Top Canadian Mobile Headlines of 2013

2013 was another banner year for wireless in Canada.

Much of the excitement revolved around Waterloo-based BlackBerry and its continuing transition. At one time the company decided to put themselves up for sale, only later to announce that they’ll be “going back to its roots” and tackling the enterprise market. In 2013, BlackBerry released its new “mobile operating system” called BlackBerry 10, plus a number of well build smartphone such as the Z10, Q10 and Z30.

As for its competitors, a report by comScore showed BlackBerry’s Canadian OS market share dipping in 2013 to under 20%. Google’s Android OS gained the most market share with over 43%, mainly fuelled by stellar device releases like the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, LG G2, Sony Xperia Z, Nexus 5 and the Nexus 7.

Apple was rumoured to join the wearable tech space by releasing the ‘iWatch,’ but the analysts who predicted this have now pushed its availability to sometime in 2014. iOS, now at version 7, was completely revamped. This brought a “flat” experience to users and was scoffed at first, but the adoption rate continues to increase. As for the iPhone, Apple stunned the world by coming out with the entry-level iPhone 5c to take on cheaper Android devices. The reception and sales of the 5c have been slow as Canadians opted to stick with an older iPhone, or purchase the higher-end iPhone 5s with its improved processor, camera and fingerprint sensor.

Windows Phone 8 also saw some dramatic improvements in both design and adoption, mainly in the form of more tiles on the home screen. Unfortunately, manufacturers were not so eager to produce handsets. Nokia is still king of Windows Phone and released the flagship Lumia 1020.

From a carrier perspective, Rogers is still leading the way with over 9.5 million wireless subscribers. Taking over as the second spot from Bell, which is a big deal, is TELUS with approximately 8 million subs. The “future is friendly” carrier launched several initiatives that put its customers first. While they failed at acquiring struggling carrier Mobilicity, TELUS was successful at buying Public Mobile’s spectrum and subscriber base. By the end of the year Mobilicity decided to hold an auction for its assets and rumours are that WIND Mobile has submitted a bid for over $190 million.

Remember the carriers “Fair for Canada” and the Governments “More Choices” campaigns? These initiatives were created to inform the uniformed Canadians about wireless competition in Canada, specifically the impacts of allowing a “big US carrier” enter the Canadian wireless market. Verizon was the target. Rogers, Bell and TELUS all reacted with the Industry Minister responding by saying their “work is not done” and they plan on bringing “More choice. Lower prices. Better service” to Canadians.

2-year contracts. This was a major milestone that came to fruition in 2013. Customers demanded a shift away from the long 3-year terms, but with this new way of life the carriers decided to increase monthly rate plans. The government also reduced roaming rates, introduced the Wireless Code of Conduct, plus solidified a list of players to bid on the “beachfront” 700 MHz spectrum auction coming up in January.

Other notable happenings in 2013 brought Rogers to secure a massive $5.2 billion deal with the NHL for broadcasting rights, plus mobile banking and payments played a minor role in Canada.

Based on reader comments and interest, below are month-by-month breakdown of the the top Canadian mobile stories for 2013:

January 2013:

– LG on Google’s Nexus lineup: “The first in our growing partnership” [Read here]
– Rogers signs agreement with Shaw to purchase their unused AWS spectrum [Read here]
– The Android mascot that (thankfully) wasn’t [Read here]
– Alberta government looking to introduce “penalties for prank 911 calls” [Read here]
– Canadians with hearing or speech impairments can now text 911 [Read here]
– Tony Lacavera to step down as WIND Mobile CEO [Read here]

February 2013

– RIM officially rebrands to “BlackBerry” [Read here]
– Google named as Canada’s Most Influential Brand [Read here]
– Best Buy and Future Shop closing 15 locations, slashing 800 jobs [Read here]
– Idea: BlackBerry World Gift Cards [Read here]
– Bell Let’s Talk Day raises over $4.8 million [Read here]
– Jim Balsillie, former RIM CEO, has dumped all of his BlackBerry shares [Read here]
– Eastlink launches wireless service [Read here]
– Heins on the BlackBerry Z10 launch: “yesterday was the best day ever” [Read here]
– Rogers President and CEO will retire January 2014 [Read here]

