Canadian Data Fees Seen as Hurdle for iPhone

[Eric Lewis]

And I live in the second most expensive housing market in canada, calgary... (we're now beating the GTA yay??!!?) (June numbers for an average bungalow (IIRC): Vancouver $771,000, Calgary $495,000 (peaked at just over 500K at the start of june, but went down a wee bit), Toronto $487,000)

anyway, the only way to get a "good" deal on anything is cell related it to be a corp customer, average joes get screwed, corp customers at least get vasoline
My cell plan (bell preferred customer plan) is 30/mo for 200 daytime min, unlimited evenings and weekends caller id and voicemail, system access and 911 fee included, priced out for regular people this is over 45/mo. it pays to be corporate but stgill the USA beats us by big money. I can add unlimited "mobile browser" for 12/mo. data plans though for crackberrys and the like start at 60+/mo. it is ridiculous!

where do u get those house numbers? there cheap? mine was way more then the BC

 

[fixyourthinking]

The $20 US plan was $79.99 extra!

The $20 US plan was $79.99 extra! - I would imagine Canadians and Europeans will have similar rates.

 

[fixyourthinking]

And I live in the second most expensive housing market in canada, calgary... (we're now beating the GTA yay??!!?) (June numbers for an average bungalow (IIRC): Vancouver $771,000, Calgary $495,000 (peaked at just over 500K at the start of june, but went down a wee bit), Toronto $487,000)

anyway, the only way to get a "good" deal on anything is cell related it to be a corp customer, average joes get screwed, corp customers at least get vasoline
My cell plan (bell preferred customer plan) is 30/mo for 200 daytime min, unlimited evenings and weekends caller id and voicemail, system access and 911 fee included, priced out for regular people this is over 45/mo. it pays to be corporate but stgill the USA beats us by big money. I can add unlimited "mobile browser" for 12/mo. data plans though for crackberrys and the like start at 60+/mo. it is ridiculous!

Least you've got "free" healthcare ...lol

 

[Tsuius]

The $20 US plan was $79.99 extra! - I would imagine Canadians and Europeans will have similar rates.

How long ago was the that and how much data was included?

 

[Tsuius]

Least you've got "free" healthcare ...lol

The "free" healthcare costs Canadians (in Ontario) 14% sales tax and at the end of the day most Canadians pay over 50% in taxes when you include sales, income, gas, alcohol, tobacco, land transfer and other taxes.

 

[Sdao]

The "free" healthcare costs Canadians (in Ontario) 14% sales tax and at the end of the day most Canadians pay over 50% in taxes when you include sales, income, gas, alcohol, tobacco, land transfer and other taxes.

And I'm fine with that...

 

[kwajo.com]

And I live in the second most expensive housing market in canada, calgary... (we're now beating the GTA yay??!!?) (June numbers for an average bungalow (IIRC): Vancouver $771,000, Calgary $495,000 (peaked at just over 500K at the start of june, but went down a wee bit), Toronto $487,000)

I don't know how you could stand to pay that much for a bungalow, it's disgusting. The same June housing numbers had the average bungalow here [New Brunswick] as somewhere between $140,000-$150,000 depending which city you're living in. Here in Saint John that $400,000 would buy you a beautiful suburban home, AND a condo downtown. For the cost of that Vancouver bungalow, you could get a mansion in an elitist neighbourhood here.

I'll stick with the Maritimes thanks (though even out East we can't get away from the telecom company price gouging mentioned in this thread)

 

[dqm]

Just had to add a point about the 'free' healthcare.

The first problem in some Canadian cities (neighbourhoods within a city) is to try and find a primary care physician who is willing to take you on. And you can forget about trying to get any specialist tests done.

We moved to downtown Toronto and managed to get a physician after he interviewed us!!

No, the 'free' healthcare leaves much to be desired. It has to give...it may take 5 years or 10 years, but it will crack. Privatized healthcare is a much better option.

Anyways, back to data rates The iPhone could be a good thing for all cellphone users, because it would force the data rates down. Not holding my breath on that though...

 

[James L]

No, the 'free' healthcare leaves much to be desired. It has to give...it may take 5 years or 10 years, but it will crack. Privatized healthcare is a much better option.

Wrong. There is a reason Canada consistently ranks above the US in health care rankings. The disparity has been as high as Canada ranked 10th best system in the world, and the US ranked 37th.

Having said that, many European countries have combined systems that are very well run and managed, and are far superior to North American systems.

 

[CalBoy]

Blame Canada!

LOL I loved that movie

 

[matticus008]

I don't know how you could stand to pay that much for a bungalow, it's disgusting. The same June housing numbers had the average bungalow here [New Brunswick] as somewhere between $140,000-$150,000 depending which city you're living in.

Not to worry, those numbers are rather inflated. The average home in Vancouver (not a bungalow) goes for about $550,000 according to the MLS figures when I moved back to the US, and the CBC reports on home prices periodically so this can be confirmed without calling a realtor. A bungalow in Vancouver is easily triple what it costs you guys out there, but it's not $770k, to be sure. Vancouver is also not even in the top 100 for cost of living, so it still ends up being a pretty good deal on a global scale.

I would be interested in seeing a ranking of voice/data services around the world, compiled into a single source. Publishing such a list might even prompt Canadian companies to do something about it.

 

[galstaph]

Least you've got "free" healthcare ...lol

Albertans enrolled in the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan must pay premiums unless they qualify for full premium assistance.

Premiums are paid directly by the individual or may be submitted by an employer or union as part of a group plan.

There are two regular premium rates:

* $44 per month for single coverage
* $88 per month for family coverage (two or more persons)

and let me see in Calgary we have such a shortage that it takes 8-10 HOURS to get into the emergency room if you are anything less than d.o.a. we've had like three miscarrages in the waiting room alone last year, we've had peopel die while waiting, yet our health region boss is getting mega bucks (600k+/year) all the money goes to wages and not enough is left over for running things. We need an overhaul, while it is better than some our system could stand some improvement. And don't even try to find a personal physician...

 

[Spritey]

even pay for incoming calls... how retarded is that...

Yup canadian cell phone companies suck. the tax in Quebec is ridiculous, too. My cellphone cost 32$ a month and the plan I have sucks....like 100 weekday and 1000 weekend. text msg. cost extra, and I have no caller ID or call waiting!

LoL You have the same plan as me, Fido, unlimited incoming?

Moved to Quebec from Europe and was astonished to see that they even charge you for INCOMING calls?! (Not that this is a Canadian thing, but rather North-Am. as far as I know).

So they advertised: Unlimited incoming 100d/1000evening minutes for $25 (doesn't include caller id, call waiting or voice mail). But even if my phone isn't used **at all** for a month, the total bill comes to about $35 because of a $6.95 system access fee (wtf?) plus taxes. Oh, and not to forget the 911 fee (what exactly does this fee do??)

Oh, and I love sending people MMS messages if I haven't seen them for a while, but in Canada (at least Fido/rogers) only allow you to send MMS/picture messages to other Fido/Rogers subscribers. (Don't even get me started on how retarded that is).

Sometimes I really miss Europe... we can have healthcare AND better cell phone plans, all at once... amazing...

 

[candan9019]

Why is it that any mention of Canada has to descend into talking about our healthcare or we get to hear comments like "Blame Canada"? I don't care if you think Canada is a joke. I moved back after 12 years in the US and I'm glad I did. (Not that the US isn't ok or anything but....)

Anyways...

It seems like many Canadian companies like cell providers and banks have price agreements with each other. I mean Bell and Telus have basically the same plans the only thing they use to compete is coverage strength and the content they offer. I don't think this will last forever though, things are bound to change. Better be soon too.

 

[Tsuius]

Price agreements = price fixing. How can you have three independent wireless companies charge the same or very similar data rates? The only one that was not part of the scotch sipping – cigar smoking club was Fido. Fido had unlimited voice for $45.00 (no sys access fee) and unlimited data for $20.00. As soon Rogers bought Fido they eliminated both while Ted Rogers called Fido a bad child of the industry at one of his meetings! Where is CRTC while Canadians are being ripped off?

 

[Sdao]

Price agreements = price fixing. How can you have three independent wireless companies charge the same or very similar data rates? The only one that was not part of the scotch sipping – cigar smoking club was Fido. Fido had unlimited voice for $45.00 (no sys access fee) and unlimited data for $20.00. As soon Rogers bought Fido they eliminated both while Ted Rogers called Fido a bad child of the industry at one of his meetings! Where is CRTC while Canadians are being ripped off?

I wrote a critical essay on the CRTC for my Political Economy of the Media Class 2 years ago (Im now going into my 4th year of University) and did remarkably well. After countless hours of research, I've concluded that the CRTC is nothing more than a business. Most of the politicians involved have vested interests within both Bell and Rogers, they seek to profit from the gains of those 2 companies (despite their claims of being an arms length, unbiased commission). Obvious, I know... but what most people arent aware of is the fact that the CRTC is also a 'Communications Security Council'. They protect companies like Rogers from competitive threat. They (the CRTC) hold the ability to grant or deny licenses in most areas of communications.

 

[Tsuius]

They protect companies like Rogers from competitive threat. They (the CRTC) hold the ability to grant or deny licenses in most areas of communications.

...so there is noone to protect Canadian consumers from the competition eliminating companies. What's next Telus buys Bell?

 

[Sdao]

...so there is noone to protect Canadian consumers from the competition eliminating companies. What's next Telus buys Bell?

Telus will buy bell, I'm fairly sure of it. Bell has been squandering its power and money for the last 10 years. They desperately need to change their business model.

Canadian consumers have no protection when it comes to cellular providers. Even a company like Virgin Mobile isn't willing to invest in the Canadian wireless market, solely because Rogers and Bell maintain a great deal of power. Rogers should have never been able to buy Fido, it seems like no matter how powerful Rogers becomes, the CRTC wont even think about the effects of monopoly. As Canadian citizens we are simply being ripped off. There is no competition.

 

[quigleybc]

everyday my hopes of using an iPhone die a little more and more....

I was in the airport in Philly the other day, i saw a guy using his iPhone, I wanted to tackle him

This topic infuriates me! stupid iPhone....it's been sent to make us Canadians hate our own country....

 

[James L]

Holy crap.

The iPhone has been out for less than 3 weeks, and already people are talking like it will never come to Canada.

Patience people.... it will come.

Now if we could only get people over their "grass is greener" mentality to health care all would be good!

 

[morespce54]

Well I would think (and hope) that Rogers, if they were to carry the iPhone, would release a special data plan just for the iPhone for a while until they decide it'd be a good idea to offer it to other phones in the future. Rogers MUST have the technology to support the bandwidth usage, and the cheaper (compared to other companies in Canada) plans for the iPhone would likely result in the iPhone being a very good selling phone.
(I am a proud Canadian, waiting to buy his iPhone).

You wish...
They never did for any crackberry plan...

 

[Sdao]

You wish...
They never did for any crackberry plan...

if some American's have made a fuss over the ridiculous initial cost of purchasing an iphone/switching providers/service plan, imagine how much its going to cost here...

Rogers is a monopoly. They wont change anything to accomodate the iPhone. I can almost guarantee that if they get exclusivity they'll order a minimal amount of phones just to fuel the craze...

 

[cowman007]

Wow, like it really sucks to be a Canadian cell phone customer, eh?

Guess they have plenty of money seeing how they save so much on their health care.

all our tax money goes to our healthcare system and taxes are high so i don't save much really

 

[KD7IWP]

At my school a number of prof's have moved just across the border to Washington since they save so much each year in taxes. Our school is close enough to the border that it didn't really affect their commute times either. I don't blame them! I would much rather choose what health care provider I have (like my parents do in Washington) rather than fighting to find a doctor up here who will add me to their list.

But anyway, the iPhone will come, but there is no chance that price plans will change. Lets tackle Rogers.

 

[Sdao]

At my school a number of prof's have moved just across the border to Washington since they save so much each year in taxes. Our school is close enough to the border that it didn't really affect their commute times either. I don't blame them! I would much rather choose what health care provider I have (like my parents do in Washington) rather than fighting to find a doctor up here who will add me to their list.

But anyway, the iPhone will come, but there is no chance that price plans will change. Lets tackle Rogers.

I live in the GTA and not once have I ever had a problem with the Canadian health care system. I can get an appointment with my doctor any day of the week, I have 3 hospitals within a 25 minute drive (max) from my house and have visited them on numerous occasions. The worst experience I've had is waiting for a doctor to see my sprained ankle, it was a 1 hour wait. boo hoo. I've been to the hospital many, many times. Never once have I had a problem.

I would much rather pay high taxes each year to ensure that every Canadian citizen's right to good health is fulfilled. Private health care is a disaster, look at the premiums people are paying in the U.S. I may be generalizing (just a tad), but we pay higher taxes in Canada for a reason. I'd rather live longer (on avg) then my neighbour to the south than have the freedom to choose between health care providers.

We are all in this life together. We deserve to be cared for when we are sick. Having a serious illness is bad enough, but having to worry about money while battling a serious illness... I would never wish that upon anybody.

This isnt a vent against the United States. I think its a great country, I have many friends and many family members who live there and I love visiting and spending time with them.

now... what was I going to say about the iPhone?