Fido Solutions

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Fido Solutions

Type	Subsidiary of Rogers Wireless
Founded	1996
Headquarters	Montreal, Quebec
Key people	Sylvain Roy, General Manger, Fido and Senior Vice President Rogers Wireless
Industry	Wireless Services
Products	EDGE, GPRS, GSM, HSDPA, Wireless Data Services, Two way messaging
Website	www.fido.ca

Fido Solutions, formerly known as Microcell Telecommunications, Inc. is a Canadian wireless Personal Communications Service telecommunications service provider. Fido was the first carrier in Canada to launch a GSM-based network and the first wireless service provider in North America to offer General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) on its network. The original development of Fido was funded in part by T-Mobile International.

The Fido network originally ran on GSM 1900 and highlighted coverage in major urban areas in Canada. Since the acquisition of Fido by Rogers Wireless Inc. in 2004, Rogers Wireless integrated the networks to form one major Canadian GSM network, thus giving Fido customers additional coverage and access to GSM 850.

Fido is the only Canadian mobile service provider to offer per-second billing, as opposed to the per-minute scheme offered by all its rivals. Aside from per-second billing, Fido is also the only company to offer an Over the Counter Exchange for phones that are defective within the manufacterers one year warranty period; the only company to offer a 15 day money-back satisfaction period; rewards customers with "Fido Dollars." 5% of how much a customer spends, Fido gives back in "Fido Dollars." These can be redeemed against the regular price of a new handset at any time. Also, Fido is the only company to offer a "minute tracker" included for free with every monthly plan. The "minute tracker" sends a text message to customers when they reach 75% and 100% of the minutes included in their plan.

Fido has a data roaming agreement in the United States with T-Mobile USA, Inc. in over 6,000 cities. Voice roaming covers over 150 countries.

As stated earlier, Fido Solutions uses Rogers Wireless' GSM Network, which operates on GSM 850/1900. Fido customers are able to access full Rogers Wireless coverage by adding an "expanded network" charge to their plans. By adding the $5 expanded network option to their accounts, any local calls a customer while they are in the Rogers network gets deducted from the minutes included in their monthly plans. If a customer does not have the option on their account, any local calls they make get charged 25 cents and appear as "other minutes" on their monthly invoice. Fido's prepaid customers enjoy the Rogers network at no additional charge. Fido customers are still restricted to the original Fido coverage footprint unless they want to pay extra to access the full Rogers GSM network.

Fido customers can verify the footprint they are in by dialing *#123# on their handset. The display will read one of three things; Fido basic network / Réseau de base Fido (which means the customer is on the original Fido footprint), Expanded network / Réseau augmenté (which means the customer is roaming on Rogers Wireless' footprint), or No tariff information available / Aucune information de tarif disponible (which means the customers either 1) pays for expanded network access or 2) has it included in their plan).

Microcell Telecommunications was bought out by the other competing GSM carrier, Rogers Wireless, in November 2004, for an estimated 1.4 billion dollars. The company's name was changed to Fido Solutions, Inc. shortly thereafter.

Rogers Wireless has since totally revamped the company's policies raising many prices to meet and compete with other wireless carriers in Canada.^{[neutrality disputed]} They have also changed employee benefits like employee discounts and vacation benefits. Rogers has expanded the discount to include Rogers Services, such as Rogers Home Phone, Rogers Video and Rogers Wireless as well as the ordinary discounts they receive with the Fido Brand.

The acquisition of Microcell by Rogers Wireless has been somewhat of a controversy among customers as well as employees.^{[neutrality disputed]} Some believe it to be a blessing while others are not happy with the transformation. As an example, Fido canceled their flat rate data plan shortly after the acquisition, and with the Rogers/Fido GSM monopoly, wireless data access is very expensive in Canada ($100 / 200 MB at the "best" rate).^{[neutrality disputed]}

[edit] External links

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Major network operators
Bell / Aliant Mobility · Fido · Rogers Wireless · TELUS Mobility
Minor and regional network operators
DMTS Mobility · ICE Wireless · KMTS Mobility · MTS Mobility · NorthernTel Mobility · NMI Mobility · SaskTel Mobility · Télébec Mobilité · TBayTel Mobility
Mobile virtual network operator
7-Eleven Wireless · Amp'd Mobile · DCI Telecom · MoreMobility · Ontera · PC Mobile · Petro-Canada Mobility · Primus Canada · SearsConnect · Solo Mobile · Videotron · Virgin Mobile

Rogers Communications Inc.

Annual Revenue: $5.60 billion CAD (24% FY 2004) | Employees: 18,057 | Stock Symbols: TSX: RCI.A, TSX: RCI.B, NYSE: RG | Website: www.rogers.com