Virgin Mobile Canada
Encyclopedia
Virgin Mobile Canada is a cellular telephone company that was launched on March 1, 2005 as a joint venture between Virgin Group
and Bell Canada
. Since May 7, 2009, it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Mobility
.
on July 4, 2003 with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority
. When accessed, it displayed a domain parking
page until June 14, 2004, when it was replaced with an announcement. There was also links information about the company, related news articles, and career opportunities. Virgin claimed: "we work like maniacs to bring you Canada’s most awesome mobile phone company."
(MVNO) using the Bell Mobility
network. At the time, Virgin Mobile was operating solely as a prepaid service. The company's website showcased several feature phone
s it offered, and advertised itself as a "no catch" mobile operator. Since its launch, Virgin used edgy and controversial advertising, leading to demands for an apology, requests to cease and desist the advertising, and even boycotts. This marketing technique is still used by Virgin Mobile Canada to this day.
.
network. Since Bell acquired Virgin, however, the brand favoured the use of HSPA+
devices on its HSPA+ network instead. Most such devices are single-cell and experience average between 3½ and 8 Mbit/s, depending on the modem used inside the device.
s. Four are from LG and three are from Samsung. All of them can be activated on either a prepaid or a postpaid plan:
s with the Android or BlackBerry
operating systems, as well as iPhone
s.
All smartphones in bold are available in prepaid or postpaid packages. Other devices exclude any prepaid start-up credit.
sent to Canada, USA or an e-mail address costed 10¢ per message, while international SMS was charged at the rate of 20¢ per sent message. Prepaid vouchers expired after 120 days.
However, such rates have been drastically increased over time, eliminating the discounted rates when one talked on the phone for more than five minutes in a day. Current rates are now 35¢ per local minute, 70¢ per North American long distance minute, 20¢ per North American SMS sent, and 35¢ per international SMS.
There are also prepaid monthly plans available from Virgin. One can pay $10/month to receive a 10¢/minute local calling rate, $15/month for unlimited sent SMS to Canadian phone numbers, or a reduced rate of $20/month for both these features. All three plans do not include any airtime, except for a promotional variant of the $20 plan which included 100 local minutes at no extra cost. Another regular $20/month plan offers 200 local minutes.
Virgin now offers, and heavily promotes, its postpaid plans since 2008. More recently, the brand's talk and text plans imitate competitor Koodo' offerings, including no long distance or roaming charges for calls made from and to Canada. Virgin still has a few minor distinctions which make some of its plans unique. For example, while the $25 plan mimics Virgin's identically-priced plan, Virgin offers an unique option, allowing customers to choose either the caller ID
and voicemail
calling features or the SMS
and BlackBerry Messenger
(BBM) messaging features. Virgin's plans are available on both fixed-term contracts and the Virgin Mobile SuperTab, which closely resembles the Koodo Tab offered by Koodo Mobile
.
Those with BlackBerry devicese cannot use the Commitment-Free Data plan. Instead, Virgin offers unlimited BBM at no extra charge with the $35 and $50 talk and text monthly plans. Those with the $25/month can obtain the SMS
and BlackBerry Messenger
(BBM) messaging features at no extra charge.
demanding an apology from Virgin Group
chairman Richard Branson
and an immediate stop to the campaign, and called on members to boycott Virgin Mobile and other Virgin products. Virgin Mobile spokeswoman Paula Lash said the company never intended to offend anyone, but nevertheless refused to withdraw the advertising.
Later that year, in the December 2005 issue of youth magazine Vice
, Virgin Mobile included "Super Hot Holiday" wrapping paper as part of its Hot Box phone promotion. The wrapping paper contained illustrated Christmas angels, where the male angel is touching the female's breast, while the female angel has her hand on the male's genitals. After receiving a complaint, Cineplex Entertainment
stopped its partnership deals with Virgin Mobile. As of July 2011, the cinema chain currently partners with Telus Mobility
and its brands instead.
Canada, a localised arm of Virgin Group
's global charitable venture. Virgin Unite, Virgin’s global charity, has the primary objective of creating and supporting programs that foster an immediate, tangible change in the lives of people in need all around the world. The Midnight Magic fundraising gala, hosted by Sir Richard Branson, raised more than $2 million in supplies and donations to help impoverished areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.
