Rogers, Bell and TELUS to sell the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone for $0 on 2 year plans

Anyone interested in the (current) flagship BlackBerry Z30 from the any of the 'Big Three' network providers will now have the option to do so for a more affordable price. Rogers, Bell and TELUS are all promoting the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone for $0 with a 2 year contract for a limited time offer. The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1.

Launched last October, we found the Z30 at the time to be "Possibly the best smartphone BlackBerry has ever produced, the Z30 and its accompanying OS 10.2 (now available for older BB10 phones) shows great promise for users who have been waiting for a true flagship large screen BlackBerry device." BlackBerry is expected to launch new devices soon, most notably the BlackBerry Passport as well as the BlackBerry Classic.

Source: BlackBerry

TELUS tells you to #keepitinyourpants for Cellphone Courtesy Month

Think you have the perfect smartphone etiquette? A recent Google Consumer Survey conducted on your fellow Canadians might say otherwise. The TELUS-commissioned survey found a few interesting tidbits about mobile phone use in the country. Around 53.9% of the respondents say whipping out a smartphone on a first date is a big turnoff with 16.5% saying they will leave the date early if their companion can’t keep it in their pants. Nearly half of the respondents (49.6%) also don’t like being interrupted during a conversation by someone suddenly using their phone. However, a lot of users admit (75% of the respondents!) that they use their phones to tune other people out. Not exactly good behaviour we’d say, especially since about 40 percent of people think their smartphone use doesn’t bother other people (but 9 out of 10 Canadians say they are bothered by other people’s smartphone use).

That is why TELUS has started a new campaign for Cellphone Courtesy Month this July. They have a few tips for you mobile phone users out there or you can share your cellphone etiquette confessions on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #keepitinyourpants or through KeepitinYourPants.ca starting July 1. If you want to read the full data of the survey, you can find it here.

BlackBerry signs new agreement with EnStream to strengthen mobile payments system

#140749296 / gettyimages.com

BlackBerry has entered a new three-year deal with EnStream LP to provide a secure platform for transaction services between consumers and banks. EnStream will make use of BlackBerry’s infrastructure to allow financial institutions such as TD Bank Group, CIBC, Desjardins, and Royal Bank of Canada as well as mobile operators to provision sensitive payment card credentials securely into any smartphone with Near Field Communication technology. EnStream is a mobile payments joint venture owned by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS.

“EnStream, with BlackBerry, is already serving a number of banks and mobile operators, and is becoming a hub for payment credential delivery to smartphones in Canada,” said Almis Ledas, Chief Operating Officer, Enstream LP. “We expect most major Canadian banks and mobile operators to connect through this platform to meet consumer demand for efficient and safe digital transactions.”

TELUS to invest more than $1.1 billion across Ontario through 2016

TELUS is looking to invest $1.1 billion in new infrastructure and wireless technology across Ontario through 2016.

TELUS will invest $500 million across the province in 2014, the final year of a three-year plan unveiled in 2012, and today committed to spending another $600 million throughout 2015 and 2016 to provide critical fibre optic communications links to business clients, advanced healthcare solutions to consumers, expanded cloud computing data centre solutions, and to bring the world’s fastest wireless technology to more Ontario communities.

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