Choosing Mobilicity or WIND Mobile over any of the incumbent carriers is a no-brainer for urban-dwelling Canadians, but what about choosing between the two?

I currently have an account with each, but probably not for long. Even though with two numbers together I’m still paying less per month than I did for a single line with Fido I will probably port my primary phone number of some sixteen years to a proper VoIP service in the new year, once I get everything tested and in place.

I’ve not yet made a final decision on this but from my experience so far Mobilicity has proven its worth (and value) significantly more than WIND has. Note that I’m a data user first and a voice caller second, so kindly keep that in mind as you read the reasoning that follows…

Con: Mobilicity throttles data.

This is widely accepted as fact, and the screen grabs below would seem to concur. Both are results from the Speedtest.net Android app:

First up, Mobilicity’s data network, tested on the Motorola Spice.

Second, my unlocked Nexus One on WIND — showing more than two times Mobilicity’s download speed.

But hang on… Mobilicity’s upload speed is more than twice that of WIND’s, which might come in handy for an on-board SIP client or Qik videoconferencing. Another thing that these grabs don’t show is that Mobilicity keeps me on HSPA everywhere I go, whereas I’ve been limited to a slightly slower UMTS/3G connection on WIND so far.

Advantage: Mobilicity.

Con: WIND blocks ports.

WIND’s controversial white-listing of ports is well documented on their community site. It came to my attention when I found myself unable to send an email from my Nexus via SMTP. Sure, I could change the outgoing port, but why should I have to? And what kind of heartache lies ahead when I try to configure my N1 for SIP?

Advantage: Mobilicity.

Con: WIND spams their customers.

They don’t do it often, but they shouldn’t do it at all. In contrast, the only texts I’ve received from Mobilicity so far are bill reminders — which I actually appreciate.

I have to admit that I kind of wince every time I hear that sassy recorded “Great, welcome to the conversation” message when I call customer service. And even if it’s opt-in, WIND’s rumoured end-of-call advertising sounds like a terrible idea.

Advantage: Mobilicity.

Pro: WIND will unlock handsets after three months.

This was a great differentiator for WIND when first announced. Of course it’d be better still if they sold their hardware unlocked out of the box (I’m told their data stick is, at least). Mobilicity could pull out even further ahead if they sold their entire lineup unlocked, but for now I’ll concede this to WIND.

And on the subject of hardware…

Pro: Mobilicity has better handsets.

If you’re a BlackBerry user both Wind and Mobilicity have got you covered. For everyone else I’m of the opinion that, handset for handset, Mobilicity has the better lineup.

From the (hopefully still) unlocked Nexus One to the Motorola Spice to the reborn Danger hiptop/Sidekick, Mobilicity trumps WIND at every price point. At least I think so.

Advantage: Mobilicity.

Obviously, your choice will come down to who gives you a better signal where you need it the most. All things being equal, however, I’d definitely give the nod to Mobilicity. And if anyone from Mobilicity is reading this, you should give whoever is in charge of procuring handsets for you a big fat raise. 😎