There are also red-coloured feature phone
s for Virgin Mobile, branded as Re*Generation and released by Samsung as an effort to fundraise for Virgin Unite. They are similar in concept to Product Red
in that the products are coloured red and a donation is made for every device purchased:
Virgin also offers a loyalty program
for volunteers, where they can earn points by helping select charities. Points can be redeemed for prizes such as concert tickets.During the months of June and July in 2011, Virgin Unite volunteers in Canada could redeem 500 points for any Canadian concert in Katy Perry
's California Dreams Tour
excluding Montreal
.
Since its inception, Virgin Mobile Canada has its own dedicated retail kiosks. Such booths are usually located in the middle of a mall hall, but can sometimes be found in its own corner or built as a mini-store.
Following Bell Mobility
's complete acquisition of Virgin Mobile Canada in 2009, the company slowly abandoned its own Solo Mobile
brand in order to prioritize its new Virgin brand. Stores that were previously dedicated to Solo, such as the one in Rideau Centre
, now belong to Virgin.
Bell Canada
's purchase of all The Source electronics stores allowed the company to sell its mobile brands inside most but not all of these stores. Sales began on January 4, 2010, after the chain's exclusivity agreement with Rogers Communications
expired at the end of 2009. Mobile brands sold currently include those of Bell and Virgin. While Solo was previously sold as well, this ended on October 2011 when Bell discontinued sales of that brand and requested that all Solo products be returned to the company.
Virgin products cannot be purchased at Bell corporate stores, and vice versa. The two brands remain separate, despite sharing a common owner.
On June 10, 2011, Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson
and Glee
star Cory Monteith
celebrated the opening of Virgin Mobile Canada's first street-front store, located in Montreal
. A few days later, on June 17, a second Virgin store was built inside the MuchMusic
headquarters in Toronto
. This store is called "Virgin Mobile at Much". The third retail store was opened in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
and Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
. Since May 7, 2009, it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility is a CDMA and HSPA+ based wireless network and the division of Bell Canada which sells wireless services in Canada...
.
Pre-launch (2003-2004)
The VirginMobile.ca domain name was registered by Virgin Enterprises LimitedVirgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
on July 4, 2003 with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority
Canadian Internet Registration Authority
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority is the organization that manages the .CA country code top-level domain, the policies that support Canada’s Internet community and Canada’s involvement in international Internet governance. CIRA is a member-driven organization...
. When accessed, it displayed a domain parking
Domain parking
Domain parking is the registration of an Internet domain name without using it for services such as e-mail or a website i.e without placing any content on the domain. This may be done to reserve the domain name for future development, to protect against the possibility of cybersquatting, or to...
page until June 14, 2004, when it was replaced with an announcement. There was also links information about the company, related news articles, and career opportunities. Virgin claimed: "we work like maniacs to bring you Canada’s most awesome mobile phone company."
Launch (2005-2007)
Virgin Mobile launched in Canada on March 1, 2005 as a mobile virtual network operatorMobile virtual network operator
A mobile virtual network operator is a company that provides mobile phone services but does not have its own licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor does it necessarily have all of the infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone service...
(MVNO) using the Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility is a CDMA and HSPA+ based wireless network and the division of Bell Canada which sells wireless services in Canada...
network. At the time, Virgin Mobile was operating solely as a prepaid service. The company's website showcased several feature phone
Feature phone
A feature phone is a mobile phone that, like smartphones, combines the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone.Today's models typically also serve as portable media players and camera phones with touchscreen, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband access.Feature phones is...
s it offered, and advertised itself as a "no catch" mobile operator. Since its launch, Virgin used edgy and controversial advertising, leading to demands for an apology, requests to cease and desist the advertising, and even boycotts. This marketing technique is still used by Virgin Mobile Canada to this day.
