# iPhone and Bell



## wtl

Okay, so I'm excited about the phone and of course, as a Canadian, the question comes up what do we do?

Being a Bell client, I fumbled around their website so that I could ask about iPhone support.

Because I sure want Bell to offer the iPhone.


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## HowEver

All Bell wireless phones are CDMA.

Apple chose to release a GSM phone. Only Rogers (and Rogers-owned fido) can offer that phone/service in Canada.

You are comletely *out of luck *if you are a Bell or Telus customer.

Unless you want to find a way to buy the phone outright, with no service plan, and not use it as a phone. But that doesn't seem very lucky either.


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## Mississauga

I'll switch from Bell to Rogers, if that's what it takes to use an iPhone!


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## rollee

it is true the iphone is quad band GSM, but if it is offered to cingular for the low price of US$499, chances are it is locked to the carrier. unless rogers/fido picks it up, it being able to be used here natively in canada ( or anywhere in the world) is 0.
all other cell phones can easily be unlocked, but with iphone being apple OSX, chances are slim that it can be unlocked as easily.

if they offer an unlocked model, the iphone can cost at least $1500 if not more!


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## Bruno_NB

I'd love to have an iPhone, but.. Rogers does not (and likely will not!) offer service in my neck of the woods. Stuck with Bell/Aliant or Telus. Hopefully Apple releases an iPhone for the rest of us.


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## maximusbibicus

rollee said:


> if they offer an unlocked model, the iphone can cost at least $1500 if not more!


Put down the bottle.


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## dona83

Seeing how Rogers charges an arm and a leg for data services... better refrain from using maps and weathers too often.

Also there's one downside with CDMA, if you're connected to the net you cannot make or receive phone calls, unless they can engineer some work around.


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## audiodan

dona83 said:


> Seeing how Rogers charges an arm and a leg for data services... better refrain from using maps and weathers too often.
> 
> Also there's one downside with CDMA, if you're connected to the net you cannot make or receive phone calls, unless they can engineer some work around.


With WiFi built in, can't you use the web free?


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## Bjornbro

rollee said:


> unless rogers/fido picks it up, it being able to be used here natively in canada ( or anywhere in the world) is 0.


unless? *unless?!* Why on earth wouldn't Rogers want to sell what will be the fastest selling phone in history? Not to mention swinging a big chunk of their competitors subscriber base over to their side for the privilege of owning the iPhone . :greedy:


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## HowEver

It isn't true that all other cell phones can be easily unlocked. Not all, and not all easily. Nokia is usually the easiest for users to self-unlock, but there are some exceptions. In other cases, there are unlockable phones across the spectrum.

It's impossible to predict if the Apple iPhone will be easily unlocked, or impossibly, or somewhere in between.

And I agree with the comment about putting down the bottle: $1,500? I'm sure there is a chapter in your neighbourhood.



rollee said:


> it is true the iphone is quad band GSM, but if it is offered to cingular for the low price of US$499, chances are it is locked to the carrier. unless rogers/fido picks it up, it being able to be used here natively in canada ( or anywhere in the world) is 0.
> *all other cell phones can easily be unlocked*, but with iphone being apple OSX, chances are slim that it can be unlocked as easily.
> 
> if they offer an unlocked model, the iphone can cost at least $1500 if not more!


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## HowEver

Good thing it's not CDMA.

I'm sure iPhone wifi will be easier to take where wifi is free. Wardrivers unite.

Rogers data's minimum charges get you a few hundred kilobytes of data per month; fine for an emergency but astonishingly expensive if you aren't surfing a WAP page, briefly, and then getting the hell off.




dona83 said:


> Seeing how Rogers charges an arm and a leg for data services... better refrain from using maps and weathers too often.
> 
> Also there's one downside with CDMA, if you're connected to the net you cannot make or receive phone calls, unless they can engineer some work around.


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## gizmo321

I read in the Globe and Mail today that Rogers will most likely pick up the iPhone for Canadian customers. 

I'm fairly certain using maps and weathers was on the Wi-Fi network. If not, it'd be pretty useless as the price of WAP is crazy. I say most likely, b/c my friend has a "Eten" PDA phone (taiwanese company) which has wi-fi built-in and the phone uses the wifi and not WAP to surf the net.


