Bell to Launch their HSPA Network Next Month

[Der84]

Bell is set to launch their state of the art HSPA network in November 2009. Bell had set a deadline of before the 2010 Olympics to have the network up and running. The new HSPA GSM network features:

* Canada's wireless leadership role enhanced with state-of-the-art HSPA wireless network
* Serve 93% of Canadians in almost 20,000 cities and towns
* Joins existing 3G EVDO network - already Canada's largest - to offer Bell customers maximum worldwide coverage and maximum choice in smartphones

TELUS is also expected to launch their HSPA network later this year. Both networks will allow Bell and TELUS to compete with Rogers for GSM roaming agreements with worldwide carriers. This has been a market exclusively held on to by Rogers for years.

Other rumours of the iPhone coming to Bell and/or TELUS are also starting to heat up.

Bell to Launch their HSPA Network Next Month

[Wireless Mechanic]

its funny how you mentioned GSM, when Bellus is not launching a 2G GSM network. They already have a 3G UMTS network in the works I can already scan CAN-880 which is the Shared Telus Bell (aka Bellus) network ID.

[Der84]

Yeah, ha ha I know. This was taken from the link listed in the first post, so I'm not sure why they mentioned that.

[RadioRaiders]

Originally Posted by Der84

The new HSPA GSM network features:...

Yea, HSPA is in the GSM family, but it's not GSM. The author should ask someone to check their facts before publishing something like that.

Anyway, what is the state of affairs in Canada? Are they ditching all their CDMA networks? Will they keep running them in parallell to UMTS/HSPA networks?

[Wireless Mechanic]

theyre doing what rogers did. theyre running the networks in tandem. it definitely does not make sense for them to shut it down while the bulk of their customers are on this netowrk. they must move them gradually, and when the majority of cx are on the hspa network and the cdma network is costing them more to run then theyre getting out of it, thats when they shut it down.

[Mobile Mike]

I kind of wish Verizon had taken the same route as Bell and Telus, but they're not, so that's life.

Nonetheless, this is a great development for Canadian wireless customers. Look out Rogers, you're in for quite a challenge.

[RadioRaiders]

Originally Posted by Wireless Mechanic

theyre doing what rogers did. theyre running the networks in tandem. it definitely does not make sense for them to shut it down while the bulk of their customers are on this netowrk. they must move them gradually, and when the majority of cx are on the hspa network and the cdma network is costing them more to run then theyre getting out of it, thats when they shut it down.

Right, in Australia Telstra launched their UMTS network in 2006 and then shut down their CDMA net in 2008. I imagine Bell will allow a similar period of time to allow customers to migrate to the new network as well.

...the article mentions TELLUS also launching a UMTS network in Canada soon? Does this mean the death of CDMA in Canada? Once Bell and TELLUS shut their CDMA nets, will anyone else be left running CDMA in Canada?

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by RadioRaiders

...the article mentions TELLUS also launching a UMTS network in Canada soon? Does this mean the death of CDMA in Canada? Once Bell and TELLUS shut their CDMA nets, will anyone else be left running CDMA in Canada?

From what I remember being mentioned when they both decided to go the UMTS route is the inevitable future transition to LTE.

[Der84]

Originally Posted by RadioRaiders

Right, in Australia Telstra launched their UMTS network in 2006 and then shut down their CDMA net in 2008. I imagine Bell will allow a similar period of time to allow customers to migrate to the new network as well.

...the article mentions TELLUS also launching a UMTS network in Canada soon? Does this mean the death of CDMA in Canada? Once Bell and TELLUS shut their CDMA nets, will anyone else be left running CDMA in Canada?

I think eventually, most of the major carriers in Canada will have ditched CDMA.
Rogers, Telus and Bell being the 3 major carriers in Canada have all done so.
Sasktel which covers a good portion of Saskatchewan was a CDMA carrier but apparently, they are in the process of (if not already) constructing a UMTS network..

