I saw the news this morning about the new Sidekick (for T-Mobile customers). As a Canadian, it reminded me of the frustration when I was in Seattle last July and I test drive the new Apple's iPhone. If only I could smuggle such a device back to Canada!(As you may know, the new iPhone is *not* available in Canada. This has little to do with Apple's attitude nor of a lack of supply. It is for the same reason that my cellphone provider (Fido) has *STOPPED* selling the Sidekick in Canada (called the Hiptop here)).
Why? Canadians are just as net savvy as our fellow Americans... So why Apple are ignoring Canada, and why the Sidekick which is extremely popular in the US... has entirely disappeared from the Canadian market?
The reason is this: NONE of the Canadian cellphone providers offers a plan like T-Mobile's *UNLIMITED* internet access for $29.95 . (Other US cellphone carriers have similar plans, albeit at a somewhat higher rate than T-Mobile).
$30/month is reasonable. It is within the price range of a regular internet subscription.
However, mobile internet is utterly EXPENSIVE in Canada. That's why few of us can afford these devices! Here's the rates from my cellphone operator, Fido: $12... for 1 Megabyte... PER MONTH.
To add insult to injury, if you dare to bust your 1Meg allocation for the entire month, they will hit you with a $22 surcharge for each and every megabyte exceeding your limit.
Hello ?!?
The closest thing to "unlimited internet access", is a whopping $100/month for only 200 Megabytes... and they have the nerve to charge you $5 for each Megabyte afterwards.
Other Canadian cellphone operators have similar plans. Now you understand why you won't see the iPhone in Canada anytime soon at these obscene rates... and why the cool Sidekick has disappeared completely from the Canadian market. These devices naturally lend themselves for *heavy* internet use.
(Which also means that the deaf community in Canada doesn't enjoy what fellow deaf Americans are taking for granted with their cellphones. It is still the dark age here. So, hearing and deaf Canadians are in the same boat: We would *love* to have those devices, but they are just *too expensive* to use!)
By the way, if you are in disbelief that there is a demand for mobile internet, here is a personal tale: In August I was back on the US East Coast, enjoying the beaches of Cape Cod. Later in that month, a blogger reunion was organized, but it meant for me a looooong trip from Cape Cod to NYC and then to NJ.
Anyhow, I went to the "Blogajamig" as it was called and I had a chance to see in person a lot of fellow bloggers. That was well worth the trip.
On the bus ride from Hyannis (Cape Cod) to the Port Authority in NYC, I was looking at my fellow passengers all around me. Some passengers were playing with their "Crackberry" (the nickname for the Blackberry). I also saw plenty of Sidekicks in action, whether people were chatting on IM, sending/receiving e-mails, and even surfing the web.
(I guess the iPhone was too new, I haven't seen one during that bus trip).
It isn't an exageration to say that at least *half* of the bus were on the internet at one time or another during that ride to NYC.
Witout traffic jams, it is *in theory* a 6-hour bus ride. So you have plenty of time to kill. :)
So, I was looking at my old cellphone...
Hey my friend, what's wrong with you?
We have extremely greedy cellphone operators in Canada... That's the problem.
And a CRTC (the equivalent of the US' FCC) under heavy pressure from a right-wing government (Stephen Harper) to deregulate the phone service (both land and wireless). So, it's not surprising that nothing is moving and... fees are sky rocketing.
Sometimes, I wish that I live in the US when I see that...
-E
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And to think, I really really want an iPhone. But anyway, yeah, the prices of everything technology in Canada are prohibitively expensive. Don't even ask what I pay for my home connection. Le sigh! :-( Is it because of our small population, or because we like to have a lot of monopolies running the show? Think about it! We put up with the likes of Air Canada, so why not crappy cell phone service, crappy internet, and crappy technologies? If we aren't savvy enough to complain, or to simply stop using these technologies altogether until someone offers us usable affordable services, then it's our own fault!
But that's just my opinion.
It used to be a time... the cellphone service was waaaaaay ahead of the Americans, at a *low* price. It was much cheaper in Canada than in the US.
