Videotron to offer iPhone in Canada?

[Darkroom]

CBC News has reported on the likeliness that there will be a 5th wireless network in canada this year to be hosted by Montreal based Quebecor's subsidiary Videotron.

Although Rogers Communications is currently the only GSM (iPhone compatible) wireless network that Canada, it is probable that the new wireless service in canada will also offer GSM in order to compete with Rogers Communications.

Perhaps Apple has just been waiting all this time for the Canadian government to have the spectrum auction in order to spark an iPhone bidding war, eh?

 

[TEG]

I have seen several places on the net that says that T-Mobile will be launching a Canadian Subsidiary soon.

TEG

 

[graymccarty]

mmmmm... competition.... YES

 

[EvryDayImShufln]

We need some of that.

It took me litterally 4 months after signing my rogers contract to actually get them to give me what they promised. I've been calling every 2 weeks or so nagging them.

Competition is gonna be great for our cellphone market.

 

[Surely]

I have seen several places on the net that says that T-Mobile will be launching a Canadian Subsidiary soon.

TEG

Sources? My understanding of CRTC rules is that a foreign company cannot operate a telecommunications company in Canada.

AT&T was in Canada way back in the early 90's (Rogers and AT&T were together for a while), but my recollection is that they had to leave due to new rules. No?

 

[CalmEnvy]

Good, we need more competition in Canada. I really don't like Rogers, they screwed my Dad over and lied to him when we had cell phones with them. Only thing we got with them now is the internet.

 

[jonnysods]

Sources? My understanding of CRTC rules is that a foreign company cannot operate a telecommunications company in Canada.

AT&T was in Canada way back in the early 90's (Rogers and AT&T were together for a while), but my recollection is that they had to leave due to new rules. No?

From reports I read T-Mobile is going to come over here and buy up the new wireless spot - but they are going to be a Canadian based T-Mobile so they meet the CRTC guidelines. Problem is, that won't be until 2009 sometime they say.

So, no iPhones until then? I don't want to pay whatever the heck it is Rogers will charge for an iPhone. I pay $45 per month now for only 4 lousy megs of data!

 

[Surely]

Good, we need more competition in Canada. I really don't like Rogers, they screwed my Dad over and lied to him when we had cell phones with them. Only thing we got with them now is the internet.

That sucks dude.

I mostly had good experiences with Rogers. My family has been Rogers customers since 1979, and we've been wireless customers since 91 or 92.
Here is my last experience: I recently had to cancel 2 wireless accounts that were part of a 3 account family plan because my wife and I moved to LA. When I called to cancel, the rep told me that both lines were still in contract and would require a $200 per phone cancelation fee! I explained that when I upgraded and when my wife signed up, it was explained to us that the contract is attached to the main line of the family plan (my mom's line), and when we cancel the others, as long as the main line remains active, there wouldn't be any cancaltion fees. Turns out that isn't how it works. I was transfered to a supervisor, I explained the tactics that the sales guy used to get us to upgrade and sign up, he apologized and thanked us for our years of loyalty, and then canceled the cancelation fees, saving me $400.

Rogers isn't all evil.

 

[Darkroom]

That sucks dude.

I mostly had good experiences with Rogers. My family has been Rogers customers since 1979, and we've been wireless customers since 91 or 92.
Here is my last experience: I recently had to cancel 2 wireless accounts that were part of a 3 account family plan because my wife and I moved to LA. When I called to cancel, the rep told me that both lines were still in contract and would require a $200 per phone cancelation fee! I explained that when I upgraded and when my wife signed up, it was explained to us that the contract is attached to the main line of the family plan (my mom's line), and when we cancel the others, as long as the main line remains active, there wouldn't be any cancaltion fees. Turns out that isn't how it works. I was transfered to a supervisor, I explained the tactics that the sales guy used to get us to upgrade and sign up, he apologized and thanked us for our years of loyalty, and then canceled the cancelation fees, saving me $400.

