Rogers launches Canada's First Wi-Fi Smartphone Service for Business
TORONTO, March 11 /CNW/ – In business, every minute and every dollar
counts. To address the need for reliable and cost effective
connectivity, Rogers Communications Inc. today announced that it is
launching Canada’s first Wi-Fi voice service for smartphones based on
Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), helping business customers save time
and money.
Rogers exclusive new Wi-Fi Calling for Business lets business owners and employees place mobile calls from their
smartphones over Wi-Fi networks registered on their devices. The
service is available starting at $10 per month as an add-on to existing
Rogers Business Voice Plans. With the $10 per month add-on, customers
can make calls over the Wi-Fi network that won’t count towards monthly
voice plan minutes. Calls that originate on a Wi-Fi network are
automatically transferred to the Rogers 3G wireless network when the
person leaves the Wi-Fi coverage area.
“Business owners are constantly battling to try and reign in costs,”
says Jon Arnold, industry analyst, J. Arnold & Associates. “Wi-Fi
calling is a smart and simple way to make your business voice
communications dollars work better for you. It’s nice to see companies
like Rogers thinking like a customer and bringing services like this to
market.”
Rogers Wi-Fi Calling for Business is based on UMA, a technology already embedded in many handsets today,
including a variety of BlackBerry models. UMA-enabled handsets can
access the cellular network through Wi-Fi, which lets customers
automatically switch from their office Wi-Fi networks from the same
smartphone and number. UMA also helps boost coverage in places like
basements where cellular network coverage may not be as strong.
“Our business customers are telling us they need flexible connectivity
that just works – no matter where they are. And they want it at a
predictable, competitive price,” says Gordon Stein, Vice President,
Business Segment, Rogers Communications Inc. “With this service,
business people can be confident that all of their calls will be clear
as they move seamlessly from registered internal Wi-Fi systems to the
Rogers 3G network. This combination of flexibility and cost certainty
is a powerful advantage for growing businesses.”
Rogers has made Wi-Fi Calling for Business easy for small business customers to add to their existing plans.
Those customers with a voice-grade Wi-Fi network and a compatible
BlackBerry smartphone can call and speak to a Rogers Live Agent to add Rogers Wi-Fi Calling for Business to any existing Business Voice Plan starting at $10 per month for
unlimited local calling when in a Wi-Fi area.
Rogers offers scalable Wi-Fi Calling for Business services for mid-size and enterprise customers. Customers can speak with
their Rogers sales representatives for more information.
For additional details about Rogers Wi-Fi Calling for Business, please visit www.rogers.com/wifibusiness. For information about Rogers Live Agent service, please visit www.rogers.com/liveagent.
Rogers Communications Inc.
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media
company. We are Canada’s largest provider of wireless voice and data
communications services and one of Canada’s leading providers of cable
television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Through Rogers
Media we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised
shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment.
We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and
RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For further
information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit www.rogers.com.