If we get a $20/month, truly unlimited data plan and the new 3G iPhone, I will be both shocked and thrilled.
If we here in Canada got $20 there'd be a mass migration north of every iPhone owner south of the border. AT&T plans for consumers start at $59 and go to $79, $99 and $119.
If we here in Canada got $20 there'd be a mass migration north of every iPhone owner south of the border. AT&T plans for consumers start at $59 and go to $79, $99 and $119.
That's about what I expect Rogers will charge too, or maybe with an extra $20 "eh" tax on top so Ted can keep sipping the drink he favours.
$20? You're way dreaming my child.
AT&T currently charges $20/month for the unlimited data plan. The basic phone service, is what cost the additional $40.
200 SMS messages are also included, which has pushed me to use email and Meebo via Safari on the iPhone. That has to be a lot more data being sent over the carriers so I don't understand the reluctance to offer unlimited SMS for the same price.
I won't complain about the rates too much, as long as it's a flat rate plan (which would be new for Rogers).
I currently pay $74/month for:
- 450 anytime / Unlimited Nights/Weekends (Starting at 6PM)
- 75 txt msgs
- Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting
- Voicemail
- No Data.
Thats thanks to lovely Bell Canada. If I have to pay between $75 - $95 for my iPhone, I will. As long as I can just use it like normal and not have to worry about it.
It's official? Just cos Mr Rogers says so? really?
unless i hear it from apple, i wouldn't call it official... the day the iPhone was announced these people fell all over themselves with their 'we're gonna get it! we're gonna get it' spiel. that was over a year ago.
Can you cite your sources on tied sales with some more detail? I had no idea there'd been a change in legislation or a change in respect for existing legislation on part of the carriers. As far as I was aware, every carrier-sold handset in Canada with the exception of the GSM component of Telus' Blackberry CDMA/GSM worldphone is locked to its respective carrier. Even Rogers and Fido GSM handsets are not interchangeable out of the box - and they're the same company. I have paid exorbitant rates on top of Canadian carriers' ridiculous $6.95 "system access fee" for over a year on a month-to-month plan on a phone I bought out right and Rogers will not unlock it for me. My account has been in good standing, but Rogers refuses to unlock my quad-band phone that I was hoping to use for travel. As far as I understand in the US, AT&T and T-Mobile will unlock certain models after several months of holding an account in good standing.
It is illegal to tie the sale of a product to a service, forcing a consumer to subscribe to a service if he wants to buy the product. Once you buy a product such as a cell phone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. But you can agree by contract to the terms of service of a cell phone service provider. Your cell phone service contract is not tied to any specific phone and its duration and conditions are determined not by the phone you use, but the terms you agreed to.
The same debate was held in Canada 30 years ago about landline phones. Once you bought a phone that met FCC requirements, you could plug it into any phone service. You were no longer limited to buying or leasing phones from Bell Canada to plug them to Bell Canada land lines.
This is the distinction between the phone you BUY and OWN, versus a phone that you lease or buy for a subsidized price.
What happens with most cell phone contracts is that you buy a phone for a reduced price in return for a 2 year cell phone service contract. At the end of your contract, you can use your phone with any cell phone service you please.
Apple doesn't want to lease iPhones nor does it want to subsidize the price of iPhones. Customers own their iPhones and can buy them at full price from Apple, for instance. Once you own an iPhone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. Jailbreaking the iPhone you own really means that you choose not to sign a service contract with ATT as hoped for by Apple and ATT. But they don't control your life, do they? And they certainly don't own your iPhone.
Apple doesn't want to lease iPhones nor does it want to subsidize the price of iPhones. Customers own their iPhones and can buy them at full price from Apple, for instance. Once you own an iPhone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service (jailbreaking the iPhone you own).
iPhones are subsidized, just in a manner that's different than usual. You can jailbreak it, but they disclaim all warranties and support if you do so.
I'll bet you are waiting for iTunes movie downloads as well.
In a way, I'm a little bit sad with the announcement. Australia apparently is getting the iPhone after Macworld and official Apple Stores.... while we here in New Zealand are left behind the rest of the world again! Maybe we'll be after Namibia or something.