Postpaid services introduced (2008)
In February 2008, Virgin Mobile Canada launched postpaid wireless service. This was known as 'myPlan', offering a multitude of options, including the ability to set one's own timeframe for unlimited calling, as opposed to the windows generally offered by competing mobile companies. The current slogan, "it's better to be a member", encourages Canadians to consider the postpaid services offered by Virgin Mobile.Acquisition by Bell Mobility (2009-present)
On May 7, 2009, Bell Mobility acquired the 50% of Virgin Mobile Canada that it previously did not own for $142 million and entered into a long-term agreement to use the Virgin brand. The Virgin Mobile SuperTab was introduced on August 23, 2010 as a response to competition from other providers, especially Koodo MobileKoodo Mobile
Koodo Mobile is a mobile brand in Canada started by Telus in 2008. Koodo differs from its parent Telus by not requiring a fixed term contract. Koodo offers all its services on a month by month basis. Koodo uses the concept of a Tab which allows customers to build credit towards new phones...
.
Networks
Mobile services provided by Virgin previously only used Bell Mobilty's CDMACDMA2000
CDMA2000 is a family of 3G mobile technology standards, which use CDMA channel access, to send voice, data, and signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites. The set of standards includes: CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. A, and CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. B...
network. Since Bell acquired Virgin, however, the brand favoured the use of HSPA+
Evolved HSPA
HSPA+, or Evolved High-Speed Packet Access, is a technical standard for wireless, broadband telecommunication. HSPA+ was first defined in the technical standard 3GPP release 7....
devices on its HSPA+ network instead. Most such devices are single-cell and experience average between 3½ and 8 Mbit/s, depending on the modem used inside the device.
Feature phones
Virgin Mobile offers seven feature phoneFeature phone
A feature phone is a mobile phone that, like smartphones, combines the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone.Today's models typically also serve as portable media players and camera phones with touchscreen, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband access.Feature phones is...
s. Four are from LG and three are from Samsung. All of them can be activated on either a prepaid or a postpaid plan:
Smartphones
Virgin Mobile offers various smartphoneSmartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s with the Android or BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
operating systems, as well as iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
s.
All smartphones in bold are available in prepaid or postpaid packages. Other devices exclude any prepaid start-up credit.
Services
Various services are offered by Virgin Mobile for both prepaid and postpaid customers.Voice plans
Since its inception, Virgin Mobile Canada offers a prepaid plan that has no monthly fee. The price was 25¢ per local calling minute for the first five minutes each day, and 15¢ for each additional local calling minute during the rest of the day. Long distance calls from Canada to Canada or the USA are also charged at these rates, but an additional 25¢ per minute charge applies. SMSSMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
sent to Canada, USA or an e-mail address costed 10¢ per message, while international SMS was charged at the rate of 20¢ per sent message. Prepaid vouchers expired after 120 days.
However, such rates have been drastically increased over time, eliminating the discounted rates when one talked on the phone for more than five minutes in a day. Current rates are now 35¢ per local minute, 70¢ per North American long distance minute, 20¢ per North American SMS sent, and 35¢ per international SMS.
There are also prepaid monthly plans available from Virgin. One can pay $10/month to receive a 10¢/minute local calling rate, $15/month for unlimited sent SMS to Canadian phone numbers, or a reduced rate of $20/month for both these features. All three plans do not include any airtime, except for a promotional variant of the $20 plan which included 100 local minutes at no extra cost. Another regular $20/month plan offers 200 local minutes.
Virgin now offers, and heavily promotes, its postpaid plans since 2008. More recently, the brand's talk and text plans imitate competitor Koodo' offerings, including no long distance or roaming charges for calls made from and to Canada. Virgin still has a few minor distinctions which make some of its plans unique. For example, while the $25 plan mimics Virgin's identically-priced plan, Virgin offers an unique option, allowing customers to choose either the caller ID
Caller ID
Caller ID , also called calling line identification or calling number identification or Calling Line Identification Presentation , is a telephone service, available in analog and digital phone systems and most Voice over Internet Protocol applications, that transmits a caller's number to...
and voicemail
Voicemail
Voicemail is a computer based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to individuals, organizations, products and services, using an ordinary telephone...
calling features or the SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
and BlackBerry Messenger
Blackberry Messenger
BlackBerry Messenger is a proprietary Internet-based instant messenger application included on BlackBerry devices which allows messaging between BlackBerry users.It was developed by Research In Motion , maker of the BlackBerry device...
