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TELUS’ LTE network going live February 10th, plans to reach over 25 million Canadians by the end of 2012

By on February 9, 2012 at 7:26am in Mobile News, Telus Mobility News


Rogers launched their LTE (Long Term Evolution) network first, Bell was second and TELUS is now 3rd. Honestly though, does it really matter who claims top spot? From a consumer perspective wouldn’t you prefer the coverage, device selection and rate plans to be decent? That’s the angle TELUS took. 7-months after their competitors put the LTE stake in Canadian soil, TELUS has announced their LTE service will go live on February 10th.

The initial coverage will include Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, Kitchener, Waterloo, Hamilton, Guelph, Belleville, Ottawa, Montreal, Québec City, Halifax and Yellowknife. In addition, TELUS will expand the coverage into other unknown areas this year and reach a total of 25 million Canadians. When you’re out of a TELUS 4G LTE coverage area you’ll fall back to 4G speeds. TELUS stated in their press release that the manufacturers’ rated peak download speeds could potentially reach up to 75 megabits per second (Mbps), but we should expected an average of 12 to 25 Mbps.

As noted earlier, the device lineup will include the LG Optimus LTE, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and the Ovation MC679 4G LTE Mobile Internet Key. All devices will be available tomorrow, but the Note will be available on the 14th. No word yet on price points.

Eros Spadotto, TELUS EVP of Technology Strategy and Operations, said “Our commitment is to offer the best customer experience and we have followed through by launching a 4G LTE network with broad coverage in many communities across Canada. We also offer a solid and growing selection of LTE capable devices to ensure our customers can enjoy all the benefits of this advanced wireless technology. We’re listening to our customers and working hard to give them clear and simple service terms with no surprises. Consistent with this approach, our current rate plans will apply to our 4G LTE customers. We are not introducing a new rate plan or charging a premium to enjoy our new network.”

Congrats TELUS! They’ll be more info available tomorrow at TELUS.com/4GLTE
Source: TELUS

Related posts:

  1. TELUS “4G” network now live in Manitoba
  2. Rogers aims to bring LTE to 20 million Canadians “by the end of 2012″
  3. TELUS goes live with their HSPA network!
  4. Update: Vidéotron officially announces 4G network expansion plans (download speeds to reach 42 mbps)

Discussion

28 comments for “TELUS’ LTE network going live February 10th, plans to reach over 25 million Canadians by the end of 2012”

  1. wow that is a launch.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 34 Thumb down 1

    Posted by bob | February 9, 2012, 7:55 am
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  2. I think this is a smarter approach to what Rogers did, Telus is able to cover more cities off the gate.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Abe | February 9, 2012, 7:55 am
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  3. Telus only covered the west. In the east (and Yellowknife), they are using what Bell already set up. Bell will also add Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton to their service as early as tomorrow.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 11

    Posted by ThurnisHaley | February 9, 2012, 8:01 am
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    • Are you sure about this?
      Of course this looks like Bell coverage.
      But there is also Quebec city. Who is covering it Bell or Telus?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 1

      Posted by bob | February 9, 2012, 8:09 am

  4. i’ll fall BACK to 4G speeds if i’m not in a 4G coverage area? :|

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 9

    Posted by m82a1 | February 9, 2012, 8:04 am
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    • you will fall back to “3.9G”when out of 4GLTE coverage (since neither LTE or DCHSPA are “true” 4G

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 10

      Posted by chall2k5 | February 9, 2012, 9:05 am

    • tristan and jason, check the map, there is LTE in St. John NL

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

      Posted by Blaise Petric | February 9, 2012, 10:47 pm

    • ^sorry wrong spot

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

      Posted by Blaise Petric | February 9, 2012, 10:49 pm

  5. Aren’t they still having problems with the LTE network as it is? A thin layer of spotty LTE coverage needs to be solid where it’s advertised…. before expansion.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6

    Posted by shaggyskunk | February 9, 2012, 8:13 am
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  6. Vancouver is also in the list.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1

    Posted by bob | February 9, 2012, 8:17 am
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  7. Hoping Shaw launches their province-wide WiFi network in BC/Alberta soon so we put a true test of mobile data vs WiFi

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 8

    Posted by Rich | February 9, 2012, 8:44 am
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    • There will be no provide-wide Wifi. At best there will be a lot of hotspot down town major cities.
      But don’t expect to be able to catch a wifi network from your apartment.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1

