Mystery 3G network appears in Canada -- tomfoolery from Bell and Telus?
By Sean Cooper 
posted Feb 3rd 2009 3:17PM
posted Feb 3rd 2009 3:17PM
Seems Howardforums user Treatz glimpsed a new MCC / MNC (Mobile Country Code / Mobile Network Code) tuple in Toronto Canada early yesterday, say hello to 302-640. Why should you, and why do we care? Well, each network uses an MCC / MNC, to uniquely identify itself and Fido has 307-370, Rogers 302-720, and Telus 302-86. We hunted down a great reference in the CNA (many thanks to Glenn at Canadian Numbering Administrator) and what do you know, 302-806 is Telus / Bell shared but 302-640 is Bell Canada. So the question is, could this be some late night testing of Bell and Telus' upcoming 3G network by some Bell people? We're not in the Toronto area, but would really dig it if anybody who happens to be up late at night could have a peek and see if this pops up for them -- because if people are seeing this all over, that's nothing but a good thing.
[Via Howardforums]
[Via Howardforums]
hmmm, well isn't THAT interesting.
Almost got it right, it's
"Well, isn't that SPECIAL!!!'.
YES!
Bring on the new networks and competition!
I would love it if they were testing the new network as I am a Telus client and waiting patiently for the new network to go live.
4pm - Yonge & Eglinton I found the signal too...N95, showed up as CAN 640...searched on google for some screencap software and by the time I dl and installed it - 10-15 mins - I searched again and nothing! Waited a couple mins and then bam! Showed up again, with one EXTRA (CAN 221)...
check the howardforums link for picture...post #18
In my experience with scanning for networks that aren't yet "Live", they tend to disappear, then reappear, over and over.
@zephxii:
True. Right now, CAN640 pops up in some scans, and disappears in others. I've also gotten a CAN221 (or something around that) but it's not present anymore.
Just Rogers, and CAN640. It's funny, the Rogers signal doesn't show the 3G symbol (even though once I connect, it says "3G") while the CAN640 says "3G".
Can confirm I just got CAN221 instead of CAN640. Yep, they're pretty much testing their 3G I'm guessing. Good news. Rogers can make some reasonable data plans now, hopefully.
Smellus and Bell are rolling out 3G network nation wide. The blackberry Storm is 3G and are available on both networks.
Hopefully this will finally bring some competition into the data plans.
Everytime I've scanned for networks the past days (I just tried right now, same result), I've gotten:
-ROGERS
-CAN640
I'm guessing CAN640 would be Bell? I rescanned and yeah, it popped up again. I didn't see this network pop up 1 or so week ago.
Hey Folks,
Im in the GTA (greater toronto area), I just ran a quick network test to confirm this. My iphone also detects the new 302-640 network. Competition is welcome in the great white north. yaaaahoooooo!
Psst, Internal Memo at bell revealed today that they hope to have a fully functioning GSM 3G network in place by late summer 2009 in MAJOR CENTERS only. This most likely means Toronto, QC, Vancouver and a small chance of Calgary.
Tap Tap Revenge on iPhone anyone?
there are 6 new cell towers going up on top of the hotel I work at. I didn't get the name but our engineers at the hotel say 6-7 months we'll have 8-10 cell companies completing with each other. finally the prices will come down.
I also picked this signal up late one night out in brampton. my phone happened to show no service and i was poking in the carrier menu. this was sometime last week, but didnt know what to make of it.
I just wanted to be another one to add my hope that this will mean more reasonable data rates in Canada, but realistically, Telus and Bell are just going to gouge the same way that Rogers does. The first one to offer me a reasonable amount of data at around $30-40/month will be the ones that get my money. In the meantime, I'm just going to stick with my N800 and free wifi at the various coffee shops and pubs in my area.
ok so i live 40 minutes or so outside of the big city. i am on bell and want a new handset. i am wondering if i could get the signal from toronto or not. im in newmarket if anyone knows where that is
I hope all the message board goofs that complain finally leave and go to the new Canadian carrier so as to alleviate the complete and total drain they have been on the Rogers network.
New carriers won't mean more competition. It will be just like a gas station. More evidence of price fixing. Utilities don't compete, they just charge what the market can bear. A 4th carrier who won't have a national presence for years will not make things better. But see all you message board goofs later and can't wait till you come crawling back so i can say "i told you so"
its not a new carrier. its a new network from bell
it could possibley be Telus or Bell or even T-Mobile Canada...... yes T-Mobile is comming to Canada. it should be launched later this year on eary 2010.