What you need to know

• Carrier Rogers has enabled support for iMessage Business Chat.
• People can now talk to their carrier using the Messages app on their iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Carrier Rogers now supports Apple's iMessage Business Chat for the first time, although it doesn't appear to have actually told anyone about the move.

First spied by the folk at iPhone in Canada, the move means that people can now get in touch with their carrier using the Messages app on their iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It's an easier way to get in touch when needed, and means you don't have to deal with web-based chat systems or, heaven forbid, a telephone call.

Business Chat also supports Apple Pay, should you need to make a payment, although there are only a limited number of companies that are signed up to make use of Business Chat right now. It appears we can at least add Rogers to the growing list, however.

Speaking of Rogers, do you know which Canadian carrier is the best? You will when you click that link!

What you need to know

• Rogers has a new deal for Infinite plan customers.
• It is offering six months free Apple Music.
• It will be available to new and existing Apple Music customers on select Rogers Infinite plans.

Canadian carrier Rogers has today announced it will offer six months free Apple Music to customers on select Infinite plans.

In an announcement today the company stated:

Customers will be able to get all of the benefits of Apple Music, including a library of 60 million songs, offline listening, and more.

Rogers president Brent Johnston stated:

The offer will be available to both new and existing Apple Music customers on "select Rogers Infinite plans using either an iPhone or Android phone." Customers will be able to access and manage their subscription through the MyRogers app on their device, and Apple Music will be charged directly to their rogers bill once the six month period is over.

You can read the full announcement here. Earlier on Wednesday, UK carrier EE announced the first-ever 'Full Works' contract that will include Apple TV+, Arcade, and Apple Music with an iPhone plan.

Canadian carriers are poised to begin tests for next-generation 5G service in the run-up to a public launch in the next three years.

According to The Star, Bell and Telus already have plans to begin 5G trials in their labs, and are working with international telecom standards bodies to finalize the 5G spec, which should happen over the next couple of years. Rogers is sitting tight, but is also eager to begin trials.

Unfortunately, 5G technologies are neither finalized nor particularly opaque to the average consumer. At the very least, 5G represents a speed boost over current 4G LTE networks, with a minimum downlink speed of 1Gbps, or roughly ten times faster than the average high-speed wireless network today.

But most trials taking place right now, including those by U.S. carriers AT&T and Verizon, involve wide-band frequencies as high as 28Ghz, which are only currently authorized for fixed wireless usage. Next-generation wireless networks are expected to take advantage of higher-frequency bands than today's LTE varieties since such spectrum can typically carry larger payloads — at the expense of both signal distance and power output.

Wide-band frequencies, including those in the range of microwaves, are expected to be the backbone of 5G service, removing the distinction between today's home Wi-Fi networks and carrier-own cellular networks. But higher-band frequencies require enormous transmission antennas, and huge amounts of power, to travel far distances, which is why such an extensive lead-time is necessary before finalizing the spec.

Back in March, the Ontario government announced a partnership with Chinese hardware maker, Huawei, which has made a number of investments throughout Canada, including R&D offices in both Waterloo and Ottawa. The company's aim is to make Canada a 5G hub, and eventually provide the equipment to carriers once the technology rolls out.

Fifth-generation wireless technology is also less concerned with throughout from a cell tower to one devices, such as a smartphone, but to dozens or even hundreds of low-powered devices, all communicating with one another.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are coming soon to Canada, and there are a lot of different ways to buy one. You can saunter into your carrier's brick and mortar or online store, or check out Best Buy or Amazon. Alternatively, go right to the source and visit the nearest Apple Retail Store.

Let's go through what's available, as how much you pay will largely be dictated by where you buy. Before we get started, there are a few things to note.

• Prices are subject to change, but we'll keep them up to date as best we can
• You'll need to pay service charges on top of the device cost that we list below, though we'll note when and how one affects the other.
• If you live in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or Quebec, your rate plans will be significantly lower, as each has a dedicated regional carrier (MTS, Sasktel, and Videotron, respectively), that the other big three (Rogers, Bell and TELUS), have to compete with. The prices listed below assume that you're in Ontario.

You can find the best iPhone 6s deals across all carriers at the end of this guide, while the best deals per carrier will be at the end of each of their sections.

Where to buy an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus in Canada

• Buying a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus from the Apple Store
• Buying a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus from Rogers
• Buying a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus from TELUS
• Buying a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus from Bell
• Getting the best iPhone 6s and 6s Plus deals

Why not just skip all that and win a free iPhone 6s from us, though?

Enter to win a new iPhone 6s from iMore!

Apple Store

The Apple Store lets you pick up an iPhone 6s for any carrier. If you're super gung-ho and planning on getting a 6s or 6s Plus on launch day, the Apple Store is where you'll see the most excitement. Apple can sell you an unlocked phone outright to use with whichever carrier you have a plan with, be it Rogers, TELUS, Bell, any other Canadian provider. Note that this is probably the way you want to go if you're with WIND Mobile, since they haven't announced availability or a tab for the iPhone 6s yet, though they do support iPhones in general. There's also Mobilicity, though they're going to get sucked up into Rogers soon. Anyone running with regional carriers like Videotron and MTS may also want to compare prices here with their local provider, if only to have an unlocked device ready for visiting the rest of the country.

