[raptorstv]

I'm planning to get this phone in early December of this year. I will sign the 3-year contract with either of these two carriers. In your opinions, between Rogers and Bell, which one would offer better deals? Things that I need are:
- BB messenger
-internet data plan of 500mb or less
- 100text msg
- 200minutes calling+unlimited calling in the evening and weekend

PS. I live in Vancouver right now, but in about a year, I will move to Toronto

Thanks for your inputs!

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[Cordanim]

All I can tell you is I switched to Rogers a year ago when my work stopped providing a BB to my department and team. Bell was disinterested in helping me get the plan I needed (which was similar to your needs).

Rogers helped us (in-store - talked with the manager) and since then we've added my wife with a Curve and my son has my iPhone - all on their new unlimited Family Plan.

My vote is Go Red or at least talk to them

Kev

[ennx]

Rogers. Much better network. I don't know about Bell's CDMA network, but those days are gone. The Bell HSDPA network, which it shares with Telus is, in a word, lousy.

[thumper1]

I am not sure if the plans are different in vancouver for rogers or not. But I am porting my number from fido today since my contract is up next month.

I have a unlocked torch I am using on fido but am just going to do a new activation today. I have a rogers torch on hold at costco.

The plan I am getting is the student 50 black berry plan. it is 50/mth

200 daytime
unlimited sent and recieved text and picture messaging
unlimited wifi calling
unlimited after 6pm
500mb blackberry data
no saf
double your mins so 400 total.

If there is a costco near you and you know someone with a membership then the price at costco is 179.99 and they give you a 100 dollar costco gift card.

[raptorstv]

Yeah I heard about that Costco deal, I was just wondering though since I don't have membership there, would I be able to sign the 3-year contract under my name using my friend's membership card?

[thumper1]

I don't think it will be a big deal. I think you just need the card to enter the store and probaly to use the 100 gift card. I don't know if they actually use it for the activation.

My wife is a member, So I have to wait untill she gets home to go to Costco.

[Fubaz]

I love Bell, rogers where I live is donkeys.

They have done a lot for me in terms of working deals and upgrades.

In the last year they have really stepped up their customer service and I like it a lot more than before.

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[frisco49ers]

Rogers is the way to go IMHO

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[thumper1]

Just got the best buy flyer and starting tomorrow they are giving away a 100 gift card as well and it is 179.99. They also give you 2500 best buy reward points.

Also at best buy starting tomorrow all oem accesories are half price.

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[TelusBB]

Rogers. Much better network. I don't know about Bell's CDMA network, but those days are gone. The Bell HSDPA network, which it shares with Telus is, in a word, lousy.

You obviously haven't done your research or no what you're talking about to call telus and bell's shared HSDPA network lousy. I work in telecommunications. Yes with all the cell providers and paging service providers you can imagine on a day to day basis. I'm not gonna disclose where for obvious reasons (a law suit or something..lol.and no it's not telus or bell). From my day to day experience and with our clients...rogers/fido towers are usually down atleast 3-4 times as often as bell/telus towers.Everytime we have a client complaint we always ask "who is your service provider"..then we check with the service providers to see what's up. Just from working where all my co-workers get bell/telus phones. I have observed on multiple occassions and through testing the rogers bold 9700 flipping back and forth in between edge and 3G. That shouldn't happen in Toronto. Maybe in rural areas that don't have full 3G coverage. Those sorta things don't happen with telus/bell. I have never seen that happen on telus or bell's network in large coverage areas. The point is rogers/fido's isn't as reliable as bell/telus's hspa network at the moment..hence the reason rogers had to change their advertising slogan from "canada's MOST reliable network" in their commercials. It was questioned by the competition and rogers couldn't prove it They got called out on their bluff and couldn't back it up. Based on my work..I would never advise anyone to get a rogers/fido phone. I am a very unbiased person. Eventhough, i'm with telus I advise people that ask me to go with telus OR bell.

[ennx]

Touche.....

