Tag Archives: WindMobile

Verizon reportedly considers purchasing Canada’s Wind Mobile

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Wind Mobile store

Competition in the Canadian cellphone space is on shaky ground when Wind Mobile faces an uncertain future. If The Globe and Mail's sources are accurate, however, Wind may get a lifeline from an unexpected source: Verizon. The US carrier has reportedly held "exploratory" talks for a possible takeover of Wind that would help the Canadian firm bid in the upcoming 700MHz auction, improving its chances against local giants Bell, Rogers and Telus. Mobilicity is also a potential acquisition target following Telus' failed buyout, according to the tipsters. None of the involved parties are commenting at this stage, although Verizon couldn't just walk into the Canadian market. The provider would have to deal with foreign ownership rules as well as the investment limits of its Vodafone partnership -- and neither obstacle is likely to disappear overnight.

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Via: MobileSyrup

Source: The Globe and Mail

iPad and iPad mini coming to Rogers and Telus, iPhone 5 nano-SIMs reach Wind

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iPad and iPad mini coming to Rogers and Telus, iPhone 5 nanoSIMs come to Wind

While it's been easy for Canadians to get data plans for the iPad and iPad mini, they haven't had the luxury of picking one up at a carrier store like their American neighbors. They will soon, however: Rogers and Telus say they'll be selling the LTE versions of both iPads sometime in the "coming weeks." Details are scarce, although the two networks promise that they'll keep offering contract-free data plans. We've reached out to learn whether or not Bell is following suit.

There isn't any talk of similar offerings with smaller providers, although Wind Mobile is offering an olive branch to iPhone owners. The carrier is now selling $25 nano-SIM cards for those who've bought an unlocked, AWS-friendly iPhone 5 through Apple. These customers won't have LTE, but they'll get HSPA+ data on less expensive (and less restricted) plans. Hit Wind's Facebook page to learn just which devices qualify.

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Source: Rogers, Telus, Wind Mobile (Facebook)

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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Fongo makes a very public bid for control of Wind Mobile

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Wind Mobile store

Canadian carrier Wind Mobile has faced no small amount of tumult in recent months, culminating in direct control by Orascom and talk of shopping the provider around to the highest bidder. We didn't entirely anticipate just who would take up the offer, however: Fongo, best known for its former Dell Voice initiative, has made an overt bid for Wind. The VoIP provider wants to extend Wind's network network across the country while moving subscribers over to Fongo within the space of a year, theoretically creating a perfect match between cheap cellular access and free internet calling. Before anyone pops champagne corks, we'd warn that there's heavy amounts of publicity and symbolism involved in the acquisition attempt. Fongo is offering $1 and a 49 percent stake in its own venture -- that draws attention to its service, but might not hold up in a fierce bidding war. There may be more involved, but we'll have to wait before we know just how serious the move could be. Wind's parent Globalive has declined comment, while Fongo tells us it's waiting on a formal response before putting more of its cards on the table.

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Source: Fongo

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

Wind Mobile to lose CEO, come under Egyptian telco’s wing

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Wind Mobile to lose CEO, come under Egyptian telco's wing

We're only a few days into 2013, but that's not stopping Canada's Wind Mobile -- the Great White North's fourth largest carrier -- from announcing big changes for the year ahead. The firm just struck a deal with Egypt's Orascom that'll see the foreign telco gain control of the company through a stock deal and have Wind's founder and CEO, Anthony Lacavera, step down from his post. Barring hiccups in regulatory smell tests, the pact is expected to be rubber-stamped by the end of the year. As for Lacavera, he'll stay onboard as honorary chair and will spearhead a new effort dubbed Globalive Capital to invest in budding technology, telecom and media companies.

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Orascom Telecom to acquire AAL Corporation interest in WIND Mobile Canada. Anthony Lacavera to step down as CEO of WIND Mobile Canada, Plans to Launch Globalive Capital in 2013.

