wifitalk.ca

Skype has added a few Canadian area code numbers for its Skype-To-Go service. The area codes for now are 438, 514, 647, and 778 (so basically Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver).

Skype-To-Go is a service whereby you can call a local number through your regular phone, which will allow you to use your cheap Skype long distance credit (if you have any) to make long-distance calls. You will still be charged for regular minutes usage through your provider, but at least they will be local minutes instead of long-distance.

With Skype offering an unlimited Canada and the US calling plan for $2.95 a month, this basically allows you to get free unlimited long distance for that amount. Not bad.

To enable the Skype-To-Go feature, simply log in to Skype, click on “Account” and then “Skype-To-Go”.

One can only wonder what this means for Canadian Skype-In numbers…

Earlier, I wrote a reaction piece to Apple’s announcement of the iPad. My reaction seemed to parallel many of the opinions out there: It does a few new things in kind of cool ways, but it’s not the revolutionary gizmo Steve Jobs made it out to be.

With this article I’d like to add more of a Canadian reaction to the iPad from the point of view of the mobile communications industry.

Yes, the iPad 3G is coming to Canada, reportedly in June. Expect a slight USD -> CAD markup on the device and more expensive data rates. Also, the iPad won’t be coming to all Canadian carriers.

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Today, Apple officially announced it’s new device – the iPad. The hands-on reviews have yet to come in, but will undoubtedly be on any number of sites soon.

What does the iPad mean to Canadian consumers, what is it good for, and what are the communication implications? This article will be divided into two parts: First, a commentary on the iPad itself – my own personal reaction. Second, I will analyze its position in the Canadian wireless industry. (Updated: Wireless commentary here)

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Earlier today, Wind Mobile acknowledged via a twitter update and corresponding blog post response that they were aware of customer complaints that the “unlimited data” option for Wind phones was unlimited in the amount of data transferred, but not in the type of data transferred. Certain data ports were blocked, drastically limiting the applications which could be run via tethering through a Wind network phone.

Well, it took less than a day for Wind to fix this issue.

As noted in the comments of the How-to: Google Voice in Canada post, and further explored in the Google Voice Charging For Calls To Canada post, calls to Canada through google voice seem to now cost $0.02 per minute instead of being free.

Astute reader @ianmurchison noticed something interesting:

It has been known for a while now that google has acquired Gizmo5, a VOIP company which has the ability to place and terminate calls to standard phone numbers. The acquisition gave google the piece it needed to start offering full VOIP service. With the switch to a $0.02 per minute charge for google voice calls to Canada – the same that Gizmo5 charged – we could be looking at the incorporation of Gizmo5’s VOIP abilities into google voice.

It shouldn’t be long now until google starts offering full VOIP service.

UPDATE: Issue fixed.

For the past few days, a number of angry Wind Mobile customers have been complaining on the Wind website about how the unlimited data plan is restricted via port blocking. In a display of customer feedback response uncharacteristic of the Canadian wireless industry, Wind Mobile has responded in a timely fashion with a post on their blog and a tweet.

For some time now, google voice has allowed free calls to Canada in addition to free calling within the US. It seems however that this is not working correctly, at least for calls originating in Canada.
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Sean Kovacs, the developer of the previously-on-the-app-store GV Mobile, has been hard at work lately on a new project.

After developing GV Mobile, an app for the iPhone which allows near seamless integration and access to google voice, Sean became one of the growing number of developers to become intimately familiar with Apple’s less than developer-friendly approval process for apps. Despite being approved for the app store, and appearing there for some time, Apple pulled the app and suspended sales. Why exactly is still a matter of discussion, but one thing appears certain – GV Mobile won’t re-appear on the app store.

More details after the break.
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@windmobile twitter account:

via @WIND_Chris Lots of interest in #NexusOne: Works on AWS, we’re chatting with them, confirming config works with WIND, more to come…

A few days ago I wrote how the Google Nexus One may be coming to Wind Mobile and now it seems we have some confirmation from Wind themselves that they are in talks to bring the Nexus One to their network and are in the process of determining if the phone will work for them. Stay tuned for updates.

Nexus One tech specs:

Cellular & Wireless

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