Telus & Bell Unlimited mobile browsing

[TKG26]

http://blackberrysync.com/archives/2...bell-or-telus/


Ok finally my issues are over. My touch phone is now safe to be used as intended:


Here's a quick tip for you if your in Canada and looking at getting a BlackBerry this holiday season! Both Telus and Bell are offering the new BlackBerry Pearl 8130 (next generation Pearl) for $0 with three year term. But if you choose Telus and and get a voice of at least $30 a month you can get unlimited email and instant messaging for $15 extra a month. Here's the best part! As a bonus Telus is offering Unlimited mobile browsing (unlimited internet) for free with this data plan.

Unfortunately Telus' website only shows unlimited email and instant messaging on this data plan but it's confirmed mobile browsing is included as well. This offer is for a limited time and could expire soon.


That part in red is the annoying part, i got this additional info while talking to client care about my bill, when i complained in passing about the lack of proper data rates he suggested i switch over to this new 15$ plan. Esencially giving me unlimited email and web browsing.... Im not a 100% happy telus costomer oh give me free call display and i would be 110%

[outinthornhill]

This offer has put me in a dilemma. With my 3-year Telus contract expiring in a couple of weeks, I was prepared to switch to Rogers for a vastly better family plan and to take advantage of my 15% VIP discount. Unfortunately, no word from Rogers yet on matching the Telus unlimited BB plan.

Now to see if Telus will match Rogers on the family plan (200 min [for 2], ulmtd wknds, and 1000 LD within family all for $35 vs $30 at Telus for 100 minutes and no extras) AND let me add the $15 e-mail/internet plan. I'm interested in what luck clients have had with Telus retentions department and have been with them since the Clearnet days.

Either way, I would be locked in to a new 3-year contract. Unfortunately, Telus offers no way out of the contract (except paying it all out) while Rogers, I think, has a maximum early-cancellation penalty of $100 or $150.

Why or why does it have to be so difficult?

edit: I have found a Telus family voice plan offer that matches the Rogers plan but which is only available to new customers until Dec 31 - let's see how much they value a 9-year client?

[avengingangel]

Just a word of warning that there is a big difference between Mobile Browsing and Internet access..

Mobile Browsing is NOT unlimited internet access. It is limited to the sites provided by the phone company and is mostly geared towards selling you ring tones / wallpapers and is mostly text based. Navigation is limited to what the cell provider gives you and is strictly text based (to my knowledge)

Internet Access / Email Most Blackberries and the Palm TREO devices have. These devices have built in internet browsers that let you surf to any site you choose and have email clients that allow you to access your work / personal email.

I'm not aware of ANY canadian Cell phone provider that offers UNLIMITED internet / Email access.
Please note the "Web" plans from Telus.. None of which are Unlimited:
http://www.telusmobility.com/on/plan...mail_all.shtml

[TKG26]

I am using the Telus HTC TOUCH phone with windows mobile so im using an internet browser. So when they say unlimited to me i assume its anything my browser takes me to? I mean they ahve a few favourites in the favs folder such as google,cbc,411 ect ect, but not like on my wifes cell phone.

Since they are pimping this product on there front page for blackberries and the touch phone i can only assume(lol i know what assuming does) that im good to go.

I mean in the grand scheme of things how is the IPHONE and this touch phone supposed to be marketed in canada if you cannot even use the phone as it was intended to be used?? I hate the CRTC!!

[TKG26]

http://www.telusmobility.com/on/plan...rtphones.shtml

Here is the link to this unlimited offer that fails to mention web browsing, but was confirmed to me by client care and my first post above... but ill take client cares word and if it all goes to poooop then ill call back, but the fact that they removed my unlmited 3 month offer after changing me to this new plan would also confirm its unlmited as there would be no point having 3 months unlimited when my 15$ plan is the same?

These cell companies could use a lesson on how to make things 100% clear, there is so much grey and unknown fine print with all the companies, the sales rep say yes when they dont really know and having to call client care to get a real deal is a shame.


OUTin: Here is what my wife and i got extra an above the new plans we signed up for when here 3 year contract came up for renewal this month. Keep in mind i was not a client until now:

-50 bonus minutes added to wifes new plan(kept from orginal contract)
-telus to telus added to wifes new plan(kept from original contact)
-voice mail added to wifes new plan(kept from orignial contract)
-telus to telus added to my new plan free
-voice mail added to my new plan free

She took a 20$ my favs plan i took a 30$ my favs and then added 15$ data that has now been changed to this new unlimited plan.

