Dave Wireless is gearing up for a launch next year, joining WIND Mobile as the latest new entrant in what was previously a very limited landscape for mobile voice and data in Toronto. When it will launch is still a closely guarded secret. While billboards and transit ads were recently erected in Toronto and Ottawa, company spokesperson Sheryl Steinberg would only tell me that they plan to launch in "the first quarter of 2010". President Dave Dobbin was even less specific, stating "early 2010" (but not confirming whether this meant the first quarter) citing intense industry competition as reason why most details about the company remain under wraps.

I spoke with Dobbin via phone on Friday to try to find out how, if at all, Dave Wireless will be different from the just launched WIND. He wouldn't offer any specifics, instead resorting to marketing speak that the company will "bring simplicity and flexibility to the wireless world". He did mention, however, that his company will be focused on fewer markets than WIND (they are attempting to be a national player), resorting to roaming agreements with Rogers to get service outside of metropolitan target markets like Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria.

Dave Wireless is also only focused on the consumer market (WIND targets the business crowd in addition to consumers) and Dobbin joked they "won't be building a bronze statue", a reference to the statue WIND unveiled outside of the Queen's Quay terminal earlier this week.

But beyond that it's anyone's guess whether Dave will actually present consumers with a more attractive option. Dobbin wouldn't confirm that they'll be offering "no contracts" (even though their initial ad campaign hints to that effect), but did say their aim is NOT to be the low cost provider. He said they intend to offer more simple pricing than WIND and more value. He also promised they'll have a wider range of name brand handsets to choose from, although he declined to identify what any of them will be.

Dobbin told me the company's head offices are in Vaughan where they currently employ about 100 people. The plan is to ramp up to 350 by launch. Given the massive growth and the fact they just signed their AOR (advertising agency of record) I'm guessing they won't be launching until after the snow starts to thaw in March.

And when they do, don't expect to see any ads screaming Dave Wireless. That's just the name of the company and not the brand name (still unannounced) they'll be going to market with.