Virgin Mobile Canada to get LTE 'just in time for new iPad'
updated 10:50 am EST, Fri March 9, 2012
Will allow LTE iPads using Bell network
The Canadian branch of Virgin Mobile is getting LTE "just in time for new iPad," March 16th, according to a leaked document. Coverage will extend across "14 urban centers," with peak downloads up to 75Mbps, although Virgin says speeds should average between 12 and 25Mbps. An LTE microSIM will be included for free alongside any Flexi-Data Plan, which range from $5 a month for 10MB up to $35 a month for 5GB. People paying an extra $5 get a Mobile TV package which doesn't count against data caps.
Just as the US division of Virgin Mobile rides on Sprint's network, the Canadian one is based on Bell. That should identify coverage, as Bell currently operates LTE in just over 14 regions: Toronto, Halifax, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Belleville, Yellowknife, Montréal, Québec City, Ottawa, London, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
Apple has only officially announced Rogers, Bell, and Telus as Canadian LTE partners. Worldwide, in fact, the only other LTE partners so far are US carriers AT&T and Verizon.