January 18, 2013

Cairo and Toronto, January 18th, 2013: On the heels of a strong growth year, Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. ("Orascom") and WIND Mobile's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Anthony Lacavera, jointly announce that they have entered into an agreement to transfer Mr. Lacavera's shares of WIND Mobile Canada to Orascom.

Mr. Lacavera, who plans to launch a new initiative, Globalive Capital in 2013, will remain WIND Mobile's Chairman and CEO until closing, and will continue in a non-operational capacity as WIND Mobile Canada's Honorary Chair. Upon closing, Orascom will own an indirect 99.3% interest in Globalive Wireless Management Corp.

"As an entrepreneur, my vision was to ignite change across the wireless landscape in Canada, bringing more competition, better prices and superior service to Canadians," said Mr. Lacavera. "And that is exactly what we did. Now that I am confident WIND Mobile Canada is on a course for long-term success, I can focus on launching Globalive Capital to make targeted investments in companies that share my entrepreneurial vision and continue to support innovation through new and emerging entrepreneurs."

Mr. Lacavera founded WIND Mobile in Canada in 2008. Partnering with Orascom (now majority owned by VimpelCom Ltd.), WIND Mobile acquired spectrum in the 2008 wireless auction and launched what is now Canada's fourth largest wireless carrier. Since that time, Wind Mobile has launched in Southern Ontario (including Toronto), Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and now serves 600,000 subscribers.

Under the terms of the signed agreement, upon obtaining certain necessary regulatory approvals, Orascom will indirectly acquire all of AAL Corp.'s interest in Globalive Wireless Management Corp., which operates under the WIND Mobile brand in Canada. AAL Corp. is a holding company that is majority owned by Anthony Lacavera. As part of the consideration to be paid to AAL Corp. (which includes cash consideration and a continuing economic participation in WIND Mobile for AAL Corp.), the Globalive group's fixed-line assets (including the Globalive name and trademark) will be transferred to AAL Corp.

"Anthony Lacavera has been the face and the voice of WIND Mobile Canada," said Ahmed Abou Doma, Chief Executive Officer of Orascom. "I wish to pay tribute to his leadership in making WIND Mobile the official alternative to the 'Big Three' incumbents in Canada."

Completion of the transactions is subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, including Canadian regulatory approval of the conversion of Orascom's non-voting shares into voting shares, which would result in Orascom holding an indirect 65.1% voting and economic interest in Globalive Wireless Management Corp. immediately before completion of the transactions with AAL Corp. Orascom currently holds an indirect 32% voting interest and 65.1% economic interest in Wind Mobile Canada. AAL Corp. currently holds an indirect 66.7% voting interest and 34.3% economic interest."

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Via: Reuters

Source: Globalive

Huawei Honor 2 passes through the FCC with North America-capable 3G, not much else

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Huawei Honor 2 passes through the FCC with North American 3G, not much else

Huawei upped its ante in the smartphone games with the Honor 2 just weeks ago, but with few mentions of where the phone maker might place its bets outside of its native China. An FCC filing has at least raised the slim chance that Huawei might look to North America. The newly-tested device doles out HSPA+ support on the 850MHz, 1,700MHz and 1,900MHz bands, letting it work with the 3G of just about any American or Canadian GSM carrier. Without any LTE to speak of, though, the Honor 2 variant is more likely to appear on a smaller network that doesn't yet have access to the faster data, such as T-Mobile or Wind -- if it shows up at all, that is. As FCC approvals only occasionally spoil a launch, we'll mostly be waiting to see if Huawei or carriers step forward before anticipating the mid-tier phone on this side of the Pacific.

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Source: FCC

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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Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012

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Mobile Miscellany week of October 15th, 2012

If you didn't get enough in mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, we received further evidence of an imminent replacement for the Galaxy Nexus and the Optimus 4X HD found a new home in Canada. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of October 15th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012

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Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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