Freedom Mobile (was: Wind Mobile)

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Willie Bobo
The other side of it is the (silent) majority that have no issue at all 99% of the time. Sure I've had times where I've had no data, but those times are few and far between (and less so now with the upgrades) and I can deal with it knowing I'm saving way over double per month over the big three. If you're using your phone for business or something where uptime is absolutely critical, maybe look elsewhere, but for me I've had nothing but a great experience with Wind in the 5 plus years I've been with them.

---

Same for me. For what I used it for, it's good enough, especially after the recent upgrade.

wind was great for me for the last 9 months. i've only found it get terrible in the last month. you pay for what you get, shaw wi-fi can only get you so far. Also, if you isolate your carrier (iphone) to "WIND" and not choose automatic, you won't be hit with roaming.

35$/month i'll manage with it, but if the shittyness after the data cap continues, i'll probably move to fido or virgin

Shaw f*cked things up, what else is new?
:rofl:

A little off topic...

Mod - Please move to an appropriate thread if needed...

Quote:

---

Canada’s major telecom operators are taking early steps toward the next great leap in wireless technology.

Bell, Rogers and Telus are all participating in a global effort to develop operating standards for fifth generation wireless networks, with Bell Canada, the nation’s largest telecommunications company, set to begin testing of the emerging architecture.

“Bell [has] built a reputation for broadband network leadership and we plan to be out front on 5G too,” said Mark Langton, a spokesman for Bell Canada parent, Montreal-based BCE Inc.

“We’ll begin 5G trials shortly and are involved in writing the 5G specs as a member of the Next Generation Mobile Networks consortium.”

Telus is partnering with third parties to research and test the evolving standards in a 5G Living Lab at the company’s Vancouver home base, while Toronto-based Rogers Communications is taking part in standards setting through the various industry bodies involved.

Rogers spokesperson Andrew Garas, however, noted that 5G isn’t a technology standard yet and likely won’t be for at least a couple of years adding that “we don’t have any details to share on future plans.”

And while 5G remains in a conceptual phase, Canadian operators have a new impetus to act after the Ontario government in March announced a partnership with Chinese networking gear maker Huawei aimed at accelerating the development process in the interest of economic growth.

Participation in 5G development allows operators and equipment manufacturers input on specification requirements being codified for a network technology that aims to meet demand for digital content that is taxing the capacity of existing third-and fourth generation systems.

The promise of 5G technology starts with ultra-fast connections up to 40 times quicker than 4G, but a more subtle benefit is the concept’s signal prioritization that would give a message warning a self driving car of an impending collision, for example, precedence over a video game download.

Experts say 5G will all but eliminate latency or connectivity gaps, making video buffering and delays in Skype connections a thing of the past, while defaulting to the strongest signal to allow a seamless transition between cellular and Wi-Fi.

It would also allow efficient handling of a very large number of devices including smart objects in the Internet of Things to support always accessible connections.

As such, it is expected to usher in ultra HD video on smartphones and pave the way for innovative new applications in segments including entertainment, health and transport.

5G pricing

Despite the promise of network efficiencies that would lower operators’ costs per byte of service, ultra-fast, data-vacuuming connections won't come cheap.

The technology promises speeds up to 40 times faster than 4G, allowing download of an “8K,” 3-D video on a 5G smartphone in six seconds versus six minutes on 4G, according to Nokia.

Higher download speeds have been accompanied by big jumps in data usage in markets including Canada and 5G would boost that trend considerably, Cisco says in a separate report.

Netflix, meanwhile says a standard-definition streaming video viewed on a phone or tablet uses up to 0.7 GB of data per hour; HD video uses up 3 GB; 3-D video uses up 4.7 GB and 4K video uses 7 GB, more than three times the average monthly data plan.

---

Source: thestar.com

I can see another price hike...

Quote:

---

Originally posted by HiSpec
A little off topic...

Mod - Please move to an appropriate thread if needed...



Source: thestar.com

I can see another price hike...

