# Are Bell and Telus almost ready for the iPhone?



## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

My son ran a speed test on his Telus Blackberry today and got readings of 25Mbits/ps.
Does anyone else know of anyone on Bell or Telus that can run a speed test to verify if this is really happening? I didn't know that they were going to be using the HSPA+.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Don't hold your breath. It will likely happen eventually, but my guess would be that the 4G iPhone will be out before that happens.


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## jeepguy (Apr 4, 2008)

chas_m said:


> Don't hold your breath. It will likely happen eventually, but my guess would be that the 4G iPhone will be out before that happens.


That maybe true, but I know for a fact that the process has already been started. My friend is involved in the installation of the new equipment. When it goes live is anyone guess, but I know they are busy getting the installations in BC fast tracked because of the Olympics.


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## jimbotelecom (May 29, 2009)

jeepguy said:


> That maybe true, but I know for a fact that the process has already been started. My friend is involved in the installation of the new equipment. When it goes live is anyone guess, but I know they are busy getting the installations in BC fast tracked because of the Olympics.


You are right. Bell and Telus are going to be supporting GSM phones for the Olympics.
They do not want Rogers to get all the roaming fees from international visitors. They will not have a deal worked out with Apple until Apple's 4G launch (Summer 2010) but Iphone users will be able to roam onto Bell Telus and Rogers networks.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

25mbps? are you sure? EVDO Rev A is just 3.1mbps.


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## Jeepdude (Mar 3, 2005)

Regardless, I'm sure Bell will find some way to make using an iPhone a truly miserable experience.


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

The speed you'd get on a Telus BlackBerry now wouldn't matter; their 3G uses EVDO, not the HSPA that Rogers uses and which Bell as well as Telus will start using in a few months. There are World Edition BlackBerries, but they don't do 3G in North America in that mode.

When they do move on, they'll be using regular HSPA for 3G (probably about 3.6Mbps peak) and eventually 4G using LTE (Long Term Evolution). Only Rogers is going HSPA+ so far, and that's mostly because it already has an HSPA network it can juice up.


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## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

I know Bell and Telus are going to HSPA. From my contacts it should have been up and running around now. I just don't know if it has happened already in some of the major citys. That is where they are starting. I was wondering if anyone else knew of someone who could do a speed test and compare. Bell and Telus aren't going to lose out on all that revenue from people around the world juring the Olympics. The only thing I don't know is what HSPA system they are putting in place. If the speed test he took is correct then it is HSPA+. I am just waiting for another friend who has Telus to get back to me so I can test on their phone too. I will get back with the results.


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

Sniper4u said:


> I know Bell and Telus are going to HSPA. From my contacts it should have been up and running around now. I just don't know if it has happened already in some of the major citys. That is where they are starting. I was wondering if anyone else knew of someone who could do a speed test and compare. Bell and Telus aren't going to lose out on all that revenue from people around the world juring the Olympics. The only thing I don't know is what HSPA system they are putting in place. If the speed test he took is correct then it is HSPA+. I am just waiting for another friend who has Telus to get back to me so I can test on their phone too. I will get back with the results.


Unless he's using a pre-release phone, he wouldn't be using any kind of HSPA! You can't use a format your phone doesn't support and which isn't actually recognized by any shipping handsets.


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## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

It's must have been a freak result. They are testing back at 3mbps now 2964kbps. That still seems like pretty good numbers though.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

jeepguy said:


> That maybe true, but I know for a fact that the process has already been started. My friend is involved in the installation of the new equipment. When it goes live is anyone guess, but I know they are busy getting the installations in BC fast tracked because of the Olympics.


That's Vancouver/Whistler area only. I would think the Torontonians would pitch a fit if BC got something before they did.


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

chas_m said:


> That's Vancouver/Whistler area only. I would think the Torontonians would pitch a fit if BC got something before they did.


I dunno, I'm pretty ok with not being billions of dollars in debt for the olympics...


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

I sure hope telus gets the iPhone soon enough. I really really really really want one, refuse to switch to rogers.


