When will Fido bring the $40 unlimited to Montreal?

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Rob - 02 Dec 2003 14:37 GMT

They have had this in Vancouver for a while now to compete with Telus.
I think they should bring it here....

It's a $40 dollar package and is unlimited local calling, very nice I
think....

That should kill any competition
--

Rob

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Lee - 03 Dec 2003 20:31 GMT

> They have had this in Vancouver for a while now to compete with Telus.
> I think they should bring it here....
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> That should kill any competition

One of the problems with the unlimited $40 plan is that the network
wasn't (isn't) ready for the additional traffic. That is one reason
Fido only rolled it out in one market. There are a LOT of complaints
from Fido users about people not being able to reach them because of
"All trunks are busy" recordings. This indicates that Fido (Microcell)
underestimated the additional traffic on their trunks and failed to
provision extra facilities. This isn't to say they aren't rectifing
the problem as I type but it gives them an idea of how busy things are
going to get before they do this in other markets. Could you imagine
10 times the Fido subs in the West End alone all trying to make calls
and yaking away with no time limit. Without more cell sites in place
there will be a lot of people that won't be able to initiate or
receive calls. I suspect they didn't want to have to "upgrade" either
cell sites or trunk capacity before they knew what sort of an impact
CityFido would have on their network. Vancouver is a learning
experience for them, it's just unfortunate that we users have to
suffer until they get additional capacity in place.
L.

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repatch - 03 Dec 2003 21:03 GMT

> > They have had this in Vancouver for a while now to compete with Telus.
> > I think they should bring it here....
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> suffer until they get additional capacity in place.
> L.

Funny, noone else seems to be complaining? Could the problems be Telus'
instead?

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Nobody - 03 Dec 2003 23:17 GMT

> "All trunks are busy" recordings. This indicates that Fido (Microcell)
> underestimated the additional traffic on their trunks and failed to
> provision extra facilities.

When you hear that message, it actually means that Telus' lines to Fido are
too busy as too many people are trying to reach Fido clients.

> I suspect they didn't want to have to "upgrade" either
> cell sites or trunk capacity before they knew what sort of an impact
> CityFido would have on their network.

Fido spent over 8 million dollars preparing the network for the launch of
CityFido in Vancouver. That seems like a pretty big "upgrade."

CU

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mistaroboto - 04 Dec 2003 00:22 GMT

> > "All trunks are busy" recordings. This indicates that Fido (Microcell)
> > underestimated the additional traffic on their trunks and failed to
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Fido spent over 8 million dollars preparing the network for the launch of
> CityFido in Vancouver. That seems like a pretty big "upgrade."

And.. are continuing to spend. It is coming to other cities.. competition
beware :-p

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AndrewH - 04 Dec 2003 06:43 GMT

I have used my Fido as a primary and mostly sole phone from when Fido
first arrived in Vancouver, I ordered my 6190 before they arrived in
Vancouver. I switched the plan to CityFido last month.

I have seen nothing of these infamous 'all circuits busy', message, no
fast busy's, no problems. Yes, the odd call needs redialing, it has
always been that way, usually when I am using the phone in a big
concrete building or an elevator, not easy places for cell coverage.

I have seen improved coverage, which I assume is additional cell sites,
as I have reported in other messages.

I use my phone extensively, primarily downtown and in Kits, but no
problems in New West, Richmond, North Vancouver.

I would say the network was and is ready for the extra traffic in most
of Vancouver. Maybe there are a few locations with problems, but
generally Microcell's engineering has stayed as solid as ever in my opinion.

Now, compare that to all the complaints about Telus service in the last
few months.

Andrew

>>They have had this in Vancouver for a while now to compete with Telus.
>>I think they should bring it here....
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> suffer until they get additional capacity in place.
> L.

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stu@shelf.dyndns.org - 05 Dec 2003 09:24 GMT

> I have seen nothing of these infamous 'all circuits busy', message, no
> fast busy's, no problems. Yes, the odd call needs redialing, it has
> always been that way, usually when I am using the phone in a big
> concrete building or an elevator, not easy places for cell coverage.

...

> I would say the network was and is ready for the extra traffic in most
> of Vancouver. Maybe there are a few locations with problems, but
> generally Microcell's engineering has stayed as solid as ever in my opinion.

Have to agree - had my service for 6.5 years now - mostly d/t - the odd
redialled call and one, so far, one "all circuits busy" for someone calling
me. Otherwise excellent service.

Signature

Stuart Smith <==---==> <stu@shelf.dyndns.org>
* * * http://shelf.dyndns.org/~stu/ * * * * * * * *

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Lee - 05 Dec 2003 21:06 GMT

> I have used my Fido as a primary and mostly sole phone from when Fido
> first arrived in Vancouver, I ordered my 6190 before they arrived in
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
> > suffer until they get additional capacity in place.
> > L.

I might add that I was on Cityfone for 2 years (up to this last
weekend) and never had anyone complain og getting the "all circuits
are busy" recording. One of the differences now is that I have a "778"
number and the call is routed to New Westminster whereas before the
call went to a switch downtown. As with all phone routing the calls go
to a switch based on the prefix (whith the exception of numbers that
are "ported", that is numbers that do not normally reside on a switch
they are now programmed into). Perhaps Microcel had fewer trunks to
their switch from New West as compared to downtown or the majority of
new numbers they are giving out to new subscribers are all homed to a
switch without enough trunks to the their cell switch. That is the
reason people are getting the recording, Microcel doesn't have enough
trunks from the Telus switch that that particular call routes to.
Maybe they are giving out the majority of City Fido numbers that go to
one switch and they have to get more trunks put in.
L.

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