MONTREAL — BCE Inc.’s Bell Canada (TSX:BCE) and Telus Corp. (TSX:T) say they will begin offering two models of the Apple iPhone smartphone in November, a move that will put added pressure on rival Rogers Communications (TSX:RCI.B).
It remains to be seen what will happen to Canadian prices for iPhones and related wireless services, now that Rogers has lost its exclusivity and there will three-way competition among the long-time rivals.
It will be the first time Bell or Telus have offered Apple smartphones, which have only worked in Canada on the Rogers wireless network.
It’s been anticpated for months that Canada’s No. 2 and No. 3 wireless companies after Rogers would begin offering Apple smartphones once they rolled out their new wireless networks.
Bell announced Monday that its new high-speed wireless network will be ready across the country in November, ahead of its original deadline.
Bell and Telus said Tuesday in separate announcements that they will start offering the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in November. Neither provided details on prices or specific availability dates.