It's enough to make me want to stop chasing pretty sheep.
Their current data plan costs about $2.50 a meg. That on top of $60 - $70/month for 100 minutes.
I'm with Rogers, and I pay $67/month for almost the same plan as Daphoid below: evenings at 6pm, 350 daytime, 100 txt, no data, caller ID, voicemail, etc... I don't see any appreciable difference between what I receive for my money and what Daphoid receives with Bell. Maybe Telus is better? (I doubt it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daphoid
I currently pay $74/month for:
- 450 anytime / Unlimited Nights/Weekends (Starting at 6PM)
- 75 txt msgs
- Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting
- Voicemail
- No Data.
Thats thanks to lovely Bell Canada.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rain
I was hoping that the iPhone would come to Canada and not Rogers. Now we get to see the iPhone in all it's glorious nerfed and crippled glory.
If not Rogers, then for which other national GSM network were you hoping for the iPhone?
Subsidized by whom? How do you define "subsidize?"
Apple. I say that because you're not really buying the device when you buy it because it's useless without the subscription from the approved carrier, or you use an unsupported crack. And then Apple gets more money for the device from that approved carrier.
It is illegal to tie the sale of a product to a service, forcing a consumer to subscribe to a service if he wants to buy the product. Once you buy a product such as a cell phone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. But you can agree by contract to the terms of service of a cell phone service provider. Your cell phone service contract is not tied to any specific phone and its duration and conditions are determined not by the phone you use, but the terms you agreed to.
The same debate was held in Canada 30 years ago about landline phones. Once you bought a phone that met FCC requirements, you could plug it into any phone service. You were no longer limited to buying or leasing phones from Bell Canada to plug them to Bell Canada land lines.
This is the distinction between the phone you BUY and OWN, versus a phone that you lease or buy for a subsidized price.
What happens with most cell phone contracts is that you buy a phone for a reduced price in return for a 2 year cell phone service contract. At the end of your contract, you can use your phone with any cell phone service you please.
Apple doesn't want to lease iPhones nor does it want to subsidize the price of iPhones. Customers own their iPhones and can buy them at full price from Apple, for instance. Once you own an iPhone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. Jailbreaking the iPhone you own really means that you choose not to sign a service contract with ATT as hoped for by Apple and ATT. But they don't control your life, do they? And they certainly don't own your iPhone.
Ouragn! Right on! Great explanation.
Just one slight correction. Change FCC to CRTC, or indicate the different between the US and Canada governing bodies.
Apple. I say that because you're not really buying the device when you buy it because it's useless without the subscription from the approved carrier, or you use an unsupported crack. And then Apple gets more money for the device from that approved carrier.
Sorry, JeffDM, but your explanation does not fit the definition of subsidize.
So far, you can purchase an iPhone from Apple or ATT for exactly the same price. It is your phone. You own it. You can take it home, throw it in the trash, sell it, etc., and nobody can stop you.
You can even unlock the iPhone as Apple describes, http://www.apple.com/iphone/questionsandanswers.html, and use it on another carrier. However, not all the services may not be covered or suitable, and may even be more expensive.
If ATT were to offer a plan that discounted the list price (or even provided it for free) of the iPhone directly purchased from Apple (or a reseller) for a 2-year service/carrier contract, then it would be ATT that subsidized the cost of the iPhone.
The fact that Apple negotiated a deal with ATT to give them exclusivity for a given period, and in return received a portion of the monthly service charges is just a business-to-business opportunity that suited both ATT and Apple at the same time. Apple got assurance that ATT would improve their network and reduce the price of their data plans. In return, ATT got the first crack of a new technology, a simplified activation process and full product support. As shown, it was a great deal for both parties and for consumers alike. And nobody subsidized anybody.
I'm with Rogers, and I pay $67/month for almost the same plan as Daphoid below: evenings at 6pm, 350 daytime, 100 txt, no data, caller ID, voicemail, etc... I don't see any appreciable difference between what I receive for my money and what Daphoid receives with Bell. Maybe Telus is better? (I doubt it)
Better for what? I'm on Telus, and my current plan is $20/mo. (That's Super Talk 10, plus Spark 10)
I get:
250 anytime mins, unlimited evenings and weekends.