(BBM) messaging features. Virgin's plans are available on both fixed-term contracts and the Virgin Mobile SuperTab, which closely resembles the Koodo Tab offered by Koodo Mobile
Koodo Mobile
Koodo Mobile is a mobile brand in Canada started by Telus in 2008. Koodo differs from its parent Telus by not requiring a fixed term contract. Koodo offers all its services on a month by month basis. Koodo uses the concept of a Tab which allows customers to build credit towards new phones...
.
Mobile Internet plans
All talk and text plans automatically include "Commitment-Free Data", a flexible data plan that imitates Koodo's pricing for its "Data Saver" add-on. The only difference in terms of pricing is that if a customer uses 0 MB with Virgin, they will pay $0, as opposed to Koodo customers who would still pay for their data add-on even if they didn't use it.Those with BlackBerry devicese cannot use the Commitment-Free Data plan. Instead, Virgin offers unlimited BBM at no extra charge with the $35 and $50 talk and text monthly plans. Those with the $25/month can obtain the SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
and BlackBerry Messenger
Blackberry Messenger
BlackBerry Messenger is a proprietary Internet-based instant messenger application included on BlackBerry devices which allows messaging between BlackBerry users.It was developed by Research In Motion , maker of the BlackBerry device...
(BBM) messaging features at no extra charge.
Mobile TV
Virgin Mobile members can subscribe to the same Mobile TV service offered by its parent Bell Mobility.Criticism
Advertising
When Virgin Mobile launched its service in Canada on 1 March 2005, the use of "naughty nurses" in its advertising led to the Registered Nurses' Association of OntarioRegistered Nurses' Association of Ontario
The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario is a professional association that represents registered nurses in the province of Ontario, Canada...
demanding an apology from Virgin Group
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
chairman Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
and an immediate stop to the campaign, and called on members to boycott Virgin Mobile and other Virgin products. Virgin Mobile spokeswoman Paula Lash said the company never intended to offend anyone, but nevertheless refused to withdraw the advertising.
Later that year, in the December 2005 issue of youth magazine Vice
Vice (magazine)
VICE is a free magazine and media conglomerate founded in Montreal, Quebec and currently based in New York City.Vice is available in 27 countries...
, Virgin Mobile included "Super Hot Holiday" wrapping paper as part of its Hot Box phone promotion. The wrapping paper contained illustrated Christmas angels, where the male angel is touching the female's breast, while the female angel has her hand on the male's genitals. After receiving a complaint, Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
stopped its partnership deals with Virgin Mobile. As of July 2011, the cinema chain currently partners with Telus Mobility
Telus Mobility
Telus Mobility is a division of Telus Communications which sells wireless services in Canada on its numerous networks. They currently have three different networks based on three different technologies: CDMA and HSPA+ on its mainstream networks, plus iDEN via its Mike division...
and its brands instead.
Philanthropy
November 12, 2007 saw the launch of Virgin UniteVirgin Unite
Virgin Unite is the working name of The Virgin Foundation, the independent charitable arm of the Virgin Group. Created by Richard Branson and Virgin employees in September 2004, Virgin Unite pools volunteering efforts from across the Virgin Group and its hundreds of subsidiaries and associated...
Canada, a localised arm of Virgin Group
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
's global charitable venture. Virgin Unite, Virgin’s global charity, has the primary objective of creating and supporting programs that foster an immediate, tangible change in the lives of people in need all around the world. The Midnight Magic fundraising gala, hosted by Sir Richard Branson, raised more than $2 million in supplies and donations to help impoverished areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.