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## imobile (Oct 6, 2007)

*Tell uz a story ~~~*



Jason H said:


> I sure hope telus gets the iPhone soon enough. I really really really really want one, refuse to switch to rogers.


TELL UZ ...... from frying pan to the fire!

( Telus customer.... 1990 to 2004 .... no more! )


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

It's just the pair of shackles you know versus the pair of shackles you don't know.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> It's just the pair of shackles you know versus the pair of shackles you don't know.


Worth repeating.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

imobile said:


> TELL UZ ...... from frying pan to the fire!
> 
> ( Telus customer.... 1990 to 2004 .... no more! )


haha

I've been a telus customer from 2004 to now.

Started out with a telus pay and talk phone in 2001, then went to a rogers phone which was nothing but hassle, then a bell phone that was never in service anywhere, now I'm with mike and love it. Best cell phone ever. The only thing that would tear me away from my Mike handset would be an iPhone.


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

I have a friend whose partner works at Telus. This friend _really_ wants an iPhone, but so far has not bridged the doing-business-with-Rogers barrier. This friend's partner did some digging internally to see if the rumours were true about Telus/Bell getting the iPhone and has reported that the rumours are indeed quite true.

I guess this isn't much of a secret anymore, the question is when. I didn't hear when.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

GratuitousApplesauce said:


> I have a friend whose partner works at Telus. This friend _really_ wants an iPhone, but so far has not bridged the doing-business-with-Rogers barrier. This friend's partner did some digging internally to see if the rumours were true about Telus/Bell getting the iPhone and has reported that the rumours are indeed quite true.
> 
> I guess this isn't much of a secret anymore, the question is when. I didn't hear when.


That is awesome news.


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

telus and bell willl not have the iphones working on their network telus and bell dont sell sim cards and the iphone can only be used with a sim card but u never know whats possiable


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## jeso (Aug 13, 2009)

The network is already up and running in testing phase... i work at a kiosk and had a customer come in to get help with his phone... he had in his hands unlocked fido and rogers phones... he asked me to help with getting the internal camera to work so he could try out video calling... upon opening his phone i noticed the carrier bell... i quickly flipped the phone over and popped out the battery and sim... it was unmarked...

i asked him if he worked for bell.. he said yes.. i asked him if he knows when GSM is launching... he said i cant say... to which i asked before christmas.. he said maybe...

after that i used my iphone to search for available carriers and boom there is a numbered one there... turns out to be telus if you google it.. i say it wont be long till its out.. i know rogers is launching HSPA+ soon lookin about 21mbps...


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

we should get them by this year october  bell and telus are upgrading there network to gsm its going to cost them queit a few million $$$$$ so they are splitting the costs, i hope it will be a bit cheap on contract all i can pay is $30.00 a month.


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## classicbean (Jun 7, 2008)

fjnmusic said:


> It's just the pair of shackles you know versus the pair of shackles you don't know.


Maybe so, but I won't go back to Telus ever again. I was with them since the Clearnet days and was pretty much told to eff off by a customer service rep when I was having trouble with my wife's blackberry that had JUST come off warranty.

I was hoping they'd do something for me since I've been with them for life but was hung up by a customer service rep when I asked to speak to his supervisor and he claimed he didn't have one. Long story short, I had to go through four different people to eventually get a small credit for my broken Blackberry. I get that it's not their fault that the Blackberry was fried, but they were anything but sympathetic or accommodating.

I had seven months left on the contract. I switched over to Rogers and gladly paid the $140 penalty for leaving early.

I'll never go back to Telus. I've got Rogers for home phone, cable, internet and my wife's blackberry (I'm on Fido for my iPhone) and it's amazing the type of customer service I receive just by bundling services.

Sure, they know they have me by the proverbial balls for the blackberry contract, but when you can walk away from a $250 a month bill for the other three services and head to Bell, believe me, they're nice to you.


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

I was on Bell, Rogers, and Fido before switching to Telus. They all screw up once in a while, but Telus is the only one that has decent customer service and doesn't make me want to rip my hair out when I call. Well, Fido was also good but I switched after Rogers bought them 

Here's hoping for a Telus iPhone! Having said all of this, I now have to call Telus about a $4 ringtone I supposedly bought. Sigh.