March 2013

– “Canada’s cell phone market is dysfunctional” [Read here]
– The New Cheap: A Buyer’s Guide To Used and Discounted Smartphones [Read here]
– Video: BlackBerry Dev band gives it One. Last. Time. [Read here]
– Rogers and CIBC have invested up to $60 million to launch “suretap” [Read here]
– Canada’s first Mobile Interac Flash debit transaction occurred this week [Read here]
– Finally, an AWS-compatible iPhone [Read here]
– BlackBerry has shipped 1 million BlackBerry Z10s [Read here]

April 2013

– Catalyst Capital Group wants to merge WIND Mobile and Mobilicity [Read here]
– Wind Mobile, Mobilicity & Public Mobile Withdraw From CWTA [Read here]
– TELUS reportedly in talks to acquire Mobilicity [Read here]
– HTC One now available in Canada [Read here]
– Credit unions release the “Deposit Anywhere” app [Read here]
– Mobilicity takes steps towards eventual sale with restructuring approval [Read here]
– Rogers planning deeper relationship with banks [Read here]

May 2013

– BlackBerry Q10 is now available in Canada! [Read here]
– Nova Scotia’s new cellphone policies go into place [Read here]
– Mobilicity reportedly can’t find a buyer [Read here]
– Bell and RBC strike deal to launch a mobile payment service [Read here]
– MTS celebrates 25 years of wireless service in Manitoba [Read here]
– TELUS to acquire Mobilicity and its 250,000 subs for $380 million [Read here]
– J.D. Power says Koodo & SaskTel have the highest Customer Satisfaction [Read here]
– BBM for Android and iOS launching this Summer, will be free [Read here]
– Apple: Over 50 billion apps have been downloaded [Read here]

June 2013

– Ontario Superior Court of Justice approves TELUS’ acquisition of Mobilicity [Read here]
– I think I’m done hacking my smartphones [Read here]
– Rogers & Videotron sign LTE agreement to expand coverage in Québec and Ottawa [Read here]
– Public Mobile has a new owner [Read here]
– CRTC announces Wireless Code [Read here]
– Industry Canada denies TELUS’ acquisition of Mobilicity [Read here]
– Don’t scoff at Google Glass, it may one day replace your smartphone [Read here]
– Mobilicity says TELUS has officially terminated acquisition plans [Read here]
– BlackBerry changes its tune, won’t update PlayBook to BB10 [Read here]
– Verizon reportedly drops down $700 million for Wind Mobile [Read here]
– Orascom withdraws application for complete control of WIND [Read here]
– Are we ready for data-only smartphone plans? [Read here]
– Apple announces iOS 7 with overhauled interface, AirDrop support and more [Read here]

July 2013

– Moto X will come to Canada as a Rogers exclusive, available in August [Read here]
– Wireless pricing report shows downward trend, but data is still expensive [Read here]
– Wireless providers to challenge aspects of the CRTC’s Wireless Code [Read here]
– RIM now officially BlackBerry Ltd. as shareholder vote passes [Read here]

August 2013

– Fair For Canada campaign [Read here]
– Rogers piloting mobile bill payment portal with select customers in Ontario [Read here]
– New Nexus 7 now available in Canada [Read here]
– BlackBerry reportedly in talks to go private [Read here]
– Prime Minister Stephen Harper wants wireless competition in Canada [Read here]
– Government launches “Consumers First” page to fight back against incumbents [Read here]
– BlackBerry starts “Exploration of Strategic Alternatives” [Read here]
– Ontario Court sides with Rogers, says Chatr ads were accurate [Read here]

