Rogers has been rolling out its LTE network beginning with Ottawa and now Toronto. LTE devices are theoretically capable of 75Mbps download speeds, although typical user experiences put the actual download speeds somewhere between 12 and 15 Mbps. Click through to continue reading.
Continue reading ‘Rogers LTE Network Set To Launch in Toronto September 28th’
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Rogers has flipped the switch on the LTE network in Ottawa and the above map shows the coverage. The coverage is really decent and it’s interesting that Rogers chose Ottawa as the launch city. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the city is so incredibly vast and 90% of it is in a country setting. That brings to mind what the value of LTE is over WiFi. While LTE speeds are great for those who are on the move and want high speeds on their laptop, most people will probably just opt for a location with WiFi if possible. There are very few times when the average person is going to be in need of a connection, with no WiFi available, unable to tether or in need of speeds faster than 3G, and willing to pay the price for the Rocket Stick.
Who is actually buying into LTE? Perhaps we should be looking at better WiFi solutions before thinking about how to get little Johnny playing Call of Duty on his laptop while on the 20 minute bus ride home.
We’re also not even sure how much the Rocket Stick even costs yet. According to Rogers, it will be $169.99 no term and $79.99 on a 3-year. Plan details will be announced when the sticks are available for pickup.
Rogers has announced that Ottawa will be the first city in Canada to experience LTE. On top of this, Rogers is starting to take reservations for the first LTE enabled device, Sierra Rocket Stick through the Rogers Reservation System which can be accessed through MyRogers. This system allows you to secure a place “in line” for the device without having to visit a store or call first.
How do you feel about LTE? Do you really need faster speeds on your BlackBerry or laptop? 3G is a really decent connection to get business done, unless you’re streaming HD video. If you’re on the go, you’re probably roaming, in which case you don’t want to be streaming large movie files anyways. There are probably a handful of people who will benefit tremendously from LTE, but it doesn’t seem like the average consumer really needs it.
You can read more about this announcement on the Rogers RedBoard or sign up at IwantmyLTE.ca to be notified when LTE is coming to your area.
Rogers is expanding its 4G HSPA+ network out to the Maritimes with an $80 million investment. The investment will help expand the network to cover 94% of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island which includes almost one million more people. Customers across all parts of the region will benefit from faster data speeds and stronger signal strength. Work on the wireless network will begin later this month and new coverage areas will be announced throughout the construction period, which will continue throughout 2012.
Rogers has announced that they will be launching LTE (Long Term Evolution) in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa in 2011 with the top 25 markets across the country coming online in 2012. Rogers claims the LTE network will be capable of download speeds of 150 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 70 Mbps. These numbers will of course fluctuate based on your mobile device. LTE will enable the following:
- Everyone will be able to watch streaming movies and live HDTV on their mobile devices, with crisp picture and virtually no buffering or delays
- Friends and families can video chat seamlessly – as natural as talking on the phone, with virtually no lag time
- Gamers can play their favourite multiplayer games from almost anywhere
- Businesses can implement a truly mobile workforce that is both as efficient and secure as a traditional workplace
To learn more, head over to IwantmyLTE.ca.
The BlackBerry PlayBook goes on sale today and it should be interesting to see the sales figures roll in. We’re also curious at how well RIM handles the launch of an entirely new product line. So far, it seems it may not have been a good idea to get the review units out as they weren’t completely finished. If RIM had held back review units, they probably would have caught flack from the various tech sites around the Internet, but maybe that would have generated a more positive buzz for the company than negative.
When it comes to PlayBook supply, we’ve been hearing that the distribution channels are a little disorganized. This is pretty typical as RIM has invested a lot in the carrier and retail channels, which makes it difficult to siphon off devices for developers and reviewers. There are plenty of people in both camps that are still looking for their PlayBook. BlackBerryCool contributor Aaron is ready to sell some PlayBooks but it seems his store only has 2. We’ve heard one Source location in Ottawa only has 7 PlayBooks, but none of this is confirmed with the company, but comes from employees. Lets wait and see what the numbers say.