[RadioRaiders]

Yea, it's good to see North America finally unifying and joining the 3GPP group (aka "GSM Family" of technologies).

...speaking of Canada, have you heard anything about Wind Mobile launching UMTS on 1700? I think they are supposed to be launching by the end of the year:
WIND | We're Bringing Change to the Canadian Wireless Industry

The focus on customer service is nice, but this sounds a little "needy" :-P

Simply put, we want to create the most unforgettably positive customer experience in Canada.

How? By speaking with you, not at or over you. By making every site you visit, every store you set foot in and every call you have with us into a meaningful conversation to help build something better - together.

...if you call to cancel your contract, do they start crying? Do you have to get into the whole "it's not you, it's me" thing? :-P

[Der84]

Yep, either the end of this year or the beginning of next year. I think it's suppose launch everywhere in Canada except for Quebec.

So there are a few new players coming to the Canadian Wireless table.
Dave Wireless being another one that seems to be growing.

[Wireless Mechanic]

wind already has some towers that are "live" they are 1700/2100 so they are incompatible with most of the phones we use today.

[Der84]

R.R. I just noticed the edit in your post from when I read earlier.

Originally Posted by RadioRaiders

The focus on customer service is nice, but this sounds a little "needy" :-P

Simply put, we want to create the most unforgettably positive customer experience in Canada.

How? By speaking with you, not at or over you. By making every site you visit, every store you set foot in and every call you have with us into a meaningful conversation to help build something better - together.

...if you call to cancel your contract, do they start crying? Do you have to get into the whole "it's not you, it's me" thing? :-P

Ha ha ha ha ha, sorry, that just made me laugh.

[Der84]

UPDATE

Today's the day!

Industry watchers say the launch this week of the High Speed Packet Access-plus cellular network shared by Telus Mobility and Bell Mobility will change Canada's wireless landscape almost overnight as both carriers prepare to launch a bevy of new products on their broadband network.

Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. has launched its service Wednesday while Telus Corp. plans to roll out its HSPA offerings Thursday.

The new network is based on upgraded GSM technology commonly used to operate wireless networks around the world. It puts the two national carriers on par with Rogers Communications Inc., which has been running its HSPA+ network for weeks.

“It will help Bell and Telus compete against Rogers,” says Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst for mobility at Toronto-based IDC Canada. “Rogers was able to pull away from the pack with a handset advantage over the last year. Now that advantage has been eliminated.”

Many cell phone manufacturers choose GSM technology because it is more widespread than the CDMA/EVDO networks used by Bell and Telus. However, CDMA networks are more common in North America.

HSPA+ is an upgrade to GSM technology and paves the path for a 4G network using Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology.

Bell has met its goal of launching the network before the Winter Olympics in B.C., says Andy Wright, director of business development at Bell Mobility.

“It's one of the largest single deployments anywhere in the world,” he says. “93 per cent of the population will be covered with our initial deployment … and over 1 million square kilometres.”

After launch, Bell will be running two country-wide networks and Telus three, including its iDEN-based Mike network acquired from Clearnet Communications in 2000.

Both companies plan to support their current networks in addition to the new HSPA+ network.

”Our customers will have the best of both worlds,” Bell Mobility's Wright says. “For our current customers, we firmly believe in the technology of the EVDO network.”

Bell claims to have more than six million customers on its EVDO network.

Telus will also continue to offer services on its three networks, says A.J. Gratton, spokesperson.

Existing customers of the big carriers are likely to experience any service deterioration because of the change, says Lawrence Surtees, principal analyst of communications research at IDC Canada.

“We've seen all cell phone and wireless networks operate dual networks as they migrate,” he says. “They've done this all the time.”

Both Bell and Telus are launching a bevy of new products alongside the new network. The carriers will offer Apple's iPhone and the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 from Research in Motion. Both will also be launching their own exclusive phones.

Bell, Telus launch HSPA wireless service