Rogers Wireless Firing Up HSDPA Network, No PDA Support Yet

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.cellphones.ca/1834' target='_blank'>http://www.cellphones.ca/1834</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Rogers Wireless, Canada’s biggest GSM provider, has just announced their delivery of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) in Canada. HSDPA is a next generation wireless technology (3.5G) that allows you to send and receive data quickly (up to 3.6MB/s in downlink). This makes mobile computing such as web browsing or emailing practical instead of just bearable. “For mobile workers, HSDPA is the great equalizer,” said John Boynton, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Wireless. “Whether you’re in the office or on the road will no longer dictate how fast you can access your data. From now on, wireless subscribers can enjoy high-speed mobile Internet and multimedia downloads at speeds previously possible only on a wired connection.” Currently available in the greater Toronto region (more cities to follow next year), Rogers’ HSDPA service will work on your laptop in conjunction with the Sierra Wireless AirCard 860."</i><br /><br />This is great news, because the laggard GSM/EDGE network is sadly outdated. Bring on the PDA support!

[ctmagnus]

This is great news, because the laggard GSM/EDGE network is sadly outdated. Bring on the PDA support!

If they decide to carry any more WM devices, that is. :roll:

[Craig Horlacher]

I have a phone that supports up to hsdpa as well as a the Option GT Max PC Card for my laptop. We finally have umts/hsdpa available in the Harrisburg, PA area. Wow! It's amazing! I was in the Costco parking lot for over an hour playing with this unreal wireless connection! My laptop felt almost as fast as my DSL at home. The speeds were not as good but completely amazing for being over the mobile phone network. I got 1103kbps down and 115kbps up on my laptop!!! It worked great for web sites, youtube, anything!!! I didn't try any voip over it but streaming media and heavy graphic web sites were no problem! That was with 3-4 bars. I don't know how fast it must be with 5 bars!!!

I was totally stunned at how much faster it really was then EDGE and just amazed that with no more than 4 signal bars I got over 1Mb of download speed!!!

The coverage is still terrible in my area. I was encouraged though to see we actually did get it not too far away (40min from my house). I'm hoping it will spread like wildfire:)

[JesterMania]

Hmm...with the advent of HSDPA lets hope that data plans in Canada are going to be a little more affordable. Otherwise, it would still be meaningless to have this great technology where hardly anybody can afford it.

[saru83]

how come there is not PDA support yet? isnt it the same standard frequency!! i dont understand.. can somebody explain please :roll:

[ctmagnus]

I can only surmise that that's because everyone at Rogers is a giant weenie. Even Telus and Bell have WM5 devices!