@tbutch: lol. Initially I was going to make a joke about your mom having my cell number on speed dial, but I'm really not that kind of Manitoban. I'll let bygones be bygones.

The biggest problem here is that both companies are rather small in comparison to Bell/Telus & Rogers/Fido. While MTS and Sasktel enjoy certain rights because they are provincially owned companies, they have a significantly smaller customer base to which to market themselves. Someone above wrote that Sasktel is in the process of upgrading. I hope that is the case since the HSDPA network has significantly more potential than CDMA network. However, I do not see that happening any time soon in Manitoba for two reasons. Firstly, MTS already has an extensive network, which provides customers with practically the best service in the country, especially outside of major city centers. It may not be "blazzingly fast", but it certainly is reliable. You regularly get full bars in virtually every location in the province. North, South, East or West. (or in your *insert here*'s basement) The second reason is that despite the iPhone's success there are still a lot of people buying BB's out there. Last time I checked, the student rates for MTS included unlimited texting, email, internet browsing, etc all on the latest models of BB available for around $30-40. (The cheapest iPhone plan with data/voice, iphone add ons? $60-70 or more!). Even once smart phones become the norm, and I mean that everyone and their dog uses one, I doubt MTS will switch unless BB stops producing supported phones. Also I doubt very much that Apple will go the other way, take pity on MTS, and offer a CDMA version of their little magic box. The situation is akin to the story of the Tortis and the Hare, but I won't explain since it should be fairly simple to figure out.

Frankly I'm just interested in watching this all pan out from the comfort of my bathroom, where I definitely take/use my portable Apple device.

Happy iPhoning!

Jdutchm
MTS is a privately owned company for the last 10 years. The government sold it 10 years ago yet still lets them run a monopoly by preventing other companies to compete with MTS its really quite amazing that people stand for this complete garbage.

As far as MTS being a CDMA carrier they have signed an agreement to join with Rogers and produce an HSPA network that will never be shared with Telus. You thought Telus sucked in MB before wait until they dont need telus service in any other province because the will now roam on Rogers and they will cut Telus off completly. And then the ONLY service that Telus will have in MB for voice or data will be in Winnipeg.

You are completely clueless when it comes to how Industry Canada decides who gets bandwidth. The province of Manitoba has no say whatsoever when it comes to who can and cannot bid on bandwidth and build infrastructure.

Last spring/summer Industry Canada like they do whenever new bandwidth is released, held a spectrum auction. Any company can register and place bids, it's not a closed process.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_...

HSPA will be available on TELUS towers within the perimeter highway in Winnipeg.

There's no "Bell" in Saskatchewan either. There are two networks: (government-owned) SaskTel, and Rogers. Telus pays SaskTel to use their network, which is not iPhone compatible at this moment. However, SaskTel has begun the conversion process, and it's expected to start rolling out in the largest cities next year.

Nope. not Bell. Just Rogers and Fido to choose from in SK. The HSPA network upgrade never made it to SK and MB so driving anywhere to buy a Telus activated iPhone won't help.

Huh ... didn't even think they had cell phones out there?

Yes. Pretty much because MTS and SaskTel refuse to let Telus set up shop outside of Winnipeg and The major cities in SK.

But let's be honest, nobody really cares about SK and MB

OOOHHHHH!!!!!

No you didn't!!

Oi! Quit the prairie-bashing (well, Winnipeg anyway... the rest of you are on your own)

I've been waiting for a Telus-branded iPhone ever since it was announced they were switching to HSPA+. Can't be about MTS Since they are running a CDMA network and haven't opened up the HSPA+ they are working on in conjunction with Rogers here in the province, meaning they wouldn't have a network capable of supporting the iPhone to roam off of anyway. Rogers on the other hand...

oh, yeah... and there is no Bell presence here either...

it's because sasktel and mts, the carriers in the provinces currently doesn't have a data roaming agreement with telus. and you can add thunder bay to that list under tbay tel.