# Bell launches $7 unlimited data plan



## GrapeApe (Aug 4, 2004)

Bell today announced a new $7 unlimited data plan available only with the HTC Touch.

CNW Group | BELL CANADA | Bell introduces the HTC Touch smartphone with a unique unlimited Internet and email feature and full over-the-air music access

This announcement tells me a few things:

#1 This is PROOF POSITIVE that no matter what Ted Rogers tells us we are getting robbed blind on data charges in Canada. If Bell can go as low as $7 for unlimited data the margins on Rogers current plans must be obscene.

#2 The iPhone is coming...soon, this is a clear defensive move by Bell in anticipation of the iPhone. Either Bell got word that Rogers was going to launch the iPhone soon and decided to protect their flank or Rogers is now on the phone with Apple begging to sign the contract to keep up with Bell.


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## wootam (Oct 28, 2007)

anyone else want to start singing dylan's "times are a changing?"

great news!


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## scandy (Aug 11, 2007)

YES YES YES YES YES!!!

Wow and I was just about to bite for the $65 plan!!!


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## 8127972 (Sep 8, 2005)

Before anyone jumps up and down, consider this for a second. Bell did the unlimited data thing for their laptop data cards back in the fall:

CNW Group | BELL CANADA | Bell launches unlimited data access for wireless connection cards - Laptop computer cards connect on Canada's fastest wireless data network

It was thought that Rogers would have to match that to stay competitive. But that didn't happen for whatever reason. With this new announcement, I don't expect Rogers to be doing anything this time around either. Perhaps when they get the iPhone, they might do something, but I don't think they'll match Bell. But I'd love for them to prove me wrong. 

Having said that, it seems that Bell is doing some good things lately. For example, their music store has iPod friendly music that's DRM free:

CNW Group | BELL CANADA | Bell adds iPod(TM) and mobile phone compatible MP3 downloads to Sympatico/MSN Music Store


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

Seems Canadian cell-cos are finally waking up and smelling the apple juice:

http://www.macworld.co.uk/business/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=19694


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

.


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## GrapeApe (Aug 4, 2004)

HowEver said:


> This Bell data $7/month feature offered for one specific wireless device can't be matched by Rogers since it could then be used on any Rogers wireless device.
> 
> This 'news' does make for some interesting competition.


They don't have to match it, heck I'd be thrilled if they could just double it.

What it clearly shows though, is how bad we have been getting ripped off for the past few years.

At $7, even if it is locked to one phone, I find it hard to believe Bell is losing money, makes $65 for 1 gig look like highway robbery.


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## tacsniper (Aug 27, 2007)

damn i wish we can see some thing similar from Rogers... hell even if its $14 (i'm being nice, giving them 200% mark up) for unlimited data


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

I remember seeing an article in the Economist must be 2 decades ago about the telecos challenge of marketing something that had zero cost and that everyone KNEW had zero cost.

The networks are already paid for several times over and there is too much bandwidth available on the main trunks.

Same problem different time.


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## MacBookPro (Jun 22, 2006)

The Bell unlimited data card plan costs $75 per month with a catch, namely this restriction: "Subject to acceptable use restrictions in Terms of Service, including but not limited to consuming excessive network capacity or causing our network to be adversely affected."

Whatever that means...

Their 1Gig plan costs $60 per month, with no restriction like the unlimited plan, but tack on a buck a meg in Canada, 3 bucks a meg in the USA over the 1 Gig limit.

Similarly, their 4 meg plan is $12 per meg over the limit, the 8 meg plan is $6 per meg over the limit.

These plans DO NOT include their $9 a month "system access fee", monthly 911 fee or activation fee.

Sounds damn pricey to me, when all is said and done...



