# iPhone on SaskTel



## Farmer Harv (Oct 7, 2009)

WhooHoo! After waiting for many moons, my iPhone is finally up and running with SaskTel!  Yanked out the Rogers sim, popped in the shiny new SaskTel chip and away we go. 

I didn't get to set up a data plan yet (tomorrow), but here's hoping it's a smooth activation. Their $40 smartphone plan claims to have unlimited data, but I'm guessing there's a cap hidden in the fine print somewhere. Tethering and US roaming charges are beyond stupid for pricing, but if unlimited really is unlimited it'll be a good plan nonetheless.


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

Farmer Harv said:


> claims to have unlimited data


so its $40.00 for unlimited data???


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

daniels said:


> so its $40.00 for unlimited data???


Unlimited data (except tethering) for $40 or less is pretty much the norm in MB and SK.


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

Yes, but the $40 does not seem to include a voice plan which you are required to have. At the very least that'll cost another $15. So $55 per month isn't that much different than anywhere else. Unlimited data is a little bit of a marketing ploy as very few people ever break the 6gig mark. In fact the majority of users will never have a need for more than a gig of data.


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## Farmer Harv (Oct 7, 2009)

Wo0t! And now data is up and running.  I had to google around a bit to find the correct APN, as for some reason whenever I Reset Network Settings I get the following entered under the Cellular Network Data section:

APN - fakeapn.notvalid
Username - asdjha4534DD.notvalid
Password - asdasd

Naturally it didn't work with those, but as soon as I entered inet.stm.sk.ca for the APN everything works perfectly. And fast too!

Now to decide if I need a new iPhone 4, or if the 3GS will hold me over until the 5 is available.


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## winwintoo (Nov 9, 2004)

I wonder if SaskTel will have a plan for iPad only?

Forgive me if that was a dumb question 

Margaret

PS: there are so few ways to insert "I got an iPad" into normal conversation.


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## RatsOnMacAttack (Mar 5, 2005)

Hi Farmer Harv, Im in Regina and Ive been considering getting from Sasktel as well. How much is your monthly bill with voice plan?


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## mmp (Oct 20, 2001)

Interesting thread. I was going to get an iPhone to replace my blackberry (can upgrade as of today) but people with Sasktel said at least a year before the 3G service is all over Saskatchewan, just in the cities and major towns isn't good enough for me. I will upgrade to a new blackberry for now and look to an iPhone in two years. Was really hoping for an iPhone 4 though...


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## Farmer Harv (Oct 7, 2009)

Rats: My bill with voice should be around $75 tax paid for my iPhone. I'm currently at ~$115/month for three phones, and adding the $40 smartphone package onto one of them shouldn't take it over $75 (I hope).

mmp: 3G coverage on rollout is pretty extensive: http://www.sasktel.com/attachments/3g-network-coverage-map.pdf. Most major highways are covered, as well as some smaller areas. It definitely covers all of my travels for now, and on completion next year it should look a bit better than the CDMA map: http://www.sasktel.com/personal/mobility/coverage/documents/coverage-map-detail.pdf


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## mmp (Oct 20, 2001)

Thanks for the info. Wherabouts in Sask. Are you? My biggest concern is that I travel with work and need coverage to some smaller towns.


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

andreww said:


> Yes, but the $40 does not seem to include a voice plan which you are required to have. At the very least that'll cost another $15. So $55 per month isn't that much different than anywhere else. Unlimited data is a little bit of a marketing ploy as very few people ever break the 6gig mark. In fact the majority of users will never have a need for more than a gig of data.


:yikes: If you never need more than 1GB of data, what use do you even have for an iPhone? :yikes:


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## sheamus (May 20, 2010)

My parents are in SK, and they told me to pick new phones for them. Sasktel has a a list of communities, and when they will be getting 3G. So you could look at the towns you travel too and see when they will get 3g.

~S


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

bsenka said:


> :yikes: If you never need more than 1GB of data, what use do you even have for an iPhone? :yikes:


Not talking about myself. I've seen many poles about this and the majority of users never use more than a gig a month. As for myself, the majority of my surfing is on various internet forums. Being mostly text, they don't consume a lot of data. I am on my iPhone for several hours a day and usually only use a few hundred megs of data.


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## Farmer Harv (Oct 7, 2009)

bsenka said:


> If you never need more than 1GB of data, what use do you even have for an iPhone?




Apparently there really is such a thing as a stupid question. 

mmp: I'm in West Central SK, and as long as I'm near a major highway it looks like even the tiny towns are covered. Am I ever glad I didn't go with a Rogers contract when I got my iPhone, as SaskTel's initial 3G coverage is better than Rogers' long term plan.


