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| Formerly | Bell Cellular (1986-1993) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Mobile network operator |
| Founded | 1986; 39 years ago (1986), inToronto,Ontario, Canada |
| Headquarters | Mississauga,Ontario, Canada |
Key people | |
| Products |
|
| Services | |
| Parent | Bell Canada |
| Website | bell.ca/mobility |
Bell Mobility Inc. is a Canadianwireless network operator and the division ofBell Canada which offerswireless services across Canada. It operates networks usingLTE andHSPA+ on its mainstream networks. Bell Mobility is thesecond-largest wireless carrier in Canada, with 11.1 million subscribers as of Q2 2024.[1]
Bell-ownedVirgin Mobile Canada as well asLoblaws prepaidPC Telecom, operate asMVNOs on the Bell Mobility network. Some of Bell Canada's regional subsidiaries continue to operate their own wireless networks separate from (but generally allowing for roaming with) Bell Mobility; these areNorthwestel (NMI Mobility and Latitude Wireless),Télébec (Télébec Mobilité), andNorthernTel (NorthernTel Mobility).
In July 2006, Bell Mobility assumed responsibility for the formerAliant wireless operations inAtlantic Canada as part of a larger restructuring of both Bell and Aliant, and continued to do business there asAliant Mobility until re-branding as Bell in April 2008.[2] Bell similarly acquiredMTS in Manitoba in 2017, rebranding it as Bell MTS; initially operating autonomously asBell MTS Mobility, its wireless customers were brought under Bell Mobility in late-2018.[3]
Although both are different and independent from one another, both the CDMA and UMTS networks use the 850 and 1900 MHz frequencies. Bell's LTE network uses Band 4Advanced Wireless Services (AWS 1700/2100 MHz) and Band 2Personal Communications Service (PCS 1900 MHz) in most coverage areas and Band 7 (2600 MHz) in a few areas.
As of April 30, 2019, all CDMA service from Bell has been discontinued.[4]
In October 2009,Telus Mobility and Bell announced plans to deployHSPA technology by 2010 as part of an effort to eventually upgrade toLTE technology. The network, using largely shared infrastructure, launched on November 4, 2009.
According to Bell, the single-channel HSPA+ network is available to 96% of the Canadian population. It provides download speeds of up to 21 Mbit/s, with typical speeds ranging between 3½ and 8 Mbit/s. The dual-channel network, on the other hand, began in 2010 and is available to 70% of the Canadian population. It can reach download speeds of up to 42 Mbit/s but with typical speeds of 7 to 14 Mbit/s.[5]
Bell's HSPA+ network coverage is in portions of all Canadian provinces and territories, but it is not possible to drive in Canada between the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast without going through areas without any cellular coverage, as there are gaps in cellular coverage in British Columbia and Ontario.[6]
Bell launchedLTE by using the 1700 MHz (Band 4) frequency inToronto and surrounding areas on September 14, 2011.[7] Since then, Bell has expanded LTE into most areas of Canada where it has HSPA coverage, and launched LTE on to the 2600 MHz (Band 7) frequency for additional bandwidth in March 2012[8] and on to the 700 MHz spectrum (paired bands LTE Band 12/17 and 13 and unpaired Band 29) in 2014.[9] Bell will use either Band 13 or Band 12 depending on provinces.[10]
As of May 2017, LTE coverage reaches 97% of Canada's population, but there are gaps in coverage in smaller communities and between communities, where Bell's HSPA+ network is available but its LTE network is not available.[11]
As of February 2016, Bell Mobility has launchedvoice over LTE (VoLTE).[12]
In June 2020, Bell launched5G services in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver using 1700 MHz AWS-3 spectrum (band n66). Bell has used equipment fromEricsson andNokia Networks.[13][14]
