Here’s some good news for loyal customers of Bell and Telus. They’ve announced that they’ll be upgrading their current 3G network to HSPA as a precursor to their ultimate goal of setting up a 4G LTE wireless network. While the 4G network is still distant, the current implications of the move to implement HSPA means that they’ll be able to accommodate a wider range of handsets on their network thus making it possible to increase their customer base through roaming agreements with other networks.
Likewise, they’ll be able to offer handset phones that won’t necessarily be available with an EV-DO-counterpart which will in turn improve their current line-up of phone offerings and will of course attract customers who are not currently satisfied with the other GSM-based telecoms in the market. This move will make the Canadian telecom industry more competitive, which will hopefully either lower the cost or improve the quality of service.
As far as the 4G network is concerned, 2010 is their target roll-out date of this new network standard and hopefully, by then, manufacturers will have also been able to come out with 4G-enabled handset as well. I guess this latest development also signifies the start of the race for the first 4G network, and for now, 2010 is the finish line.
[source]
Bell announces strategic 3G wireless network investment, maximizing consumer choice in mobile data and confirming its path forward to 4G LTE wireless
MONTREAL, Quebec, Oct. 10 /CNW Telbec/ – Bell today announced a significant strategic investment in its Third Generation (3G) wireless network capabilities to ensure it offers Canadians the complete range of high-speed mobile data coverage, services and handset options. The investment also confirms the company’s migration path to the global Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard.
“Investing in broadband networks and services and accelerating wireless are strategic imperatives for the Bell team, and they are key to achieving our goal – to be recognized by customers as Canada’s leading communications company,” said George Cope, President and Chief Executive Officer of BCE and Bell Canada.
“This investment initiative builds on our industry-leading wireless service – which already offers access to the largest and fastest network across North America- to deliver Canadians the broadest choice in high-speed wireless service, while confirming our path forward to LTE, the global 4G
wireless broadband standard.”Maximizing choice in wireless
As it continues to expand and enhance its national 3G CDMA/EVDO service, Bell will also overlay this industry-leading network with HSPA technology, maximizing the latest-generation wireless options the company can offer customers across Canada.
Bell wireless customers will be able to choose between EVDO – already the dominant 3G standard in Canada and across North America – and HSPA, which is rapidly becoming the main platform with carriers outside North America. At the same time, overlaying HSPA on its national network will offer Bell the most efficient upgrade path to the 4G LTE broadband standard in coming years.
“This network initiative is proof positive of Bell’s new ‘better’ brand promise – in this case, ‘Wireless just got better.’ We fully anticipate that our expanded national 3G networks will continue to offer Canadian consumers and business clients the best and broadest coverage and now with an unbeatable range of high-speed handsets and service options,” said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility and Chief Brand Officer for Bell. “As the exclusive telecommunications partner to the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, we look forward to delivering these enhanced capabilities before Canada hosts the world in 2010.”Fourth Generation LTE
LTE is the 4G wireless broadband standard that will be rolled out globally post-2010, delivering extremely fast broadband mobile data speeds and a wide range of new mobile multimedia and personalized data services.
“Bell’s transition to the global 4G LTE standard with a combined EVDO and HSPA network path aligns us with more than 30 major carriers worldwide planning a similar move to LTE,” said Stephen Howe, Senior Vice President, Wireless Network and Chief Technology Officer for Bell Mobility. “This broad global technology ecosystem will mean a fast, efficient and cost-effective network transition to 4G LTE, and access to the broadest possible range of next-generation phones and data services.”
Bell will greatly reduce time to market for its network overlay by leveraging its existing national network-sharing agreement with TELUS Corporation. The agreement was originally established in 2001 to ensure the fast delivery of and increased competition in national mobile data services,
especially in rural and remote areas.
Following a comprehensive vendor evaluation process, Bell has chosen Nokia Siemens Networks and Huawei as infrastructure providers for its national network overlay.About Bell
Bell is Canada’s largest communications company, providing consumers with solutions to all their communications needs, including telephone services, wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television and voice over IP. Bell also offers integrated information and communications technology (ICT) services to businesses and governments, and is the Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO) to small and medium businesses (SMBs). Bell is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For information on Bell’s products and services, please visit www.bell.ca. For corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the expected time of completion of the addition of HSPA and LTE technology to Bell Mobility’s existing wireless networks, the time at which we expect to deliver the foregoing enhanced wireless capabilities and other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The results and events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statements will materialize.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation: product and equipment availability which may be affected by supply shortages, product defects and product liability; general economic and market conditions and availability of capital; failure to achieve our business objectives; dependence on Telus’ network to provide service in areas not covered by Bell Mobility’s network; availability of spectrum-related assets necessary to deploy HSPA and LTE technologies; events affecting the functionality of, and our ability to protect and maintain, our networks, IT systems and software; the intensity of competitive activity; intellectual property right claims or other litigation in respect of HSPA or LTE technology (or related network elements); labour disruptions; the potential adverse effects on our networks of the significant increase in broadband demand; potential changes in foreign ownership restrictions; and regulatory initiatives or proceedings, litigation and changes in laws or regulations.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other assumptions and risks, please refer to BCE’s 2007 annual management’s discussion and analysis (”MD&A”) dated March 5, 2008, included in the Bell Canada Enterprises 2007 annual report, BCE’s 2008 First Quarter MD&A dated May 5, 2008 and BCE’s 2008 Second Quarter MD&A dated August 5, 2008, all filed by BCE with the Canadian securities commissions (available at www.sedar.com) and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov). These documents are also available on BCE’s website at www.bce.ca.
