Bell and TELUS partner to compete with Rogers' 3G

Telus and Bell Canada (BCE) make up two of the three big wireless providers in Canada, and they've partnered up to offer nationwide, high-speed Long Term Evolution wireless technology to compete – and overcome – Rogers’  3G network. This will allow devices such as the Apple iPhone and Blackberry to access the network for better high-speed coverage across the country.

This upgrade comes at a time when demand is beginning to exceed current offerings, with mobile devices, such as smart phones, netbooks, and laptops becoming more reliant on the 3G network for functionality. The idea of a partnership between the two is also somewhat welcome, as Canada has been notoriously difficult to upgrade and cover properly in the past -- a point hammered home to Canadians every month in the form of "system access fees."

By anticipating the growing demand, BCE and Telus are positioning themselves as a 'safe' choice for consumers by building a network with excellent, high-speed coverage that is future proofed for several years. While Rogers will still be the high-speed wireless king for the next year, they should definitely be worried as their most valuable advantage has just been negated by the competition.


[found via Alan Sawyer]