| Frequency range | Band number | Protocol | Generation | Status | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 850 MHz CLR | 5 | UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+ | 3G | Active | Fallback for calls and HSPA+ data. Network to be shut down by December 31, 2025.[15] |
| 1.9 GHzPCS | 2 | ||||
| 600 MHz DD | 71 | LTE/LTE-A/LTE-A Pro | 4G | Active/Being deployed | Spectrum owned byTelus, but can also be used by Bell customers via the RAN sharing agreement.[16] |
| 700 MHz A/B/C/Upper C1-2/D/E | 12/13/17/29 | Mainly used in rural areas/rural coverage. Also used to provide Dual or Tri-bandLTE Advanced coverage within city limits. | |||
| 850 MHz CLR | 5 | Used for extra bandwidth within cities and rural coverage. Re-farmed from Decommissioning CDMA network across the country. Also re-farmed from 850 MHz UMTS network in some areas. | |||
| 1.7/2.1 GHzAWS | 4/66 | Main LTE Band used across the country. Also being used to provideLTE Advanced coverage. | |||
| 1.9 GHzPCS | 2 | Secondary LTE Band being deployed and used forLTE/LTE Advanced coverage. Re-farmed from Decommissioning CDMA network. Also re-farmed from 1,900 MHz UMTS network in some areas. | |||
| 2.6 GHz IMT-E | 7 | Found in select markets, but being developed slowly in new markets alongside to provideLTE Advanced coverage. | |||
| 5.2 GHz U-NII | 46 | License assisted access (LAA). Additional capacity in select cities.[17] | |||
| 600 MHz DD | n71 | NR | 5G | Being actively deployed in several markets alongside n78. Spectrum owned byTelus, but can also be used by Bell customers via the RAN sharing agreement.[16] | |
| 1.9 GHzPCS | n25 | Secondary NR band | |||
| 1.7/2.1 GHzAWS-3 | n66 | Secondary NR band. | |||
| 3.7 GHzC-Band | n77/n78 | Spectrum acquired in 2021 auction.[18] Active since June 2022.[19] |
Bell Mobility currently carriesiPhone andAndroid smartphones, plus the TCL Flip feature phone. These types of smartphones were added to Bell's lineup on November 4, 2009, coinciding with the carrier's launch of its 3GHSPA network.[20] Since the launch of its 5G NR network in 2020, all devices sold by Bell are compatible with its 4G LTE network, and most smartphones are also compatible with its 5G network.
Former devices sold by Bell generally used deprecated network technologies: 3GCDMA andHSPA/HSPA+,[21] 2GCDMA and 1GAMPS. Of these, only the HSPA and HSPA+ networks remain in operation, although they are scheduled to be shut down by December 31, 2025. In contrast toVerizon andSprint in the United States, Bell did not offer CDMA service with its iPhone and Android devices. Bell formerly carried devices with theBlackBerry,webOS andWindows operating systems, which are no longer supported.
The first cell phone conversation in Canada took place on the Bell network betweenJean Drapeau andArt Eggleton, the mayors of Montreal and Toronto, on July 1, 1985.[22]
The first cell phone customer in Canada was Victor Surerus, a travelling funeral director out of Peterborough, Ontario who purchased a $2,700 CAD telephone set and took out a service subscription with Bell Canada in July 1985.[22]
Bell Mobility discontinued itsAdvanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) analog mobile network in February 2008.[citation needed]
Bell offers a service to check account balances, minutes andmegabytes of mobile data used, add features and answers to frequently asked questions. The service is called TCARE, short for text message care. It is used by sending a blank message to the phone number TCARE (82273).
Bell offers four Internet-only plans and severalsmartphone plans and add-ons for customers wishing to accessmobile broadband.
Various fixed data allowances are offered by Bell: 10, 20, 100, 300 and 500 MB, as well as 1 to 6 GB, 10 GB and 15 GB. The 20 MB add-on is a daily allowance, while the others are monthly allowances.
Flexible data plans are also available. This is used for Bell Mobility's Internet-only plans and some smartphone plans, which begins with a certain usage limit at a lower tier. if this is exceeded, the customer moves to the next higher tier with a slightly larger allowance.
