Rogers Canada Launches Treo 750 with Windows Mobile 6 and HSDPA

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/09/19/rogers-releases-wm6-equipped-palm-treo-750/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/...-palm-treo-750/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"AT&amp;T customers still have a grueling wait ahead of them (apparently) for an official Windows Mobile 6 update to their Treo 750s, but our buddies north of the border are on the ball. Canada's GSM grandpappy, Rogers, has finally gotten around to launching the device -- a bit late, yes, but with Windows Mobile 6 and enabled HSDPA out of the gate. Normally we'd say the timing sucks with a newer product having just launched overseas, but let's be honest: between the Treo 500 and the 750, we're sure there are still plenty of folks willing to take the older model. Pick it up now for $599 CAD (about $584) on a two-year contract, or a far more palatable $249 CAD (about $243) on a three-year."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/treo-750-rogers.jpg" /><br />The irony of me, being based in Canada, posting on a new Rogers Canada phone that we found at Engadget Mobile (a US-based site) who found about it from the::unwired, a site based in Germany, is not lost as I post this. Yes, that's how well the Rogers PR people understand the online world. &lt;sigh> At any rate, it's nice to see the Treo 750 with both Windows Mobile 6 and HSDPA.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Rogers (just like Telus and Fido) still cling to their 2001-era data rate plans. First, they offer no flat-rate data plans. The "best" <a href="http://www.shoprogers.com/business/wireless/plans_services/business_plans.asp?plan=dataservice&cat=2&typ=2">data plan you can get</a> is 500 MB of data transfer for the low, low price of $210 CAD (which is about $204 USD). :roll: The reasonably priced $40 data plan gets you a whopping 7 MB of data. Whoa! Hold me back! That's what, like, at least a DOZEN emails with attachments? The Canadian carriers are holding Canada back in the wireless dark ages with their small-minded approach to data plans. This topic needs a dedicated post that I've been putting off for months - watch for it next week.

[ctmagnus]

Not to mention their expansive HSDPA coverage. :roll:

Actually, apparently they have rolled it out in parts of Calgary but I haven't actually hit any of it yet. Gotta love the GPRS coverage in areas though. Doubly so for the dead zones.

[MobileInCanada]

Sorry, but MobileInCanada.com have send, to your brother web site (Smartphone) a mail, for inform you of this news (http://www.mobileincanada.com/news-Rogers-launched-Palm-Treo-750-under-Windows-Mobile-6.html), few minutes after we have see the Palm Treo 750 on the Rogers web site. It's true to say the HSDPA is only on certain market. For your complain on the data transfert, yesterday, Bell Canada have annonces (http://www.mobileincanada.com/news-Bell-is-the-first-one-in-Canada-to-offer-unlimited-mobile-data.html)the first mobile data unlimited.

Ps : I very apreciate PocketPcThoughts, it's the first web site i read with my first PDA on AvantGo!.

[midtoad]

Rogers is hardly the grandpappy of Canadian GPRS. Fido was the first company in Canada to use GSM and GPRS. Rogers at the time was using analog, and then TDMA, and only later came to the realisation that they were using a dead technology. They finally got with the program and switched to GSM. Once they'd converted their network, they decided to swallow Fido in order to eliminate their competitor. And that's why....

If you liked being sodomised in prison, you'll love Roger's data rates, which are apparently at least 10 times higher than those in the US. Only a fool or someone paying with his employer's money would use Rogers for wireless data.

Meanwhile in the US, T-Mobile just announced that their Blackberry plan price will drop from $30 to $20 per month. For that price, you can view ONE web page on the Rogers network.

[extravagant]

Fido use to offer unlimited internet for $50, until ROGERS acquired them. Rogers maintains that Fido runs as an independent company, my ass.

What's even worse is that the government is allowing Rogers to maintain this monopoly.

Jason Dunn, I think you should write a letter to the Canadian government such as Business &amp; Consumers Ministry, and don't think the other carriers including Telus &amp; Bell are any nicer, they are just as guilty as they are colluding and price fixing.

[jerboa]

It looks like Quebecor wants back into the game... They've been making some noise for the past few months. The Globe and Mail featured an article about this (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070920.wgtquebecor0920/BNStory/Technology/?id=RTGAM.20070920.wgtquebecor0920) yesterday (how timely!).

[Jason Dunn]

It's true to say the HSDPA is only on certain market. For your complain on the data transfert, yesterday, Bell Canada have annonces (http://www.mobileincanada.com/news-Bell-is-the-first-one-in-Canada-to-offer-unlimited-mobile-data.html)the first mobile data unlimited.

Unfortunately that's only for their laptop products - I see no evidence of flat-rate data plans for PDAs and phones.

[Jason Dunn]

Rogers is hardly the grandpappy of Canadian GPRS.

Agreed. But cut the Engadget guys some slack, they're all in the US and don't know any better. ;-)

If you liked being sodomised in prison, you'll love Roger's data rates, which are apparently at least 10 times higher than those in the US.

That's perhaps the most eloquent way I've ever seen that put. :lol:

Only a fool or someone paying with his employer's money would use Rogers for wireless data.

Well call me a fool then - I'm with Fido, who's data plans are just as expensive as Rogers' (they're the same company after all) but if I want to use GSM smartphones, what choice do I have? None.

[Jason Dunn]

Fido use to offer unlimited internet for $50, until ROGERS acquired them. Rogers maintains that Fido runs as an independent company, my ass.

I know - it's SO incredibly frustrating to know that there are people out there paying $50 a month for flat rate data and even though I'd be HAPPY to pay $50 for it, they won't let me. :evil:

What's even worse is that the government is allowing Rogers to maintain this monopoly.

Indeed - they should NEVER have allowed Rogers and Fido to merge.

Jason Dunn, I think you should write a letter to the Canadian government such as Business &amp; Consumers Ministry

I did a bit of investigating months ago and never found a good person to talk to - the CRTC doesn't deal with the wireless industry, and in fact as far as I can tell, there's zero government oversight into the wireless industry...

[MobileInCanada]

Unfortunately that's only for their laptop products - I see no evidence of flat-rate data plans for PDAs and phones.

Yes, it's only for laptop pc card, but it'sd a begening... I know the price in USA but here we miss competition.

I think, The gouvernement of Canada do change law for accoet other Wireless Carrier (Particulary USA Carrier...). But not for the moment and for a long time...

[mrmagoo]

Unfortunately that's only for their laptop products - I see no evidence of flat-rate data plans for PDAs and phones.

Yes, it's only for laptop pc card, but it'sd a begening... I know the price in USA but here we miss competition.

I think, The gouvernement of Canada do change law for accoet other Wireless Carrier (Particulary USA Carrier...). But not for the moment and for a long time...

I had spoken to a CSR at Bell and she had indicated that I could add a $60/month 1GB plan to a standard voice plan and in addition purchase a Bell HTC 5800 or a HTC 5900. Essentially, I would subscribe to both a voice and the 1GB dataplan, but, would only use the HTC device to access both services. I would tether the HTC to my laptop via bluetooth or a USB cable.

[mr_yellow]

I agree that Data Plan prices are teeth wrenchingly expensive in canada.

I don't even care about speed, I just want to surf slowly on GPRS! But even then, it's going to cost an arm and a leg for only a few megs of data...

Sucks to be in canada....