[anon(1049620)]

Lesser of two evils in my opinion: Rogers.

I was with Telus for many years (2001 to 2008) because their customer service was outstanding. However, over the years, they sagged. In 2008, I asked them to match a plan Rogers was offering me (as I was a client of 7 years) and they wouldn't do it (about $15 less per month on a $100/month plan). So I switched to Rogers with the Bold 9000.

I've never used Bell for my cell phone, but my father, mother, and brother all have. My brother switched from Bell as soon as his contract was up last year due to the lack of customer service and all of the restrictions. He went to Telus, as he wanted a phone they offered.

My parents have used Bell home phone, mobile, and television services for many years (home phone at least 25 years), and have always ALWAYS complained when getting off the phone with customer service. They have never once been satisfied, as far as I know.

The bottom line: Any carrier is going to provide you with a basic level of products and services. Don't expect much from customer support or in the way of "favors" from anyone. I spend $150/mo with Rogers and they wouldn't give me the $199 Torch for free given that my Bold is dead after 2 years. However, I've always been satisfied with the network speed and coverage. Not saying the others aren't as good, but this one's great in my opinion. I'm in Montreal.

Good luck!

[folding]

You obviously haven't done your research or no what you're talking about to call telus and bell's shared HSDPA network lousy [...] I have observed on multiple occassions and through testing the rogers bold 9700 flipping back and forth in between edge and 3G. [...] I have never seen that happen on telus or bell's network in large coverage areas.

Correct me if I'm wrong but since Rogers has an existing GSM network phones doesn't that mean that phones are able to flip back to EDGE when a 3G connection cant be made, on Bell and Telus that wouldn't be an option because their existing CDMA network is incompatible with phones running on the HSDPA network. This is what I've been told at least

But back to the original question I recommend Rogers, I have never had any trouble with them and have never noticed 0 bars.

My parents have used Bell home phone, mobile, and television services for many years (home phone at least 25 years), and have always ALWAYS complained when getting off the phone with customer service. They have never once been satisfied, as far as I know.

My sister has Bell for her cell and is always annoyed after getting off the phone with customer service. She is planning on switching to Rogers when her contract expires.

[ennx]

Here's my problem, and this is for you TelusBB. I was on Rogers for a long time. My phones worked everywhere - GSM 850. I switched to Telus. My phone does not work on elevators. It does not work in garages. It does not work in basements. It will not work in buildings with certain types of ceilings and roofs. Those are simple facts.

[ForceFed]

I would go with Rogers. I was with Rogers until 2009 with the first generation iphone that I got from ATT and unlocked it. In September 09 Telus released the HTC Hero an Android phone that I wanted to try. The phone was ok, the signal strength was horrible (Vancouver) on their new HSDPA network, and what pushed me back was their poor customer service. Now I am back with Rogers on a 400min any time, unlimited evenings after 6pm, unlimited weekends, unlimited messages, Data 500mb(includes BBM) all for $50 plus tax. Very pleased and back to great customer service and signal strength.

[TelusBB]

Here's my problem, and this is for you TelusBB. I was on Rogers for a long time. My phones worked everywhere - GSM 850. I switched to Telus. My phone does not work on elevators. It does not work in garages. It does not work in basements. It will not work in buildings with certain types of ceilings and roofs. Those are simple facts.

What handset do you have? Issues like that are not always limited to network. For example...before I had BB, I had motorola Q smartphone (with telus)..and at the same time I had a bell work phone. My personal phone would drop calls where the bell phone didn't..exact same place. I was frustrated..called up telus to complain and the pointed out the obvious. If the bell phone is working fine in the same place then it's obviously not the network. It's the handset. They offered me what was my first BB at the time and I didn't drop anymore calls in those areas. My question to you is have you tried more than one device? I'm on my second bb with telus. Both have worked in elevators, underground garages and basements. Infact, I maintain my conversations, data etc while taking the elevator up and down in my building. I have 2 telus accounts. Both bb's. Here in T.O. my HSPA phone always has more bars than my CDMA phone. You'd imagine that it would be the other way around since the HSPA is a new network and the CDMA is more developed and been around longer.