The flexible "Turbo Hub flex plan" from Bell differs in that customers have to pay a premium if they want to increase the maximum theoretical speeds from 7.2 Mbit/s to 21 Mbit/s. No additional usage is included when paying for the speed upgrade. Bell's policy is to only allow the sale of Turbo Hub service with its own Turbo Hub devices.
| Monthly tier | Monthly bandwidth limits | Turbo Hub | Speeds | Over Usage Multiplier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download | Upload | ||||
| First | 2 GB | Ericsson W35 (discontinued), NetGear MBR1210 (4G), NetGear MVBR1210C (4G + Voice), NetGear MBR1516 (LTE) | 7.2 Mbit/s (some 21 Mbit/s) | 5.76 Mbit/s | 7 times # of extra GB |
| Second | 5 GB | 4 times # of extra GB | |||
| Third | 10 GB | 4 times # of extra GB | |||
| Fourth | 15 GB | 10 times # of extra GB | |||
Somegrandfathered customers have an unlimited mobile Internet plan or add-on. These are usually limited to older and slowerCDMA devices such as the now-discontinuedPalm Pre, and normally cannot be used for tethering unless the device is amobile broadband modem. Its activeVirgin Mobile Canada brand also have grandfathered accounts with unlimited mobile broadband.[citation needed]
Bell Mobile TV was launched for Bellsmartphones on October 18, 2010.[23]
On April 24, 2012, Bell launched an improvedPush-To-Talk (PTT) service. It is powered by Bell's newerHSPA+ network, in contrast to the operator's older PTT (Officially titled 10-4) service which used theCDMA network. HSPA+ service is available at one flat rate for unlimited Bell-to-Bell PTT service from and to Canada. The monthly service can either be purchased alone, or added to any plan at a lower cost. PTT roaming in theUnited States or other countries is billed per megabyte. One megabyte offers approximately ten minutes of PTT talk time. Consequently, Bell offers approximately 100 to 400 PTT roaming minutes for traveling in the USA.
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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mobile virtual network operator |
| Founded | 2000(as Solo Prepaid)[24] 2005(as Solo Mobile) |
| Fate | Only existing customersgrandfathered; unsold stock transferred to Bell Mobility andVirgin Plus |
| Headquarters | Canada |
Key people | Walter Van De Vijver, CEO |
| Products | Feature phones andsmartphones |
| Services | Postpaid cellular service |
| Parent | Bell Canada |
| Website | solomobile.ca |
Solo Mobile is a discontinuedmobile virtual network operator inCanada, launched in 2000 by Bell Mobility asSolo Prepaid.[24] Its products and services were positioned as a low cost brand. Solo was initially only sold inOntario andQuebec, and included monthly plans for a 1¢/minute rate on nights and weekends.[25] The brand later expanded toBritish Columbia andAlberta. In 2003, the company targetedFido prepaid customers with a trade-in promotion,[26] as well as students with a "Lunchtime & After School" prepaid plan. The brand was temporarily withdrawn from the market after the launch of Bell Mobility prepaid services. The SoloMobile.ca domain name was registered by Bell on December 17, 2004, with theCanadian Internet Registration Authority.[27]
On August 1, 2005, the service relaunched as Solo Mobile,[28][29] and was also available as a postpaid service. The service was initially limited to the Sanyo 2300 flip phone, available in four colours. That same month, the free Solo Mobile / Eckored concert tour featuringKeshia Chanté was organized to promote the brand. In 2008, Solo offered per-second billing to postpaid customers, a feature that originated with competitorFido and also available withKoodo Mobile at the time. Solo's monthly plans became nearly identical to those offered byKoodo Mobile. On May 7, 2009, Bell Canada fully acquired Virgin Mobile Canada, which was rebranded toVirgin Plus in 2021. With this acquisition, the Solo Mobile brand became a lower priority. Solo offered four new features phones in its lineup in 2009,[30] and five more in 2010.[31][32] The LG Flick is Solo Mobile's first HSPA+ device. In 2011, Solo offered theSamsung Galaxy GioAndroidsmartphone and the Samsung Gravity 3 feature phone.[33] The carrier previously offeredBlackBerry smartphones, but not theiPhone. By the end of the year, the LG 230 was the only CDMA device still sold by Solo.