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## Performa (Jan 14, 2005)

Any word on if/when Sasktel will make a deal with Apple and start selling iPhones? I'm just wondering if it would be worth it to wait and get a contract with them so the initial purchase price isn't so high. I realize there's a chance they may not get it (maybe they're in Apple's bad books because of the iPhone 4 leak this spring).


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## sheamus (May 20, 2010)

They don't even have android phones, so I wouldn't hold your breath.


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## virtuatony (Mar 10, 2009)

Farmer Harv said:


> WhooHoo! After waiting for many moons, my iPhone is finally up and running with SaskTel!  Yanked out the Rogers sim, popped in the shiny new SaskTel chip and away we go.
> 
> I didn't get to set up a data plan yet (tomorrow), but here's hoping it's a smooth activation. Their $40 smartphone plan claims to have unlimited data, but I'm guessing there's a cap hidden in the fine print somewhere. Tethering and US roaming charges are beyond stupid for pricing, but if unlimited really is unlimited it'll be a good plan nonetheless.


Hi, I was wondering if Visual Voicemail works on SaskTel's new network?

Thanks,
Tony


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## Farmer Harv (Oct 7, 2009)

virtuantony: Doesn't look like it. In fact the voicemail button doesn't seem to work even...I had to set up a new contact to have one touch dialing for regular voicemail.

winwintoo: SaskTel now shows a page for Mobile Tablet Plans. WhooHoo! Now I need to sell my vanilla iPad and get a 3G version.
SaskTel


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## virtuatony (Mar 10, 2009)

Thanks for the reply Farmer Harv.

I can't wait until SaskTel or Telus or any provider other than rogers/fido starts selling micro-sims so I can set my iphone up on them. I'm very tired of Rogers I've been with them for 7 years and with no hesitation will cancel my contract with ECF to switch providers.


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## sheamus (May 20, 2010)

Telus does have micro sims. My iPhone is with them. Also, you can turn any sin into a micro aim with a pair of scissors.


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## virtuatony (Mar 10, 2009)

sheamus said:


> Telus does have micro sims. My iPhone is with them. Also, you can turn any sin into a micro aim with a pair of scissors.


I was aware of that sheamus, I trimmed my rogers sim since I had the phone before they had the microsims for phones instead of just ipad.

What I meant was when another provider in Sask. other than rogers/fido starts selling them. I tried to buy a regular sim from Sasktel and activate it but they wouldn't let me without testing the device in-store, obviously they wouldn't let me trim their tester sim card.

I'm hoping Telus really starts selling sims/phones tomorrow.


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## Funk (Aug 4, 2010)

I have been waiting and waiting to see if Sasktel is going to be able to get the iPhone at the subsidized price. I have been emailing them weekly to see if there are any new updates and the replies that I am getting are mostly just canned message responses that say we expect to be able to get it through our partnership with bell but they have no timeline. I am not sure how much longer I am going to wait until I order it through the Apple site. 
Has anyone heard anything or does anyone have any thoughts?


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## Performa (Jan 14, 2005)

Funk said:


> I have been waiting and waiting to see if Sasktel is going to be able to get the iPhone at the subsidized price. I have been emailing them weekly to see if there are any new updates and the replies that I am getting are mostly just canned message responses that say we expect to be able to get it through our partnership with bell but they have no timeline. I am not sure how much longer I am going to wait until I order it through the Apple site.
> Has anyone heard anything or does anyone have any thoughts?


I'm in the exact same situation as you. I don't know how much longer I can wait, but it will drive me nuts if I drop $700 plus for a new iPhone, then have Sasktel get it and offer it for under $300 like Rogers and Fido.


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## powerman (Sep 3, 2010)

Is it possible to buy an Iphone in the US and bring it here for use? Can I switch the sim card to SaskTel or is it locked on the AT&T network?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

powerman said:


> Is it possible to buy an Iphone in the US and bring it here for use? Can I switch the sim card to SaskTel or is it locked on the AT&T network?


Why bother to go to the US? You can buy an iPhone direct from Apple Canada at the Apple store online and it comes unlocked. You can then insert your SaskTel sim and away you go. This is what I am doing with my new iPhone G4 when it arrives to get around the iPhone 3GS I now have being locked to Telus.

Be aware though, that it will take about 30 days from order date to receive your iPhone.


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## powerman (Sep 3, 2010)

The price difference will make it worth while to buy in the States, if I can switch the sim card to Sasktel. In the States the Iphone 4 16 gig is $200, in Canada it is $659. This savings will make it worth while when I am thinking of getting 2 phones, if it would work.