Unlimited web browsing to Telus' top 100 sites. This covers any news, weather, sports, TV schedule, movie listings and the like that i would ever use from my phone. I've yet to think of something that I want to use my phone to access that was not available from the included sites. If I do want to go to a non top 100 site, it's 5¢ a page.
That, and I got the LG 8600 for nothing.
Quote:
If not Rogers, then for which other national GSM network were you hoping for the iPhone?
I was hoping Apple would come to their senses and offer a CDMA version. GSM is only available in very limited areas in Canada, CDMA covers the whole country. If you do any traveling within Canada, a GSM phone is pretty much useless. Could you imagine how stupid is would seem if Apple decided that all Macs only worked with Cable modems for internet access? Some might argue that cable is better than DSL, but that doesn't change the fact lots of places don't have access to it.
You can even unlock the iPhone as Apple describes, http://www.apple.com/iphone/questionsandanswers.html, and use it on another carrier. However, not all the services may not be covered or suitable, and may even be more expensive.
Did you even read the paragraph on unlocking in that link? They don't give a short answer, but the short answer is "no, you can't unlock the phone".
"Can I ?unlock? iPhone and use it with another wireless carrier?
AT&T is the exclusive wireless carrier for iPhone in the United States. If you currently use another wireless carrier, you can choose to transfer your number when you activate your AT&T account."
In the countries where iPhone is sold "white market" as unlocked, it's priced significantly higher as well.
Could you imagine how stupid is would seem if Apple decided that all Macs only worked with Cable modems for internet access? Some might argue that cable is better than DSL, but that doesn't change the fact lots of places don't have access to it.
That is, I am afraid, a silly comparison. Whether it's cable or DSL, what Apple designs is one ethernet port that works with both. (Granted, they used to have the dial-up port as well, but that's now gone).
GSM versus CDMA are fundamentally different standards.
I was hoping Apple would come to their senses and offer a CDMA version. GSM is only available in very limited areas in Canada, CDMA covers the whole country. If you do any traveling within Canada, a GSM phone is pretty much useless. Could you imagine how stupid is would seem if Apple decided that all Macs only worked with Cable modems for internet access? Some might argue that cable is better than DSL, but that doesn't change the fact lots of places don't have access to it.
What the hell are you talking about? GSM has tons of coverage. Do you live in Hudson's Bay?
That is, I am afraid, a silly comparison. Whether it's cable or DSL, what Apple designs is one ethernet port that works with both. (Granted, they used to have the dial-up port as well, but that's now gone).
GSM versus CDMA are fundamentally different standards.
I've heard of dual-standard phones over a year ago, I think made available for the UK of all places. It was discussed on Mac OS Ken covering the speculation running up to the iPhone announcement. I don't remember the brand or model number though. I don't know whether it makes sense to support both, but the iPhone already supports four(!) different wireless standards.
What the hell are you talking about? GSM has tons of coverage. Do you live in Hudson's Bay?
Rogers has decent coverage in south central Ontario, but that's pretty much it. In most of the country, if you are not right in the metro area of a major centre, you get no signal whatsoever with Rogers. A five minute drive outside of Winnipeg, and you've got nothing. Driving through Saskatchewan, nothing. Large parts of Alberta, nothing.Virtually all of BC, nothing.
I found this out the hard way in October. Our CDMA phones had 4 bars, the GSM phones had no signal, almost everywhere between Winnipeg and Smithers, BC.