8127972 said:


> Before anyone jumps up and down, consider this for a second. Bell did the unlimited data thing for their laptop data cards back in the fall:
> 
> CNW Group | BELL CANADA | Bell launches unlimited data access for wireless connection cards - Laptop computer cards connect on Canada's fastest wireless data network
> 
> It was thought that Rogers would have to match that to stay competitive. But that didn't happen for whatever reason. With this new announcement, I don't expect Rogers to be doing anything this time around either. Perhaps when they get the iPhone, they might do something, but I don't think they'll match Bell. But I'd love for them to prove me wrong.


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## RISCHead (Jul 20, 2004)

I guess - my Rogers BB costs me over $500 a month with roaming charges - so talk about gouging corporate clients. I'm personally less interested in unlimited data and more interested in reduced roaming charges


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## tacsniper (Aug 27, 2007)

Is this Rogers way to combat Bell's unlimited data for $7. I just got a SMS from Rogers, they are now offering $15/mo for unlimited email/SMS on blackberries.

BlackBerry Personal Email


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## 8127972 (Sep 8, 2005)

Too bad it's only on the Pearl. I hate that keyboard. Give me an 8700/8800/8300 any day as those have REAL keyboards.


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## scandy (Aug 11, 2007)

tacsniper said:


> Is this Rogers way to combat Bell's unlimited play for $7. I just got a SMS from Rogers, they are now offering $15/mo for unlimited email/SMS on blackberries.
> 
> BlackBerry Personal Email


So with my previous phone being a blackberry pearl, would I be able to request this to be added to my account, and then use it with my iPhone to get my gmail via IMAP? Or does this plan only work with blackberries due to the way they access email?

Also, do you need an existing blackberry data plan in addition to this plan?

Lastly, is this really for email only?


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## tacsniper (Aug 27, 2007)

scandy said:


> So with my previous phone being a blackberry pearl, would I be able to request this to be added to my account, and then use it with my iPhone to get my gmail via IMAP? Or does this plan only work with blackberries due to the way they access email?
> 
> Also, do you need an existing blackberry data plan in addition to this plan?
> 
> Lastly, is this really for email only?


You should call Rogers and ask. I am really curious if it will work if you throw that onto your plan and pull the sim card to your iPhone and see if you will still get unlimited email/sms


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## Gene Rayburn (Jun 30, 2007)

8127972 said:


> It was thought that Rogers would have to match that to stay competitive. But that didn't happen for whatever reason. With this new announcement, I don't expect Rogers to be doing anything this time around either. Perhaps when they get the iPhone, they might do something, but I don't think they'll match Bell. But I'd love for them to prove me wrong.


You have a valid point, but I think there's a slight difference here, and that is that the majority of Bell/Rogers clients aren't PC Card users. This new Touch & $7 unlimited deal is something that caters to the majority of the market. Since many more people will notice this discrepancy, it will be a lot more painful for Rogers to remain inactive this time. As an example of how much of an impact this plan is having, someone at HowardForums reported how he saw 10 people in 30 minutes come into a Bell World store all porting off Rogers/Fido/Telus and going with the Touch and its $7 plan -- which is incredible when you think it was only officialy released yesterday and with no pre-launch advertising (that I know of). He said the store was totally busy today.


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

Hopefully Teddy will notice he's losing a few customers to Bell.


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## scandy (Aug 11, 2007)

tacsniper said:


> You should call Rogers and ask. I am really curious if it will work if you throw that onto your plan and pull the sim card to your iPhone and see if you will still get unlimited email/sms


I called, but problem now is that I got rid of the pearl, and they want the IMEI from it... I guess im SOL.

For those of you that may have an unlocked pearl from ebay or something, she said it doesn't matter how you obtained the phone, as long as its a ROGERS pearl... she said this is verified through the imei.


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## tacsniper (Aug 27, 2007)

scandy said:


> I called, but problem now is that I got rid of the pearl, and they want the IMEI from it... I guess im SOL.
> 
> For those of you that may have an unlocked pearl from ebay or something, she said it doesn't matter how you obtained the phone, as long as its a ROGERS pearl... she said this is verified through the imei.


ok so once u have the IMEI of the Rogers Pearl, how will they throw the plan on the phone? It goes on the SIM right? So will u still get the unlimited email/sms on the iphone then?


