Fido to bring Wi-Fi cellphone calling to Canada

Canadian cell provider Fido is set to follow in the steps of T-Mobile USA and launch a Wi-Fi calling service that can potentially be less expensive than traditional service, a leak on HowardForums says. Fido UNO will use the same Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology as T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home to immediately switch from GSM cellular to Internet calling when connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot. In Fido's version, any calls made to the customer's home area from Wi-Fi would be free on a base $15 monthly plan; a $20 monthly plan would extend this to include all of Canada.

The service would also reduce long distance rates for $20 plan subscribers making calls to people outside of Canada, and would eliminate roaming fees on this plan for local calls made when on another carrier's network.

Documents revealed as part of the leak would have Fido make a soft, informal launch of the service on April 2nd that starts with the Nokia 6301 as its only cellphone option; the 2-megapixel camera phone will sell for as little as $50 as part of a three-year contract or as much as $300 contract-free. Service will officially begin on May 6th and be accompanied by a second handset, the Motorola Z6w (pictured), towards the end of that month. The slider will sell for $100 and $375 under the same respective terms as for the Nokia phone.

The source does not indicate whether customers will have the option of using Wi-Fi alone for calls, though T-Mobile's service and most others often require at least a basic, traditional calling plan in addition to the fees associated with UMA.

Filed under: industry
Other story tags: Nokia, Motorola, T-Mobile, HotSpot@Home, Fido, UMA