• Buy an iPhone 6s from the Apple Store
• Buy an iPhone 6s Plus from the Apple Store
• Find the nearest Apple Store

Rogers

Rogers has the fastest network in Canada, so there's a good reason to go with them for your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus.

Rogers has standard individual plans and Share Everything plans. The name comes from your ability to share your monthly data allotment with multiple iPhones or iPads (either your own or those of family). Monthly Share Everything prices range from $55 to $155 and from 500 MB to 15 GB. Unlimited talk and text are included in every plan, with an option for Canada-wide calling for an extra $5/month. There are some extra perks depending on the plan, like NHL Gamecenter Live access and two years of Spotify Premium. If you don't intend on sharing, there are cheaper non-sharing plans available too, though they cap out at 2 GB and have limited talk time. Some non-shareable plans allow you to get a tab with your iPhone 6s, but the cheapest one that does is $70 for 500 MB, at which point you might as well go with Share Everything, which gives 1 GB for the same price.

In terms of the iPhone 6s itself, you can either get it on a Premium Tab, or without. All tab systems work more or less the same. You're cutting up the full price of the iPhone minus whatever you pay up-front and spreading it over 24 months. You can go month-to-month if you prefer. If you need to cut out on your agreement early to get a plan to upgrade to the next model, you pay whatever is left on the tab. The kicker is that Share Everything plan rates change depending on the tab you chose. You might not have to pay as much on the first day of your new iPhone 6s with the Premium Tab, but you're also going to be paying $20/month more on your plan than if you just bought the iPhone outright.

Rogers will try to guide you towards their Share Everything plan, which is fine and dandy if you have other devices (like an iPad) to share to. There is a small segment for whom a cheaper non-sharable plan is suitable:

• If your needs are modest (2 GB/month, 300 minutes local talk), you only have to worry about your own iPhone plan, and you can afford to buy the iPhone 6s outright, the non-sharable $60/month plan beats the Share Everything $60 without a tab, which gives 1 GB but has unlimited talk.
• If you want the hottest new iPhone now, now, now, and want to pay as little immediately as possible, the 16 GB iPhone 6s on a two-year Share Everything plan will cost $398.99 up-front. On the downside, the cheapest plan you'll get is $75/month.
• Rogers subsidiary Fido offers plans similar to its big brother, which are a bit cheaper if you buy your iPhone outright. If you're willing to sign up for a two-year plan, you get Spotify Premium and some exclusive Vice News content. Their cheapest plan with data is $45/month, but only includes 400 MB.
• If you have a solid legacy plan with Rogers and want to keep it grandfathered until the end of time, you're better off buying direct from an Apple Store since it won't be SIM locked like one sold from Rogers.

• Buy an iPhone 6s from Rogers
• Buy an iPhone 6s Plus from Rogers
• Check the Rogers coverage map for your area

TELUS

TELUS still has a relatively traditional two-year plan structure, where you pick out a voice and data portion of a two-year plan, and have the original cost of the iPhone subsidized. You'll need to pay back that initial discount if you finish your term early, though it reduces every month by an equal amount. TELUS Your Choice plans start at $70 for 500 MB and 300 minutes, and go up to $145 for 10 GB and unlimited nationwide calling. The option to buy your iPhone outright is still there. If you want something in between, TELUS subsidiary Koodo lets you buy on a tab system, which spreads your device repayment over the course of your service period. Unfortunately they haven't announced availability just yet.

Though Apple doesn't have the upgrade program set up in Canada like they do in the U.S., TELUS has their own called T-UP!, and is worth a gander if you anticipate upgrading again next year. For an extra $11/month, you get Apple Care+ and can trade in your phone after 12 months to wipe your device balance and sign up for a new plan. That's $250 of forgiven subsidy, though you're also paying $48 more over the course of the year toward the upgrade after discounting the usual $7/month going towards Apple Care. You also don't get to keep your old iPhone to resell it, you're obliged to renew with TELUS, and get a new iPhone.

Up-front price, in addition to $20/month plus your standard plan rate.

Cost for iPhone outright. Immediately available for upgrade.

If you aren't already a TELUS subscriber, be sure to check their coverage map before taking the plunge. They share an extensive network with Bell, but may not service your area as well as Rogers.

• Wait for Koodo to start offering the iPhone 6s if you need to save money in the short-term. The tab will take some of the sting out of that first bill.
• T-UP! is effectively giving you $200 for your old iPhone, most of which evaporates when you have to renew your plan next year. Even though it's more hassle to resell your iPhone yourself, you'll get more money back and have more flexibility with your service provider. You'll still owe TELUS $250 if you want to get out after 12 months, but you'll get at least that much from an iPhone 6s sale.

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Buy an iPhone 6s Plus from TELUS{.cta .large.nofollow}

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Bell

Though Bell and TELUS have a lot of overlap in their network, you'll find a few differences in service and price. Like Rogers, Bell pushes shareable plans, even for individual subscribers. The convenience may be lost on you if you don't have other devices to hook into a common data bucket. Conspicuously similar to the other two, Bell plans start at $70 for 500 MB of data and 300 local minutes, and capping out at $160 for 15 GB and unlimited nationwide calling. As an added bonus, you get access to Bell's Wi-Fi network at McDonald's, Tim Hortons, Indigo, and Chapters, plus their solid Mobile TV.

