Bell / Telus iPhone Network coverage question - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Azure · 06-18-2010, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madman

Their map does show that coverage stops at the border, so I hope this wasn't a surprise to you.

Thankfully on my trip to SK, there was both HSPA and CDMA phones on board.

I had both as well.

I was kinda hoping that it would bounce over to roam on a different provider like Rogers.

At least for voice. But no go.

Azure · 07-20-2010, 06:03 PM

So, Telus has apparently run into problems with getting HSPA all over Manitoba. Sasktel is launching in August, and Telus is supposed to have partnered up with them, and I assume that means HSPA in Sask. Or in the main parts of Sask. Don't know how it will work with the areas where there is no service. Can a HSPA phone go down to just voice/data? How does that work?

Anyways, the guys are the Howard Forums are saying that Telus has said early 2011, now they're saying they're waiting for MTS, and now some are saying there won't be HSPA outside of Winnipeg ever.

So my question is, Rogers has EVDO coverage in Manitoba, and while its not 'great' as in 3G+ great, it is better than nothing, especially for email. If I move to the Winnipeg area, I assume I'd have to get rid of my Milestone, and go with a Rogers EVDO phone. Probably a BB. Which is fine for email and text messaging. Don't even mind the phone, and Rogers is decent enough as a provider.

My PROBLEM, or concern, is if Rogers is using MTS towers, which I don't know if they are, whose to say if one day MTS won't screw them over like they're screwing Telus over and shut off the service outside of Winnipeg?

I know it sounds like a stupid concern, but I know people who have had Telus in Manitoba, and when MTS shut them off they lost any coverage.

ken0042 · 07-20-2010, 10:38 PM

I think you are mixing up coverages. My layman understanding of the networks:

Bell/ Telus/ MTS/ Sasktel use CDMA which has 1X and EVDO coverage; prior to the iPhone.
Rogers uses 3G and GSM; always has and always will.

So Rogers is not using MTS's network at all.

Also, my decision to go with Bell had a lot to do with using a Rogers "Pay as you go" phone at my cabin. I was able to surf CP with relative ease; like 200 kbps in my estimation.

The whole thing with Telus was Bell, Telus, MTS, Sasktel and a few others all entered into an agreement long ago to share network coverage; the idea was so that when roaming their own customers' phones would work on other networks. Telus decided that they were going to try and take over other territories. So it was like MTS invited them to stay over, said "make yourself at home", and then Telus decided to sleep with MTS's wife.

So no, I wouldn't worry about it.

Azure · 07-21-2010, 11:54 AM

Because Rogers has their own towers?

I didn't actually know that. But it makes sense because they do use a different network. Which I didn't even think about.

My other question would be, Rogers is on HSPA, and the rest of their network is GSM. Would that mean a HSPA phone, which has HSPA coverage in Winnipeg, or in HSPA zones, would work in the non HSPA zones?

My understanding is that Telus has HSPA, plus CDMA on the same towers, which is why both types of phones have coverage in Alberta. Soon both types of phones will have coverage in Sask because of the new SaskTel network, but because Telus isn't launching HSPA outside of Winnipeg, HSPA phones won't have ANY coverage, not even just voice, outside of Winnipeg until that network is up.

Now, if HSPA phones can work on any GSM network, which I think they can, why wouldn't Telus rent from Rogers? I don't even get the reasoning of trying to go with MTS, who is still in the stone-age when it comes to technology and phones they offer.

ken0042 · 07-21-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Now, if HSPA phones can work on any GSM network, which I think they can, why wouldn't Telus rent from Rogers? I don't even get the reasoning of trying to go with MTS, who is still in the stone-age when it comes to technology and phones they offer.

I'm not sure why- Bell does that exact thing; and was the big factor in me going to them as opposed to Telus. (Telus' plan was also more.) Probably a case of Telus being too cheap; same reason why my CDMA coverage was craptacular in Winnipeg when I was with them.

yads · 07-21-2010, 02:07 PM

So if you're with Bell and are outside of HSPA coverage your HSPA phone hooks into Roger's GSM network? Do you get charged for roaming?

Azure · 07-21-2010, 03:36 PM

I'm actually wondering the same thing.

Absolutely ridiculous that Telus does not have that deal in place.

ken0042 · 07-21-2010, 03:38 PM

^^ I will let you know after the long weekend, but I can't see them charging. Here's why I say that:

- Their coverage map shows that as coverage; not roaming.
- I had to pry it out of Bell that they were leasing bandwidth from Rogers (to confirm what I was told here.) Their original story was "yes, we have coverage there just like the map shows."