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## powerman (Sep 3, 2010)

The price difference is huge. I am looking to buy 2 Iphones. In canada Iphone4 16gig is $650, in the states they are $200. If it will work to change the sim card, 2 iphones in the states is still cheaper than 1 here.


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## RiceBoy (Aug 1, 2009)

That $200 for an iPhone 4 16GB from the US requires signing a 2 year contract with AT&T, so you would also have to pay for a monthly plan for 24 months in addition to the $200. According to the Apple US site, you can't buy a contract-free iPhone in the US; you must sign a 2 year contract with AT&T. The iPhone will be locked to the AT&T network, so you will have to unlock/jailbreak it to work here.


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

Riceboy is correct, the reason why the Canadian iPhones are more is because they are not locked to a carrier or contract. You can put any micro SIM in the Canadian iPhones and go, with the American ones you'd first have to get the phone unlocked, and then you'd still be on the hook for paying for an AT&T contract that you weren't even using.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

powerman said:


> The price difference is huge. I am looking to buy 2 Iphones. In canada Iphone4 16gig is $650, in the states they are $200. If it will work to change the sim card, 2 iphones in the states is still cheaper than 1 here.


No can do, This from the U.S. apple store:


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## powerman (Sep 3, 2010)

Well that is too bad. Better to find out here than later and be paying for the AT&T 2 year contract. Thanks for the clarification.


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## TAG (Sep 10, 2010)

Farmer Harv, can you give me more info or which Sasktel dealership activated for you? I have an Iphone 3GS, unlocked it (previously Rogers phone), and get nothing when I pop in a Sasktel SIM card, no service. Did you have to do something special?


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## rdrtech (Oct 22, 2009)

Tag,

I just activated my old 3g (unlocked) on the Sasktel network. Living in Saskatoon, I first went to the Jump store at the Circle Centre. They did not have any Sims in stock but they let me try their test sim and the iphone worked ok with one bar. I then tried the Battery Boys by Briarwood but they were getting very little reception (more on this later) so the sim would not activate. I then went to the Battery boys by the liquor store on 8th street and they had lots of signal but the activation still took 4 minutes from the time I turned on the phone. I am unsure why it took so long and the friendly staff there said it was always like that with the older iphones on the Sasktel network. They were thinking that Sasktel still had to do some fine tuning.
Getting back to the reception problem. Sasktel is putting their new 3G+ network on existing CDMA towers. With HSPA technology having less range than CDMA, there are many holes/gaps in their 3G+ coverage compared to CDMA. My daughter's 2 year old CDMA phone had excellent coverage in our basement but completely loses coverage with the iphone. The guys at Battery boys mentioned the same thing, customers complaining about coverage were reverting back to their old phone due to lack of good coverage on the new 3G+ system.

I did phone sasktel to report the coverage problem and they said they would pass it on to the engineers but that they would not be filling in the many gaps because they are still deploying onto existing towers to get the rest of the province covered and not erecting new ones to fill the gaps.

Hope this helps and beware of the coverage issue.


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## J-Fry (Dec 16, 2009)

WHOA! What?!?!?! Wow, are they trying to HIDE the fact the iPhones now work on their network because they're just wanting to use iPhone 4's??? I had NO CLUE that people were able to use iPhones on SaskTel now---I'm days away from another Rogers pay as you go payment so had better look into this.

Who's using an iPhone in Sask on a pay as you go situation? Anyone?

And BRUTAL coverage readings. What's with that? The whole reason to go with SaskTel for me is to support the local and because I'm tired of getting no signal when I'm off a major highway here in Sask.

Boo.


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## Performa (Jan 14, 2005)

*Finally got mine!*

Well, after waiting for Sasktel to get a contract with the new iPhone I was informed that if I get an iPhone with Telus, I will be able to have coverage on Sasktel's 3G network. I called Telus to confirm this and was told that it wasn't true. When I questioned the guy, he told me that I should double check with a local Telus store, as he was nowhere near Saskatchewan. I went to the telus store today and sure enough, they do share the 3G network, so I now have a shiny new iPhone 4 under the Telus network and still have coverage in the Rural areas that my wife's Fido phone can't reach. I can't believe I've waited this long.


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## SnowDX (Nov 10, 2010)

Performa said:


> Well, after waiting for Sasktel to get a contract with the new iPhone I was informed that if I get an iPhone with Telus, I will be able to have coverage on Sasktel's 3G network. I called Telus to confirm this and was told that it wasn't true. When I questioned the guy, he told me that I should double check with a local Telus store, as he was nowhere near Saskatchewan. I went to the telus store today and sure enough, they do share the 3G network, so I now have a shiny new iPhone 4 under the Telus network and still have coverage in the Rural areas that my wife's Fido phone can't reach. I can't believe I've waited this long.