So what's the best way to get an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus from Bell?

As we mentioned earlier, Bell and TELUS share a network, so if you're within their coverage zone, be sure to compare plans on the two providers.

• Bell's subsidiary Virgin Mobile has data plans as cheap as $37/month for 100 MB and 200 minutes. Bell's $70 entry level plan is beat by Virgin's at $47 for 500 minutes and 500 MB, though you're only getting a $200 discount on the iPhone 6s, rather than $500. At the 2 GB tier, the two a roughly the same, so check out Virgin if you're looking for lighter plans.

• Buy an iPhone 6s from Bell
• Buy an iPhone 6s Plus Bell
• Check the Bell coverage map for your area

So what's the best iPhone 6s deal in Canada?

This is a tough call, since the big carriers match pricing so closely in terms of device, tab systems, and rate plans. There are two clinchers:

• Coverage: Check a provider coverage map and gather up anecdotal evidence from your area to see if Rogers, Bell, or TELUS can keep a stead signal the best.
• Perks: Rogers and Bell both offer additional perks like mobile NHL or mobile TV. Meanwhile TELUS offers their upgrade program which, though an additional cost, also includes AppleCare+. One of these will likely meet your needs better than the others.

That should get you started on your quest for a new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus. Sing out in the comments if you need any extra help or find a particularly good deal. We'd love to hear your experiences with the smaller regional carriers, too!

On April 15 Rogers will expand on their popular 'Roam Like Home" program to include 35 countries across Europe. In the new countries, Rogers will allow customers to send emails, picture messages, make phone calls, and browse the internet for a flat $10 per day fee. Previously Rogers offered the plan for customers who were traveling to the US, and wanted to use their Rogers data and minutes.

Most carriers charge a ridiculous fee, giving you a small data allotment for any trip out of the known coverage area. We have seen US based carriers make moves to allow for customers to use their data for a cheaper price when traveling, and now Rogers is bringing the same to Canada. The plans start on April 15, so if you will be taking a trip out of the country, contact Rogers to have the 'Roam Like Home' feature added to your account.

Press release:

Canadians finally conquer their fear of roaming

Customers now use five times the data when roaming in the U.S.

More than one million customers enroll in ROAM LIKE HOME in the first six months

Popular ROAM LIKE HOME service expanding to over 35 European countries for just $10/day (ROAM LIKE HOME U.S. stays at $5/day)

TORONTO, April 10, 2015 /CNW/ - Rogers Communications is once again shaking up Canada's wireless industry by extending its popular ROAM LIKE HOMETM offer to over 35 countries in Europe. Starting April 15, Rogers customers can talk, text, send emails, share photos and surf in more than 35 European countries for a flat fee of $10/day with ROAM LIKE HOME on their Share EverythingTM plans.

"Canadians used to be afraid to use their devices when travelling – it was just too complicated and they were worried about their bills. Six months ago we fixed this with a unique technology called ROAM LIKE HOME and over a million of our customers are enrolled to use it. They are now using their phone in the U.S. just like they would at home," said Guy Laurence, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rogers Communications. "Given how much customers love ROAM LIKE HOME in the U.S. it made sense to expand it so now our customers can use it in over 35 European countries."

According to a recent survey, 60 per cent of Canadians aren't using their phones like they do at home when they travel to Europe. Nearly six million Canadians plan on visiting Europe in the next year. Nine out of 10 Canadians said if cost and confusion around roaming were not an issue, they would use their mobiles and tablets just like they do at home – to keep in touch with friends and family (84 per cent), email (82 per cent), look at maps and directions (76 per cent), check the weather (68 per cent), find local restaurants and attractions (66 per cent), and share pictures (57 per cent).

Customers travelling to Europe will pay only $10 per day when roaming within an eligible country and only be charged for a maximum of 10 days on each monthly bill or a maximum of $100. They will have access to the data and the unlimited talk and text included in their Share Everything plan. Calls and texts to local numbers in the country they're visiting or back to Canada are included and no long distance charges will apply for those calls.

Share Everything customers already enrolled in ROAM LIKE HOME U.S. don't have to do anything to use it in Europe. They can simply start using their devices while travelling to Europe and will enjoy the new flat fee roaming rate of $10 per day. Our flat fee roaming rate when travelling to the U.S. will remain $5 per day. Existing Share Everything customers, including small businesses, can enroll by texting "travel" to 222 for free before they leave or once they've landed in the U.S. or eligible European countries. New Share Everything customers will be automatically enrolled so they can immediately take advantage of this technology, and can opt out at any time.

Once you've decided you're getting a new iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6, and picked your model, capacity, and color, you still need to choose your carrier. If you're in Canada, that means the big three carriers of Rogers, Bell, and TELUS, their lower-price subsidiaries, and a few upstarts. All of the big three have confirmed that they'll be offering the latest and greatest iPhones, though none of them have nailed down pricing. Apple announced $299 on a two-year plan for the 16 GB iPhone 6 Plus, and $199 on contract for the 16 GB iPhone 6, and it's safe to assume the Canadian carriers will stay in line with that. So which carrier should you go with? We've chewed through the plans and coverage, and here's what we've found!

