Canada's Bell network may get a 6 month exclusive on the Palm Pre - starting when they actually are able to release the thing. MobileSyrup claims to have an internal document from Bell called The Bell Strategy:
The Palm Pre will expand and strengthen Bell’s smartphone category and will break new ground in the fiercely competitive smartphone market. Bell will be the second carrier worldwide (after Sprint) to sell the Palm Pre, with exclusivity for 6 months. Bell anticipates the Canadian market will strongly embrace this product with strong interest, which will boost overall smartphone sales.
If this document proves to be legitimate, and there's no reason to believe otherwise, then this puts the final nail in the coffin for the rumor that Telus would be releasing the Pre around same time as Bell.
On a more personal note, this is upsetting news for me. You see, I live in Manitoba, a province that Bell doesn't sell to. I'm now forced to investigate hacking the Pre to work on a different CDMA carrier or wait an additional 6 months (on top of however longer we have to wait for the Bell release date). Who knows, maybe we'll see a GSM version sooner rather than later.
Any other Canadians put in a bind because Bell isn't an option ...and neither is not getting a Pre as soon as possible?
Comments
It won't matter anyway...soon enough we will be seeing Bell and Telus launch their HSPA network, and hopefully Palm will have the insight to be releasing either the Pre or another WebOS handset for the launch of the new network (or soon after). If Telus does pick up this EVDO version of the Pre, it will more than likely be one of the last EVDO handsets that Telus releases.
If the comment about Sprint being supply limited is correct, then exclusivity isn't really a problem for Palm. If they get more out of it then being open, I can understand it. Assuming sales continue to consume availability (with UK release as well, this is likely) then I can understand it. This is unfortunate for the consumers though.
Unfortunately, I'm stuck with Telus. I've wanted the Pre since launch and have been waiting for a network "hack" to be released. Even if Telus does get the Pre, they have this unfortunate history of crippling good handsets.
Telus's HSPA network will only be release in the greater Vancouver area for the Olympics. Who knows when they'll get to the rest of us...
Unfortunately, I'm in Manitoba too, so I'm Pre-less for a long time. I don't know how long I can hold out for it though. It's kind of sad how something like our geographical location can limit which handsets we can use. The Pre is like some foreign mystical object in Manitoba.
That would be great. Only I don't want to use the MTS network. I can get a better plan on Telus.
I've seen this internal document as well. It was released on our Infonet system on the 22nd of July.
Still waiting for an official release date though damn it!!
Bell and Telus are trying to get their HSPA network up for September so they can launch iPhone 3GS in that timeframe. A CDMA Pre on both or either wouldn't effect those plans, but it sure would be nice if they launched an HSPA Pre instead...
I'm a Telus customer, for a long time, yes they have crippled their non-smartphones. But the smartphones have been fully functional. But Bell would have to offer an amazing plan that Telus can't match in order for me to even consider switching, since i have a feeling I can get Telus to fight hard to keep good customers, I doubt i will switch. Stranger things have happened though.
I've been bugging my Telus rep since January about the Pre, and I'm a little (really) disapointed that Bell will get that long of an exclusivity. I was with them for a long time and then switched for Telus because of price and customer care and I really don't want to go back!
> You see, I live in Manitoba, a province that Bell doesn't sell to.
Lucky you are! Bell is a surprisingly mediocre company. They make a mistake half the time when you call them, and that is after talking to 5 people, and waiting 10-20 minutes between each. Being mediocre a good part of the time is easy. Being mediocre always is HARD. You cannot help but have a weird feeling of curiosity/admiration when confronted with such a beast.
I require GSM service due to, well due to following a global standard making sense and that I travel a lot. Because of this, I'm sticking with Rogers. My plan all along is to wait for a GSM version hit the market somewhere in the world, purchase it and hopefully get it unlocked. Not to sure what unlocking entails, but am willing to learn and work at it myself or in collaboration with others if I have to.
No need to wait that long. Bell will be rolling out there HSDPA network by the end of the year with any luck. I'm sure they have some sort of plan to release a GSM WebOS device in the near future.
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