Rogers isn't all evil.

that's a very nice story Surly, maybe one day it will be a movie on the disney channel... but until then, Rogers are bastards who mislead consumers to get more money... according to you they even lied to their "most loyal" customers... but that's what telecommunication giants here do, they focus so much on getting new customers with great deals and sign up bonuses, while they do nothing for their current customers... that being said, Bell is much worse than Rogers, but Rogers is still evil.

 

[Surely]

that's a very nice story Surly, maybe one day it will be a movie on the disney channel... but until then, Rogers are bastards who mislead consumers to get more money... according to you they even lied to their "most loyal" customers... but that's what telecommunication giants here do, they focus so much on getting new customers with great deals and sign up bonuses, while they do nothing for their current customers... that being said, Bell is much worse than Rogers, but Rogers is still evil.

The name's Surely, not Surly. If anyone here is surly, it's you. Maybe it's because of the freezing Montreal winter?

I'm hoping it's a movie on YTV, or that the producers of Degrassi: The Next Generation will produce it. Why isn't Joey Jeremiah on the show anymore......

Rogers didn't lie to me, I guess I should have been clearer. The sales guys at the cellphone store (a place similar to Wireless Wave) are the people who lied to me. They don't work for Rogers, they work for the store. If you bought an Apple product at Best Buy, and the sales guy gave you false info, it isn't Apple's fault, it's Best Buy's fault.

I know what telecommunications companies do in Canada or anywhere else- they try to make profit.

I never had a problem while being a current customer with Rogers. Whenever I wanted to upgrade or downgrade my service, or upgrade to a new phone because the original phone I upgraded to kept dropping calls, they were happy to help me. When my phone fell in a puddle of slushy, salty water, they gave me a replacement phone.

Maybe it's because you're so surly that you get nowhere with the customer reps you speak with. Maybe if you are friendlier in the future they will help you with whatever issues you are having.

 

[CalmEnvy]

That sucks dude.

I mostly had good experiences with Rogers. My family has been Rogers customers since 1979, and we've been wireless customers since 91 or 92.
Here is my last experience: I recently had to cancel 2 wireless accounts that were part of a 3 account family plan because my wife and I moved to LA. When I called to cancel, the rep told me that both lines were still in contract and would require a $200 per phone cancelation fee! I explained that when I upgraded and when my wife signed up, it was explained to us that the contract is attached to the main line of the family plan (my mom's line), and when we cancel the others, as long as the main line remains active, there wouldn't be any cancaltion fees. Turns out that isn't how it works. I was transfered to a supervisor, I explained the tactics that the sales guy used to get us to upgrade and sign up, he apologized and thanked us for our years of loyalty, and then canceled the cancelation fees, saving me $400.

Rogers isn't all evil.

I'm glad to hear that there is some good news from Rogers. My Mom hasn't had any trouble at all yet. There was a few things Rogers did that pissed my Dad off. They started charging my Dad for calls that weren't long distance, then they stopped, started it again, it was basically on and off. Then my Dad called them up asking about our plan and contract. They said that it was up and we could upgrade or cancel for free.

Dad was thinking about it and then decides to cancel. So he calls but now they say we are still on the plan and that it would cost $120 per phone to cancel. My Dad had enough with them and said **** it. It cost him $360 to cancel. So I really don't like Rogers one bit. Also, customer service was starting to get on his nerves but it was probably the person that he was talking to. I know some of them can be pretty horrible.

 

[Avicdar]

I'm sure that I am not the first to suggest this, but why wouldn't Apple be interested in this?

They have the cash. Canada is a good sized market to test their mettle, and their competition in Canada is currently gouging its customers. From a sheer competitive point of view, Apple would blow everyone away with their product and pricing.

Only real problem I would see with this is that Apple would have to offer more handsets than just the iPhone.

Perhaps by the time it would all come together, probably in 2009, Apple might have several versions of the iPhone available.

Then again, maybe as a Canadian I am grasping at straws to get the iPhone here. Why oh why isn't it here yet?