The big three: Rogers, Bell, and TELUS

Across the board, we're expecting the 16 GB iPhone 6 will be $199 on contract, $299 for the 64 GB version, and $399 for the 128 GB model. The iPhone 6 Plus should start at $299 on contract for the 16 GB model, $399 on contract for the 64 GB version, and $499 on contract for the 128 GB iPhone 6 Plus.

The big three Canadian carriers all work on what's effectively a pro-rated early termination fee now. It used to be that if you cut your contract early, it was more or less a flat fee based on how many months you had left on your contract, capping out at around $400. Now the subsidy you take on your phone is factored in with how long you have left on your contract. Rogers calls this system FLEXtab, TELUS calls it Device Balance, and Bell calls it Data Service Agreement Price Adjustment.

Basically, if you get $500 off the price of your $700 device, it would be about $250 to get out of your contract a year early. That $500 discount gets paid off in equal increments every month in your term (so, $500/24 = $20.83). After 12 months, you will have paid back $250 of that balance, leaving the other half to be paid off before you leave. When you're halfway through your contract, you're halfway to paying back your subsidy.

Monthly rates across all three are suspiciously identical, and all Canadian carriers allow you to share your data to an iPad for another $10/month.

Bell and TELUS share the same towers for their GSM/LTE network but have different back-hauls (different connections to the internet from the towers). That means the Bell/TELUS tower near your home, school, or work could still provide better speeds on one or the other networks.

The budget three: Fido, Virgin Mobile, and Koodo

Each of the big three carriers owns a subsidiary that typically offers lower-cost options by way of a tab system, similar to what the big three are using. Rogers owns Fido. Bell owns Virgin Mobile. TELUS owns Koodo. All three have announced they'll be carrying the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. They're great options if you want a balance of subsidized cost up-front and contract flexibility.

The alternatives: WIND, Moblicity, and regionals

If you're really want an alternative, you also have the option to buy the 6 Plus unlocked starting at $859 or iPhone 6 starting at $749, and run with WIND or Mobilicity. They have great plans starting at $25. It ends up being cheaper in the long run, just keep in mind that you'll be missing out on LTE.

Region-specific carriers are also out there, like Sasktel, MTS, and Videotron. Typically they'll have roaming agreements in place if you ever leave your hometown. Decent data plans will typically start at about $50/month, which can certainly be cheaper than going with Rogers, Bell, or TELUS.

Who should get their iPhone 6 on Rogers?

Rogers is the big boy on the block. Of course all of the major centers are covered with Rogers LTE, including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Regina, Edmonton, and lots of others. Recent expansions include a bunch across Quebec, such as Greater Montreal Area (East), Granby, Lachute, Saguenay, Saint-Hyacinthe and Bromont. Data overages cost $15 / GB.

If you're in those areas and speed matters more to you than money, go with Rogers.

• $80 - Unlimited Canada-wide talk and text, 500 MB data
• $90 - Unlimited talk and text, 2 GB data
• $125 - Unlimited talk and text, 6 GB data
• Order the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on Rogers

Who should get their iPhone 6 on Bell?

For coverage, you'll see that there are a few areas where Bell reaches that others don't, namely up north. Bell regularly boasts to having Canada's largest LTE network. When it comes to speed, Bell has the same kind of 150 Mbps LTE as Rogers in the Greater Toronto Area, Cambridge, and Kitchener-Waterloo. Data overages are $0.05/MB, which is on par with TELUS, and way more pricey than Rogers.

Just looking at the coverage map, Bell is a good choice if you're in the Prairies, Maritimes, or up north.

• $80 - Unlimited talk and text, 500 MB data
• $90 - Unlimited talk and text, 2 GB data
• $125 - Unlimited talk and text, 6 GB data
• Order the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on Bell

Who should get their iPhone 6 on TELUS?

You can see from the coverage map that the Ontario corridor is well covered by TELUS, as well as the Maritimes. Alberta's also looking pretty good, and it there's even some decent service in the Northwest Territories. TELUS network speeds peak out at around 75 Mbps, which is a little slower than Bell and Rogers at their fastest. Data overages are $5 / 100 MB for first 1500 MB, and $0.05 / MB after first 1500 MB, which is considerably more steep than Rogers' overage rate, and roughly the same as Bell.

Coverage may again be a deciding factor when going with TELUS, but anecdotally, you may find their customer service a little bit better than the other two. TELUS subsidiary Koodo has ranked pretty well on that front. Also, if you happen to be in Quebec, TELUS is a no-brainer. In La Belle Province, you get 4 GB for $80 instead of 500 MB.

• $80 - Unlimited talk and text, 500 MB
• $90 - Unlimited talk and text, 2 GB data
• $125 - Unlimited talk and text, 6 GB data
• Order the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on TELUS

Who should go with a discount carrier?

Here's where it gets more complicated. If you have an unlocked iPhone and are simply looking for a SIM card to place in it, you have a ton of options from Fido, Virgin Mobile, and more. If saving money is absolutely the most important thing to you, figure out the barest minimum voice, data, and extras like messaging you need, and then check out someone like Virgin Mobile. You'll get a great deal.

Still undecided?

If you're still not sure about which Canadian carrier to get for your iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6, jump into our iPhone discussion forums and the best community in mobile will happily help you out. Then let me know - which one did you go with and why?