---

I know people who take public transit take really love their Netflix.

Personally, I don't see a need 4G or 5G until Shaw gives me 15-20Mbps uplinks.

I hated wind... little to no reception in my office or my house, along with more often then not no coverage on main highways. (mainly data) ALso drove me nuts to be in a place with full coverage and have snails pace data. I went to Bell in April and have been more than happy to pay double.

The only plus for me with Wind was the roaming package.. I had better coverage and speed in the US than I ever did in Canada. (And dirt cheap)

I currently get 8-13 Mbps (so, on par with everyone else) on my Nexus 6P. The upgraded 4G network really does help.

LTE is on the way, especially with Shaw shoving money into Wind's mouth so fast it can't swallow. AFAIK, LTE towers, fiber backbones, etc, are starting to go in in the fall, with rollout expected either late 2016 or early 2017. As well, with Wind's entire debt erased with the Shaw buyout, they can now turn around and put all profits into network and infrastructure at a much higher rate than before. The next year or two will really spell out how the new ownership and the big Scrooge McDuck Tower-o-Money will affect the landscape. I would expect Shaw to make a small dent in the big 3 once the LTE rolls out, but RoBellUs is still too deeply entrenched to really gouge out a major percentage.

EDIT: Oh, and to touch on my usage, it's 100% personal use, and I rarely leave the city (and that's mostly to go to Airdrie). So I'm perfectly fine with maybe one dropped call every half year (my average, and only when I'm on the very edge of the city visiting friends)

I think wind has gotten alot better in the last month. Although now because its alot better than it was I find I blow my highspeed datacap about a week before the month rolls over. Even on their "low speed" data I can still watch youtube videos etc, and webpages load fast so perhaps their high speed data extension is a bit of cash grab these days.

Freedom mobile: is it time to switch to? Their most expensive plan at $55 per month (which has $10 off per month for next ten months) offers what I have below. I am currently with Bell Mobililty which gives me 6GB, unlimited to 10 favourites, no roaming in US for $89 per month. The question is, what's the quality of Freedom Mobile? Dropped calls? Uptime? I have bought my own iPhone and intend to do the same going forward since the contracts with others seem to be costlier.

Home Network
8 GB (full-speed data)
Unlimited calling to Canada & the U.S.
Unlimited global text/MMS

Away (From Anywhere in CAN/U.S.)
1 GB (full-speed data)
2400 minutes of calling to Canada and the U.S.
Unlimited text/MMS to Canada & the U.S.

^^Only certain phones work on their LTE bands so that would be something to watch for.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ee2k
Freedom mobile: is it time to switch to? Their most expensive plan at $55 per month (which has $10 off per month for next ten months) offers what I have below. I am currently with Bell Mobililty which gives me 6GB, unlimited to 10 favourites, no roaming in US for $89 per month. The question is, what's the quality of Freedom Mobile? Dropped calls? Uptime? I have bought my own iPhone and intend to do the same going forward since the contracts with others seem to be costlier.

Home Network
8 GB (full-speed data)
Unlimited calling to Canada & the U.S.
Unlimited global text/MMS

Away (From Anywhere in CAN/U.S.)
1 GB (full-speed data)
2400 minutes of calling to Canada and the U.S.
Unlimited text/MMS to Canada & the U.S.

---

Ok, 1st of all LTE is only for Vancouver and Toronto at this point and sounds like they are still tuning the network. Won't reach Calgary under summer 2017 and probably won't complete roll out to all home area until 2018.

2nd, it's band 66. Not many phones support it this year (LG V20 and some crappy Huawei phone for now) . There may be more support next year.

As benchmark goes, most in Toronto say it kinda spotty. When it works, you get 40-70Mbps. But when it doesn't, it falls back on Freedom's HSPA+ network which seems to sucks wherever user density goes up (like Calgary or Toronto downtown).

My own experience on WIND HSPA+ is that if you don't have mission critical data needs, it's fine. It's too slow even for VOIP. Their LTE when fully tuned and implemented should be ok as long as Shaw reach into their pockets to keep upgrading.

