Do NOT get WIND Mobile!!

[Drea]

For all those who are planning to arrive in Canada soon and/or just arrived, I advise you NOT to get WIND mobile. I was initially attracted by the low prices and the attractive service options, but the coverage is absolutely horrible! I'm getting no signal in my new apartment and moreover, in many places around Toronto, the signal goes off.

Their reason: "Eventhough you are in the WIND coverage area and you live on the 2nd floor of an apartment building downtown (not in a basement), we still haven't constructed towers in certain places around Toronto. So sorry, you will have to wait until we do. This might take at least 6 months." The worst part is, I have to wait until after 3 months of being with WIND to change my service provider to somebody else.

So please take my advice and DO NOT GET WIND MOBILE. It's better to pay a little bit more and get a service provider who actually works - like Rogers or Bell.   

Drea

[shibuya]

Hi Drea,
          Nice to hear from ur side. Did u land up with a job?

[mayankpandya]

Thanks for information ...

For all those who are planning to arrive in Canada soon and/or just arrived, I advise you NOT to get WIND mobile. I was initially attracted by the low prices and the attractive service options, but the coverage is absolutely horrible! I'm getting no signal in my new apartment and moreover, in many places around Toronto, the signal goes off.

Their reason: "Eventhough you are in the WIND coverage area and you live on the 2nd floor of an apartment building downtown (not in a basement), we still haven't constructed towers in certain places around Toronto. So sorry, you will have to wait until we do. This might take at least 6 months." The worst part is, I have to wait until after 3 months of being with WIND to change my service provider to somebody else.

So please take my advice and DO NOT GET WIND MOBILE. It's better to pay a little bit more and get a service provider who actually works - like Rogers or Bell.   

Drea

[Rossei]

I agree that the coverage is bad. But a $60/month covers all-free city calls/ long distance calls/ data plan/ add-on to call Bangladesh for free unlimited. That's almost $50 save from any other service providers.

3 of my friends recently switched to WIND.

The choice is yours!

[qorax]

I'm with WINDMOBILE since the day of landing... it's about a yr now... been all over Canada with it... travel a lot -- had NEVER A PROBLEM // No Dropped-Calls // No Coverage Failures // Neither in the GTA - nor beyond -- am I being lucky?

Qorax
Ps.: My internet is thru Windmobile too... using the WindSTICK as I write now. Plainly my opinion - I think Windmobile is a 'boon' to us... especially the newcomers -- where else can I get all unlimited @ $25/month?

[Kanamen]

I'm with WINDMOBILE since the day of landing... it's about a yr now... been all over Canada with it... travel a lot -- had NEVER A PROBLEM // No Dropped-Calls // No Coverage Failures // Neither in the GTA - nor beyond -- am I being lucky?

Qorax
Ps.: My internet is thru Windmobile too... using the WindSTICK as I write now. Plainly my opinion - I think Windmobile is a 'boon' to us... especially the newcomers -- where else can I get all unlimited   @   $25/month?

I Second,
Sometime it depends on quality of cellphone to get signal

[pittabread]

does any body know, do dual band phones work in canada or only tri band phones??

thanks

[Baloo]

where else can I get all unlimited  @  $25/month?[/i][/color]

Nowhere in Canada.

[explorer101]

wind network is a problem in basement, but so is rogers.  One can return the connection within a period of 15 days and get refund.  For a month rogers charge $ 50-60 and wind just $ 25. Choice of selection depends upon area to area.

[yukon]

I'm with WINDMOBILE since the day of landing... it's about a yr now... been all over Canada with it... travel a lot -- had NEVER A PROBLEM // No Dropped-Calls // No Coverage Failures // Neither in the GTA - nor beyond -- am I being lucky?

Qorax
Ps.: My internet is thru Windmobile too... using the WindSTICK as I write now. Plainly my opinion - I think Windmobile is a 'boon' to us... especially the newcomers -- where else can I get all unlimited  @  $25/month?

Do normal GSM phones work in Canada or do we have to purchase handsets from the Service Provider (CDMA, like in the US)?
Can we just get our existing GSM handsets (2G & 3G) & insert a new SIM in Canada & start talking?
Is Wind Mobile a GSM service provider or CDMA?

[hirkshah]

$25.00 for a month for unlimited calling is indeed a good deal..but does it also provide unlimited calling to international countires like India? What does it cost to have such a plan for unlimited calling to India from mobile if opt for WIND or any other service providers? Can anyone provide comparision?

[qorax]

Do normal GSM phones work in Canada or do we have to purchase handsets from the Service Provider (CDMA, like in the US)?
Can we just get our existing GSM handsets (2G & 3G) & insert a new SIM in Canada & start talking?
Is Wind Mobile a GSM service provider or CDMA?

Do normal GSM phones work in Canada or do we have to purchase handsets from the Service Provider (CDMA, like in the US)?
Can we just get our existing GSM handsets (2G & 3G) & insert a new SIM in Canada & start talking?
Yes, they do. Most handsets work just fine here, including the 'smartphones' - the iPhone4, B/berry & the likes. The cheapest SIM, w/out contract, would be 'Chatr' from Rogers @ $35/month [nearly unlimited].
*There r CDMA providers here as well -- Public Mobile, Mobilicity etc. to name a few. They have quite a compititive package as well.

Is Wind Mobile a GSM service provider or CDMA?
Neither. It's AWS [Advanced Wireless System] - the 1900-2100 band. Something akin to T-Mobile of the US.

[qorax]

$25.00 for a month for unlimited calling is indeed a good deal..but does it also provide unlimited calling to international countires like India? What does it cost to have such a plan for unlimited calling to India from mobile if opt for WIND or any other service providers? Can anyone provide comparision?

There r various plans/providers/cards/networks for Intl Calling. And remember, there's VOIP too. 'Magic Jack' & 'Vonnage' rule that segment.

Magic Jack -- $20/yr for calling over 65 countries [Beat that!]

[yukon]

Do normal GSM phones work in Canada or do we have to purchase handsets from the Service Provider (CDMA, like in the US)?
Can we just get our existing GSM handsets (2G & 3G) & insert a new SIM in Canada & start talking?
Yes, they do. Most handsets work just fine here, including the 'smartphones' - the iPhone4, B/berry & the likes. The cheapest SIM, w/out contract, would be 'Chatr' from Rogers  @  $35/month [nearly unlimited].
*There r CDMA providers here as well -- Public Mobile, Mobilicity etc. to name a few. They have quite a compititive package as well.

Is Wind Mobile a GSM service provider or CDMA?
Neither. It's AWS [Advanced Wireless System] - the 1900-2100 band. Something akin to T-Mobile of the US.

Thanks Qorax. So with Wind do we need a new handset from the Service Provider we take this service?

[hirkshah]

There r various plans/providers/cards/networks for Intl Calling. And remember, there's VOIP too. 'Magic Jack' & 'Vonnage' rule that segment.

Magic Jack -- $20/yr for calling over 65 countries [Beat that!]

Thanks Qorax as always....I have heard about VOIP phones but not very sure how it works....do you have any link where I can find more information about it...also I suppose VOIPs can only work when we are at home..and due to time zone difference if we want to talk to our family during office hours or so...mobiles would be the only option...right?....