Rogers has announced some new roaming add-ons for Canadian travelers. Not too long ago, Rogers unveiled a $7.99 daily roaming plan for the U.S. (which already faces stiff competition against WIND's $15 unlimited plan), and this new one is built for roaming worldwide. But don't get too excited; it's $9.99 for a day for up to 20 MB (depending on where you're going), with no voice or text. That's better than the $10 - $15 they'd normally charge per megabyte without a package. This add-on will be applied automatically after you start using data abroad, though you'll get SMS alerts about usage.

Travelers to Europe can expect to pay $9.99 a day for 20MB. If you're headed to Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, or the Middle East you'll be looking at $9.99 a day for 10MB, and visitors to Africa can expect to pay $9.99 a day for 3MB. That's $3.33-per-MB. Those crossing the border into the United States will still see $7.99 per day for 50MB, which while still absurd, seems downright palatable in comparison to their overseas rates.

New monthly travel packs offer two talk, text and data packages for each major region, like Africa, Europe, America, and the rest of the world. Europe is the most forgiving of the bunch, though that's not saying much. For $60, you get 40 minutes of talk, 150 outgoing texts, and 40 MB of data. On the upper end, you've got a $200 add-on for Africa for 100 minutes of talk, 150 outgoing texts, and 25 MB of data.

When browsing maps and uploading pictures, you'll blast through the caps for most of those add-ons very quickly. Though it's an extra hassle, it's probably worth your while to pick up a local SIM and unlock your device rather than get one of these packs with Rogers. Even compared to American roaming rates, these are pretty atrocious. We had a lengthy debate about the state of roaming and carriers as part of Talk Mobile 2013, and since then things haven't gotten much better. The comments are there and below if you feel like venting.

Source: Redboard

Rogers, one of Canada's big three carriers, is now joining it's U.S. counterparts in offering an early upgrade program — a Next of their very own. Kicked off by T-Mobile's desire to disrupt the industry, early upgrades let people get new phones faster, but often with a huge catch — extra cost. So is Roger's Next any different?

The problem with most of these programs is that they essentially double dip by asking for a "leasing" fee on top of the existing "subsidy" already included in the monthly plan. Since you have to give back your current phone to get a new phone, and since the iPhone in particular has traditionally kept a really high resale value, it's really important to run the math not once but twice to make sure you're actually getting a deal and not just getting taken for a ride.

We're going to grab our calculators, check the numbers, and post a follow up asap. In the meantime, check out the press release below and let me know — does Rogers' new Next program interest you at all?

Canada NewsWire TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2014 Customers on two-year agreements can upgrade to a new smartphone every 12 months for $0 down with no early upgrade or connection fees

TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - Rogers customers can get the newest smartphones even faster with Rogers Next™, an early upgrade program that will give subscribers the freedom to get a new premium device every 12 months for $0 down, with no early upgrade or connection fees.

"Our customers love experiencing the latest technology. They have an insatiable appetite for staying connected, entertained and accessing their favourite apps - all on their mobile devices," said John Boynton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Rogers Communications. "Rogers Next ensures early adopters never miss what's next by putting the hottest smartphones in their hands sooner."

Here's how it works:

• When you upgrade to a new device or join Rogers as a new customer, you have the option to subscribe to the Rogers Next program for a monthly fee of $24.99 or get the program with Rogers Device Protection Premium included for $29.99 - a device support service which retails for up to $11.99 per month;
• After 12 months, trade in your current device in good working order for a new smartphone of your choice that has a subsidized price of up to$250;
• You pay $0 down for the new device on a new two-year term, and your remaining FLEXtab™ balance and connection fees are waived;
• You then have the option to continue your enrollment in Rogers Next to get another new device in 12 months for $0.

At the time of upgrade, customers can choose from the largest selection of LTE-enabled devices including next generation Android™, Apple, BlackBerry® and Windows smartphones, all powered by Rogers LTE, Canada's fastest LTE network. Rogers Device Protection Premium is recommended for protection against loss, theft and damage, and provides added peace of mind when you upgrade with Rogers Next1.

Rogers Next will be available soon for existing and new customers. This early upgrade program is a part of Rogers Freedom Advantage, which offers customers data sharing, price match and free plan changes within tier. Additionally, customers enrolled in the Rogers First Rewards™ loyalty program earn points with Rogers Next, which can be redeemed for Rogers products and services including more wireless data, even larger discounts against device upgrades, and more.

Once you've decided you're getting a new iPad Air and picked your capacity and color, now you have the option of picking a carrier if you want wireless data. The vast majority of users just stick to Wi-Fi networks for their fix, but you can also get data over cell towers. If you're in Canada, that means going with one of the big three carriers: Rogers, Bell, or TELUS, or one of their lower-price subsidiaries. All of the big three have confirmed that they'll be offering the latest and greatest iPads and Apple announced the iPad Air with cellular connectivity would start at $649. So which carrier should you go with? We've chewed through the plans and coverage, and here's what we've found!

The big three: Rogers, Bell, and TELUS

Across the board, the 16 GB iPad Air with cellular costs $649, the 32 GB model is $749, the 64 GB iPad Air is $849, and the gigantic 128 GB iPad Air with cellular is $949.

Plans differ a bit depending on if you're getting a stand-alone plan or if you're attaching it to an existing account. Unlike smartphone plans, iPad data plans don't have to be on contract, though you can sign up for two-year plans to save a little bit. Exact pricing details on that front aren't yet solidified.

