It sounds really complicated and it can be but this is exactly the kind of thing that can cause non-techie people like me to run the other way. Here’s how I came to discover just what GPRS is.

Earlier this week, my mobile internet stopped working. At first, I thought it was a problem with my Rogers service and thought I’d give it a few hours to sort itself out but when I checked on it a few hours later, still no internet. I rebooted, I took out the battery and still no go. I uninstalled a couple of wifi applications that I wasn’t using thinking that perhaps something I installed messed something else up causing the trouble but still nothing. At this point, I started to worry that something inside my N900 had called it quits - not good. Thankfully, I ruled out that option by connecting to Wifi at a local Starbucks. The problem was something else.

I came home and started looking around for a possible problem. What I discovered was that my Rogers Internet connection worked through GPRS. My first thought? What the hell is that? In layman’s terms, GPRS is a service that allows data to be transferred over a voice network allowing me, the user, to access the internet over my cell phone connection. Not so complicated after all!

After a little digging, I discovered that my GPRS service had lost all its settings. I don’t know how it happened or why but after a little searching, I managed to track down the settings which I then punched into my phone and voila! Mobile internet works again!

To save you the trouble of looking around for those settings, the GPRS settings for Rogers are:

username: wapuser1
password: wap
address: internet.com

If you’re with Fido, similar information can be found here. One of the things I’ve discovered in my years of using online tech tutorials is that the steps aren’t always the same for everyone, even if the person who wrote them has the apparent same setup. I’m not sure if those Fido settings are completely accurate as I haven’t tested them but I can vouch for the Rogers settings – worked like charm!

So remember, if your mobile internet stops working, it’s not the end of the world. Probably just a minor glitch in the system!

My birthday is still 20 days away but that didn't stop hubby from spoiling me. We went out Saturday in search of a Flip camera for me and instead, ended up with a brand spanking new cellphone. Say hello to my very own Nokia N95 8GB:

This baby is amazing. The mother of all cell phones (though I'll admit I haven't played around with an iPhone). Tons of functionality including built in Wifi, built in speakers, mp3 player, video player functionality, TV out and the list goes on. The primary reason for the upgrade is the camera. The built-in 5 mega pixel camera takes fabulous pictures and with the wifi/Rogers data plan, I can pretty much update Flickr and Twitter on the go.


Because I have the Rogers data plan, I unbranded my phone from Rogers, removing the Vision menu and a bunch of other nonfunctional functionality pre-installed by Rogers. I used these steps from the fantastic N95 Users Board, and so you don't have to search for it, the new product code for unbranding from Rogers is 0561948. My understanding is that you can seriously mess up the phone if you use the wrong code so ONLY use this IF YOU HAVE THE N95 8GB (AKA N95-4)! Basically - this step lets you upgrade the firmware to V20.0.016 giving you a bunch of new functionality and removing the Rogers BS.

I didn't play around with the phone too much before I unlocked it so I'm not quite sure what some of the other differences are but the key one that I noticed almost immediately is that whenever you access the internet, the phone now prompts you to select the connection method (RogersGo or Wifi). When the phone was locked to Rogers, the default was ALWAYS RogersGo unless specified otherwise. This makes it much more convenient to make use of the free Wifi!

Also worth noting that Rogers is currently offering a $100 rebate if upgrade to the handset and add the $15 Vision Plan. The Vision plan includes unlimited Mobile Internet. Confused about this? So were we. The black and white of it: the vision plan lets you surf the web with no limitations, as long as the websites are accessed via the Rogers Vision browser. Because hubby doesn't want to get the a data plan and he's locked into that vision plan for 36 months, to make use of the web browsing outside of Wifi, he needs to use the ugly Rogers browser. Bummer. This is something to keep in mind before deciding to unlock your phone.

I've already installed a couple of must have apps but I'll do another post on that later. Likely, I'll be posting a whole lot more about the phone and my various experiences/hacks!

On the eve (almost eve, it actually kicks off for Telus customers on August 8th) of Telus customers being charged for incoming text messages - a blatant money grab if I've ever seen one - the Telus folks decide now is the appropriate time to send out a text message how to as a bill insert.

This came today, tucked in along with the officen's cell phone bill. It's a little instructional cheat sheet on commonly used text message abbreviations. A MUST have for anyone using the service. But wait, if you already use texting, shouldn't you know these already? If you're me, the answer is no. I text a lot but I *hate*, with a fierce passion, these stupid abbreviations. They tick me off. I don't know why, perhaps its my English love coming through but it seems like an erosion of the language.

Inside the pamphelt? Information on text plans, one of which includes unlimited incoming and outgoing text messages for a nice cost of $20. Dude, my 6GB data plan costs me $30 over at Rogers. I think I'm getting the better deal. As I said, blatant money grab. I hope Telus gets burned.

And to think that I considered jumping ship to Telus. Sometimes, it's better to stay with the devil you know than the devil you don't know.

As if the Canadian iPhone Scandal isn't bad enough it doesn't affect all of the Rogers customers, just those in line for a fancy new gadget. Now Telus and Bell, the other two cell phone carriers, are getting ready to skin their customers for huge dollars.

According to an article in the Vancouver Sun, Bell (starting on August 8th) and Telus (starting August 24th), will start charging their customers 15 cents for each incoming text message. You read right: incoming message. Apparently text messaging usage has ballooned to a whopping 45.4 million messages a day and the carriers simply can't "afford" to continue offering the service for free. You can read the article below:


Personally, I just see this as another opportunity for cell phone providers to increase their revenue and shame on them. Actually, forget them for a moment. Shame on the Federal Government for not taking care of the consumer. Canada is ranked near the bottom of developed nations when it comes to cell phone packages and while other countries are moving towards empowering the consumer, allowing them to purchase "unlocked" phones, and lower or no contract signing, Canada is going the other way. Not only do you have to pay a bundle for the phone you want up front, you also have to pay a through-the-nose premium to get out of your contract but, in the case of Telus and Bell, you're also in a position where you're likely stuck with a useless phone at the end of it.

Rogers isn't any better. They, apparently, have no plans on jumping on the text messaging bandwagon, but their plans are a huge joke, and I'm not just talking about the iPhone either. I was keen on getting my hands on one of these fancy new phones but I've decided against it. I refuse to sign another contract. Your options aren't great if you decide to purchase a phone without a contract. Rogers doesn't exactly make it an easy sell if you decide to simply purchase the handset.

Nokia N95. Photo care of stevegarfield on Flickr.
Hubby and I are scoping out the Nokia N95 8GB. Rogers offers the phone on a 3 year contract for $399.99 (2 yrs - $549.99, 1 yrs - $619.99) or for no contract at $689.99. We've been scoping out other options and have found the same phone for less than $400. Even Tiger Direct, one of the largest computer retailers, carries the phone for less, their price is $639.99 and as a bonus, the phone is already unlocked.

Our options are not many and frankly, I'm starting to get a little angry about the entire thing. If I could go without a cell phone, I'd certainly try it but with no home phone, it's the way I keep connected and frankly, I've grown accustomed to the convenience but when I read trash like this, I can't help but get angry. What we need now is government intervention and since we're not going to get that, I'm pining for more competition, and I don't mean competition that will fold up or be sucked into one of the big carriers in a few years' time.

For the time being, I'll be picking up a new handset in the next few months, wading through the 2 years left on my current contract and then re-evaluating the situation. Who knows, if competition does make its way up here, it may be worth it for me to jump ship and pay the cancellation fee.