There are also red-coloured feature phone
Feature phone
A feature phone is a mobile phone that, like smartphones, combines the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone.Today's models typically also serve as portable media players and camera phones with touchscreen, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband access.Feature phones is...
s for Virgin Mobile, branded as Re*Generation and released by Samsung as an effort to fundraise for Virgin Unite. They are similar in concept to Product Red
Product Red
Product Red, styled as RED, is a brand licensed to partner companies such as Nike, American Express , Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, Bugaboo, Penguin Classics , Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark and Dell...
in that the products are coloured red and a donation is made for every device purchased:
- The Samsung Link Re*Generation was released on May 10, 2010. This CDMACDMA2000CDMA2000 is a family of 3G mobile technology standards, which use CDMA channel access, to send voice, data, and signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites. The set of standards includes: CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. A, and CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. B...
device was sold at the initial cost of $69.99, and for every purchase, $10 was directly donated to Virgin Unite. The phone is now discontinued. While other carriers such as Bell MobilityBell MobilityBell Mobility is a CDMA and HSPA+ based wireless network and the division of Bell Canada which sells wireless services in Canada...
and Solo MobileSolo MobileSolo Mobile is a mobile brand in Canada started by Bell Mobility in 2000. Solo is considered a discount wireless brand, offering low price monthly plans with some unlimited options in certain cities...
also sold the Samsung Link, the red-coloured model was released exclusively to Virgin Mobile. - The Samsung Gravity 3 Re*Generation was released on June 10, 2011. An HSPA+Evolved HSPAHSPA+, or Evolved High-Speed Packet Access, is a technical standard for wireless, broadband telecommunication. HSPA+ was first defined in the technical standard 3GPP release 7....
device, its current price is $0 on a three-year contract or SuperTab, $129.99 on a 30-day postpaid plan, or $69.99 on a prepaid plan. Regardless of the price paid for this device, $15 was donated to Virgin Unite. While it is touted as "Limited Edition", other carriers such as SaskTelSaskTelSaskatchewan Telecommunications is a provincial Crown Corporation operating under the authority of the Saskatchewan Telecommunications Act. It is the only remaining Crown Corporation in the Canadian telecommunications industry....
and Solo Mobile sell the phone in its red colour, but without donating $15 of every purchase to Virgin Unite. Both operators carried the phone after Virgin carried the non-charitable version, but before Virgin carried the Re*Generation model.
Virgin also offers a loyalty program
Loyalty program
Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior — behavior which is potentially beneficial to the firm....
for volunteers, where they can earn points by helping select charities. Points can be redeemed for prizes such as concert tickets.During the months of June and July in 2011, Virgin Unite volunteers in Canada could redeem 500 points for any Canadian concert in Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
's California Dreams Tour
California Dreams Tour
California Dreams Tour is the second concert tour by American pop singer Katy Perry, in support of her third studio album Teenage Dream. Beginning February 2011, the tour will visit Europe, Australasia, Asia and the Americas...
excluding Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Retail presence
Following Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility is a CDMA and HSPA+ based wireless network and the division of Bell Canada which sells wireless services in Canada...
's complete acquisition of Virgin Mobile Canada in 2009, the company slowly abandoned its own Solo Mobile
Solo Mobile
Solo Mobile is a mobile brand in Canada started by Bell Mobility in 2000. Solo is considered a discount wireless brand, offering low price monthly plans with some unlimited options in certain cities...
brand in order to prioritize its new Virgin brand. Stores that were previously dedicated to Solo, such as the one in Rideau Centre
Rideau Centre
Rideau Centre is a three-level shopping centre on Rideau Street in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It borders on Rideau Street , the Rideau Canal, the Mackenzie King Bridge, and Nicholas Street....
, now belong to Virgin.
Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
's purchase of all The Source electronics stores allowed the company to sell its mobile brands inside most but not all of these stores. Sales began on January 4, 2010, after the chain's exclusivity agreement with Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
expired at the end of 2009. Mobile brands sold currently include those of Bell and Virgin. While Solo was previously sold as well, this ended on October 2011 when Bell discontinued sales of that brand and requested that all Solo products be returned to the company.
Virgin products cannot be purchased at Bell corporate stores, and vice versa. The two brands remain separate, despite sharing a common owner.
On June 10, 2011, Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
and Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
star Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...
celebrated the opening of Virgin Mobile Canada's first street-front store, located in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. A few days later, on June 17, a second Virgin store was built inside the MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
headquarters in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. This store is called "Virgin Mobile at Much". The third retail store was opened in Halifax, Nova Scotia.