      Posted by bob | February 9, 2012, 9:09 am

  8. i REALLY DON’T want Bell and Telus to partner for their LTE network! This just means collusion of higher prices! If Telus has its own infrastructure and DOESN’T share it with greedy Bell, they can offer better value!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 13

    Posted by Alex Perrier | February 9, 2012, 9:14 am
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  9. Alex, if every carrier had to build their own network, the costs would skyrocket. The population of Canada could not support seperate infrastructure development.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 2

    Posted by shaggyskunk | February 9, 2012, 9:20 am
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    • What about WIND, Mobilicity, Vidéotron and Public Mobile? The first three use the same network technology, while Public uses CDMA, but they are four different networks in urban zones. Exceptions are WIND expanding in smaller Ontario communities and Abbotsford, plus Vidéotron doing likewise in Québec.

      The point is, prices have gone down by having more networks. If the little guys can afford separate networks, so can TELUS, the big guy. There would also be less congestion by NOT sharing networks with ~ 15 million Canadians.

      It’s their business, which is out of my hands, but i know how slow BellUs is during Canada Day or concerts. Calls fail, texts are slow, and the Internet makes you yearn for dial-up! This would be less of a problem with separate networks.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 7

      Posted by Alex Perrier | February 9, 2012, 9:35 am

  10. The little guys may be able to afford networks but that is because they only cover areas where the population is extremely dense. A nationwide roll out to the scale of our current 3G network would be impossible all at once

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Tom | February 9, 2012, 9:48 am
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  11. Good move telus, you guys will be the first to reach
    My city, Quebec City.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 0

    Posted by DoctorCell | February 9, 2012, 9:57 am
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  12. I am VERY glad I waited to upgrade from my Nexus S now. I was on the verge when the Galaxy Nexus was announced but the specs were just not future proof enough and no LTE capability was a deal breaker. Hopefully the next Nexus phone is an advancement like the Nexus One was and not just a run of the mill phone like my S (even though I do enjoy it) and the GN…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1

    Posted by monsterduc1000 | February 9, 2012, 10:03 am
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  13. Unlink Rogers the fallback is to HSPA dual cell first and then HSPA+ so theoretical 42 Mbps and 21 Mbps. The only part of the network that is shared with Bell is the RAN (Radio Access Network).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Pipesnake | February 9, 2012, 10:26 am
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  14. Thats too bad, I switched to Rogers yesterday because they had unlimited.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 8

    Posted by mohamed | February 9, 2012, 11:34 am
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  15. St. John’s, Newfoundland please!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Jason | February 9, 2012, 11:42 am
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  16. A town of 15000 gets LTE (Yellowknive), but metro St. Johns (200000+) doesn’t!? Bring LTE to St johns please!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0

    Posted by tristan | February 9, 2012, 1:24 pm
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  17. Will the reception/range/power of signal will be better than on the current HSPA?

    Because in my new house (with metalic vapor barrier in the insulation) the signal is so weak that I can use my phone only in specific area(near windows in the direction of the cell tower).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Mathieu | February 9, 2012, 2:27 pm
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  18. I love how Telus does a rollout, no bells and whistles, no flashy ads or rate plans, just quietly blows everyone away. “LTE? No biggie”

    Rogers: “Well……..$hit.”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0

    Posted by Blocknards | February 9, 2012, 7:07 pm
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  19. I wonder how many years it’s gonna take for the LTE network to come to Manitoba, took 2 years for the HSPA to come to Winnipeg so I guess 2014 then…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0

    Posted by emixam | February 9, 2012, 10:24 pm
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  20. See that whopping huge area with no coverage in Ontario between Sault St. Marie and Winnipeg, Manitoba – that is why NO wireless company should be claiming coast-to-coast 4G coverage. Actually they shouldn’t even be claiming coast to coast cell phone service when half the Trans-Canada highway between these 2 areas has no cell service! Don’t believe for a minute that although I live near the highway I will ever get 4G service of any kind- never mind LTE. (Thunder Bay Tel for the s**t it offers should be giving away their service- with only HSPA on Rogers system or CDMA- underwhelming that is).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Steve M | February 9, 2012, 10:28 pm
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    • The whopping huge area with no coverage is called spectrum. Your government better give 700 MHz to companies that have the resources to deploy it or you won’t see any LTE coverage there. It will cost huge dollars to deploy LTE at higher frequencies. Higher frequencies mean more towers means higher cost means less coverage.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0

      Posted by Pipesnake | February 10, 2012, 8:15 pm

  21. Hopefully Belus comes to virgin soon.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2

    Posted by Richard | February 9, 2012, 10:46 pm
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