That's unfortunate that the Telus phone rep didn't know any better. Telus launched "their" HSPA network one week after SaskTel. I say "their" because it's SaskTel's network and Telus has an agreement with SaskTel. I believe the agreement made Telus wait one week to launch so that SaskTel had the initial glory.

I assume you got the Telus SK $50 promo plan in the nick of time? They finished yesterday so now just back to the regular plans for SK.


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## Performa (Jan 14, 2005)

SnowDX said:


> I assume you got the Telus SK $50 promo plan in the nick of time? They finished yesterday so now just back to the regular plans for SK.


Yeah, that's the plan I got. I sure lucked out... I didn't even know about the promo before. I was just planning on going to the telus store on either Tuesday or Wednesday to ask about their coverage. I'm so glad I didn't wait until Wednesday!
I wonder when they'll have another great promo like that. I know some other people that would have loved to have gotten that deal but were like me and were waiting for a Sasktel option.


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## Funk (Aug 4, 2010)

Is any one else having issues trying to get facetime to work on Sasktel's network? my iphone keeps saying waiting for activation. Sigh... Sounds like there have been lots of people having problems with it at first and I have have tried lots of the solutions I see on the web but with no luck.
TIA


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## powerman (Sep 3, 2010)

looks like i am waiting on sasktel still.


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## PhotoJim (Sep 10, 2010)

J-Fry said:


> And BRUTAL coverage readings. What's with that? The whole reason to go with SaskTel for me is to support the local and because I'm tired of getting no signal when I'm off a major highway here in Sask.


Old post, but I wanted to reply:

I discerned this week (thanks to a Nokia Nuron phone I bought in Buffalo, NY a couple of weeks ago) that SaskTel's HSPA coverage seems to be on the 1900 MHz band in Regina. (I haven't been out of the city with the Nuron yet so I haven't been able to see if the rural coverage is 850 MHz.)

1900 MHz coverage is at a disadvantage for in-building penetration compared to 850 MHz, unless the tower density is increased accordingly. Since SaskTel's coverage is primarily based on 850 MHz, and the 1900 is to increase capacity, there has been no need for the higher tower density.

However, with this new HSPA deployment... it DOES matter.

I suspect strongly that this is a short-term issue - that SaskTel merely has too many subscribers on the old network to allocate a bunch of urban 850 MHz spectrum to HSPA - and this will gradually change as the subscriber base shifts to the new network, but for now it explains a lot of the coverage issues that people are having.

I'm strongly tempted to move my unlocked iPhone 4 to SaskTel next summer when my contract is up for renewal, and the quirks in coverage won't be a great impediment to me because I know they will be temporary. (My T-Mobile US prepaid service will work on Rogers' network anyway, so if I'm in a pinch I can still make a call.)


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Funk said:


> Is any one else having issues trying to get facetime to work on Sasktel's network? my iphone keeps saying waiting for activation. Sigh... Sounds like there have been lots of people having problems with it at first and I have have tried lots of the solutions I see on the web but with no luck.
> TIA


You're not alone. I have the identical issue with my iPhone 4 just minutes from Edmonton and the solutions online so far have not made any difference for me either. FWIW our daughter's iPhone 4 on Rogers worked with Facetime right out of the gate.


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## SnowDX (Nov 10, 2010)

Funk said:


> Is any one else having issues trying to get facetime to work on Sasktel's network? my iphone keeps saying waiting for activation. Sigh... Sounds like there have been lots of people having problems with it at first and I have have tried lots of the solutions I see on the web but with no luck.
> TIA


So you're jailbroken and trying to use it over 3G? My facetime works fine, but I'm not jailbroken (Apple unlocked) and using over WiFi. I'm also with Telus but that shouldn't make a difference over WiFi.


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## SnowDX (Nov 10, 2010)

Funk said:


> Is any one else having issues trying to get facetime to work on Sasktel's network? my iphone keeps saying waiting for activation. Sigh... Sounds like there have been lots of people having problems with it at first and I have have tried lots of the solutions I see on the web but with no luck.
> TIA


It sounds like you're jailbroken and trying to use over 3G? Mine works fine with a non-jailbroken phone over WiFi so that doesn't help you much. (I'm with Telus but that shouldn't matter over WiFi). I confirmed no cell service is required as I shut off cellular data and 3G (which results in No Service for Telus/Bell/Sasktel customers) and my Facetime connected fine over WiFi.