Bell and TELUS share the same towers for their GSM/LTE network but have different back-hauls (different connections to the internet from the towers). That means the Bell/TELUS tower near your home, school, or work could still provide better speeds on one or the other networks. For a comprehensive look at speed and network quality, be sure to check out PC Mag's in-depth study.

The budget carriers: Fido and Virgin Mobile

Each of the big three carriers owns a subsidiary that typically offers lower-cost options by way of a tab system. Rogers owns Fido. Bell owns Virgin Mobile. TELUS owns Koodo. When it comes to the iPad Air, these don't offer much beyond what you'll get on the primary carriers, since they're all on the same network, and you aren't getting a contract with device subsidy anyway. Koodo doesn't even have a tablet plan - they suggest you just use your existing smartphone line as a portable hotspot if you want your iPad to have connectivity - but Fido and Virgin will be supporting the iPad Air.

Who should get their iPad on Rogers?

Rogers is the big boy on the block. Since the spring, Rogers has spread to Manitoba, offering LTE coverage to Winnipeg and other nearby areas. Of course all of the major centers are covered with LTE, including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Regina, Edmonton, and lots of others.

This is going to get repetitive, but if you're in those areas and speed matters more to you then money, go with Rogers. All of their tablet plans are "Flex Rate," which means simply that they'll bump you up to the next tier after you've gone through the cap of your original one. For some reason, you get half as much data on their $20 plan compared to the other guys, but that may get amended prior to launch. If you already have a Rogers line, you can share you data bucket with your iPad for an extra $10/month on select Share Everything plans. You can also use mobile hotspot on your phone so long as your plan is over 1 GB.

Rogers iPad Air plans

• $5 - 10 MB of data
• $10 - 100 MB of data
• $20 - 500 MB of data
• $40 - 5 GB of data ($10/1 GB overage)

• Order the iPad and iPad on Rogers

Who should get their iPad on Bell?

For coverage, you'll see that there are a few areas where Bell reaches that others don't, namely up north. Bell regularly boasts to having Canada's largest LTE network, but take that claim with a grain of salt. When it comes to speed, Bell has the same kind of 150 Mbps LTE as Rogers in the Greater Toronto Area, Cambridge, and Kitchener-Waterloo.

Bell has Flex Plans like Rogers, and provides a lot more data at the $20 tier. Bell also has the best overage rates beyond the 5 GB limit at a cent and a half per MB. As an alternative to the Flex rates, Bell also has fixed 30-day passes, but the only real appeal there is for their 5 GB package, which is $5 less than the Flex plan. Apparently this is still active, and may be worth your while. If you're a lighter user, you can also use mobile hotspot on any smartphone plan. If you already have a Bell line, you can share your data bucket to your new iPad for $10/month. If you end up getting a new data plan with Bell for your iPad Air, you'll get access to some popular public Wi-Fi hotspots, including McDonald's Tim Hortons, and Chapters. They'll also toss in 10 hours of tablet TV per month for the first two months, which doesn't count towards your data cap. After that two months, Tablet TV costs $5/month. All in all, Bell is looking like a very attractive offer, assuming they provide coverage in your area.

Bell iPad Air plans

• $5 - 10 MB of data
• $20 - 1 GB of data
• $40 - 5 GB of data ($0.015 / MB overage)

• Order the iPad and iPad on Bell

Who should get their iPad Air on TELUS?

I've always been a big fan of TELUS, mainly because among The Big Three, I find it's easiest getting plan information from them. Also, the cute branding and nice-looking stores help too. You can see from the coverage map that the Ontario corridor is well covered, as well as the Maritimes. Alberta's also looking pretty good, and it looks like there's even some decent service in the Northwest Territories. I've generally been happy with the speeds I get on TELUS, though I haven't spent too much time on their LTE.

Like Rogers, the TELUS iPad plans are all Flex plans, so they automatically get bumped up when you exceed your cap. Beyond the top tier, it's $0.05 / MB. The $20 plan on TELUS is much better than Rogers, and the overage rate beyond 5 GB is also half (though not as good as Bell). If you want to get your iPad on your existing TELUS smartphone plan, it would costs an extra $10/month, or you can use mobile hotspot on any plan.

TELUS iPad Air plans

• $5 - 10 MB of data
• $10 - 100 MB of data
• $20 - 1 GB of data
• $50 - 5 GB of data ($5 / 1 GB overage)

• Order the iPad Air on TELUS

Who should go with a discount carrier?

Even the discount carriers like Fido and Virgin Mobile offer data plans for tablets, though Koodo doesn't. T-Mobile also getting the iPad Air, so you can expect a version that works on WIND or Mobilicity. Though the rates at WIND and Mobilicity are great for mobile internet, you'll be taking a hit in coverage - make sure they can keep you covered in the important places.

• iPad plans at Fido
• iPad plans at Virgin Mobile
• iPad plans at WIND Mobile
• iPad plans at Mobilicity

Still undecided?

If you're still not sure about which Canadian carrier to get for your iPad Air jump into our iPad discussion forums and the best community in mobile will happily help you out, or hey, maybe Wi-Fi-only is good enough for you. Let know in the comments - which one did you go with and why?