If your previous experience is Bell/Telus, you will REALLY hate WIND.

why do freedom ads on tv suck so much - you think that shaw would be trying to boost the brand not run it into the ground.

The chick with the guitar? I tried to google her name but only found a story about how the cops were called to the Wind Store on Robson in Vancouver because the store owner was having a three some in the store in the middle of the day?! Wtf...

Not making it up...
https://www.google.ca/amp/vancouvers...roid-rogers-ca

Ok so been on wind going on a year now... Huge difference already.

Before at my workplace in the NE (32 Ave and 32 St.) data speed was horrible. Though I showed a full 5 bars of signal, FB and internet surfing was slow and spotty. But just recently, like a month or 2 now I guess, there has been a dramatic change.

It has improved greatly now to the dismay of my boss lol. Network has been improved noticeably.

Though there is some deadspots still, or slower spots still. I have found on my commute. Along metis trail by 80th Ave, some parts of country hills near the new golds gym and some areas in Martindale.

All in all, I'm satisfied.

The new network will only be compatible with certain phones so i likely won't benefit

So it seems Freedom Mobile has launched LTE service in Calgary and Edmonton.

I have a friend/family discount code to get a decent plan at a low rate.

But I'm still very skeptical about the coverage. For those of you who are with Wind/Freedom, how has the reception been? Is your signal any better?

Have any of you actually even gotten the LTE speed? (the band used is a bit off and not all devices support the band)

I'm considering porting my main line there but I want to make sure I don't get fcked over.

I'm usually within the city, with few brief visits to the mountains.

Once you leave the city, reception automatically goes to roaming. Dead spots on cities like Revelstoke.

I was contemplating, but the roaming charges will even things out.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Hero_X
So it seems Freedom Mobile has launched LTE service in Calgary and Edmonton.

I have a friend/family discount code to get a decent plan at a low rate.

But I'm still very skeptical about the coverage. For those of you who are with Wind/Freedom, how has the reception been? Is your signal any better?

Have any of you actually even gotten the LTE speed? (the band used is a bit off and not all devices support the band)

I'm considering porting my main line there but I want to make sure I don't get fcked over.

I'm usually within the city, with few brief visits to the mountains.

---

It's a no brainer if you have the friend and family discount code, if you are not going to use it, hook me up! :rofl:

From what I have read from users in Vancouver and Toronto, it's 80Mbps down and 40 Mbps up in best case scenario. I have not switched over to LTE yet but I do have AWS66 phone on hand to test it and also reason why I may want to jump into a Samsung S8.

So far phones that are compatible would be S8, G6 and ZTE Grand X4 (really low end junk). Most 2017 phones coming for the rest of the year should have AWS 66 support.

Coverage? Their coverage sucks in downtown and at spots or inside buildings. I don't see AWS66 to improve on building penetration front. Their LTE should be good for a while until more people joins.

I'm 90% with in range and 10% roam (mostly because I work in Airdrie sometimes). Roaming tends to add $5 to $7/month for me and mostly for data roaming. But given the friend and family code should give you a 6GB plan for ~ $37/mth for life (to my understanding), I won't care if it roams a bit on Telus.

$37 dollars?! I'm with them now and the deal that was sent out is $45/month, WTF!

My plan now is their $59 plan but mine is $55 and also has a $5 off for 6 months from when I started (December I think?).

For $37 for 6Gb that's pretty awesome! If I refer someone and they activate we both get $20 each as a bonus which is cool. But I don't see that coupon code anywhere on my Wind dashboard.

So with the family friends discount, I can get the 59LTE plan for ~ 38$/mth


apparently it lets you roam free within Canada and USA (with 2400 min limit and 1gb data limit, but data overages doesn't occur, they throttle you beyond the 1gb).

It sounds good and all but yeah coverage is the shit point cuz I'm not sure if it's worthwhile to switch from Koodo to this.