I've been using an unlocked iPhone on the Rogers network and enjoy it immensely. I've found the reception and voice quality is much better than when I've used other all-in-one smartphones such as the Blackberry line. Example I live in a condo and found I could still make a call and send/receive email three levels down in the garage. That's impressive. It will be nice to finally have the device officially supported by Apple on the Rogers network so I can purchase one that won't require unlocking which would void Apple's warranty. Also I'm hoping when it does come to Canada we get the updated iPhone which is reported to have HSPA, possibly video calling and support for Microsoft Exchange push email as well the Apple App Store. Based on the iPhone history I'm sure Rogers will fall in line like other carriers around the world that offer three different all in one voice & data plans specifically for the iPhone and won't allow other data plans. This would be similar to RIM's Blackberry line which require specific Blackberry plans and don't work with regular data plans such as Rogers $7.00 unlimited mobile WAP browser plan or $7.00 Vision plan. I also wonder if the pricing on the iPhone will be any different since other countries such as the USA aren't subsidizing the price of the iPhone as the price is set by Apple and the term commitment (contract with ECF) is based on the iPhone Voice & Data plan.
Rogers has decent coverage in south central Ontario, but that's pretty much it. In most of the country, if you are not right in the metro area of a major centre, you get no signal whatsoever with Rogers. A five minute drive outside of Winnipeg, and you've got nothing. Driving through Saskatchewan, nothing. Large parts of Alberta, nothing.Virtually all of BC, nothing.
I found this out the hard way in October. Our CDMA phones had 4 bars, the GSM phones had no signal, almost everywhere between Winnipeg and Smithers, BC.
I travel frequently across Canada cost to cost and found the coverage far better on Rogers network than when I was with Telus and Bell. The reality is that each carrier may have coverage in an area remote that another carrier does not. Example when I travel from Vancouver to Calgary I have great coverage even along HWY 5. I recall stopping to assist at 4 car accidents during heavy snowfall through the Rockies last winter where people were surprised to see that I had reception on my Rogers phone but they didn't on their Telus and Bell cellphones. Also keep in mind it's not just the network that's an issue with reception but also the phone itself. Traveling with others on the East coast I noticed that friends/family using Nokia and Samsung phones had some crappy reception issues but I didn't when I used a Sony Ericsson W810 and later with a Blackberry 8100 Pearl. Since buying an iPhone and unlocking it to use on Rogers network I've noticed this smartphone far surpases any of the previous cellphones I've used on any carrier. It also worked beautifully in the USA while on both AT&T network and T-Mobile Network. This proves that not all cellphone are alike and that each manufacturer tests their hardware differently. I know it can be frustrating to lose coverage when you need it but like I said the reality is none of the carriers provide 100% coverage across the entire country.
Comments
If we get a $20/month, truly unlimited data plan and the new 3G iPhone, I will be both shocked and thrilled.
If we here in Canada got $20 there'd be a mass migration north of every iPhone owner south of the border. AT&T plans for consumers start at $59 and go to $79, $99 and $119.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/easysetup/rateplans.html
That's about what I expect Rogers will charge too, or maybe with an extra $20 "eh" tax on top so Ted can keep sipping the drink he favours.
$20? You're way dreaming my child.
If we here in Canada got $20 there'd be a mass migration north of every iPhone owner south of the border. AT&T plans for consumers start at $59 and go to $79, $99 and $119.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/easysetup/rateplans.html
That's about what I expect Rogers will charge too, or maybe with an extra $20 "eh" tax on top so Ted can keep sipping the drink he favours.
$20? You're way dreaming my child.
AT&T currently charges $20/month for the unlimited data plan. The basic phone service, is what cost the additional $40.
200 SMS messages are also included, which has pushed me to use email and Meebo via Safari on the iPhone. That has to be a lot more data being sent over the carriers so I don't understand the reluctance to offer unlimited SMS for the same price.
I currently pay $74/month for:
- 450 anytime / Unlimited Nights/Weekends (Starting at 6PM)
- 75 txt msgs
- Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting
- Voicemail
- No Data.
Thats thanks to lovely Bell Canada. If I have to pay between $75 - $95 for my iPhone, I will. As long as I can just use it like normal and not have to worry about it.
- D
unless i hear it from apple, i wouldn't call it official... the day the iPhone was announced these people fell all over themselves with their 'we're gonna get it! we're gonna get it' spiel. that was over a year ago.
