to pawn off tower space to the Virgin Mobiles of the world, they have the room because the capacity is so much higher.

I know an Executive with Rogers and he has told me on many occassions that the line "Canada's most reliable network" is actually just a marketing line just like Bell is "Making HD Better" when in fact they have been actually compressing the HD signal to technically make it "worse".

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by HOOT

This makes no sense. If the amount of calls is capped how can every call go through? The only reason a call is dropped is because you go out of service range, it has nothing to do with the amount of people on that particular tower.

When the max amount has been reached on one tower it will not allow any further phone calls to go through, which in turn will give you "the network is busy please try your call again" but this does not happen with Telus/Bell because of the CDMA. This is why Telus/Bell can afford to pawn off tower space to the Virgin Mobiles of the world, they have the room because the capacity is so much higher.

I know an Executive with Rogers and he has told me on many occassions that the line "Canada's most reliable network" is actually just a marketing line just like Bell is "Making HD Better" when in fact they have been actually compressing the HD signal to technically make it "worse".

Essentially Rogers has the option of trying to push more calls through their tower, just that those calls have no guarantee that they will not drop - so Rogers said screw it, we won't let those calls go through. - hence the "most reliable network" adverts. Rogers actually has to prove that in some way, or they do open themselves up to legal action - I was just saying how they do it.

CDMA is dying, all of the US providers are switching over, so it would be absolute lunacy for Telus and Bell to stay with that technology. Also, let's not forget how much $$$ Telus and Bell are giving up to Rogers for all the roaming fees from people visiting Canada from out of country. It will not be a surprise when Vancouver is one of the first Cdn cities to get the new GSM towers, and I will further bet it will be in place before 2010.... wonder what that would be???

Good news is for all the Rogers users is that they will finally have a choice where to take their iPhone, Bold, etc. and it is only going to further increase the competition.

Interesting times ahead in the Canadian Cellular industry.

[HOOT]

In the article they say they plan to have it done in a year! I don't believe it because that would just be crazy.

I think they are just outfitting old towers with GSM technology, not actually putting up new towers. I wonder how the agreements Bell has with MTS and Sasktel will now work. Will they switch over too? Or will that agreement be tossed in the garbage?

You are correct in saying interesting times ahead, I personally don't like the move regardless of CDMA dying, it is still the more superior product and I would love to have have dual technology come to Canada like KDDI brought to Japan! Business wise this is a great move for both of the companies however I don't like the joint venture, however this just shows the hold Bell has on the telecom industry.

[Bill Bumface]

If a tower is running at full capacity and you move into that cell (by walking or driving) and your call is unable to transfer to that cell, it drops. By Rogers capping bellow the capacity of their towers, it allows a little extra room for whatever people may enter that cell already on a call in progress.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

If a tower is running at full capacity and you move into that cell (by walking or driving) and your call is unable to transfer to that cell, it drops. By Rogers capping bellow the capacity of their towers, it allows a little extra room for whatever people may enter that cell already on a call in progress.

But if the tower is at it's capped call capacity how does it allow a new user driving into that area to use that tower if it is maxed?

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by HOOT

But if the tower is at it's capped call capacity how does it allow a new user driving into that area to use that tower if it is maxed?

Probably a soft cap on new (initiated calls) only, leave a margin for "moving" calls.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Probably a soft cap on new (initiated calls) only, leave a margin for "moving" calls.

Is that a guess or do you know for sure? I am just curious because if that is the case that is a convenient feature to have in your network.

[Ironhorse]

Just a guess on my part. It makes sense, and the equipment should be able to handle something like that. That's certainly the way I would set it up.

[Russic]

That's interesting about the cap. I had no idea. I always wondered why the most reliable network would give that message periodically. Makes perfect sense now.