iPhone Coming to Virgin Mobile for Canada

**nickhesson** · 11-25-2009, 04:50 PM

Earlier we discussed that UK retailer Tesco will offer the device for use on the O2 network exclusively, and it will be selling both the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS. Read more..

Now we have another carrier to add to the list, this time for Canada. Last Month both Telus and Bell joined in on the iPhone frenzy and started offering the iPhone to their customers. These carriers had to build new GSM networks to be able to properly provide the iPhone, since their existing networks were CDMA, which of course Apple doesn not support.

On November 19th, Virgin Mobile had announced it would begin offering the iPhone 3G and 3GS “in the coming months." The press release can be found here: VIRGIN MOBILE IPHONE ANNOUNCEMENT - Virgin Mobile Canada

The folks over at MobileSyrup have guesstimated February 2010 as the launch date for Virgin Mobile Canada, of course, there is no hard evidence on this as of yet.

You'd think news like this would be great to hear. That should create more competitive pricing right? No. Unfortunately for us Canadian's that is NOT the case. As is always the case in the tightly controlled and regulated CMCI and CRTC, all carriers are offering pretty much exactly the same price plans. They've got us in a stronghold here and it seems it just won't budge. They know we'll continue to pour money in and they know that even with competition, each cut is still extremely profitable. However, it will be interesting to see what their price plans will be. Virgin, now owned by Sprint (NYSE:S), is charging $60 for 1 GB of bandwidth.

Another carrier for the iPhone, but no progress on mobile competition in Canada. I'm beginning to think there never will be.

I guess we should be thankful we have a few to choose from, where as the US is stuck with only one carrier.

**whereswaldo** · 11-25-2009, 04:58 PM

This morning i was joking with my friend that of all the cell carriers in canada (rogers, telus, fido, bell, virgin, koodo to name a few) only koodo and virgin didnt have the iphone, i guess i can cross of virgin. oh ya 1st

**southfrisco** · 11-25-2009, 05:01 PM

Their phones are CDMA correct (being Sprint)? How is this going to work?

**nickhesson** · 11-25-2009, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by southfrisco

Their phones are CDMA correct (being Sprint)? How is this going to work?

Telus and Bell had to build new GSM networks to be able to properly provide the iPhone, since their existing networks were CDMA. I imagine the same applies.

**southfrisco** · 11-25-2009, 05:11 PM

Wow, CDMA carriers building GSM networks just to get the iPhone. That is impressive but I guess Canadiens didn't have GSM networks until now? I wonder if Sprint in the US would be willing to do that, although building a GSM network here would have all kinds of drawbacks based on coverage area. Interesting thought, though..

**nickhesson** · 11-25-2009, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by southfrisco

Wow, CDMA carriers building GSM networks just to get the iPhone. That is impressive but I guess Canadiens didn't have GSM networks until now? I wonder if Sprint in the US would be willing to do that, although building a GSM network here would have all kinds of drawbacks based on coverage area. Interesting thought, though..

Yeah. Rogers was the only one with a GSM network for awhile there. I was just as surprised when I heard Telus and Bell upgraded.

**realjaja** · 11-25-2009, 06:02 PM

maybe someone can help me with the logic here - but isn't telus and bell using a w-cdma/hsdpa type of thing? well let me put it this way, they're not doing 2G GSM, but 3G only correct? that would make sense to me.... verizon in the US uses a CDMA2000 type of spectrum/protocol or whatever, where as the rest of the world uses the W-CDMA 3G correct?

or am i speaking out of my arse?

**Felipe777** · 11-25-2009, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by southfrisco

Wow, CDMA carriers building GSM networks just to get the iPhone. That is impressive but I guess Canadiens didn't have GSM networks until now? I wonder if Sprint in the US would be willing to do that, although building a GSM network here would have all kinds of drawbacks based on coverage area. Interesting thought, though..

Wow dude, we did have GSM networks since 2006. It was only rogers but we had it. I believe you were saying we were way far behind americans, but we are not. Actually, when Att is launching 7.2 mbps in the States, Canada is getting 21mbps by all of its territory next summer, there is now 21mbps on major cities like Toronto, Vancouver. I say this because I work for Rogers. We already had 7.2 mbps since last year...

**realjaja** · 11-25-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by realjaja

maybe someone can help me with the logic here - but isn't telus and bell using a w-cdma/hsdpa type of thing? well let me put it this way, they're not doing 2G GSM, but 3G only correct? that would make sense to me.... verizon in the US uses a CDMA2000 type of spectrum/protocol or whatever, where as the rest of the world uses the W-CDMA 3G correct?

or am i speaking out of my arse?

never mind - i was speaking out of my arse - virgin mobile uses CDMA2000/EVDO as the 3G (i guess it makes sense since they were CDMA anyway...) I just thought that there could be the option to have a WCDMA upgrade migration path for 3G. I've seen a similar pattern to this in Japan where some carriers had some proprietary Japan only 2G and had WCDMA for 3G. The point I was trying to make was that maybe VM was going to do a 3G only support for the iPhone because it upgraded to WCDMA instead of CDMA2000, which is prob completely not possible.

Thus i am puzzled how they are going to do it.... maybe they don't own towers at all, and going to piggy back on rogers/fido?

**supreme-livin** · 11-25-2009, 08:39 PM

suks here in canada
nothins gona change they all run of bell or rogers towers so they have all the control
prices r never goin to change here
but i am goin to go to virgin just for there customer service, my gf is w virgin and they blow rogers out of the water on customer service
rogers is a nightmare i wish i never had to deal with

**The Maestro** · 11-25-2009, 09:26 PM

Would we be able to get one of these virgin mobile phones working on USA virgin mobile? Or is it the same technology were using. A work around could be discovered hopefully

**bengo** · 11-26-2009, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by southfrisco

Wow, CDMA carriers building GSM networks just to get the iPhone. That is impressive but I guess Canadiens didn't have GSM networks until now? I wonder if Sprint in the US would be willing to do that, although building a GSM network here would have all kinds of drawbacks based on coverage area. Interesting thought, though..

ROFL! Yeah they spent billions on infrastructure JUST FOR THE IPHONEZZZZ!!!

)))))))))))))))))))) And btw, it's not GSM, it's HSPA.

**xwinger** · 11-26-2009, 02:07 AM

HMM... will be interesting to see. i wonder if virgin will allow pay as you go iphones lol

**rhekt** · 11-26-2009, 04:45 PM

canadian thing

**hollow0** · 11-26-2009, 06:03 PM

i think they're part of t-mobile! i wonder if i could get an iPhone through them unlocked!

**Nerologic** · 11-28-2009, 03:17 AM

So i take it they wont be CDMA iPhones?

**confucious** · 11-28-2009, 07:47 AM

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