3G Vita cancelled in Canada? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

morikaweb · 2012-01-10, 10:25 AM

I just got a call from GameStop telling me they have had to refund my pre-order because the 3G vita has been cancelled in Canada

I know Amazon in the states pulled a stunt like this the other day, but Sony told evryone that the 3G model has not been cancelled in North America, so what is going on?

dezzpayne · 2012-01-10, 11:30 AM

Perhaps Sony finally got the cost of the monthly data plans from Bell/Rogers and figured no one was crazy enough to pay that much. :-)

Actually a quick search found me:

http://playstationlifestyle.net/2011...yed-in-canada/

So I may not be far off the truth.....

morikaweb · 2012-01-10, 03:10 PM

Um WTF does bell or rogers have to do with my buying a Vita? Ya the Vita can get a 3g plan, but so what? I don't recall having to sign a contract to buy it and I had no intention of ever getting a data plan, I simply wanted a Vita with GPS. Bell and Rogers have no right to interfere with another companies business and if Sony is that dumb then they deserve to lose my money!

TorontoColin · 2012-01-10, 04:23 PM

3G devices are typically sold through carriers who will subsidize and support them. This is why you don't usually see 3G tablets for sale without service at major retailers.

Without carrier partners, 3G devices tend to be much harder to sell.

nospam · 2012-01-10, 10:36 PM

GameStop also recently called customers with pre-orders for "The Last Guardian" to tell them the game was cancelled. The cancelation announcement was refuted by the game makers, so I think that tells you everything there is to know about the accuracy of GameStop's announcements.

TVJunkie · 2012-02-10, 05:25 PM

OK I never saw this thread but I ordered my VITA from Markham Gamestop on 2 Feb and gave $50 deposit he showed me a list of games tried to upsell me a bunch of stuff etc and I was told if I purchased special game I could pick it up on 15th instead of 22nd

Also on there website http://www.ebgames.ca/browse/ps-vita...s?nav=131c7-6f

nospam · 2012-02-10, 10:22 PM

This thread concerns the "3G" (cellular data) version of the device, not the WiFi version, which is what I assume you ordered.

Eluder · 2012-02-11, 10:24 AM

The carriers have nothing to do with this, just because it's a 3G device, doesn't mean the carriers here told Sony not to bring it.
Look at the iPad, that's a 3G device and you don't buy it from a carrier in Canada and that sells like hot cakes.
Sony probably just didn't think the demand for it would be high in Canada.

TVJunkie · 2012-02-11, 11:00 AM

My Bad sorry.

I cant imagine why a carrier would not want to partner with them so I agree must have been for another reason.

Looks like it is HSPA and Rogers has a network in a lot of coverage and Bell and Telus both had scattered support with agreements between them so getting a carrier support would not have been difficult. Simply play one carrier against the other for best price.

I can't imagine it was suspected lack of sales so did not want to offer support in Canada as US Just next door so repairs etc could be handled from there worse case scenario.

I have to wonder did someone simply forget to submit one for Canadian radio communication approval and only submitted a request for the WIFI version.

TorontoColin · 2012-02-11, 11:02 AM

I'm sure they didn't tell Sony not to bring it, but if they were uninterested in subsidizing and supporting it, then Sony might have decided it wasn't worth trying to do it by themselves. The carriers might have decided it won't sell well enough to justify training their staff and possibly taking up inventory space.

Without a carrier partner willing to preconfigure 3G settings and support the device with 3G service issues, Sony would be forced to do this themselves, which means higher costs for them.

Eluder · 2012-02-11, 11:21 PM

Is it subsidized via AT&T in the states? From a carrier's perspective, you're probably right, they wouldn't see this as being profitable because supporting it would be a lot more difficult than a phone.

TorontoColin · 2012-02-11, 11:43 PM

They are not subsidizing it, but they are shipping it pre-configured for AT&T and with an AT&T SIM card.

Eluder · 2012-02-12, 03:11 PM

But that's pretty basic stuff, if the vita is designed properly, it can automatically configure itself to the network when you put in a SIM card. A lot of phones do this already, the Nexus lineup of phones are a good example.