With preorders for the newly announced iPhone 5 off and running, folks in Canada may have noticed their carriers taking their sweet time to roll out new plans to go with it. While many of the carriers already offered 6GB data plans for fairly reasonable prices, they've now gone ahead and sweetened the deal by offering voice, data and other features to encourage you to give them your hard earned cash. That includes Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Virgin Mobile and Koodo. This according to Mobile Syrup, who also say Fido will be unveiling their new offerings come next week.

All carriers have set their pricing pretty much on par with each other. So, it becomes a question of coverage, customer service, and additional add-ons that may win folks over.

Rogers

• $73 6GB Plan (Promo is in-market from September 14th – September 30th)
• 200 minutes
• My10 Canada-wide calling
• Unlimited Messaging
• Unlimited Evenings and Weekends starting at 6PM
• 6 GB of LTE shareable data

Bell

• Fab 10 Promo 73 with 6GB of data for $73/month
• 6GB of data
• 10 hours of Mobile TV
• 200 anytime minutes
• Weekends and evenings starting at 6pm
• Unlimited nationwide Fab 10 calling
• Unlimited text, picture & video messaging

TELUS

• “Promo Voice and Data 75″ for $75/month
• 200 local time minutes
• Unlimited Nationwide Family Calling
• Unlimited local Early Nights and Weekends starting at 6PM
• Unlimited text, picture and video messages
• Unlimited Nationwide talk and text messaging with your 10 Favourite Numbers
• Caller ID, Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Conference Calling
• Unlimited local calling for 1 month
• 6 GB of data

Virgin Mobile

• “Smartphone 75 – 6GB” for $75/month
• 200 Anytime Minutes
• Weekends & Evenings starting at 6PM
• Unlimited Canada, U.S. & International Text & Picture Messaging
• Unlimited Canada-Wide Talk & Text to 10 Buddies
• 6GB of Data
• Effective Monday, September 17th plan will include “Visual Voicemail for iPhone & BlackBerry, Voicemail 10 & Call Display”

Koodo Mobile

• $65/month
• Up to 150 Anytime Minutes
• 6GB data
• Canada-wide Calling
• Call Display and Voicemail
• Unlimited Evenings and Weekend, starting at 5PM
• Unlimited Text & Picture messaging
• Unlimited Canada-wide Family Calling, Call Waiting and Conference Calling

Source: Mobile Syrup

Rogers reported their financial results for the first quarter of 2012 this morning, and cited an increase of 35% in iPhone sales compared to Q1 2011, which is a marked step up from the 20% average growth among all of their smartphones. Of course, the raw number of sales aren't even as exciting as Sprint's financials; Rogers sold a grand total of 642,000 smartphones in the quarter and saw a 7% shrink in net wireless income compared to last year. Here are the highlights.

• First Quarter Revenue of $2,954 Million, Adjusted Operating Profit of $1,091 Million, Adjusted EPS $0.68, and Pre-Tax Free Cash Flow of $485 Million
• Postpaid Wireless Net Subscriber Additions of 47,000 Driven by Second Highest Quarter of Smartphone Activations Ever, Including a 35% Increase in iPhone Activations and a Stabilizing Trend in Postpaid Churn, Wireless Network Margins Remain Strong at 46%
• Cable Total Service Units Down 7,000 in Seasonally Slow and Highly Competitive Quarter, While Margins of 46% Reflect Ongoing Realization of Cost Efficiencies
• Media Revenue Growth of 4% Reflects Seasonally Slow Quarter Combined With Continued Softness in the Ad Market Offset by Strong Subscriber Growth, While Programming Investments and New Initiatives Incrementally Dilute Margins

Rogers said that the ongoing demand for the iPhone 4S is partly because inventory was shy during the Q4 2011 launch. Even though the smaller carriers, like WIND and Mobilicity, don't have an AWS-capable iPhone to sell, Rogers reported a decrease in prepaid subscribers due to "heightened competitive intensity". Rogers enjoyed a 16% increase in data revenue, and even with a decline in voice revenue, the average revenue per smartphone user was about twice that of anyone with voice only.

LTE expansion is continuing, and Rogers intends to blanket 60% of Canadians by the end of the year. Right now 12 million people are in Rogers LTE coverage, which is 35% of our population up here. Right now, that's only an issue for the LTE iPad and can make things tricky when trying to pick which carrier to go with, but seeing as most new iPad usage is on Wi-Fi, it's not a problem everyone will have.

Finally, if you happen to be a shareholder, Rogers announced that they'd be dishing out a dividend of 39.5 cents per share. Woo.

We have yet to hear from Bell or TELUS about their first quarter of the new year; anyone taking bets on how well the other big two are doing for Q1?

Source: Rogers, pic

Provided you've settled on color and storage capacity, In the U.S., you've only got two choices if you're hunting for an LTE-enabled new iPad. In Canada, things are a bit more complicated. During Apple's event yesterday, Rogers, Bell, and TELUS, the big three service providers up here in Canada, featured prominently. Two LTE models would be launched to make sure every able carrier would be able to offer LTE, though there's lots of 3G compatibility for elsewhere, too. The new iPad lands in Canada on March 16, and no doubt many are wondering which carrier they should go with for data service. We've chewed through the plans and coverage, and have a fairly definitive answer.

