04

November

2009

Bell Mobility enters the 21st century – finally

Posted in : Life, News & Media

Bell Mobility, along with partner-rival Telus, are entering the modern cellular age by upgrading its networks to HSPA.

For years, Bell and Telus have been parading their antiquated CDMA technology as state-of-the-art and robust and powerful, never to be replaced. The two companies praised how CDMA phones do not require SIM cards, therefore making them harder to steal and re-use.

Whatever. Within hours of switching on their HSPA network, Bell’s mobility website is offering the iPhone, trying to make up for years of being behind the curve.

HSPA is a higher speed upgrade to GSM technology, and has been long used by rivals Rogers and Fido. Rogers-Fido unveiled their HSPA networks in the Golden Horseshoe in 2007, and have continued to expand the network since then. Rogers also shut down its older, similar-to-CDMA TDMA network.

Rogers-Fido’s use of the HSPA network have allowed them to sell cutting-edge cell phones from companies such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, LG, and of course, Apple’s iPhone.

Bell and Telus haven’t been able to offer the latest and best technological options because of their old and out-dated network. It has also proved to be a hindrance to Bell consumers who want to roam, as very few other countries use CDMA technology.

It’s yet to be seen if Bell’s rural coverage will continue to beat the stuffing out of Rogers, however. The one thing that has kept me a loyal Bell Mobility customer all these years is that I can get coverage in areas where Rogers doesn’t cover. Rogers praises how they cover the most people, and it’s true if you live in a big city. Bell has a lot of rural coverage, so while they might get less people, all those people can use their phones in places Rogers can’t.

And hopefully Bell will avoid the 3G problems Rogers had.

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