Mobilicity launches Toronto network

Mobilicity, the Canadian start-up cellco formerly known as DAVE Wireless, launched services over its own 3.5G network in the Greater Toronto area on Saturday (15 May 2010). The company announced that its own retail outlets, third-party dealers and its online store were open for business, less than a year after contracting Ericsson to build its HSPA-based network, and nearly two years since investing CAD243 million (USD235 million) in wireless spectrum covering 16.1 million people in ten of Canada’s largest cities. Mobilicity’s voice, text and data plans are all without contracts or credit checks, and are aimed at city-based consumers wanting simple, pre-paid tariffs without ‘hidden’ charges. Its initial offer for Toronto-based users consists of six pay-in-advance monthly plans, including an unlimited local voice call plan for CAD25, an unlimited Canada/US text plan at CAD15, unlimited local talk and texting at CAD35, and a CAD65 plan providing all of the above plus unlimited Canada/US long-distance calling, unrestricted data usage and unlimited SMS to networks worldwide. However, the unlimited services are only applicable in Greater Toronto (and later, the other areas earmarked for network launches this year – Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa). National roaming is provided but on a pay-per-use basis. A range of six handsets are on offer for Mobilicity customers, as well as a USB wireless modem costing CAD99.99 for unlimited laptop/PC internet access charged at a standalone price of CAD40 per month (pre-paid).