Canadian Cell phone providers Telus, Bell to switch cellphone technology

[JFC]

Not really surprised at this, to be honest. With the Vancouver Olympics coming up in a couple of years, there's going to be a crazy number of people coming in from other countries, and most, if not all of their cell phones are GSM. Telus and Bell currently are CDMA, which means that without the switchover, they'd stand to lose a LOT of potential business/income in roaming fees, etc. There's also the simple fact that more and more newer phones are being developed for GSM networks (compared to CDMA) and that GSM phones are simply in higher demand by the public.


The two carriers are about to announce a shift to network technology that is compatible with the global GSM standard, according to UBS.
21/07/2008 6:21:03 PM
CBC News

The two cellphone companies - Canada's second- and third-largest providers, respectively, after Rogers Communications Inc. - are poised to announce a conversion from their current wireless technology and toward the more popular kind used by their rival, according to a report Monday from UBS Investment Research.

[Asmodai]

About time. Hopefully it won't be too disruptive/expensive for consumers.

(Probably also why my CDMA phone didn't work in Puerto Rico)