There are two caveats, mind you. For one, we don't have a lot of data on speed comparisons. You'll want to ask around to see who's offering better speeds in your area. Secondly, we're assuming that The Big Three won't be switching up their iPad plans before launch day, which is entirely possible. The new iPad is big enough that there could be promotions across the board, so make sure to double-check before committing.

LTE availability

In Canada, those LTE centres are still fairly limited, which actually makes your pick of carriers for the new iPad a lot easier. Bell and TELUS share their LTE network, so coverage will be fairly interchangable between them. They've got LTE in Toronto and the surrounding area, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Yellowknife, Quebec City, and smaller regions like Belleville, Cambridge, Waterloo, Guelph, Hamilton, Dartmouth and London. By comparison, Rogers only covers  Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa. Rogers did recently expand to St. John's, Newfoundland, and they're expecting to cover Halifax in the next couple of months, but on the whole, Bell and TELUS have a distinct edge on coverage. It's also worth noting that Bell and TELUS are supporting dual-cell HSPA+, which means you might still be able to get up to 42 Mbps outside of LTE areas. What about pricing?

Pricing plans

This is where things diverage a little bit. Bell's flex plan starts at $5/month for 10 MB, which gets bumped up to $15/month for 250 MB if you go over, which is in turn bumped to $35/month for 5 GB, and then charging $0.15/MB after that. TELUS has a similar structure, but has two additional tiers - $10 for 100 MB, and $20 for 500 MB. That's way better, considering it's a steep change from paying $15 and $35 on any given month. TELUS also has static plans available that aren't on Bell. For $35/month, you can get 2 GB, and for $60/month, you can get 6 GB. Why would you get these instead of Flex plans? I have no idea. TELUS also lets you split your smartphone data bucket with your iPad for free if you're already a customer, which is a pretty sweet deal, considering Bell charges $10/month for the privilege.

Rogers offers similar fixed and flex plans. For $15/month, you get 250 MB, and for $35/month, you get 5 GB, which is way better than TELUS's stand-alone static tablet plans. The Flex plans for Rogers iPads are a little weird, since they've kindly bundled in all of the taxes in with the fees; I guess they're worried about getting dinged by the CRTC for misleading prices like Bell did in June. For $6.93/month, you get 10 MB, which is bumped up to $16.93/month for up to 250 MB if you go over, $21.93/month for 500 MB after that, and $36.93 for 5 GB and $0.02/MB after that. So the flex pricing on Rogers is pretty much identical to TELUS, except for the different $10 tier has been bumped up to $25 for a bit more data. Rogers also offers shareable data add-ons for smartphones that are separate from their usual offerings (though no more expensive);  you get 1 GB across both devices for $30/month, 3 GB for $45/month, and $60/month for 6 GB. The sneaky part here is that it looks like you wouldn't be able to access LTE if you opt for the bottom-tier plan, which is downright dirty. Bell and TELUS don't mention anything about this, so I can only hope that they aren't doing anything similar.

With all of that said, I would have to side with TELUS if I was buying one of the new iPads with LTE. They've got the broadest national coverage, the best spread in flex rates, and free sharing of data with smartphones. Obviously, if you're in St. John's, you'll pretty much be forced to go with Rogers, but for everyone else in Canada, it should be a pretty clear decision.

The rumors surrounding an Apple's iTV television don't seem to be slowing down, and now a report has come out suggesting that two of Canada's top telecommunications companies, Rogers and Bell, are in talks to provide content for the still-unannounced, unreleased device.

According to The Globe and Mail all three companies declined to comment on the matter, as expected. However, a second source claimed that both Rogers and Bell have the Apple television in their labs for testing.

The Globe and Mail also reported on iPhone and iPad based controls, Siri integration, and even Xbox Kinect-style remote gesture keyboards, though the sourcing of that information read more like analyst musings/wishful thinking than solid leaks.

Our living rooms are still a major battleground, with everyone from Apple to Google to Microsoft to Sony vying for the "third screen", a connected television, to add to the desktop/laptop and phone/tablet experience. However, no one has yet taken a decisive lead.

Steve Jobs famously said in his biography that he "cracked the television interface", and doing for television what the iPhone did for phones and the iPad for tablets would no doubt be welcome by many consumers who can't find the shows they want, when they want, on who-knows which box and with what remote any more. However, providing content for an Apple television, especially network programming, sports, and live events, is a huge challenge in a industry run by a multitude of regional cable monopolies.

The iPad has overcome some of this via apps that function like channels -- different television networks like ABC, studios like Sony, and sports leagues like MLB all have dedicated apps, some free, some requiring subscription, some requiring proof of existing cable service.

Apple's current Apple TV set top box, instead of apps, has built-in partner channels including MLB, but no App Store and no way for users to pick and choose which ones they want.

If Apple is, in fact, working on content deals with the likes of Rogers, it sounds like that same partner channel approach might be where we're headed for the Apple television. That's great for content, but not for selection.

Source - The Globe and Mail

Once again Canada's Rogers looks to be the source of a leak surrounding an upcoming 8GB iPhone 3GS, which -- if true -- would bring Apple's latest hardware down to the budget smartphone price point of $99.

MacRumors caught the story, though their take is that the price point is uncertain, and whether or not Apple will release the low-storage iPhone 3GS option in all geographies (i.e. in the US) is unknown.

True leak or cascading data error? We'll find out soon enough.