2012-01-10, 10:25 AM	#1
morikaweb Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 213	3G Vita cancelled in Canada? I just got a call from GameStop telling me they have had to refund my pre-order because the 3G vita has been cancelled in Canada I know Amazon in the states pulled a stunt like this the other day, but Sony told evryone that the 3G model has not been cancelled in North America, so what is going on? Last edited by Danster; 2012-01-11 at 02:32 PM. Reason: typos

2012-01-10, 03:10 PM	#3
morikaweb Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 213	Um WTF does bell or rogers have to do with my buying a Vita? Ya the Vita can get a 3g plan, but so what? I don't recall having to sign a contract to buy it and I had no intention of ever getting a data plan, I simply wanted a Vita with GPS. Bell and Rogers have no right to interfere with another companies business and if Sony is that dumb then they deserve to lose my money! Last edited by Danster; 2012-01-11 at 02:32 PM. Reason: typos

2012-01-10, 04:23 PM	#4
TorontoColin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Wind Mobile, Rogers Cable, Teksavvy Extreme Cable Posts: 3,229	3G devices are typically sold through carriers who will subsidize and support them. This is why you don't usually see 3G tablets for sale without service at major retailers. Without carrier partners, 3G devices tend to be much harder to sell. __________________ Rules of the Forum \| DHC Help Desk DHC now supports Tapatalk for mobile devices!

2012-02-10, 05:25 PM	#6
TVJunkie Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 469	I am confused VITA not cancelled OK I never saw this thread but I ordered my VITA from Markham Gamestop on 2 Feb and gave $50 deposit he showed me a list of games tried to upsell me a bunch of stuff etc and I was told if I purchased special game I could pick it up on 15th instead of 22nd Also on there website http://www.ebgames.ca/browse/ps-vita...s?nav=131c7-6f

2012-02-11, 11:02 AM	#10
TorontoColin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Wind Mobile, Rogers Cable, Teksavvy Extreme Cable Posts: 3,229	I'm sure they didn't tell Sony not to bring it, but if they were uninterested in subsidizing and supporting it, then Sony might have decided it wasn't worth trying to do it by themselves. The carriers might have decided it won't sell well enough to justify training their staff and possibly taking up inventory space. Without a carrier partner willing to preconfigure 3G settings and support the device with 3G service issues, Sony would be forced to do this themselves, which means higher costs for them. __________________ Rules of the Forum \| DHC Help Desk DHC now supports Tapatalk for mobile devices!

2012-01-10, 11:30 AM	#2
dezzpayne Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Barrie, ON Posts: 1,374	Perhaps Sony finally got the cost of the monthly data plans from Bell/Rogers and figured no one was crazy enough to pay that much. :-) Actually a quick search found me: http://playstationlifestyle.net/2011...yed-in-canada/ So I may not be far off the truth.....

2012-01-10, 10:36 PM	#5
nospam Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 299	GameStop also recently called customers with pre-orders for "The Last Guardian" to tell them the game was cancelled. The cancelation announcement was refuted by the game makers, so I think that tells you everything there is to know about the accuracy of GameStop's announcements.

2012-02-10, 10:22 PM	#7
nospam Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 299	This thread concerns the "3G" (cellular data) version of the device, not the WiFi version, which is what I assume you ordered.

2012-02-11, 10:24 AM	#8
Eluder Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,446	The carriers have nothing to do with this, just because it's a 3G device, doesn't mean the carriers here told Sony not to bring it. Look at the iPad, that's a 3G device and you don't buy it from a carrier in Canada and that sells like hot cakes. Sony probably just didn't think the demand for it would be high in Canada.

2012-02-11, 11:00 AM	#9
TVJunkie Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 469	My Bad sorry. I cant imagine why a carrier would not want to partner with them so I agree must have been for another reason. Looks like it is HSPA and Rogers has a network in a lot of coverage and Bell and Telus both had scattered support with agreements between them so getting a carrier support would not have been difficult. Simply play one carrier against the other for best price. I can't imagine it was suspected lack of sales so did not want to offer support in Canada as US Just next door so repairs etc could be handled from there worse case scenario. I have to wonder did someone simply forget to submit one for Canadian radio communication approval and only submitted a request for the WIFI version.

2012-02-11, 11:21 PM	#11
Eluder Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,446	Is it subsidized via AT&T in the states? From a carrier's perspective, you're probably right, they wouldn't see this as being profitable because supporting it would be a lot more difficult than a phone.

2012-02-11, 11:43 PM	#12
TorontoColin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Wind Mobile, Rogers Cable, Teksavvy Extreme Cable Posts: 3,229	They are not subsidizing it, but they are shipping it pre-configured for AT&T and with an AT&T SIM card. __________________ Rules of the Forum \| DHC Help Desk DHC now supports Tapatalk for mobile devices!

2012-02-12, 03:11 PM	#13
Eluder Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,446	But that's pretty basic stuff, if the vita is designed properly, it can automatically configure itself to the network when you put in a SIM card. A lot of phones do this already, the Nexus lineup of phones are a good example.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode