Rogers Reports 255,000 iPhone 3G Activations in Canada for Q3 2008

[MacRumors]

Rogers Communications, the sole iPhone 3G wireless provider in Canada, announced today in an earnings release that their Wireless division activated 255,000 iPhone 3Gs during the third quarter of 2008.

Rogers notes that approximately one-third of iPhone 3G sales were to new customers, with two-thirds of sales going to existing Rogers customers. They also note that their operating profit for the quarter was negatively impacted due to increased expenses coming from subsidies and upfront costs associated with the iPhone sales. This impact is expected to be more than offset in the future, however, by the increased monthly revenue generated by iPhone customers over the course of their three-year contracts.

Article Link: Rogers Reports 255,000 iPhone 3G Activations in Canada for Q3 2008

[Vandam500]

Doesn't seem like that many activations IMO, especially the amount of new customers. Probably the ridiculous 3 year contract they have

[plumbingandtech]

So is that more then or less then expected?

[rednic]

Originally Posted by Vandam500

Doesn't seem like that many activations IMO, especially the amount of new customers. Probably the ridiculous 3 year contract they have

Actually the population of canada is 30 million
so this is almost 1 % of the population buying an iphone in this period.

That is quite impressive if you ask me .

[slicecom]

Originally Posted by plumbingandtech

So is that more then or less then expected?

Well, Canada has about 1/10th the population of the US, so it's equivalent to about 2.6 million Americans buying iPhones in Q3. I have no idea if it's more or less than expected.

[graymccarty]

I'm assuming that this number is including Fido activations? Can anyone comment?

[plumbingandtech]

Originally Posted by slicecom

Well, Canada has about 1/10th the population of the US, so it's equivalent to about 2.6 million Americans buying iPhones in Q3. I have no idea if it's more or less than expected.

Ah thank you. That does make it seems like good numbers then.

[spininaround]

Here in Canada the mobile market is dominated by three big corporations Rogers, Telus and Bell. Since Rogers is the only one of these with an iPhone compatible network they are the ones selling it.
Now you would think with three big companies there would be a healthy competition. Such is not the case in Canada. All three companies charge rates that are consistently higher than the rest of the world. To add to this is the fact that our networks are dated and old, in need of much updating. Given this there has been a large amount of disappointment expressed by much of the (tech) population for the high rate plans and three year contracts.
Comparatively to our neighbors down-south (AT&T) Rogers is overcharging and giving a lot less. My feeling is that this is a major contribution to any low results. Having said this the numbers are good: nearly 1% of Canada (apple met their target here). None the less I doubt Rogers will see crazy growth until they get more competitive and realistic with their pricing.

[WildCowboy]

Originally Posted by graymccarty

I'm assuming that this number is including Fido activations? Can anyone comment?

Yes, it includes both Rogers Wireless and Fido...they are both included under the "Wireless" division.

[notjustjay]

I'm still holding off on the (naive) hope that they will provide better data plans.

It used to be 400 megs/month for their lowest-tier voice/data plan ($60/month); then they introduced the "special offer" of 6 gigs for $30 (added onto any existing plan); now that this is expired, I see they've quietly raised the limit to 1 gig/month for the $60/month plan. Which is more reasonable, but I'd still want to see more.

The other big reason I haven't pulled the trigger yet is because I'm used to carrying my cell phone in my pants pocket, along with my car keys; I am not afraid of abusing my little Sony Ericsson phone if it got scratched, dropped, crushed, or dinged. I'd be far more afraid of damage to an expensive iPhone.

[spininaround]

Originally Posted by notjustjay

It used to be 400 megs/month for their lowest-tier voice/data plan ($60/month); then they introduced the "special offer" of 6 gigs for $30 (added onto any existing plan); now that this is expired, I see they've quietly raised the limit to 1 gig/month for the $60/month plan. Which is more reasonable, but I'd still want to see more.

This is exactly the kind of high-pricing that is going to cause sales to slow down for Rogers & Fido. Even though at&t is expensive in comparison to other areas of this globe they are decent enough to give you the best tools to sue the phone at a reasonable price. Canada has a ways to go yet in the mobile industry.

[Rybold]

"Rogers notes that approximately one-third of iPhone 3G sales were to new customers .... 225,000 [total] iPhone activations"

The wireless carriers love this phone. AT&T reported the same 1/3 being new customers that switched over BECAUSE of the iPhone.
Expect that 225,000 to increase now as the people that were waiting for the Google phone realize that it is NOT an "iPhone killer" after all.

[SilvorX]

This is quite amazing! However, dealing with Rogers to get AN iPhone when it was first released was HELL. Many dealers absolutely refused to sell iPhones to existing customers (since commission for new customers is much higher than for upgrades). I went to 4 Rogers dealerships in one day and only one was willing to sell me the iPhone, but the "system" was down (remember that?) so they refused to do so, one other dealership said they would call me when they have them in stock (and never did). So I contacted Rogers 1800 number. That was the easiest phone purchase experience I dealt in a long time. I didn't have to go several kilometres in Quebec City (where I was located) anymore, I was able to have my iPhone ordered in less than half an hour while talking to the man from Montreal over the phone who was placing my order, he was friendly to talk to, sold the iPhone for $399 before taxes (concidering I only did an upgrade 10 months earlier) for a 16GB model, and made a few jokes about how my school where I was living at "sucked" because his school was rival to my school (where I was only living at this time.. not studying at).