There was a fierce battle among cellphone operator. Well, everyone... except Bell, of course. They can't kick the habits of being a monopoly. :)
Years later...
TelUs was ailing, Fido got bought by Rogers and Bell has continued to be... ahem Bell. :)
Then, it seems that the remaining cellphone operators figured they should do like Bell. Instead of fighting each other, they'll act like monopolies.
As a result, service went down the toilet, prices went way up. You really have to fight hard for a monthly plan which you can opt out at any time. All of them heavily insist to sign you up for 2-3 years... Yeah sure. With hefty fines if you dare to cancel your contract before the end.
Sadly, with the Conservative government, they have already ordered the CRTC to loosen up their regulation on landline.
I haven't seen one bit of a rebate. Or rather, I'm bombarded with tons of ads from Bell that my bill can go down... only if I signup for satellite TV or get a cellphone from there. I "save" money by spending more money.
I admire the way Bell do their maths. :)
So I really don't expect to see the CRTC doing anything about the cellphone service in Canada. If they dare to do anything, the government will again intervenes and order the CRTC to stay put.
That being said, in the past I have complained to the CRTC and will continue to do so in the future.
I agree with you. We're at fault, through and through!
First for not voicing complaints... and also for electing governments. Cough cough. :)
I've been lucky with cable (TV and broadband internet) so far, ok rates along with decent services, but I think this is sheer luck, more than anything else. :)
As for *NOT* using these technologies... Mhhhh... Well, I can't figure how to get rid of my cellphone, and ditto about broadband internet! :)
I wouldn't miss TV much, though. :)
Somehow, I think it's a matter of time that common sense will prevail. Perhaps I'm too optimistic. Perhaps. :)
Having said that... I think that I've heard somewhere that cellphones no matter how crappy is the service here, are very useful gadgets. Friends with a cellphone are immensely popular, or so I'm told! Cough cough! ;)
Cheers!
-J
To those who _really_ want an iPhone that works with a Canadian GSM cellphone operator (like Fido and Rogers)... Mhhhh....
You can buy an "unlocked" GSM iPhone from PureMobile in Canada.
Very expensive ($650 Canadian, at the time I'm typing these lines), but you have to pay for the sleigh of hands, also for avoiding Canadian custom fees since shipments are made within Canada... which also mean speedy delivery.
However, you won't escape the obscene internet rates from Fido and Rogers, but at least one can have a fully functional iPhone in Canada... if cost doesn't matters. ;)
About locked vs unlocked GSM phones:
People who have GSM cellphones may have noticed that their phone is either locked or unlocked. (In my case, I'm with Fido, a GSM operator, and my cellphone is locked with them).
First, GSM phones operate with a "SIM card" that you must slide in, otherwise the phone won't work.
Locked GSM phones mean that a phone will work only with the cellphone operator which you got your cellphone.
In the case of the iPhone, it is a locked GSM phone. In the US, Apple got an exclusive deal with AT&T (formely Cingular), a GSM operator.
The idea is that they don't want you to signup with AT&T just to get the iPhone, and then you go with, say T-Mobile, another American GSM operator.
Substituing the AT&T SIM card with a T-Mobile SIM card or any other SIM card (such as one from Fido, Rogers, etc) won't work.
The iPhone is "locked" onto accepting only the AT&T SIM card. That's the typical behavior of a "locked" GSM phone.
The good news is that some clever programmers have figured out how to unlock the iPhone...
This is why PureMobile is able to sell the US iPhone to Canadians.
There are issues with that (especially about updates which might relock the phone with AT&T... and perhaps some warranties being void. :) )
As always, I'm not advocating anything here. I'm explaining the mumbo jumbo.
As far as I'm concerned, even if the iPhones were given, I wouldn't want it. Nor other mobile internet devices.
Rates for mobile internet are just way way way *TOO* high in Canada. I'd lose my shirt (and my kilt !!!) in no time!
(Wait a minute! Is this a sneaky way to get an iPhone for Christmas? Mhhhh... I'll plead the 5th amendment here! :) ).
