In a few weeks we celebrate one year in the UK. Methinks it was a good move

So for your reading enjoyment, bits and bobs of strange mobile news from Canada.

• Fido annouces 3G services: “Of course, the fun seems to end the moment you want to actually use the service as rates are pinned at $10 a month for 12 MB data and a penny for every kilobyte in overages. To put that in perspective, a 250 MB month would cost you ’round about $2500 for the data services alone. Thanks, but no thanks, FIDO.” [Engadget]
• But hold on, if you’re a Virgin subscriber you can get unlimited monthly surfing for $10–but only if you happen to own the MOTOKRZR (with an ever-versatile WAP 2.0 browser) or Samsung M510 (the browser here is so insignificant that Samsung doesn’t even list it on its specification page…oh and don’t try to download Opera Mini either–sorry, not supported)
• Rogers has started 7.2 Mbps HSPA trials in Montreal and Brampton — Brampton? (insert name of your favourite local suburban wasteland here…) Apparently….”The consumer appetite for mobile applications is undeniable in Canada and around the world,” said Rob Bruce, President, Rogers Wireless.” The data speeds achieved in this trial will enable Rogers to meet our customers’ needs with the most advanced, innovative services today and in the future.” Huh? What? Reminder: the most advanced Nokia for sale in Canada is the 6680 But then…maybe this is why…
• Canada has the highest penetration of Blackberrys: “Canada was the birthplace of the BlackBerry platform and Canada continues to generate the highest per capita penetration of BlackBerry smartphones in the world today,” said Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM. “We are fortunate to be located in a country with a thriving wireless industry that continues to offer businesspeople and consumers world-class wireless data services.” (Can’t stop laughing!!)
• Meanwhile, because Candians still use the word ‘cell-phone’, a random Google search for Canada and ‘mobile’ returns this LOL! result as #4 (right on the heels of #3; an article entitled “Canada Worse than 3rd World Countries when it comes to Mobile Data Access.”