Even as some US carriers are just rolling out their 3G network, TELUS has announced that they will have their HSPA (“3.5G”) upgrades up and running with a “full national” launch in early 2010. This comes as part of a network sharing agreement with Bell, allowing them to get things up and running faster and cheaper than if they had to front it alone. It’s no cheap upgrade for either party, however – while they aren’t revealing the specifics, Telus does say that total capital requirements for 2009, including the HSPA upgrades, will sit right around $750 million. In the announcement, they mention that this is part of the transition to LTE (4G), though no date for that roll-out is specified. We’ve heard plans for a 2010 LTE rollout from Verizon and AT&T, though most aren’t expecting it until sometime in 2012. It’s okay – by 2010, I’ll be so busy playing jetpack tennis with my robot butler that I won’t have time to think about next generation wireless systems. (Note: Misread the press release originally – the 2010 launch is for HSPA, not LTE. Post fixed.) → Read More
Bloomberg reports that Canada’s Prime Minister will be allowing telecoms industry regulators to “ban fees for unsolicited text messages on mobile phones and other ‘unfair charges.’” While that seems like a pretty narrow scope, consider that (with history as a guide) “unfair charges” is an extremely flexible term. It could spell the end of outrageous overage charges like a quarter per text, which one could argue are “unfair” given the extreme disparity between that cost and normal cost. This is assuming, of course, that you are Canadian, which I’m sure most of you out there are. It’s part of a push on the PM’s part for consumer rights, an area sorely needing attention in the US, where frivolous claims are rewarded with millions while legitimate concerns like arbitrary bandwidth caps aren’t given a second look. Another reason to move to Canada — unless of course you have an iPhone. → Read More
Canadian travelers will soon be able to emulate their favorite CrunchGear blogger, Peter Ha, as they glom on to Aircell’s Gogo wireless internet service aboard their next international Air Canada flight. You’ll recall that Sweet Pete recently blogged from 37,000 feet using Gogo service aboard American Airlines. What fun we all had! You’ll have to wait until at least spring of 2009, as that’s when Air Canada hopes to start rolling out the service on its fleet of Airbus A319 airplanes that fly between Canada and the United States. → Read More
Look. If I was an old Canadian playwright who couldn’t get on the Internet, I’d be mad too. People over 50 generally don’t understand the relationship between an Internet connection, a router, and an Ethernet port (or wireless connection). That is to say, when an old person’s connection goes down, they automatically just assume that it’s the ISP’s fault without realizing that it could be the router or the computer instead. → Read More
If you live in Canada, have 11 friends, and like to play Xbox 360, then you’ve got what appears to be a dyn-o-mite formula for what I’m about to tell you. As of last Friday, Cineplex Entertainment, which owns 29 theaters across Canada, started renting out screen time for playing Xbox 360. The theaters have a library of games, too, so you don’t have to worry if you don’t own Halo 7 or whatever number sequel it’s up to now. The theaters will rent out screen time mostly in the mornings – they have about 12 to 24 hours of downtime each week, according to CBC News. Up to 12 players can participate in each session and sessions cost $179 (Canadian) per two-hour block. [via SlashGear] → Read More
This “Apple hates Rogers” story is hotting up! Now it looks like Apple won’t sell the iPhone 3G at its Canadian retail stores, leaving Rogers (and Fido, its partner is crime) flapping in the wind. You can feel the annoyance in Apple’s voice in this quote: We have nothing to do with the service plans. Those are Rogers’ plans Hell hath no fury! Keep bitching, Canadians. It looks like your complaints aren’t going unnoticed. → Read More
Attention Canada- By now you’ve read that Rogers will be bending you over on data plans if the iPhone 3G is something you’re lusting after and you’re none to happy about it, so I suggest you look down a different path. Why not stick to a homegrown company like RIM and wait a couple weeks for the Bold? → Read More
The just-announced iPhone 3G pricing plan for Rogers in Canada isn’t going down too well. One intrepid Canadian started a Web site, RuinediPhone.com, that has a petition targeting the rather unfair prices. So far, more than 17,000 people have signed the petition, which is intended to make Rogers drop the price of the iPhone data plan. The site’s creator has even written an open letter to Steve Jobs, asking him to do “something” about the unfair prices. We applaud your struggle, Canada. There’s no reason for Rogers to charge what it wants to charge compared to what AT&T charges. Unless here’s some Canadian tax thing we’re not familiar with. via iLounge → Read More