11 days later I received the iPhone, main reason why it took so long was because UPS was hell to deal with, they didn't know where to send the package, so I ended up going all the way to the boonies to pick up my iPhone at their warehouse.. and after picking up my iPhone in the boonies near Jean Lesage airport, a friend and I went to a local Tim Hortons and checked out the iPhone, while two middle aged Quebecois men were drooling about the phone from across the building.

I just wish Rogers had more supply when it was released, and I will never deal with a dealer ever again, now only sticking with buying phones through Rogers via phone, being a customer for over 5 years and being treated as if my money didn't matter is just flat out rude.

Also.. I wish Rogers retained the 6GB data plan.. that was a sweet deal, but Rogers needs to improve 3G coverage.. I don't live in Toronto or Quebec City (anymore) or Vancouver or Regina, so I "can't" get 3G service because Rogers is insanely slow to expand

[jayducharme]

Originally Posted by notjustjay

The other big reason I haven't pulled the trigger yet is because I'm used to carrying my cell phone in my pants pocket, along with my car keys; I am not afraid of abusing my little Sony Ericsson phone if it got scratched, dropped, crushed, or dinged. I'd be far more afraid of damage to an expensive iPhone.

You don't have to worry about the iPhone getting badly scratched. I have a friend who's kept his inside his pants pocket with his keys, and outside of a few nicks, it's pristine. The screen isn't scratched at all.

I have a PowerSupport anti-glare film on mine, and I also have a OneMoreThing silicon wrap around the body. I mostly keep it in my shirt pocket, but occasionally in my pants pocket. After three months, mine still looks good as new. The only problem I have is with lint getting into the dock connector.

[SilvorX]

about scratches.. the only time I've had scratches occur were went my butter fingers drop it, which tends to be once every 3 months. What's weird is both times I've checked so far.. I did a close analysis of to see if there was any damage from the accidental drop.. I can't find ANY scratches until about 2 days later.. it's weird.. and then they're so noticeable but not enough to bug anyone. having an iPhone in a pocket with keys or other things havent caused any scratches yet!

[themanfromvlad]

Originally Posted by notjustjay

I'm still holding off on the (naive) hope that they will provide better data plans.

It used to be 400 megs/month for their lowest-tier voice/data plan ($60/month); then they introduced the "special offer" of 6 gigs for $30 (added onto any existing plan); now that this is expired, I see they've quietly raised the limit to 1 gig/month for the $60/month plan. Which is more reasonable, but I'd still want to see more.

The other big reason I haven't pulled the trigger yet is because I'm used to carrying my cell phone in my pants pocket, along with my car keys; I am not afraid of abusing my little Sony Ericsson phone if it got scratched, dropped, crushed, or dinged. I'd be far more afraid of damage to an expensive iPhone.

It's actually $30 for the 1 GB plan now. I got the $30/6GB plan when the promo was running, but I haven't gone over 360 MB in usage in any month since July 11th.

[macduke]

Yikes. Three year contract?

This leads me to the obvious question: Will those who upgrade to the next version of the iPhone have to wait three years or face paying full price? I'm curious about this in the U.S also. I don't want to have to wait until summer 2010 until I can get a new iPhone without paying a ridiculous price.

[brad.c]

Those numbers sound really high. I'm happy for Apple, but not quite so enthusiastic a supporter of Rogers.

I'm still stubbornly holding off until i can pair a data plan with prepaid voice. I barely use my current cell, and cannot currently justify the voice rates. Plus, in these economic times, I would be very hesitant to sign any contract for that length of time.

In the meantime, sometimes my wife lets me hold the iPod Touch I bought for her birthday last spring.

[SilvorX]

Originally Posted by macduke

Yikes. Three year contract?

This leads me to the obvious question: Will those who upgrade to the next version of the iPhone have to wait three years or face paying full price? I'm curious about this in the U.S also. I don't want to have to wait until summer 2010 until I can get a new iPhone without paying a ridiculous price.

If a new generation iPhone came out.. say MORE than a year after the 3G iPhone does, then a customer can upgrade, but depending when the upgrade occurs, it will be more expensive than the original iPhone 3G. A person doesn't have to wait 3 years to do the upgrade, they can do an upgrade a year into the contract, but it will be more expensive than after the 3 years.. HOWEVER.. you can sometimes get deals on phones from cancellations.

Well over a year ago I wanted a new phone because my Motorola phone was dying but still a while left into the contract, the phone I wanted was an HTC TyTn (piece of trash). The Rogers "new customer" price was $499.99 with a 3 year contract plus a requirement of a data plan that costs atleast x dollars. I was able to get the phone for $250 for a 3 year contract from cancellations, without any changes to my plan, I didn't have to add a data plan either. Pretty good with still having well over a year left in my contract.

10 months later the iPhone comes out, Rogers usually has a requirement that one upgrade can be done for the line every 12 months minimum, but they bend the rule. Since I had done an upgrade 10 months earlier, I had to pay $399 for a 16GB iPhone... which is actually REALLY cheap for me, I shouldve been expected to pay $699 or so because I had done an upgrade a year earlier.

So when the next iPhone comes out, it's more than likely that people will be able to upgrade to it, but depending on what their spending habits are like, they may have to pay more than the original iPhone 3G.. and sign a 3 year contract.

This is a kick in the nads to Rogers/Fido employees: http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/...ease-in-sales/