updated 01:35 pm EDT, Fri May 15, 2009
Bell Telus HSPA in Fall
The conversion of Bell and Telus to HSPA networks is likely to have started earlier than expected based on sources. An engineer within Telus tells BGR that both Bell and Telus will informally launch their networks in the fall, with Telus' at a minimum being ready for September 2nd. The initial rollout will focus on southern British Columbia and is meant to have the network ready by the time the Vancouver Olympics begin in February 2010.
Both carriers have promised to implement HSPA as a groundwork for their upcoming 4G networks in part to make the transition in cellphones easier, as hybrid phones are more likely use HSPA as their 'legacy' standard than CDMA.
The early move also helps Bell and Telus get an improved start against Rogers, which until now has been the only major carrier to use HSPA in Canada. Adding a compatible 3G format not only lets customers switch away from Rogers without giving up their cellphones but gives both of Rogers' opponents access to similar handsets, theoretically including iPhones.