TORONTO-Rogers announced it launched Canada’s first HSDPA network in the greater Toronto area and laid out plans to expand the network to the country’s top 20 markets throughout next year.
Along with voice services, the HSDPA network offers subscribers the ability to download data and access the Internet at broadband speeds.
Rogers is offering laptop data access cards from Sierra Wireless for $50 with a three-year contract or $350 with a one- or two-year contract. For the time being, Rogers is offering unlimited e-mail and browsing for three months on data plans of $60 or more per month.
“For mobile workers, HSDPA is the great equalizer,” said John Boynton, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Rogers Wireless. “Whether you’re in the office or on the road will no longer dictate how fast you can access your data. From now on, wireless subscribers can enjoy high-speed mobile Internet and multimedia downloads at speeds previously possible only on a wired connection.”
Rogers competes against carriers Telus Mobility and Bell Canada, both of which have launched CDMA2000 1x EV-DO networks in several markets across Canada. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. in the United States is in the process of rolling out its own HSDPA network.
