For the first time, Canadian mobile carriers are offering unlimited data plans for much less than the price of your arm and leg. Bell Mobility introduced the HTC Touch a few weeks ago with an unlimited data plan for 7 dollars Canadian, or $7.04 US. The plan is also compatible with other wap-based consumer phones, and only allow for wap-access.  Unlike the consumer based unlimited wap plan, the unlimited data covers unlimited HTML based internet browsing (through EV-DO/CDMA 1X) and unlimited email and instant messaging. For PDAs, the HTC Touch is currently the only phone that the $7 plan is compatible on.

Days earlier, Telus Mobility introduced an unlimited instant messaging/e-mail plan for $15 for all PDAs and Blackberrys, but many customers have been given free unlimited data as part of the package to compete with the plan by Bell. Currently there is very little information whether Blackberry devices are compatible or not.

Rogers Wireless introduced an unlimited email and messaging plan for exclusively Blackberry devices for $15, it does not include any web browsing data, nor has Rogers responded to Bell’s $7 unlimited data yet, and they may not until much into the future.

Many believe the unlimited data plans introduced by Bell and Telus are to prepare to combat against the iPhone that is to be released on Rogers sometime in the imminent not-so-distant future.

Two restrictions that the Bell and Telus data plans have is audio/video streaming and tethering to a computer, both carriers forbid customers from doing either on their phones due to the extreme pricing on the plans.

wow I didn’t know that Canada didn’t have an unlimited Data plan

Fido had an unlimited plan about half a decade ago for $40, as well as an unlimited calling plan for around $45, but Rogers bought them out a year later and now echo anything Rogers has for plans.

Data plan prices only went up in the last few years until now, $210 for 200 megabytes of data is insanely too much. I’ve heard lots of people from Rogers are leaving to go to Bell/Telus right now, many people aren’t giving a rats ass about the whole “GSM advantage” right now, they would rather get a good deal on their services.