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## Macaholic

Simply unlocking an iPhone -- if it were possible -- would only result in a half-baked experience. There seems to be A LOT of unique back-end stuff going on with Cingular, Yahoo and Google. Remember, he found a Starbucks via Google Earth and, with one click, punched up its phone number. Google Earth don't do dat. That HAD TO be an orchestrated convergence of different cloud-based services. And then, there's the Yahoo PUSH... and there's Visual Voice Mail! :love2: That stuff just doesn't happen by itself...


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## overkill

I wonder how Apple/Cingular will allow other carriers to use the visual voicemail technology that they developed. I would assume Apple has the rights to share that technology with other providers outside the US.


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## _Outcast_

gizmo321 said:


> I read in the Globe and Mail today that Rogers will most likely pick up the iPhone for Canadian customers.
> 
> I'm fairly certain using maps and weathers was on the Wi-Fi network. If not, it'd be pretty useless as the price of WAP is crazy. I say most likely, b/c my friend has a "Eten" PDA phone (taiwanese company) which has wi-fi built-in and the phone uses the wifi and not WAP to surf the net.


 Did you watch the Keynote? Steve said that it will automatically use wifi whenever it can. If you're using your provider's data network to surf and a wifi network becomes available it will automatically switch to wifi from the data plan to save you money.

I can't believe that this device has spawned so much misinformation, conjecture, and half-baked opinion. For the love of God it's not even out yet and people are making wild, unsubstantiated claims about it. Like the guy who said an unlocked unbranded model could easily cost upwards of $1500. Where the hell do people pull these outlandish numbers from???

I think the safest course of action is to wait and see what comes out of the mouth of Apple regarding functionality and features that this device will support seeing as no one outside Apple likely has one. 

Bizarre.

Jerry


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## Heart

Is it June yet? 


http://iphonecountdown.com/

.


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## Macaholic

Heart said:


> Is it June yet?



What year, eh?


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## MACSPECTRUM

die Bell die !!

couldn't happen to a nicer telco

and add 2 beaver pelts to the pile while we're at it


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## rgray

_Outcast_ said:


> Where the hell do people pull these outlandish numbers from???


Out of their rectal sphincter...........


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## HowEver

I'm not sure what "Visual VoiceMail" is.

If it's just showing you a picture of the person who left the message, my Nokia comes close to that: it shows me a picture of whoever is calling, if I've taken their picture before and associated it with their phone number.

If Visual Voicemail shows you a picture of the person who left the message, without their having let you take their picture yourself, and stored it, and associated it, then that's pretty cool.

And if the iPhone does Visual Voicechat, two-way, then January 2007 just changed everything. I doubt this, though. The camera is on the wrong side for this to happen.


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## TroutMaskReplica

> die Bell die !!
> 
> couldn't happen to a nicer telco


if you were to survey all of the known cosmos, you would not find a more worthless company than the current bell canada.

i hope they get frozen out of the iPhone.


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## HowEver

You get your wish. It's a fait accomplit. See post 2 above.




TroutMaskReplica said:


> if you were to survey all of the known cosmos, you would not find a more worthless company than the current bell canada.
> 
> i hope they get frozen out of the iPhone.


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## John Clay

HowEver said:


> I'm not sure what "Visual VoiceMail" is.
> 
> If it's just showing you a picture of the person who left the message, my Nokia comes close to that: it shows me a picture of whoever is calling, if I've taken their picture before and associated it with their phone number.
> 
> If Visual Voicemail shows you a picture of the person who left the message, without their having let you take their picture yourself, and stored it, and associated it, then that's pretty cool.
> 
> And if the iPhone does Visual Voicechat, two-way, then January 2007 just changed everything. I doubt this, though. The camera is on the wrong side for this to happen.



Visual Voicemail allows the user to select which voicemail message they want to listen to - without having to skip preceding messages. Functions similar to an email client, allowing you to view the messages you want, how you want.


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## Bjornbro

HowEver said:


> I'm not sure what "Visual VoiceMail" is.


Think of it like the Apple Mail application where you can choose which email to view first and skip the rest. Visual VoiceMail will let the user choose which message (from a list of messages) they'd like to listen to first as opposed to listening to six garbage messages just to get to the one preferred message.


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## bandersnatch

When the iPhone is released in Japan, it will be CDMA. Hopefully, you'll be able to change it's data programming to work with Bell or Telus' network.