Can you cite your sources on tied sales with some more detail? I had no idea there'd been a change in legislation or a change in respect for existing legislation on part of the carriers. As far as I was aware, every carrier-sold handset in Canada with the exception of the GSM component of Telus' Blackberry CDMA/GSM worldphone is locked to its respective carrier. Even Rogers and Fido GSM handsets are not interchangeable out of the box - and they're the same company. I have paid exorbitant rates on top of Canadian carriers' ridiculous $6.95 "system access fee" for over a year on a month-to-month plan on a phone I bought out right and Rogers will not unlock it for me. My account has been in good standing, but Rogers refuses to unlock my quad-band phone that I was hoping to use for travel. As far as I understand in the US, AT&T and T-Mobile will unlock certain models after several months of holding an account in good standing.
It is illegal to tie the sale of a product to a service, forcing a consumer to subscribe to a service if he wants to buy the product. Once you buy a product such as a cell phone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. But you can agree by contract to the terms of service of a cell phone service provider. Your cell phone service contract is not tied to any specific phone and its duration and conditions are determined not by the phone you use, but the terms you agreed to.
The same debate was held in Canada 30 years ago about landline phones. Once you bought a phone that met FCC requirements, you could plug it into any phone service. You were no longer limited to buying or leasing phones from Bell Canada to plug them to Bell Canada land lines.
This is the distinction between the phone you BUY and OWN, versus a phone that you lease or buy for a subsidized price.
What happens with most cell phone contracts is that you buy a phone for a reduced price in return for a 2 year cell phone service contract. At the end of your contract, you can use your phone with any cell phone service you please.
Apple doesn't want to lease iPhones nor does it want to subsidize the price of iPhones. Customers own their iPhones and can buy them at full price from Apple, for instance. Once you own an iPhone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. Jailbreaking the iPhone you own really means that you choose not to sign a service contract with ATT as hoped for by Apple and ATT. But they don't control your life, do they? And they certainly don't own your iPhone.
Apple doesn't want to lease iPhones nor does it want to subsidize the price of iPhones. Customers own their iPhones and can buy them at full price from Apple, for instance. Once you own an iPhone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service (jailbreaking the iPhone you own).
iPhones are subsidized, just in a manner that's different than usual. You can jailbreak it, but they disclaim all warranties and support if you do so.
I'll bet you are waiting for iTunes movie downloads as well.
In a way, I'm a little bit sad with the announcement. Australia apparently is getting the iPhone after Macworld and official Apple Stores.... while we here in New Zealand are left behind the rest of the world again! Maybe we'll be after Namibia or something.
It's enough to make me want to stop chasing pretty sheep.
OK maybe not that much.
Their current data plan costs about $2.50 a meg. That on top of $60 - $70/month for 100 minutes.
I'm with Rogers, and I pay $67/month for almost the same plan as Daphoid below: evenings at 6pm, 350 daytime, 100 txt, no data, caller ID, voicemail, etc... I don't see any appreciable difference between what I receive for my money and what Daphoid receives with Bell. Maybe Telus is better? (I doubt it)
I currently pay $74/month for:
- 450 anytime / Unlimited Nights/Weekends (Starting at 6PM)
- 75 txt msgs
- Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting
- Voicemail
- No Data.
Thats thanks to lovely Bell Canada.
I was hoping that the iPhone would come to Canada and not Rogers. Now we get to see the iPhone in all it's glorious nerfed and crippled glory.
If not Rogers, then for which other national GSM network were you hoping for the iPhone?
iPhones are subsidized, just in a manner that's different than usual. You can jailbreak it, but they disclaim all warranties and support if you do so.
Subsidized by whom? How do you define "subsidize?"
Subsidized by whom? How do you define "subsidize?"
Apple. I say that because you're not really buying the device when you buy it because it's useless without the subscription from the approved carrier, or you use an unsupported crack. And then Apple gets more money for the device from that approved carrier.
It is illegal to tie the sale of a product to a service, forcing a consumer to subscribe to a service if he wants to buy the product. Once you buy a product such as a cell phone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. But you can agree by contract to the terms of service of a cell phone service provider. Your cell phone service contract is not tied to any specific phone and its duration and conditions are determined not by the phone you use, but the terms you agreed to.