Take this with a grain of salt, but a user over on HowardForums who’s been known to leak credible information in the past has apparently leaked some pricing information about the iPhone 3G that’ll be heading to Canada on the Rogers network. Here’s the short version: Pricing looks very similar to U.S. pricing in that the 8GB version will cost $199 and the 16GB version will cost $299 The subsidized prices require a three year commitment instead of a two-year commitment. Can any of our Canadian readers comment on this? This seems to be a growing trend in Canada, huh? Three years instead of two? Data plans will be similarly priced at $30 for consumers and $45 for businesses. They’ll have to be added to qualifying voice plans, which will likely start at $40 per month. The device will be sold in Rogers, Fido, and Apple stores. So basically it looks like everything’s about the same as it will be here in the states if this post over on HowardForums is legit, except for the contract length. via Engadget Mobile → Read More
Apparently Rogers of Canada will get the 3G BlackBerry in one week, June 25. I thought AT&T was getting the Bold in July? According to the BGR we may have to wait a bit longer for the Bold to hit stateside. AT&T corporate is still telling their Fortune 500 customers that the Bold will launch in “July/August”. I hope it’s not really August. It’s the one thing I’ve been looking forward to this year. → Read More
Flickr’d Now British and Canadian users can download moves from the iTunes Store. The UK Store has a selection of 700 movies from Disney, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and so on. Most of the major studios, it looks like. Even nicer, more than 100 of these are available in HD. The Cousins pay £10.99 for a new movie download (£3.99 library) and £3.49 for a new rental (£2.49 library). Canada has a little more to choose from, with 1,200 movies available from the same lot of studios. New movie downloads are Can$19.99 ($Can9.99 for library) and new movie rentals are Can$4.99 (Can$3.99). Both countries’ rentals expire is 48 hours. To our British and Canadian readers I ask, how much do you care? I haven’t a whole lot of commotion about not being able to download movies off iTunes or anything, and I wonder if this will even appear on your radar. You also seem to be screwed on the price, but I bet you’re used to that by now. via iLounge → Read More
This is pretty cool if you’re an active retro gamer. Canada’s arm of Nintendo found a cache of old NES and SNES video game carts, sealed in packaging, in their old warehouse. Instead of just trashing the deprecated games, they’re auctioning them off, with the proceeds going to the United Way of Canada. They’re going in lots to collectors, and you can get in on the action by hitting up the eBay page. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re nostalgic and rich, then happy bidding. → Read More
Get excited, Canada, and give Rogers a hug because you’re getting yourselves the dopest BlackBerry to date. Forget all that noise about the Thunder. The Bold will soon be the BB of choice. → Read More
Apple Canada Inc. is offering $45 credits to Canadians who own the first-third generation iPods purchased before June 24th, 2004. This settlement is a result of two iPod owners suing when their one-year-old iPods died after 3 hours of use, not 8 like the packaging claims prompting to subvert the standard image of “nice” Canadians and encouraging them to file a class-action suit stained with bacon grease and Molson. The deal should be finalized in court May 26th in Montreal and June 20th in Toronto. At that time 80,000 Canadians could be eligible for the credit. This is not the only suite filed against Apple Canada Inc. The new iPod Nano has prompted one as well. Their claim is, it only has 7.45 gigabytes, not the 8 gigabytes stated on the box. At this time; Apple has not offered a settlement for this case. → Read More
Hip hop hooray!!! Pricing as follows for you Canucks lusting over the Zune. * Zune 80GB: SRP $249.99 CDN (available in black or red) * Zune 8GB: SRP $189.99 CDN (available in black, red or pink) * Zune 4GB: SRP $139.99 CDN (available in black, red or pink) Thanks for sending this in, Stephane. → Read More
Wow, that’s MUCH better than a stupid alarm clock or gold fountain pen. Royal Bank of Canada is giving away 2G Surf Eee PCs when you open a new account. Sure wish I lived in Canada. Is there a catch? Of course! There are only two eligible accounts to choose from; one’s $14 per month and one’s $30 per month. But hey, free Eee. Well played, Canada. RBC Royal Bank [RBCRoyalBank.com] via FatWallet → Read More
After months of speculation, Rogers revealed in their Q1 earnings report that they will be bringing the iPhone to Canada later this year. Pricing and other details were not disclosed. → Read More
The Canadians gave us The Kids in the Hall, one of the greatest sketch comedy troupes in the history of North American comedy. It appears that we’re now half-assedly returning the favor, as Dell computers will be sold in all 131 Future Shop retail stores and online at FutureShop.ca, starting tomorrow. Some of the available Dell products include; the Inspiron 1525 laptop, the XPS 1330 and 1530 laptops, the Inspiron 530 and 530s desktops, the XPS 420 desktop, and a 19- and a 22-inch monitor. You’re welcome? Check out FutureShop.ca tomorrow for more details. → Read More
http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:southparkstudios.com:165195:: Canadians on strike! Pandas sneezing! Butt stuff! South Park, America’ favorite show most of us claim to watch but barely watch anymore, made fun of the writers strike, Internet celebrity, and Canada all in the same episode. Vwag found a few choice clips, including a NSFW one after the jump, and proves that those boys from Colorado still have it, provided “it” is herpes. Best of all, the full show is right here. → Read More