Azure · 07-21-2010, 03:46 PM

I think so too.

Roaming in Canada is just a technical term. You don't get charged for roaming on ANY network on Canada from what I've experienced. Provided you're with Telus, Rogers, Bell, or MTS. Wind Mobile and the other new ones are different.

ken0042 · 08-04-2010, 01:05 PM

Looking at my "Unbilled Usage" that Bell shows, there doesn't appear to be any extra charges. Mind you it also doesn't show the long distance I used while in Manitoba either, so either I will get the surprise bill or they consider calls within Canada to be local. (I made a point of making a few different calls just to see how I'd get billed.)

Also to report that the "roaming" outside of 3G did work; voice and text were just fine. Surfing on the iPhone was pretty slow but OK for checking the weather. Tethering was pretty much a no-go.

Azure · 08-04-2010, 05:03 PM

So like I figured. Pretty sure you were hitting the Rogers network though, and not MTS.

From what I hear MTS is going with Rogers on the new HSPA+ network, which is due to be launched before the end of the year. And I'd assume Telus will be roaming on their network.

Azure · 08-16-2010, 10:16 AM

The new HSPA network went live in Sask today, so all Telus HSPA devices should work in Sask where there is coverage.

Now just have to wait for Manitoba. MTS/Rogers HSPA+ network is supposed to be live before the end of the year, and rumors are all Telus HSPA phones will have voice/text coverage where MTS/Rogers have HSPA coverage, but only data in Winnipeg where there is an actual Telus HSPA tower.

Azure · 08-16-2010, 10:17 AM

Telus still hasn't updated their coverage map though to include Sask.

mykalberta · 08-16-2010, 10:39 AM

Its probably very simply that Bell has a deal worked out with SaskTel and MTS and Telus does not.

Azure · 08-16-2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

“TELUS is proud to be collaborating with a leader such as SaskTel to bring the world-class High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network to TELUS customers in Saskatchewan, further enhancing 3G+ wireless coverage and their mobile broadband experience,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO. “At TELUS, we have tremendous respect for SaskTel, its people and its culture of innovation.”

http://about.telus.com/cgi-bin/media...news_year=2009

Pretty obvious that they have an agreement.

ken0042 · 08-16-2010, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Telus still hasn't updated their coverage map though to include Sask.

In the past they never had it up to date. It was a concern for me in 2006 when I went to upgrade my phone with one that had no analog capabilities. When I asked them about it they mentioned that was part of the agreement with Sasktel; they could use Sasktel's towers as long as they never showed full coverage in Saskatchewan.

Azure · 08-17-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

TELUS Corp. is asking the federal government to level the communications playing field in Manitoba so its customers can use wireless devices outside of the Perimeter Highway.

The Vancouver-based firm has filed an application with Industry Canada asking it to correct an "anomaly" in the sector's regulations that it said treats MTS Allstream Inc. as a new entrant in Manitoba, even though it's the dominant player in the market, and doesn't require it to share its network with other competitors.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...-99923129.html

On one hand, I see their point. On the other hand, I was under the impression that Rogers had their own network, and I can't understand why Telus doesn't rent from them.

MTS should go suck it. Being a province only provider they have to rent coverage in every single other province.

ken0042 · 08-17-2010, 03:57 PM

I guess I see Telus as the problem. Telus was the one who moved into MTS' market; taking their customers but then turning around and insisting that they get to use MTS' infrastructure to support the customers they "stole." That's like me having an afair with your wife, but charging the hotel room to your credit card.

Azure · 08-17-2010, 04:14 PM

Yeah that is true, but MTS should still allow Telus to roam on their network similar to what MTS does in every single other province in Canada.

ken0042 · 08-17-2010, 06:19 PM

But that's the thing- I'm pretty sure they do. The last time my parents were here my mom had me look at something on her MTS phone. She was getting 1X coverage while my Telus phone got EVDO coverage. Same as what happened to me in Manitoba prior to HSPA.

The kicker is now that Bell and Telus have partnered to build the towers in BC and Alberta, MTS can lease the bandwidth from Bell; and Bell can lease MTS'.

And really, Telus has nobody to blame but themselves. They tried to take over Western Canada and failed.