Does FaceTime work over WiFi for you?


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## Funk (Aug 4, 2010)

my Phone is an factory unlocked non jailbroken iphone 4. I cant get facetime to activate let alone use it on wifi.
I dont understand but all the reading that I have done says that only supported networks can run the facetime. Even though the ipod touch can use it... I just dont know whats wrong...


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## Funk (Aug 4, 2010)

I am running a factory unlocked iphone that is not jailbroken and on the wifi at home but the initial activation wont seem to work.


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## SnowDX (Nov 10, 2010)

Funk said:


> I am running a factory unlocked iphone that is not jailbroken and on the wifi at home but the initial activation wont seem to work.


Well that's interesting. Do you know anyone with an iPhone 4 on Telus or Rogers that you could swap their micro-SIM into yours? That way you could tell if it was a network issue or if it was something on your phone.

Have you tried shutting off 3G so you have no cell service and then trying it over WiFi?


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## SnowDX (Nov 10, 2010)

Funk said:


> I am running a factory unlocked iphone that is not jailbroken and on the wifi at home but the initial activation wont seem to work.


I posted a reply to this earlier today and it never showed up....hmmmm.

What I said was, have you tried turning off 3G and using it on WiFi only? Maybe it will react differently if there is not cellular network? If that doesn't work, do you know anyone with an active Telus or Rogers micro-SIM that you could try in your phone to see if you can use it then? (to try and eliminate your phone as an issue)


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## citrus13 (Nov 16, 2010)

hello all...seems like a great site... thanks for having me..
heres my question:

i have just jailbroke my iphone3g was used on fido... worked perfect..now i took my sim out of my BBBold and put it in the iphone and i get one bar signal... and no network....what do i need to do to get this sim working in this phone?

now i get invalid sim... then jumps to one bar... can someone guide me??
in settings it doesn't search for network... shows no network???

thx in advance


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## citrus13 (Nov 16, 2010)

nvm... got it.. jailbreaking isn't unlocking!!!

on sktel now!!
now only if we could clone a sim


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## Funk (Aug 4, 2010)

SnowDX said:


> What I said was, have you tried turning off 3G and using it on WiFi only? Maybe it will react differently if there is not cellular network? If that doesn't work, do you know anyone with an active Telus or Rogers micro-SIM that you could try in your phone to see if you can use it then? (to try and eliminate your phone as an issue)


Well I Tried my buddies Rogers sim. I was able to get face time to work right away. As soon as I put the sasktel sim in my phone face time was waiting for activation just like it always had. 
It would seem there is something with the sasktel network that is not letting it activate. 
Sigh


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## SnowDX (Nov 10, 2010)

Funk said:


> Well I Tried my buddies Rogers sim. I was able to get face time to work right away. As soon as I put the sasktel sim in my phone face time was waiting for activation just like it always had.
> It would seem there is something with the sasktel network that is not letting it activate.
> Sigh


I did a little more reading on this and what I found was (and you may know this already) that on the iPhone 4, your phone # is used for activation whereas on the Touch no phone # is needed. And apparently the phone # activation can only be done on supported networks, i.e. carriers who officially sell the iPhone

I did find that you can get around this by jailbreaking and an app called MiTime (which is $5.99 apparently) Activate FaceTime on iPhone 4 on T-Mobile & Other unofficial Carriers - [How To Guide] | Gadgets DNA Not sure if you want to go to the jailbreaking route though. I guess one can hope that SaskTel gets whatever they need to get worked out with Apple or Bell (who the normally get their phones from) so they can start selling the iPhone and then FaceTime and Visual Voicemail will work.


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## Funk (Aug 4, 2010)

Sick... 
Thanks snowdx. Now I guess I have a decision to make. To jailbreak or not...


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## theshka (Aug 12, 2011)

I know this is an old post, but I'd like to clarify why FaceTime would 'search for activation' on SaskTel and hook up no problem with Rogers.



> FaceTime is activated by sending a couple of SMS text messages in the background between the iPhone and an Apple server. If your carrier does not officially support the iPhone 4, you may be charged for sending the activation SMS to an international (UK- +44 7786 205094 ) number.
> 
> Your carrier might also have issues delivering the SMS correctly which will prevent FaceTime from activating.
> 
> ...


Source: FaceTime - The iPhone Wiki

The problem was SaskTel not officially having the iPhone 4, and thus, not sending the activation message correctly. Rogers on the other hand, was able to send the activation message. This has since been fixed though.


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