Tag Archives: mobilicity

Telus agrees to acquire Mobilicity for $380 million, despite Canada’s push for increased mobile competition

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Regulators in Canada have been making a push to enhance competition in the mobile space, with Industry Minister Christian Paradis going so far as to lay out a set of rules for the nation's upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction that he promises will give citizens "more choices and more access at better prices." Granted, that ideal world only works if the carriers can stay afloat long enough to bid. According to William Aziz, Mobilicity's own chief restructuring officer, the operator has been "losing a significant amount of money every month." To that end, he reckons that an "acquisition by Telus is the best alternative," and he seems to think that the $380 million deal will receive a hasty approval considering the circumstances.

The purchase price is thought to be high enough to cover the debts looming over Mobilicity, and it'll give its 150 employees a secure job at Telus. If it sails through, a quarter-million Mobilicity customers should see no interruption in service as the integration takes place. Of course, a secondary benefit for Telus is gaining access to the spectrum Mobilicity currently uses. The end result for customers in the world's nicest country? We'd love to say that one fewer player will result in better service, lower prices and greater fulfillment for all... but something tells us that's probably wishing for a bit much.

[Image credit: Andrew Currie, Flickr]

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Source: Telus

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 8th, 2013

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DNP Mobile Miscellany week of April 8th, 2013

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, we were treated to a peek at the Lumia 928 in white, Canada's upstart carriers made waves, BlackBerry users got a new free calling option and the Lumia 520 spread its wings to more carriers in the UK. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of April 8th, 2013.

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Telus reportedly in talks to buy Mobilicity, spectrum likely to be the prize

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Telus reportedly in talks to buy Mobilicity, spectrum likely the real prize

Canadians have been enjoying a minor renaissance in wireless competition since its AWS auction allowed a slew of smaller carriers to join the fray. Unfortunately, that diversity might be shrinking soon. The Globe and Mail reportedly has documents showing that Telus has been in active talks to buy Mobilicity through a share buyout deal. While the apparent leak doesn't mention the exact motivations, it's thought to be a spectrum grab when LTE on major Canadian carriers primarily leans on the very AWS frequencies that Mobilicity also uses for its 3G service. Neither Telus nor Mobilicity is commenting, although we'd note that there may be a few roadblocks (however temporary) if the scoop is accurate. Rules meant to preserve competition will prevent Telus from buying any newcomers' spectrum until early 2014, and Mobilicity left the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association just this week while accusing the industry group of being a puppet for bigger networks like Telus. If negotiations are real and still in progress, there could be some very awkward meetings ahead.

[Image credit: Andrew Currie, Flickr]

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Via: MobileSyrup (1), (2)

Source: The Globe and Mail

Apple’s updated iPhone 5 for T-Mobile goes through FCC testing

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Apple's TMobilecapable iPhone 5 goes through the FCC

An iPhone native to T-Mobile USA has been the stuff of legend for so long that we still have a hard time believing it's real, even after the carrier confirmed it in no uncertain terms. We're a little more credulous now that Apple has run the iPhone 5 through some class permission changes at the FCC. True to the words of Apple and T-Mobile, the updated A1428 is now clear to use 42Mbps HSPA+ data on the AWS frequencies that the UnCarrier uses (along with smaller Canadian providers, we'd add). The refreshed iPhone doesn't have any surprises lurking underneath -- the LTE was already in place -- although that in itself isn't surprising. It's a mid-cycle tweak meant chiefly to expand Apple's market reach, and we wouldn't expect much more iPhone-related FCC action for awhile.

Brad Molen contributed to this report.

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Source: FCC

Sony Xperia ZL coming to a swath of Canadian carriers in April

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Sony Xperia ZL hands-on

It's not quite a US launch, but it's close: Sony is bringing the more compact of its two 5-inch smartphones, the Xperia ZL, to Canada in April. While that's already good news for locals who like their Xperias extra-large, the real perk will be a change in Sony's tendency toward limited launches in North America. The release will put the ZL on several of the more significant Canadian networks, including heavyweights Bell and Rogers as small-but-significant carriers like Mobilicity, MTS, Videotron and Wind Mobile -- the only major exceptions appear to be Telus and the big providers' budget brands. There's no word on pricing, although we're not expecting a radical break from the norm. We're mostly just left wondering whether the Xperia Z will appear as well, and just which if any of Sony's 1080p flagships will cross the border to the States.