The same debate was held in Canada 30 years ago about landline phones. Once you bought a phone that met FCC requirements, you could plug it into any phone service. You were no longer limited to buying or leasing phones from Bell Canada to plug them to Bell Canada land lines.
This is the distinction between the phone you BUY and OWN, versus a phone that you lease or buy for a subsidized price.
What happens with most cell phone contracts is that you buy a phone for a reduced price in return for a 2 year cell phone service contract. At the end of your contract, you can use your phone with any cell phone service you please.
Apple doesn't want to lease iPhones nor does it want to subsidize the price of iPhones. Customers own their iPhones and can buy them at full price from Apple, for instance. Once you own an iPhone, you are free to use it with any cell phone service. Jailbreaking the iPhone you own really means that you choose not to sign a service contract with ATT as hoped for by Apple and ATT. But they don't control your life, do they? And they certainly don't own your iPhone.
Ouragn! Right on! Great explanation.
Just one slight correction. Change FCC to CRTC, or indicate the different between the US and Canada governing bodies.
Apple. I say that because you're not really buying the device when you buy it because it's useless without the subscription from the approved carrier, or you use an unsupported crack. And then Apple gets more money for the device from that approved carrier.
Sorry, JeffDM, but your explanation does not fit the definition of subsidize.
So far, you can purchase an iPhone from Apple or ATT for exactly the same price. It is your phone. You own it. You can take it home, throw it in the trash, sell it, etc., and nobody can stop you.
You can even unlock the iPhone as Apple describes, http://www.apple.com/iphone/questionsandanswers.html, and use it on another carrier. However, not all the services may not be covered or suitable, and may even be more expensive.
If ATT were to offer a plan that discounted the list price (or even provided it for free) of the iPhone directly purchased from Apple (or a reseller) for a 2-year service/carrier contract, then it would be ATT that subsidized the cost of the iPhone.
The fact that Apple negotiated a deal with ATT to give them exclusivity for a given period, and in return received a portion of the monthly service charges is just a business-to-business opportunity that suited both ATT and Apple at the same time. Apple got assurance that ATT would improve their network and reduce the price of their data plans. In return, ATT got the first crack of a new technology, a simplified activation process and full product support. As shown, it was a great deal for both parties and for consumers alike. And nobody subsidized anybody.
I'm with Rogers, and I pay $67/month for almost the same plan as Daphoid below: evenings at 6pm, 350 daytime, 100 txt, no data, caller ID, voicemail, etc... I don't see any appreciable difference between what I receive for my money and what Daphoid receives with Bell. Maybe Telus is better? (I doubt it)
Better for what? I'm on Telus, and my current plan is $20/mo. (That's Super Talk 10, plus Spark 10)
I get:
250 anytime mins, unlimited evenings and weekends.
100 outgoing text messages, unlimited incoming.
Caller ID, Voice mail, call waiting, conference calling
Unlimited web browsing to Telus' top 100 sites. This covers any news, weather, sports, TV schedule, movie listings and the like that i would ever use from my phone. I've yet to think of something that I want to use my phone to access that was not available from the included sites. If I do want to go to a non top 100 site, it's 5¢ a page.
That, and I got the LG 8600 for nothing.
If not Rogers, then for which other national GSM network were you hoping for the iPhone?
I was hoping Apple would come to their senses and offer a CDMA version. GSM is only available in very limited areas in Canada, CDMA covers the whole country. If you do any traveling within Canada, a GSM phone is pretty much useless. Could you imagine how stupid is would seem if Apple decided that all Macs only worked with Cable modems for internet access? Some might argue that cable is better than DSL, but that doesn't change the fact lots of places don't have access to it.
You can even unlock the iPhone as Apple describes, http://www.apple.com/iphone/questionsandanswers.html, and use it on another carrier. However, not all the services may not be covered or suitable, and may even be more expensive.
Did you even read the paragraph on unlocking in that link? They don't give a short answer, but the short answer is "no, you can't unlock the phone".
"Can I ?unlock? iPhone and use it with another wireless carrier?