On the internet, rumors say that the iPhone may be available in Canada, on the first half of 2008.
Which could mean in January 2008 (unlikely, they would miss the Christmas shopping!)... or in June 2008, which makes more sense.
It remains to be seen how Fido and Rogers will lower their rates. Wanna bet? ;)
So that's how it goes about the iPhone in Canada.
Cheers!
-E
I heard that Rogers or Fido would be able to hook up a Sidekick.
Now, i'm not sure if it has to be unlocked, and where exactly to purchase it.
Any ideas?
Kristina, The answer is *NOT* a resounding YES.
1) Your best bet might be to go on EBay Canada, and getting a used Fido Hiptop or Hiptop2 that are still in good shape (which will most likely be tough to find).
From there, it would be possible to call Fido whether they would be willing to activate the phone, and give you their special Hiptop rate. Otherwise, their "pay as you go" internet will cost you an arm and a leg.
Note: While Fido has been bought by Rogers a few years ago, only Fido is offering the Hiptop (Sidekick).
I've studied the feasibility of getting an American Sidekick (say from T-Mobile) to work with Fido. You won't like my answers.
2)Subscribe to T-Mobile in the US, and pay roaming charges on top of the monthly bill. The US Sidekick will work well in Canada.
Those roaming charges can become just as expensive as paying Fido directly for internet access. But at least, you have a brand new Sidekick, and officially supported by T-Mobile.
Note, the Sidekick is extremely popular with the deaf community for several reasons (one of which is a decent keyboard, when compared to the Blackberry).
The other reason is that with T-Mobile, you can pay just for a data plan. Having to pay only $30/month for unlimited internet access (in the US), it's a bargain.
3)Unlocking the Sidekick. It can be done, but it won't accomplish what you want. With a Fido SIM card in, only the telephony side of the Sidekick will work.
Contrary to other cellphones that are capable to access the internet, the Sidekick needs to talk to a server hosted at your cellphone provider for most of its data functions (such as e-mail, etc).
This is *hardcoded* with the operating system. So a US Sidekick, even unlocked, will still try to "phone home" to T-Mobile's servers, and therefore it won't work.
I went to the website of the manufacturer of the Hiptop/Sidekick and no, they will *NOT* flash a Sidekick to work with a different provider. :(
I've done several searches on the internet whether there is a hack that would do that, and I haven't found any.
I let Fido/Rogers know my displeasure, but these guys act as a monopoly (they're the only one with a GSM network), so they don't give a hoot. I also file a complaint with the CRTC, but these days under the pressure of the Conservative government, they don't want to step in.
So, that's how it goes.
PS: "Danger" is the name of the operating system that powers the Sidekick. Here is their FAQ about the Hiptop (Sidekick) in Canada. Very informative, but also very frustrating.
It's a shame that Fido is discontinuing the Sidekick. :(
Good luck nonetheless!
-E
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I don't understand why we don't have sidekicks and iPhones in Canada. Howewver this article could be[and is] outdated. However it has nothing to do with the unlimited internet being expensive. I have a phone with a keyboard and I enjoy unlimited web browswing, instant messaging, and text messaging. Guess what I pay monthly? 35 dollars. So it can't be the lack of 'affordable web browsing'. I will admit however that Telus has horrible customer service and piss me off every chance they get. Canada is shit for cellphones, I feel like buying one in the states and getting it connected here.
Mhhhh...
You are replying to a 6-month old blog post, which is indeed a tad old. :)
Things have changed somewhat. Last month, I blogged about mobile internet, a tiny step closer (to reality).
Fido has introduced an unlimited internet option at $7 a month. It's getting reasonable. The catch? The plan is available only for *some* phones and *only* with the standard phone keypad.
