Rogers launches continent's fastest wireless data network
MONCTON - Rogers Communication Inc. has launched North America's fastest wireless data network in the Hub City and in Halifax.
The network uses 3.5G technology to offer wireless data speeds of up to 7.2 megabits per second, which is comparable to a wired high-speed connection.
The network will enable customers to access television channels on their cellphone, along with on-demand video content, music and the Internet.
Using the latest-generation of cellphones users can hold two-way video calls.
Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton answered Atlantic Canada's first long-distance mobile video call from Halifax Regional Municipality Councillor Bill Karsten.
"They tell me I'm making history by talking on a video telephone," said Mitton. "I didn't know how to use a telephone 10 years go," the veteran Blackberry user added with a smile.
Rogers is the first and only wireless carrier so far to offer video calling that allows face-to-face mobile communications in real time.
It first launched video calling in April 2007 during a roll out of its next-generation wireless service, which is called Rogers Vision, in Ontario.
The Halifax and Moncton networks are twice as fast as the ones launched by Rogers so far in the rest of the country.
Rogers is the first carrier in the Western Hemisphere to deploy the 3.5G High Speed Packet Access wireless technology.
The advanced wireless data technology will be available to cellphone and to mobile computer customers. Computer users can purchase a special wireless adapter to use the Rogers network.
Mitton said he was pleased Rogers selected Moncton for the cutting-edge wireless technology.
The mayor said he was impressed with the Rogers voice call technology.
"It seems like a simple tool that's quite easy to use," he said, adding he was interested in the mobile television content.
"If you can get me the right baseball games I might be interested in getting one of these," he told company officials.
Jean Laporte, president of the Eastern Region for Rogers Communications Inc., said users of the Vision network would be able to access 25 mobile TV channels.
"What you are watching on your phone is the same as you would have on your TV," he said.
The Rogers service is up to three times as fast as the EV-DO high-speed wireless network that Aliant uses, however, Aliant's network is already active Saint John, Fredericton and Bathurst.
Aliant introduced its high-speed wireless data service in 2006.
"We've expanded that over the past two years to cover 60 per cent of Atlantic Canada," said Alyson Queen, public affairs manager for Aliant, adding the coverage includes major centres in the four provinces.
Sean Adams, vice-president of sales and marketing for Red Ball Internet, a Moncton firm that has offered mobile Internet and data services to local companies since 2006, said the Rogers announcement wouldn't have much of an impact on his firm.
Adams said while the Rogers Vision service is aimed at cellphone and mobile computer users, his company provides services to businesses.
Using a technology called iBurst, Red Ball has provided custom mobile data services to companies.
"We're an enterprise mobility services provider," he said. "We're really doing things that neither (Rogers) or Aliant do."
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