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## scandy (Aug 11, 2007)

tacsniper said:


> ok so once u have the IMEI of the Rogers Pearl, how will they throw the plan on the phone? It goes on the SIM right? So will u still get the unlimited email/sms on the iphone then?


Just did some digging around in other forums (redflagdeals). People have been successful in adding the plan to their nokia and other devices, but after the customer service rep activating it on their account, their email stopped working... I guess it really does only work on blackberries on the blackberry network.


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## tacsniper (Aug 27, 2007)

scandy said:


> Just did some digging around in other forums (redflagdeals). People have been successful in adding the plan to their nokia and other devices, but after the customer service rep activating it on their account, their email stopped working... I guess it really does only work on blackberries on the blackberry network.


aww damn... well lets hope Rogers get the iPhone soon if Bell is already taking the initiative, maybe they know something we don't yet


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## scandy (Aug 11, 2007)

Predictions are:

1) Bell is getting some kind of new blackberry supposedly better than what Rogers has. In order to avoid people from flipping over to bell or signing up with them as a new customer they are offering this nice little deal.

2) The iPhone is coming to Rogers, and they want to get as many people signed up to rogers as they can, so when the iPhone drops they can capitalize on full price hardware upgrades.

3) The iPhone is coming, and they are expecting a sharp drop in sales of the pearl when it happens.

Just a few things that have been thrown around.


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## adam.sn (Feb 7, 2007)

Dunno if it was mentioned, but yesterday Telus released a $15 unlimited e-mail plan for their new Pearl and the Touch. Reaction to Bell's move? It's a domino effect 

Cheers. 
- Adam


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## Gene Rayburn (Jun 30, 2007)

adam.sn said:


> Dunno if it was mentioned, but yesterday Telus released a $15 unlimited e-mail plan for their new Pearl and the Touch. Reaction to Bell's move? It's a domino effect
> 
> Cheers.
> - Adam


Pretty weak reaction imo (no unlimited browsing, double the price -- but would probably stop a few people from switching from Telus to Bell). It's interesting to see them scramble to come up with something ASAP


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## tacsniper (Aug 27, 2007)

Gene Rayburn said:


> Pretty weak reaction imo (no unlimited browsing, double the price -- but would probably stop a few people from switching from Telus to Bell). It's interesting to see them scramble to come up with something ASAP


well its definitely a good start towards the "unlimited data" for Canadians.


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## Gene Rayburn (Jun 30, 2007)

tacsniper said:


> well its definitely a good start towards the "unlimited data" for Canadians.


Oh yeah, you can see they're feeling the heat


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## JeanLuc (Sep 26, 2007)

*Rogers losing out already*

in the iPhone game. Every day over 700 iPhones are sold unlocked on eBay. Most look like they're coming to Canada. Rogers is not going to get a lot of people buying the hardware if they let us languish too much longer. They'll be stuck with the slim pickings from the contracts and clearly those pickings are quickly getting slimmer.

I would buy an iPhone now from eBay but I don't want one that is partially disabled because some of the featured services aren't available. Plus I don't want to pay the HUGE markup that eBay vendors are getting. 

I'll wait for a fully functioning phone. 

Considering the possibility of a new 3G iPhone in the not too distant future. 
Rogers may find they are completely cut out of the loop. That would be too funny!


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## Arne (Jan 27, 2003)

IMHO, I don't think Rogers will substantially lower data prices right away. With the anticipated spike in sales when it's released in Canada and the fact they're the only iPhone game in town, what's their motivation for lowering prices now? I see it as supply and demand.

Of course, if Rogers/Fido customers are switching to Bell or Telus in droves, then perhaps they may lower prices significantly before the iPhone goes on sale. We may also see lower prices when the initial novelty wears off, i.e., if or when iPhone sales level off.

As long as iPhone sales remain strong, I think we'll see only token price reductions in data packages from Rogers/Fido.

Just my 25¢ worth (2¢ adjusted for inflation).


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