Of course, being handicapped by such a clumsy keyboard and the tiny screen of a standard cellphone, you can't do much internet usage... which is the gamble companies like Fido are doing by offering their "unlimited" mobile internet at $7/month... when they know very well that you can't do much with these phones. :)
The plan is there to shunt criticism like mine, just to pretend that we did catch up with the rest of the world, while it isn't the case at all. :)
Case in point that it's just a smoke screen, with Fido if you use the phone as a "modem" to a laptop (my new cellphone is capable of doing that), their unlimited mobile internet access no longer apply, it's the "arm and a leg" plan that is still around that will apply.
We're still talking of bills in excess of $100/month for even a light use of the internet. It's way way way *too* expensive.
I've seen offers from Telus and Bell like you have mentioned. I would suggest that you read *VERY* carefully the fineprints.
The plan may not apply if you the cellphone as a modem. Also the plan may be restricted only to applications that are preloaded on the phone. If you download other applications (say an IM client), that plan won't apply and you'll pay big bucks.
Also unlimited internet may be restricted to just web browsing. Anything else is extra $$$, even with the preloaded applications on the phone.
These plans are usually filled of sudden hidden fees and it's extremely easy to rack up huge bills, because you believe that unlimited internet means... unlimited, in usage and in *restriction*. So be extra careful!
Also, if you are roaming, there might be additional fees if you are outside of your local area.
Except for fees, what I wrote then still apply today. The Sidekick (or Hiptop in Canada) like the iPhone both work with GSM operators, and *only* with them.
GSM is the way cellphone communications are handled. You may have also heard of TDMA, CDMA, etc...
A GSM phone won't work on a CDMA network, and vice-versa.
The only GSM operator in Canada is saddly... Rogers/Fido.
So you can't have your US Sidekick or US iPhone works with Telus, nor with Bell. It won't work at all.
These guys have the monopoly, they know it, and the CRTC isn't budging, so these guys do act as if they have the monopoly, and in a way, *IS* a monopoly since the really cool phones are GSM-based (like the Sidekick and iPhone), so you have no choice but to do business with Fido/Rogers. Grrrr...
What I wrote about the Sidekick/Hiptop also applies to a large extent to the iPhone.
Yes, you can legally buy a Sidekick or an iPhone in the US, and even enlisted with T-Mobile or AT&T as one of their subscriber.
I travel many times in the US, and everytime, I come *this close* of buying a Sidekick. Maybe I'll do it anyway. I'm weak. :)
The dilemmas are:
-Roaming charges. You get a US-based phone number, and you'll have to pay roaming charge for using them in Canada. Considering the very sharp drop of the US dollar, T-Mobile and AT&T roaming charges in Canada may not look as prohibitive as it used to be, but we're still talking about large sums of $$$.
Even if you "unlock" these phones (not a trivial task) and swap in a Fido/Rogers SIM card, yes the Sidekick and the iPhone will behave like a standard Canadian cellphone. You will solve that problem.
However, for the Sidekick, much of the internet wizardry is done by talking to a server that is located with the phone provider. So many functions on the Sidekick will no longer work. In other words, you're hosed.
The iPhone is a weird beast, but I'm told that not everything will work right, because it too needs to "phone home" for some internet functions, and that device will still think it's in the US, not in Canada.
Finally, on Ebay Canada or if you know a friend, you can legally get a Hiptop 2, which is one of the older Sidekicks and that phone should work ok with Fido, both as a phone and as an internet device.
The problem is that you're getting a used phone with lots of mileage on it. So a Sikedick with potentially lots of problems too.
I'm still pissed off at Fido for discontinuing the Sidekick/Hiptop and delaying the arrival of the iPhone in Canada. However, seeing the competition (Bell and Telus also have phones with a real keyboard), and I'm sure that a lot of Apple enthusiasts are writing angry letters to Fido and Rogers.
At some points, they'll have no choice but allow these devices in Canada, and offer a dataplan that isn't too obscene. :)
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
-E
Not good to hear this story. Some of my friends also told me about this issue. I'm using an N8 when I'm at Raleigh, NC. But when I'm travelling abroad, I usually use my Sidekick 2008 because it is more convenient for me due to the fact that it is unlocked, so I'm free to use any sim that I want.
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