[raptorstv]

Okay, I think I would go with Rogers than Bell then. By the way, what about between Rogers and Fido? I often find Fido representatives to be much friendlier than Rogers'. Any thoughts?

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[acwyau]

HSPA seems to penetrate buildings better than CDMA, at least in my experience. My understanding is that you should have better coverage with Telus HSPA than its CDMA network.

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[zaandam24]

I would go with ROGERS and yes sometimes they do get us mad and are behind on certain things like annoucements, but overall outta the big 3 they do have the best CS....I have tv with BELL and internet with TELUS, everytime I call in I get agents in Philipines n India....that gets fustratiing and each time i have to say i want to cancell my services just so they transfer me to a canadian rep....im not being racisist as my anncestors are from India, but come on they dont know half of whats goin on.......Also Rogers does listen and is more then fair and will only get better IMHO. Rogers has always been ahead of their competion.

[Coach101]

Rogers Wins Hands Down!!!

I have been on both and I have to say I will never ever go back to bell...EVER! Horrible customer service, horrible contracts that auto renew without your permission, and most of all aweful connections, poor signal strength, constant outages for mobile internet!!!

There is not one attractive item about going on a bell contract.

Rogers wins hands down!!!

[Coach101]

Oh I almost forgot...there isnt one great recommendation in this thead for Bell...maybe that should ring something over at Bell's corporate office!

Maybe a wake up Bell...

[Mikey52]

I can't speak to the quality of the Rogers network or their service because I've never been with them. What I can tell you is that I've moved from the Storm 1 on the Telus CDMA network to the Torch on the Telus HSPA network and the coverage is 100% better. I'm actually amazed. I work in the GTA, live in the east end and play golf in Stouffville which is about 45-50 mins north of Toronto. I've gone from having zero service in the elevators and parking garages at home to 5 bars! Same thing at the golf course, 5 bars from zero on my Storm. I'm not a Telus fanboy, I could honestly care less who my provider is as they're all robbing us blind but I do have to say my coverage has been amazing on the Telus/Bell network.

[peninha]

Personally i wouldn't go with rogers, but if i was in your shoes and didn't have a problem with either i would call customer service of both companies and see who can give me the better plan for the cheaper price. In terms of connections in the city i find that they are both pretty equal, but i'm really enjoying bell's new network. As for my plan i have 200 daytime minutes, unlimited evenings & weekends after 6, unlimited email & texts, unlimited personal web across canada, favourite 10 across canada, voicemail, call waiting, call display for $76.51 with tax.

[dragon1234]

I was with Bell for a long time and the phones kept breaking (5 to 10 years ago), they didn't have sim cards so you had to go back to their stores to get a new phone.

Got tired of it and called them telling them that I would switch carrier. They said, fine, we canceled your plan....

Wow, no retention department??? Switched to Rogers, paid 100/month until a couple of days ago when I had a better offer from Telus.

Called Rogers telling them that I was going to go to Telus and they gave me the sweetest unlimited plan ever with an hardware upgrade for less money.
Bought a torch and will retire my trusty Bold 9000, I do miss the larger keyboard on my bold 9000 though.
Rogers has been good to our company and do care about their customers a little more than Bell. Telus seems to be very aggressive to get customers.

My 0.2c

[Janye]

I have had all three carriers and I have to say that my worse experience ever was with bell. They have high bills and ****ty customer service. They will do nothing for you. Rogers wad pretty good but watch your billing. They like to magically charge for things but it is fairly easy to get a new phone out of them. I probably would have had them still other than k moved to an area with no Rogers services so I went win Telus. I have to say out of all three, Telus had been the best thus far. No carrier will provide one hundred percent all the time but the best consistency between bell and Rogers is rogers.

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