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## guytoronto

bandersnatch said:


> When the iPhone is released in Japan, it will be CDMA. Hopefully, you'll be able to change it's data programming to work with Bell or Telus' network.


Bandersnatch - inside Apple man. He knows the scoop!

Even though Apple has said GSM only, Bandersnatch knows different!

Keep us posted!


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## MACSPECTRUM

bandersnatch said:


> When the iPhone is released in Japan, it will be CDMA. Hopefully, you'll be able to change it's data programming to work with Bell or Telus' network.


why?


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## HowEver

Even if this were the case and Apple lied (see post above) and will be releasing the iPhone in more than the GSM format, have you evern found a Japanese cell phone in use in Canada?

And they aren't exactly CDMA.

Japanese phones do not travel well.

It is possible to rent a version of GSM from Rogers that works in Japan if you are travelling there, so perhaps something similar will be made available for Apple to tap that market.





bandersnatch said:


> When the iPhone is released in Japan, it will be CDMA. Hopefully, you'll be able to change it's data programming to work with Bell or Telus' network.


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## wtl

I wonder how long before we get Skype working on an iPhone? Not perfect, but still.


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## TroutMaskReplica

> You get your wish. It's a fait accomplit. See post 2 above.


should have read the thread.


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## Bjornbro

wtl said:


> I wonder how long before we get Skype working on an iPhone?


It'd be kind of usless to try and videochat on an iPhone. You can't see both sides of the iPhone at the same time, right? Remember? Lens and screen are opposite to each other. Although, a work around could be to stand in front of a mirror... XX)


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## singingcrow

If Apple was really smart they'd figure out how to put both GSM and CDMA in the same phone. That way they're manufacturing only one phone, which would save them money, and while allowing them to work on every network in the world, would make them money. I think other manufacturers are already doing this in Asia with GSM and WCDMA.


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## MACSPECTRUM

Bjornbro said:


> It'd be kind of usless to try and videochat on an iPhone. You can't see both sides of the iPhone at the same time, right? Remember? Lens and screen are opposite to each other. Although, a work around could be to stand in front of a mirror... XX)



the next big thing; "iMirror"


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## bandersnatch

guytoronto said:


> Bandersnatch - inside Apple man. He knows the scoop!
> 
> Even though Apple has said GSM only, Bandersnatch knows different!
> 
> Keep us posted!


http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/macworld2007/gizmodo-iphone-hands-on-part-deux-why-isnt-it-white-and-other-questions-227575.php



> I didn't get a good answer on why the iPhone isn't 3G, unfortunately. I could be wrong, but I recall Phil telling me that when it hits Japan, they'll have to have to build a CDMA version.


Oh and how exactly do you expect Apple to launch the iPhone in Japan on GSM when there's little GSM coverage there?

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_jp.shtml 
http://euc.jp/misc/cellphones.en.html#gsm

Feel free to get your head out of your ass, anytime.


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## HowEver

Adding CDMA would add $100 to $200 to the cost of the phone, unless Apple is really, really, really smart. And it would take up space as well.



singingcrow said:


> If Apple was really smart they'd figure out how to put both GSM and CDMA in the same phone. That way they're manufacturing only one phone, which would save them money, and while allowing them to work on every network in the world, would make them money. I think other manufacturers are already doing this in Asia with GSM and WCDMA.


----------------------------------------------

We don't.



bandersnatch said:


> Oh and how exactly do you expect Apple to launch the iPhone in Japan on GSM when there's little GSM coverage there?


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## Mad Mac

I could be wrong, but isn't most of Japan's network WCDMA? I remember reading that WCDMA is closer to GMS then the CDMA we use over here. So chances are Bell is still SOL.


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## Chealion

audiodan said:


> With WiFi built in, can't you use the web free?


With WiFi built in you can use the net for "free" by using wireless networks just as you would on your laptop. However if you're on say transit, or not somewhere you don't have access to a wireless network you don't have any internet access.


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## HowEver

And you don't have cell phone access if you're on most of Toronto's subway...



Chealion said:


> With WiFi built in you can use the net for "free" by using wireless networks just as you would on your laptop. However if you're on say transit, or not somewhere you don't have access to a wireless network you don't have any internet access.


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## tendim

bandersnatch said:


> When the iPhone is released in Japan, it will be CDMA. Hopefully, you'll be able to change it's data programming to work with Bell or Telus' network.