I have found them very good in terms of giving us what we want and they seem ready to throw in extra free stuff. In essence my wife kept all here original extras on her new plan and they passed on the same stuff onto my new plan.

[Deckster]

Originally Posted by avengingangel

Just a word of warning that there is a big difference between Mobile Browsing and Internet access..

Mobile Browsing is NOT unlimited internet access. It is limited to the sites provided by the phone company and is mostly geared towards selling you ring tones / wallpapers and is mostly text based. Navigation is limited to what the cell provider gives you and is strictly text based (to my knowledge)

Internet Access / Email Most Blackberries and the Palm TREO devices have. These devices have built in internet browsers that let you surf to any site you choose and have email clients that allow you to access your work / personal email.

I'm not aware of ANY canadian Cell phone provider that offers UNLIMITED internet / Email access.
Please note the "Web" plans from Telus.. None of which are Unlimited:
http://www.telusmobility.com/on/plan...mail_all.shtml

Bell does not limit which sites you can visit with their unlimited mobile browser.

While they do reserve the right to stop abusive data usage, I've only heard of Bell cracking down on excessive browser usage recently (apparently 32 HTC Touch user's will receive letter's on the 15th telling them to stop abusing the network)

[avengingangel]

So can someone please explain to me WTH those Email and Internet Rate plans are for Bell then ????? They only seem to be applicable to PDA style phones (HTC / Blackberry and Treo phones / Motorola Q's).

On the website there isn't even a "Mobile Browser" option to subscribe to thru their site (for these types of phones)

FOLLOW UP:
I just called Customer Service (I have a Treo 700wx) and none of the PDA phones (except for the RIM) are compatible with the Mobile Browser.
Going to this link will show you all phones that have the Mobile Browser service available: http://www.bell.ca/shopping/en_CA_ON...s?tab=OVERVIEW

Lastly,The HTC Touch is not considered a PDA and DOES have the Mobile Browser software built into the device.

[Deckster]

Actually, the Touch doesn't have mobile browser software, it has Mobile Internet Explorer. It accesses full internet, it is just billed as though it is going through a WAP portal because the system recognizes it as a phone as opposed to data device.

[avengingangel]

That's just LUDICROUS as my Treo 700WX has all the same features as the HTC touch yet I am not entitled to the same plans and features.

[TKG26]

I think whats goin on is confusion over what is a phone,pda,blackberry and smartphone, seems that the companies like to flash the product then sort them into different groups where some get access to some stuff and others not...

I think they purposefully make things confusing.

IS it:
-mobile browsing
or
-internet browsing

To me this stuff should be black or white, you either get full internet access or not. I dont want access to pre loaded sites stearing me to buy crap.

[outinthornhill]

I chatted with Telus folks at Yorkdale today and confirmed that the internet browsing is to anything on the 'net. They said the only I could not use it for is tethering to a laptop. I didn't pursue if they can actually block that if someone knows how to get around it, or like Bell Mobile reserve the right to penalise abuse.

All the literature at both Telus shops at Yorkdale refers to the Email and IM package only, but reps confirmed browsing is included and is not restricted to the 3-month promotion.

[ckl]

here's an idea. If they want to solve the tethering problem, don't offer unlimited. Just offer something like $7 for 500mb and then charge for overages.

That way, most users that surf the web on their phone or use Slingbox mobile or whatever, probably won't go over 500mb. However, if they tether to a laptop, 500mb won't be enough (for both laptop use and phone use) and overages will probably occur.

Or maybe offer packages in mb increments so maybe $7 for 200mb.. if that's not enough add another 200mb to your plan for another $7 and so on.

The pricing above is not consistent, I know, but you get the idea.

[david.mulligan]

I've read somewhere that the Telus HTC Touch has a 400MHz processor. Can anyone confirm? Does the Bell HTC Touch have the same processor? Does the Telus HTC Touch have wifi?

[Deckster]

The Bell and Telus touch are the same except for colour. Neither has wifi, which is largely unnecessary with unlimited data, and wifi would severly hurt battery life.

[david.mulligan]

Thank you. I just found the specs and yes they agree with what you just said.

Rogers: http://www.america.htc.com/products/...res-specs.html
Telus: http://www.america.htc.com/products/...res-specs.html
Bell: http://www.america.htc.com/products/...res-specs.html