For now, we really have no idea what WIND plans to actually charge. Nothing official has been announced on the WIND Mobile Website. See the comment below for rumoured pricing, or post your own rumours!

However, it is reasonably safe to say that the main cost for operating a cell phone network is in setting everything up rather than the cost of each individual minute or text sent.

In fact, text messages cost practically nothing to send. Hundreds, if not thousands of text messages could be sent in the amount of data required to transmit one minute of speech. The text messages are also able to be sent when space is available. Personally, I think text messages are stupid, email is much more practical, and has stood the test of time (email predates the world-wide-web). Over time, the line between texts and emails will blur substantially.

WIND Mobile Text Message Pricing Plans

I predict that WIND will offer unlimited text messaging within Canada, for probably a couple dollars per month. Likely they'll offer a decent international plan, especially for countries where WIND already operates, like Greece. I predict that they will charge nothing for incoming texts, as such pricing has made Canadians irate.

Compare what Bell, Telus and Rogers charge for incoming and outgoing text messages here.

That's right, WIND is actually able to compete in other countries, do you think Rogers/Bell/Telus have the knowledge and expertise to compete in a real marketplace outside of Canada? So far they haven't even bothered trying because they know what would happen to them.

WIND Mobile Cost Per Minute

This is the hardest thing to predict. I feel that they'll be extremely competitive and probably have an unlimited plan for $40/month or less. Voicemail, caller id and several other features will be included at no cost. For kicks, and because they cost nearly nothing, they'll probably include a token number of text messages in this amount as well.

Other plans will probably max out at $25/month, still include a reasonable amount of minutes for most people, and certainly with NO System Access Fee, but they will charge you up-front for the phone since the System Access Fee used to subsidize the cost of the phone itself.

WIND Mobile Long Distance Price

For comparison, take a look at my long distance pricing page for Rogers, Telus and Bell prepaid, though it is outdated.

The funny thing about long distance pricing is that it costs the cell phone companies the same amount to call a phone in your own city as it does across Canada. I've heard that one cell phone provider in Ontario routes all calls in Ontario (even next door), through 1 of 3 datacentres. So your calls from Niagara Falls to Hamilton may always end up getting routed through Toronto. In fact, it costs the cell phone company less to transmit a call from Niagara Falls to Toronto than it does from Niagara Falls to somewhere else in Niagara Falls, but the charge less for it. Pricing has simply become unrelated to the actual costs of providing the service, because of uncompetitiveness.

Secondly, a call between two cell phone companies belong to the same provider costs significantly less to conduct than calling any home phone, even if you're calling the home phone in your own house. So even though Rogers likes to charge you long distance to call a Rogers phone across the country, since the call is internal, it's actually cheaper for them than calling the Bell phone in your own house, but they charge you more for it.

I predict that WIND will have free WIND-to-WIND long distance without any extra fees, and highly discounted rates for any other long-distance calling, especially internationally, where Rogers/Bell/Telus really like to stick it to you at several dollars per minute some of the time.

Take a look at my guide on how to reduce the costs of cell phone long distance.

The big question is how much WIND will charge when you roam onto another provider, like Rogers, when you go outside of your WIND Mobile Coverage area.

WIND Mobile Data Plan Price

WIND will have to be very careful with data plan pricing. Bandwidth actually can be quite limited over wireless links. Lag can easily become unbearable. If WIND Mobile creates a plan that too many people sign up for and use, they risk overtaxing their network.

I predict they'll come up with a plan that allows 100mb, 1gb, 5gb and unlimited usage per month. The unlimited will likely cost 3x+ the 5gb plan per month.

WIND will definitely come ouf with a USB Stick, and I predict the pricing will be around $40 to $45 per month for unlimited usage. I bet they'll start calling and complaining if you routinely use more than 15gb or 20gb per month, but chances are when the network is newly launched, there will be plenty of excess capacity, so the network will appear fast and be truly unlimited, but get heavier over the coming months/years.

I'll have to investigate and see, their service might end up being faster than my DSL, which currently maxes out at around 1mbit/s.

Please post a comment on what you think WIND may charge for their various services, even if it is just a rumour or suggestion.