September 2013

– Comparing the incumbents’ new 2-year plans, Part 2 [Read here]
– BlackBerry considers making BBM a separate company [Read here]
– WIND Mobile head blasts incumbents and CWTA [Read here]
– CRTC looking into Canadian carriers roaming rates and agreements [Read here]
– The Note 3 is the most interesting smartphone released this year. Here’s why [Read here]
– BlackBerry is aiming for a November sale [Read here]
– The next version of Android is called KitKat [Read here]
– Rogers picks former Vodafone exec Guy Laurence as President and CEO [Read here]
– Bell: “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Bring the competition on.” [Read here]
– Canadians pay more for wireless because they demand more: report [Read here]
– BlackBerry ceases worldwide BBM rollout [Read here]
– Bell has 1 Million Mobile TV subscribers [Read here]
– Rogers bringing the ‘connected car’ to Canadians [Read here]
– Canada has 27.9 million wireless subscribers [Read here]
– Here’s the list of bidders for the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction [Read here]
– BlackBerry announces a $4.7b bid from Fairfax Financial [Read here]

October 2013

– Google Play Gift Cards now available in Canada [Read here]
– ‘Rogers Alerts’ brings coupons to your smartphone [Read here]
– New entrants forecasted to have 7% of wireless subs by year-end [Read here]
– CWTA and its partners launch GSM blacklist for stolen cellphones [Read here]
– It’s now illegal to even hold a cellphone while driving in Ontario [Read here]
– Rogers outage was caused by ‘an unprecedented surge in our signaling traffic’ [Read here]
– Government commits to reduce roaming costs within Canada [Read here]
– TELUS aims to shut down its CDMA network in 2015 [Read here]
– Here’s some Nexus 5 press images with TELUS branding [Read here]
– TELUS to acquire 100% of Public Mobile [Read here]
– Ontario Government looking to enforce stiffer distracted driving laws [Read here]
– Mobilicity’s President to depart the company October 31st [Read here]
– Bell to start tracking users’ internet, phone, and TV habits [Read here]
– BBM now available for iPhone and Android [Read here]
– Industry Canada reportedly scraps TELUS’ 2nd attempt to acquire Mobilicity [Read here]

November 2013

– Nexus 5 now available at several Canadian carriers [Read here]
– Here’s the final list of 12 qualified bidders for the 700 MHz auction [Read here]
– CCTS says wireless billing errors top the list of consumer complaints [Read here]
– BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins to depart [Read here]
– Mobilicity puts plan C in motion, prepares to auction itself off [Read here]
– Rogers First Rewards loyalty program rolled out nationally [Read here]
– TELUS Upgrade Promise (T-UP!) now live [Read here]

December 2013

– BBM Channels now live [Read here]
– BlackBerry removes CMO and COO while replacing CFO [Read here]
– The anguish of updates [Read here]
– Rogers signs 12-year, $5.2 billion deal with the NHL for broadcasting rights [Read here]
– Competition Bureau approves TELUS’ proposed acquisition of Public Mobile [Read here]
– Custom ROMantic: Paranoid Android 4.0 (AOSP Android 4.4) for LG G2 [Read here]
– Canadians love for text messaging is declining [Read here]
– CRTC’s Wireless Code of Conduct [Read here]
– Rogers suretap Wallet now launching ‘in the New Year’ [Read here]
– BlackBerry CEO sends letter to employees: ‘We will succeed’ [Read here]
– Life by a thousand cuts: how BlackBerry plans to be profitable by 2016 [Read here]
– WOW! Mobile Boutique is now open for business [Read here]
– The Canadian app market grew 77% in 2013 [Read here]

The Year in Reviews:

– Kobo Arc tablet review (video) [Read here]
– BlackBerry Z10 Hardware Review (video) [Read here]
– BlackBerry 10 Software Review (video) [Read here]
– Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Review [Read here]
– Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 lineup [Read here]
– HTC One Review (Video) [Read here]
– BlackBerry Q10 Review (Video) [Read here]
– LG G2 Review [Read here]
– Samsung Galaxy S4 Review (Video) [Read here]
– BlackBerry Q5 Review [Read here]
– Nexus 7 (2013) Review [Read here]
– Moto X Review [Read here]
– Galaxy Mega 6.3 Review [Read here]
– iOS 7 Review [Read here]
– BlackBerry Z30 Hands-on: Fuel or Fire? [Read here]
– iPhone 5c Review [Read here]
– iPhone 5s Review [Read here]
– A few thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Gear [Read here]
– Sony Xperia Z1 Review [Read here]
– Sony Xperia Z Ultra Review [Read here]
– Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) Review [Read here]
– BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9982 Hands-on [Read here]