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Source: Sony

HTC Windows Phone 8S hits the FCC with North American 3G, gives the US a horrible tease

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HTC Windows Phone 8S reaches the FCC with tease of what could have been

Unlike Nokia, all of HTC's Windows Phone effort in the US this fall has been centered on the high-end, through the Windows Phone 8X. That makes the FCC appearance of its budget cousin, the 8S, borderline cruel for American fans of HTC's hyper-colorized design. The phone getting clearance has support for both AT&T and T-Mobile HSPA bands without the LTE that either American carrier would want. Given that the 8S is officially destined for Canada (and not the US) without a named carrier, we're most likely looking at an example for a budget Canuck provider such as Mobilicity or Wind. At least the frequencies will be a comfort to gray market US importers who want HTC's Windows Phone aesthetic on the cheap.

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HTC Windows Phone 8S hits the FCC with North American 3G, gives the US a horrible tease originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA+ goes live with throttled service to match

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Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA goes live with throttled service to match

Sometimes the leaks are uncannily accurate. As we'd seen just days ago, Mobilicity has flicked on its 21Mbps HSPA+ network, giving customers of the alternative Canadian carrier up to three times the speed of before if they're using new $80 Huawei E366 modem or a compatible smartphone. Unfortunately, the other part of the rumor is also true: there's now a curb on that unlimited data. Cross the (admittedly high) 6GB mark and those speeds may be throttled without springing for the 20GB that comes with either a $20 Premium Data Add-On for phones or a data-only $50 Premium Mobile Data Internet Plan. Despite the suddenly lowered ceiling, the higher performance is a welcome kick in the cellular pants for those who want a Galaxy S III without turning to one of the big three providers.

Continue reading Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA+ goes live with throttled service to match

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Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA+ goes live with throttled service to match originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip has Mobilicity’s 21Mbps HSPA+ network going live next week with throttling after 6GB

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Tip has Mobilicity's 21Mbps HSPA network going live next week with throttling after 6GB

Mobilicity's much-needed 21Mbps network upgrade may be almost at hand... with a catch. A leak to MobileSyrup reportedly has the HSPA+ network arriving sometime next week in tandem with an $80 Huawei E366 USB modem to exploit the new speeds. However, the Canadian carrier might just slap an asterisk on the end of that "unlimited" tag it's been using so far. Current customers may be relegated to a Basic Unlimited Data tier where any use past 6GB is potentially throttled; anyone needing full speed beyond that would have to either slap on a $20 Premium Data add-on or switch outright to a comprehensive $50 data plan, with both plans bumping the ceiling to 20GB. The two could remain better deals than for the major carriers, at least if you don't mind eschewing LTE. Nonetheless, any truth to the offerings might take away one more choice for truly unlimited data in the True North.

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Tip has Mobilicity's 21Mbps HSPA+ network going live next week with throttling after 6GB originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RadioShack Smartphones Monthly Rate Plans Leak

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A new screenshot has surfaced that allegedly shows the rate plans that RadioShack will charge for its contract free mobile wireless plans. According to the image, there are two smartphones plans with...

Huawei Ascend D Quad XL hits the FCC with North America-friendly 3G, 12MP camera mention

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Huawei Ascend D Quad hits the FCC with North Americafriendly 3G, 12MP camera mention

We'd been hoping that Huawei's flagship Ascend D Quad would roll by the FCC, hinting that the long-in-waiting hardware was soon to become a reality. It's here, and it looks to be the XL version we were promised back in Barcelona, with no mention of the LTE that some US carriers love so well. Like the Ascend D1, though, it's carrying pentaband HSPA+ that would let its 3G fly at full speed on any North American GSM carrier. There's a slight surprise in the camera. Schematics mention a 12-megapixel sensor as a possibility alongside the officially announced 8-megapixel shooter -- that said, whether it's a quiet upgrade, a regional variant or just a discarded dream isn't made obvious here. More certain references can confirm video out through HDMI and MHL as well as the increasingly de rigueur NFC. We don't need the FCC to confirm launches that start late this month in China and October in Europe, but the approval guarantees that there won't be rude surprises for the release or for any imports, whether they're unofficial or through a carrier deal.

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Huawei Ascend D Quad XL hits the FCC with North America-friendly 3G, 12MP camera mention originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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