AT&T is the exclusive wireless carrier for iPhone in the United States. If you currently use another wireless carrier, you can choose to transfer your number when you activate your AT&T account."
In the countries where iPhone is sold "white market" as unlocked, it's priced significantly higher as well.
Could you imagine how stupid is would seem if Apple decided that all Macs only worked with Cable modems for internet access? Some might argue that cable is better than DSL, but that doesn't change the fact lots of places don't have access to it.
That is, I am afraid, a silly comparison. Whether it's cable or DSL, what Apple designs is one ethernet port that works with both. (Granted, they used to have the dial-up port as well, but that's now gone).
GSM versus CDMA are fundamentally different standards.
That said, it does seem like there are now these dual phones starting to appear in the market: see, e.g., http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/0...vity-long-wal/
But it still seems to be a long way off.....
I was hoping Apple would come to their senses and offer a CDMA version. GSM is only available in very limited areas in Canada, CDMA covers the whole country. If you do any traveling within Canada, a GSM phone is pretty much useless. Could you imagine how stupid is would seem if Apple decided that all Macs only worked with Cable modems for internet access? Some might argue that cable is better than DSL, but that doesn't change the fact lots of places don't have access to it.
What the hell are you talking about? GSM has tons of coverage. Do you live in Hudson's Bay?
That is, I am afraid, a silly comparison. Whether it's cable or DSL, what Apple designs is one ethernet port that works with both. (Granted, they used to have the dial-up port as well, but that's now gone).
GSM versus CDMA are fundamentally different standards.
That said, it does seem like there are now these dual phones starting to appear in the market: see, e.g., http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/0...vity-long-wal/
But it still seems to be a long way off.....
I've heard of dual-standard phones over a year ago, I think made available for the UK of all places. It was discussed on Mac OS Ken covering the speculation running up to the iPhone announcement. I don't remember the brand or model number though. I don't know whether it makes sense to support both, but the iPhone already supports four(!) different wireless standards.
What the hell are you talking about? GSM has tons of coverage. Do you live in Hudson's Bay?
Rogers has decent coverage in south central Ontario, but that's pretty much it. In most of the country, if you are not right in the metro area of a major centre, you get no signal whatsoever with Rogers. A five minute drive outside of Winnipeg, and you've got nothing. Driving through Saskatchewan, nothing. Large parts of Alberta, nothing.Virtually all of BC, nothing.
I found this out the hard way in October. Our CDMA phones had 4 bars, the GSM phones had no signal, almost everywhere between Winnipeg and Smithers, BC.
Rogers has decent coverage in south central Ontario, but that's pretty much it. In most of the country, if you are not right in the metro area of a major centre, you get no signal whatsoever with Rogers. A five minute drive outside of Winnipeg, and you've got nothing. Driving through Saskatchewan, nothing. Large parts of Alberta, nothing.Virtually all of BC, nothing.
I found this out the hard way in October. Our CDMA phones had 4 bars, the GSM phones had no signal, almost everywhere between Winnipeg and Smithers, BC.
I travel frequently across Canada cost to cost and found the coverage far better on Rogers network than when I was with Telus and Bell. The reality is that each carrier may have coverage in an area remote that another carrier does not. Example when I travel from Vancouver to Calgary I have great coverage even along HWY 5. I recall stopping to assist at 4 car accidents during heavy snowfall through the Rockies last winter where people were surprised to see that I had reception on my Rogers phone but they didn't on their Telus and Bell cellphones. Also keep in mind it's not just the network that's an issue with reception but also the phone itself. Traveling with others on the East coast I noticed that friends/family using Nokia and Samsung phones had some crappy reception issues but I didn't when I used a Sony Ericsson W810 and later with a Blackberry 8100 Pearl. Since buying an iPhone and unlocking it to use on Rogers network I've noticed this smartphone far surpases any of the previous cellphones I've used on any carrier. It also worked beautifully in the USA while on both AT&T network and T-Mobile Network. This proves that not all cellphone are alike and that each manufacturer tests their hardware differently. I know it can be frustrating to lose coverage when you need it but like I said the reality is none of the carriers provide 100% coverage across the entire country.