Abe says:
Good for them but im sure Rogers has been working on 4G for sometime.
CB says:
I’m excited as I live in cottage country and use my cellphone as my modem for internet (6 gig’s for 30 dollars a month). With the 4g network I could finally play online video games at home :D.
I had just read this article and thought I’d post a link its on htc’s newest phone available in russia that runs off 4g or wimax and also is gsm
CB says:
I’m excited as I live in cottage country and use my cellphone as my modem for internet (6 gig’s for 30 dollars a month). With the 4g network I could finally play online video games at home :D.
I had just read this article and thought I’d post a link its on htc’s newest phone available in russia that runs off 4g or wimax and also is gsm
http://www.physorg.com/news145886665.html
Tony says:
Bell’s new network is HSPA only, right? I’ve seen Bell’s HSPA coverage map. It seems that it is only available in major cities. So what if you go buy a 3G phone and use Bell’s HSPA network, and decide to go out of the city? Do you get NO SERVICE or what? Or pay for roaming on Rogers 2G?
Alicia says:
Don’t get a phone on the new HSPA network!!!! SERIOUSLY wait till they fix all the problems. I’ve spent the last week fighting with Bell because the reception is HORRIBLE (also for some reason I can’t call some of my friends and they can’t figure out how to fix it. Nothing to do with my phone or theirs, it’s the network).
When I first got the phone the reception was fine but now with more people on the network it’s just getting worse and worse. I live in Halifax and driving in the middle of the city the reception cuts in and out. In my apartment the phone doesn’t work at all (I have to go outside!!!)
I spent around 3 hours on the phone with Bell in the last 2 days fighting with them only to hear them say the same thing over and over again.
One tech told me that this is a big problem they’re having which they didn’t notice when they were testing but now they see the system can’t handle all of these customers and they hope to get it fixed in the next couple of months. The guy had the nerve to tell me to call in every time I experience bad reception (which is every 2 minutes while driving).
I was speaking to a supervisor (who was very rude I should add) and she told me there is no way I can get out of my contract because service is not guaranteed to work everywhere and my service was cutting out because I was driving between towers (I’m driving in the middle of the city!!! It should work!)
She told me that I would have to pay all the fees and there was nothing they could do for me and it’s not their fault I’m unhappy with the service. I asked for a discounted rate until the system is working properly and NOTHING.
They should be sued for false advertising and breach of contract because there is no way they have 93% coverage and fewest dropped calls and they are in no way providing the service they promised.
Telus is using the same network so watch out for them too!
Matthew says:
Alicia, I dont know what your situation is, but myself and two others just switched to TELUS on a share plan, 2 of us got the bold and 1 got the hero and I seriously cant get over our signal strength. I park underground @ work, and where I would normally be lucky to have even 1 bar, I now have full signal!
I would suggest going back and getting a new phone. From what I can see with our phones, this network has the best reception I have ever experienced.
DG says:
Alicia, the field tech was right, the network is not completed to a stage that would allow optimum performance. What’s not so well advertised is the maximum download rate can only be achieved within 1-2km from the base station, and if the number of users is extremely low…… 1 or 2. along with no signal path attenuation caused by trees, buildings, etc etc… Also the signal coverage footprint will shrink according to the time of day, number of users and data traffic volume.. so you may have coverage one minute and none the next…. thus the nature of the beast..
so how does this help you, all networks have a maintenance system that reports on drop call numbers… and the cause of these drop calls, network or operator…. they can also track individual phones and calls to see why a call was terminated…. I would go back to them with time, date, and location of each drop call you experience and voice your concerns about coverage. If the telco is smart, they will use this information and fix the problems…..or at least have some record of problem areas for new towers at a later date…..
DG
Jonathan says:
I am with Telus and on this new network. I can’t make or receive calls in different parts of the city. I called and they claimed to have fixed it. The problem is back now…and now Telus is saying that the problem will be fixed by the end of March.
I use my phone for work…so I can’t wait that long! If you are thinking about going on this new HSPA network and it’s with Bell or Telus! DONT DO IT!!! The towers are not working properly….Why would they launch a network without it working properly. I could live with data outages….but VOICE!!! COME ON!
Stick with the old network or go with Rogers.
Adrian says:
I have to agree with Jon and Alicia. I’ve had probelms with the Telus network with the iphone for one week as of today. My service cuts in and out like crazy (cuts out more often than in) and makes calling a real pain. If you restart it, you can make one successful call before it completely dies out and the 3g network access for surfing the web is nonexistent. I have been talking with customer support for the entire week, I have changed my iphone at an Apple outlet, I have switched SIM cards, and submitted a ticket to no avail.
At long last a technician told me that they are doing some sort of 911 testing with the new network on Telus/Bell, causing no service (or extremely patchy service) for one whole month until March comes. As a business owner which relies on calls and the reliance of the 3g network for emails, this is outright pathetic for a large phone company. If I could, I would switch companies immediately but too bad I am locked with this joke of a company for 3 years.
As a warning, DO NOT PURCHASE ANY 3G PHONE FROM TELUS OR BELL.
DG says:
totally agree.. 911 testing should not impact upon the network, Also it is industry standard that all testing shall be completed before a new network is in service.
Check your contract for their agreed minimum service level, if they are not meeting this then you have an out with the contract. To prove this you will need documented dates, times, and locations of where Bell/TELUS failed to provide service.
Again, check your contract