Edit: They reversed the charges with no questions asked. Go Telus!


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

i emailed telus and heres the answer There is a new network in the works called HSPA which should be launching in the near future. This new network includes the GSM technology and there are plans in the works to potentially get the iphone. But if you are looking for definitive answers I cannot give you those I apologize.


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## bucho (Aug 29, 2006)

Well Telus is advertising Sept. 15th as 'the best day of all time' so keep your fingers crossed. Maybe a simultaneous launch of their new network, and access to the iPhone? 

HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - HSPA Launch Sept 15?
HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - Official Future HSPA Network Discussion (Phones/Plans/Network etc..)


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## fidget (Mar 19, 2008)

bucho said:


> Well Telus is advertising Sept. 15th as 'the best day of all time' so keep your fingers crossed. Maybe a simultaneous launch of their new network, and access to the iPhone?
> 
> HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - HSPA Launch Sept 15?
> HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - Official Future HSPA Network Discussion (Phones/Plans/Network etc..)


prettymuch guaranteed not to be an iphone launch based on the content of the threads at howardforums but there is a guy called nysik who just posted there and was saying they have started the live testing the new network on sept 2 so there may still be hope for a launch soon.


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

i hope telus gets the iphone


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## fidget (Mar 19, 2008)

yeah i know the feeling


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## RiceBoy (Aug 1, 2009)

bucho said:


> Well Telus is advertising Sept. 15th as 'the best day of all time' so keep your fingers crossed. Maybe a simultaneous launch of their new network, and access to the iPhone?
> 
> HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - HSPA Launch Sept 15?
> HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - Official Future HSPA Network Discussion (Phones/Plans/Network etc..)


Turns out THIS was the "big" announcement.  It explains why the ad was only seen in movie theatres.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Wtf?


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## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

Telus is letting blackberry users to switch to their new network. Seems there is a number you can call to be hooked up to it or they will do it for you automatically at a later date.


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

Sniper4u said:


> Telus is letting blackberry users to switch to their new network. Seems there is a number you can call to be hooked up to it or they will do it for you automatically at a later date.


Wouldn't be very many users, if any -- you'd need a world-roaming BlackBerry with HSPA on a frequency Telus supports.


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## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

Commodus said:


> Wouldn't be very many users, if any -- you'd need a world-roaming BlackBerry with HSPA on a frequency Telus supports.


I don't how the hardware is going to work with the new network. Maybe people will have to wait for the next set of phones to come out to truly enjoy it. The new network is up and running in the TO area though.


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## jimbotelecom (May 29, 2009)

Sniper4u said:


> I don't how the hardware is going to work with the new network. Maybe people will have to wait for the next set of phones to come out to truly enjoy it. The new network is up and running in the TO area though.


It's really quite straight forward. You will be able to take your unlocked Iphone and place the Bell or Telus SIM card into the phone and you will then have access to their voice and data network. Features are another matter. Because Iphone will be unsupported you will not have visual voice mail or another feature that Rogers has an exclusive on because of their exclusive license.

There are signs that things will change with the exclusive license since Apple will now extend licenses to other carriers as is the case in the UK just last week.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

dona83 said:


> 25mbps? are you sure? EVDO Rev A is just 3.1mbps.


Maybe someone has their bits and Bytes mixed up?
25 mega bits per second is almost exactly 3.1 mega BYTES per second.


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## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

Script Kiddie said:


> Maybe someone has their bits and Bytes mixed up?
> 25 mega bits per second is almost exactly 3.1 mega BYTES per second.


Ok but how does that equate to the Evdo speeds of 400 - 700 kbps and a max of of 2.4 mbps?


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## pcronin (Feb 20, 2005)

I'm fine with my ipod touch and free wifi randomly. I can't afford $80+ for the plans and possible overages... If I could get an iPhone on bell/telus for less than $50/month plan, I probably would.


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## Sniper4u (Jun 25, 2008)

It will be official today. Bell will be releasing the iPhone starting in november. Which means the network will be up then also.


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

i wish one of the new phones will be an iphone


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