We keep hearing of the wireless ‘double cohort’ lately, referring to those with expiring two year contracts and those still in three year contracts but soon able to walk away for free thanks to the CRTC Wireless Code as of June 3, 2015.

Once these ‘free agents’ pop up, surely many will consider switching to a newer wireless entrant such as WIND Mobile, as their prices are cheaper than Rogers, TELUS and Bell. But that comes at a cost, as journalist Peter Nowak details in his nearly 3, 000 word essay on switching to WIND with his unlocked iPhone:

There’s no doubt Wind Mobile’s coverage and network aren’t as fast or robust as its Big Three competitors, but for my usage needs they were good enough. The fact that service is priced so much lower is what sealed the deal, even if customer service almost killed it.

I’m going on the expectation that the quality and speed will only improve, since Wind has acquired more spectrum and could soon make deals with other carriers for better coverage.

It’s curious that my original Big Three provider made me a deal only when there was a better advertised plan from fellow Big Three carrier, yet no deal was offered when I threatened to switch to Wind. That pretty much tells the story of how Bell, Rogers and Telus view the upstart – it’s not yet a threat, so they pretend it doesn’t exist.

It’s a definite must-read if you’re thinking about switching to WIND Mobile and also highlights how customer service is something we need to consider as well when choosing a wireless carrier. You can read the full article here.

If and when WIND Mobile launches a robust LTE network (and is able to offer premium smartphones like the iPhone), that is when most people will most likely jump ship from incumbents. The carrier recently acquired spectrum licenses for AWS-3 in BC, Alberta and Ontario in March. Back in December, the carrier announced it had 800, 000 wireless subscribers.

Source: www.iphoneincanada.ca