WIND pushes to get Google's Nexus in Canada

WIND Mobile, the startup carrier vying for market share against Canada's major wireless providers, is pursuing a powerful ally in Google Inc.

In an interview, Chris Robbins, the chief customer officer for WIND said Thursday that the firm has contacted the Mountain View, Calif. search engine giant about getting the Nexus One smartphone into Canada.

"We are pursuing it. I can't tell you when but it is definitely an interest to us," he said.

On Tuesday, Google unveiled the Nexus One, a powerful smartphone that will compete against popular devices like the iPhone and BlackBerry handsets as the burgeoning market for Web-enabled mobile phones gains momentum with consumers.

A huge advantage for WIND — it is the only carrier in the Canadian market whose network operates on the AWS spectrum band, the same band as T-Mobile USA, the carrier Google has partnered with to launch the device in the United States.

It means the Nexus One can operate to its fullest potential on WIND's network. Incumbent carriers Rogers Communications Inc., BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. all offer similar 3G networks, but none operate on the AWS band.

"We're kinda the only game in town in Canada so I'd love to have the product here," Mr. Robbins said.

At launch, the U.S. carrier is the only operator selling the device, offering it for US$179 with a contract. However, Google sells the Nexus One "unlocked" for US$529 directly through its new online store. Google is only offering the device in select markets initially, beginning with the U.S., the U.K., Singapore and Hong Kong.

The move could be aimed at handing T-Mobile de facto exclusivity over the device in a bid to lure customers away from the iPhone, which is offered exclusively by T-Mobile's rival AT&T.

"I think Google wanted to get exclusive use of its device with a U.S. operator, without having to say they wanted exclusivity," said Nizar Assanie, principal analyst at IE Market Research in Vancouver.

The Nexus One is incompatible with AT&T's 3G network. Canada's big three carriers, which use the same third-generation bands as AT&T, are victims of collateral damage, he suggested.

However, Google is quickly developing a version of the Nexus One for another U.S. carrier in Verizon Wireless, which will begin selling the phone this spring. Verizon Wireless uses a network standard called CDMA. Both Bell and Telus also use the standard alongside their joint HSPA network.

Rogers, the largest cellphone operator in Canada by subscriber numbers, relies solely on HSPA technology for 3G devices, like Apple’s iPhone 3GS.

Although WIND has made overtures to Google to get the Nexus One, Mr. Robbins said it would take time. "The reality is, they just launched. We're Canada, which means it's a small market and we're a brand new player."

WIND is one carrier among a handful of new wireless entrants that will compete against Canada's big three cellphone firms in 2010. It opened stores in Calgary and Toronto last month after winning approval to launch from Industry Minister Tony Clement.

Mr. Clement overturned an October decision from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that deemed the carrier offside with foreign-ownership rules because its main financial backer, Orascom Telecom Holding SAE is based in Egypt. The minister said the firm's ownership and capital structures satisfied the federal Cabinet.

According to IDC Canada, the majority of Canadians still use traditional cellphones which chiefly offer voice and text services with limited access to the Web. However, 2010 could prove to be an inflection point as sales of robust smartphones accelerate and more manufacturers bring new models to market.

Analysts say being the first carrier in Canada to pair with a powerful brand like Google would be a significant boon for the fledging operator. "We're pushing," Mr. Robbins said.

"Hopefully after the dust settles down they'll have some time to chat with us."