Wind Mobile launches today with unlimited data plans, no contracts

The service so far appears to be so popular that attempts to get on its shopping website this morning have been unsuccessful - suggesting perhaps a flood of traffic.

The company, which has drawn heavily on social media networks to build its Wind community, marked the launch with the unveiling of a 20-foot monument in Toronto it termed “a tribute to the tens of thousands” of Canadians whose conversations helped shape the new service.

The company, owned by Globalive holdings, one of several new entrants that were successful in last year’s wireless spectrum auction, earlier announced a partnership with the Blockbuster video chain. Wind Mobile boutiques are opening in 13 Toronto stores and three Calgary ones.

The company said Vancouver, Ottawa and Edmonton will follow in the new year, with service outside its coverage area provided through a roaming agreement.

"Today marks a new chapter for wireless in Canada," Anthony Lacavera, chair of Globalive and Wind Mobile, said in a release on his presentation at today’s launch. "Thank you to the thousands of Canadians who have helped us to build Wind Mobile. 

“We've listened to those conversations, and now we're very proud to announce our offerings as a direct result of all the feedback. Wind is Canada's company. Built by Canadians, for Canadians."

Globalive's entry into the Canadian wireless market took a stumble earlier this year when the CRTC ruled the foreign telecom Orascom’s stake in the company was too large but Industry Minister Tony Clement last week overruled that decision.

The new service is marketing itself as a simpler alternative to Canada’s existing wireless offerings with no contract options, including with smartphones like the Blackberry Bold 9700 and unlimited data plans.

Mobile Wind is attracting a lot of attention from Canadians looking for more competition in the wireless space - so much so that the shopping pages on its web site appeared to be overrun with consumers checking out the new offerings. Meanwhile, with its shopping site down - definitely a problem for a company on its launch day, one wonders why it wasn't ready for the traffic - Wind Mobile has posted its pricing on its blog here.

In case you are among web surfers locked out of Wind Mobile’s shopping site, the company has released pricing details on its blog while it works to correct its web site snafus.

Most notable, in an aggressive pricing strategy clearly aimed at answering the complaints of Canadians who worry about going over their data and voice plans. Plus the company is throwing in extras like call control, which is caller ID, call waiting and those types of features, in all its plans.

Source:www.vancouversun.com