Bell and Telus to Launch the iPhone in Canada Next Month?

TiPb, among others, has been hearing rumors for months now that Bell and Telus' new GSM-based HSPA network would be up and running by November, and that the iPhone would follow along immediately there after. Nice to see some confirmation via Canadian stalwart, the Globe and Mail, however:
Bell announced Monday that it will launch national service in November on the $1-billion next-generation wireless network it has been building with Telus, months ahead of schedule. The project extends the two companies' existing third-generation (3G) networks to include the same technology standard employed by Rogers, the nation's largest cellphone company.
No comments from any of the carriers or Apple, of course, and it remains to be seen what if any downward pressure competition in Canada -- like in the UK -- would put on iPhone pricing for consumers.
Our question: Bell and Telus will have HSPA but no EDGE (to our knowledge), so if an iPhone on Bell or Telus couldn't get a 3G signal, what exactly would it fall back on? EVDO/CDMA is not an option...
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Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.