On May 17, 2012, new Solo Mobile activations were officially discontinued. The service remains limited to Bell's HSPA+ network, as Solo customers cannot access 4G LTE or 5G NR service. On July 31, 2017, Solo discontinued its prepaid services, and existing customers were migrated to Bell Mobility prepaid service.[34] New prepaid activations were later discontinued at Virgin Plus on September 30, 2024,[35] and at Bell Mobility on December 31, 2024.[36] Since these changes, Bell is promotingLucky Mobile as its prepaid brand.
Bell launched a proprietary Video Calling service on November 4, 2009 for selectHSPA+ mobile phones. The service featured a cost of $5CAD per month for unlimited video calls.[37] It was supported by theLG Xenon,Nokia C6,Nokia N97,Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant,Samsung Omnia II andSamsung Wave smartphones. These devices have all been discontinued. It is unknown whether or not a non-Bell Galaxy S, or even Bell'sSamsung Galaxy S II, support the Video Calling service. TheseAndroid-based devices, however, can use the includedGoogle Talk for videoconferencing as long as they have an Internet connection available.
BlackBerry Internet Service is no longer available.
In conjunction with the 2006 Olympics, Bell Mobility introduced a pair ofanthropomorphic CGIbeavers named Frank (voiced byNorm Macdonald) and Gordon (voiced byKen Hudson Campbell),[38] who constantly got into misadventures which led to Frank getting flustered with the antics of the dimwitted Gordon. Analysts covering a potential restructuring ofBCE suggested getting rid of theFrank and Gordon ad campaign. They have also criticized some of Bell Mobility's initiatives as failing to tap the market, such as offering full-length movies.[39]
The ad campaign was canceled by Bell on August 1, 2008[40] and replaced with the "Today just got better" campaign.[citation needed]
Some clients[who?] of Bell Mobility have claimed that their phones' features have been restricted. This action is typically referred to as "crippling". Examples of claims of restricted features are the inability to performBluetooth file transfers, for example with theOBEX profile or with aUSB cable. Restrictions also include increasing the GPS lock time (2–10 minutes) and resolution (1-2.5 km) of third-party applications while maintaining the speed (10-15 s) and accuracy (10–25 m) of the branded GPS Nav program. GPS Nav service costs $10/month or $3.50/day in addition to the cost of a data plan. The phones affected include the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, BlackBerry 8130 Pearl, and BlackBerry 8330 Curve.[41]
Some clients claim that Bell Mobility purposely restricts these features in order to force them to use the data services and as a result pay more usage charges. Methods around these restrictions are to use an external memory card or software such asBitPim. Researching the abilities and lack thereof is recommended[by whom?] before purchasing a phone orPDA device, as some desired features may be lacking in the initial choice.
Some clients[who?] claim that Bell Mobility withholds firmware upgrades, especially for devices that are not meeting sales expectations. While some SKUs do receive updates on a regular basis, Bell Mobility is reluctant to release upgrades that add enhancements to product, focusing only on firmware releases that fix issues. Oftentimes those upgrades fail to become available as well.[citation needed]
In December 2007 the BBC reported a customer with a $7/month unlimited mobile browser plan received a $85,000 bill.[42] The customer had used his phone as a wireless modem for his computer, and so data transferred was not included under the customer's unlimited mobile browser plan.[43] Bell Mobility now releases in detail acceptable data usage in the terms of service.[2] The BBC reported "Canadians complain that their mobile phone charges are much higher for comparable service in the United States".[42]
In July 2008, along withTelus Mobility Bell introduced charges of 15¢ for incoming SMS messages. Critics were quick to point out that there is no way of blocking incoming message fees and suggested Bell and Telus were price fixing as both had announced the fees simultaneously.[44] Bell (and Telus) are now being sued by frustrated consumers and subscribers, as they demand change in text charges.[45] Many customers were frustrated because this fee also apply to existing customers with ongoing contracts.[46]
In addition to running its own retail operations, Bell co-ownsGlentel alongside their chief telecom and media rival,Rogers. Bell Mobility also distributes through the independentCellcom Communications, mainly in theGreater Montreal area. Bell purchased ownership inThe Source (formerly known asRadioShack) to increase its retail presence.