You can *not* use a Non-Telus phone on the Telus network, period. I researched this last year when I was buying a Treo 650 and it's something to do with Telus whitelisting certain phone models. 

I'm not sure about Bell though.


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## singingcrow

HowEver said:


> Adding CDMA would add $100 to $200 to the cost of the phone, unless Apple is really, really, really smart. And it would take up space as well.


As stated, someone is already doing it, and many Nokia CDMA phones here in Canada have a SIM card slot that has been crippled, which suggests it's not all that impossible.


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## wtl

It is all crazy. On of my friends gets raped by Rogers monthly because he has a Backberry and the traffic from *instant messaging* puts him over his limit - I think its a meg - meaning he can load digg.com twice and on the third time, he's over his limit. Or, he could load ehmac.ca four times and the fifth would push him (barely) over the edge.

Why so stingy with traffic? So they can charge you more. 

[sigh]

I don't use any of the features my (Bell) phone has, because of the charges. Just charge by the byte - voice or data - it is all the freaking same anyway. (to my understanding)

Okay, I'm done.


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## eBoy

where abouts are you? rogers does cover 97% of canada.


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## eBoy

or he can buy a plan that includes more data and he wouldn't be charged for extra usage...


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## DrewNL

Bruno_NB said:


> I'd love to have an iPhone, but.. Rogers does not (and likely will not!) offer service in my neck of the woods. Stuck with Bell/Aliant or Telus. Hopefully Apple releases an iPhone for the rest of us.


Yeah If you're east of Quebec Rogers pretends you don't exist......they throw up a tower or three in NB and NL and then try to sell us service. Its completely useless unless you're in the centre of a major city....even then it fades and drops waaaay too often. And whats worse is that they've publicly said that they have no intentions of improving in the east


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## davidm47

*Unlock iPhone*

Its really easy to unlock the iPhone just jailbreak it(check youtube) and install anysim. I don't know if it works but I've heard it does.


HowEver said:


> It isn't true that all other cell phones can be easily unlocked. Not all, and not all easily. Nokia is usually the easiest for users to self-unlock, but there are some exceptions. In other cases, there are unlockable phones across the spectrum.
> 
> It's impossible to predict if the Apple iPhone will be easily unlocked, or impossibly, or somewhere in between.
> 
> And I agree with the comment about putting down the bottle: $1,500? I'm sure there is a chapter in your neighbourhood.


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## depmode101

> *you might be in luck*
> Bell and Telus have recently upgraded their networks to also include Sim cards. Bell is hoping to have the iphone by christmas of this year.


You dug up a 9 month old thread to make this ridiculous statement?

True, Bell and Telus are working on converting to GSM - but there is no way they will be offering the iPhone anytime soon.


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## Bjornbro

depmode101 said:


> You dug up a 9 month old thread to make this ridiculous statement?


Umm... it's actually 33 months old. :yikes:


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## HowEver

Please, sir, he just wants some more...


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## KMPhotos

depmode101 said:


> You dug up a 9 month old thread to make this ridiculous statement?
> 
> True, Bell and Telus are working on converting to GSM - but there is no way they will be offering the iPhone anytime soon.


You may not be 100% correct. I still believe there is a chance Telus may have the iPhone by the end of the year. It all depends on how well the new network works and how fast it is rolled out. If it's not this year then I'm fairly sure we will see the iPhone on another Canadian carrier next year.


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## element219

KMPhotos said:


> You may not be 100% correct. I still believe there is a chance Telus may have the iPhone by the end of the year. It all depends on how well the new network works and how fast it is rolled out. If it's not this year then I'm fairly sure we will see the iPhone on another Canadian carrier next year.


Well Well, Bell is announcing that iphone 3g and 3gs are coming to them. :clap: a bit behind though but now they are here. If thats the case, their new "sim card" hspa system will also be out by the tim iphone releases. They said that they are coming out with these iphones by end of nov, imo, i believe that with the delay and christmas around the corner, its more convenience for them to just put this for christmas


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## nesbitt32

To comment on a few posts:

Data is expensive, but there are always deals and special offers, anyone who has been locked in a plan with data for at least a year has it pretty good (With Bell I have unlimited for about $15 a month.)

And Bell has done some extensive work on their network to compete with Rogers for not only the iPhone, but for an advanced and reliable network, with Bell's reach being much more far-reaching in our massive country.

And the iPhone comes out soon:

iPhone Launch on Big Three


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