WIND Mobile, one of the recent entrants into Canada's budget wireless services is up in arms at Rogers launch of competing discount-prepaid mobile brand Chatr.
Part awareness campaign and part PR stunt, Wind sent out an invitation for Torontonians to, "celebrate the arrival of even more competition in the wireless market with Rogers' experiment, the launch of chatr on their 2G network."
Wind Mobile, together with Mobilicity and Public Mobile are this year's new entrants in the wireless game and have been trying to compete with the big three (Rogers, Telus and Bell) by offering more affordable handsets, prepaid voice and data plans despite having limited coverage in the country.
On July 9th, 2010, it was reported that Mobilicity, would be preparing legal action against Rogers Wireless for an alleged breach of competition laws. Mobilicity claims that Rogers Wireless intends Chatr to be positioned as a fighter brand in order to kill off the new wireless competitors before repricing closer to Rogers' core offerings. Wind Mobile has openly challenged Rogers' entry into the budget mobile game since Chatr was announced.
Rogers also owns Fido which means that Chatr will be its third wireless cellular company in the country.
"WIND will be selling fair priced, one dollar hot dogs (a reference to their popular TV commercial featuring a hot dog cart) at Yonge and Dundas square, near the Rogers' store location. And, in the spirit of healthy competition, WIND continues to offer a special $150 porting credit to Canadians who opt to make the switch to WIND Mobile," noted the release.
Wind Mobile Chairman, Anthony Lacavera and CEO, Ken Campbell will apparently be on hand for interviews.