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Rogers Announces iPhone Plans in Canada
- Thread starter generationxwing
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I doubt Apple expects to sell many iPhones in Canada. I'm sure they negoiated as hard as they could for a reasonable plan--cheaper plans = more iPhones sold. I'd guess the only reason they agreed with this deal is that it makes it clear that "Rogers" is the problem (if the iPhone wasn't available at all in Canada, we won't know whether or not Apple was the cause of the problem).
The better thing to do would be not subscribe to any unreasonable cell plan in Canada.
Maybe there's a business opportunity for someone: In urban areas, set up large-scale wifi-network and sell IP phones and plans. That would probably hit "Rogers" where it hurts to most, too--I'd bet the urban areas are their most profitable. That won't directly help the large numbers of Canadians not in urban areas, but the pressure on the cell phone company could drive its prices down, across the board.
City Fido
I just got off the phone with FIDO customer service. While the person I spoke to seemed to be only interested in the published plans and he did speak to a manager, he assures me that City Fido customers are screwed. They can't have an iPhone - period.
Basically, there is not going to be a City Fido compatible data plan. While City Fido does offer data plans now, they are for limited page types I believe (WAP pages, I guess?) so that wouldn't translate to iPhone.
So if you are on City Fido and want the iPhone, you will lose your City Fido plan.
I've seen many people on Craigslist offering to transfer their city fido plans to others for a fee (several hundred dollars) but the guy I spoke to at FIDO assures me that FIDO does not allow transferring of the plan to others. So I have no idea how others are accomplishing this.
Anyways, I will have to give up City Fido it looks like - and thats not surprising to me at all, given that Rogers has hated the City Fido plans since they acquired FIDO and have been looking for ways to get rid of them. This is an opportunity for them to do so.
I just got off the phone with FIDO customer service. While the person I spoke to seemed to be only interested in the published plans and he did speak to a manager, he assures me that City Fido customers are screwed. They can't have an iPhone - period.
Basically, there is not going to be a City Fido compatible data plan. While City Fido does offer data plans now, they are for limited page types I believe (WAP pages, I guess?) so that wouldn't translate to iPhone.
So if you are on City Fido and want the iPhone, you will lose your City Fido plan.
I've seen many people on Craigslist offering to transfer their city fido plans to others for a fee (several hundred dollars) but the guy I spoke to at FIDO assures me that FIDO does not allow transferring of the plan to others. So I have no idea how others are accomplishing this.
Anyways, I will have to give up City Fido it looks like - and thats not surprising to me at all, given that Rogers has hated the City Fido plans since they acquired FIDO and have been looking for ways to get rid of them. This is an opportunity for them to do so.
Starbucks uses the Bell hotspots here though, not Rogers. Isnt that right? Or am I missing something?
oh wait dont everyone email elizabeth.hamilton@rci.rogers.com ! you push her way over her data limit!!!
lol! nice one
good luck enforcing that, btw
Lol, can you see the RCMP knocking on your door anytime soon? There's no way Jim Prentice can enforce that ridiculous law, and he knows it! So much so, he actually hung up on a CBC interviewer when the question was asked!
But yeah, that said, it will technically be illegal.
Lol, can you see the RCMP knocking on your door anytime soon? There's no way Jim Prentice can enforce that ridiculous law, and he knows it! So much so, he actually hung up on a CBC interviewer when the question was asked!
But yeah, that said, it will technically be illegal.
Man, that sucks. I bet half of that is paying for other people's unemployment. Yay socialism!
According to the CIA factbook, the unemployment rate in Norway is around 2.5%. Yay getting facts straight!
Tabernak!
Good job Rogers!!! You just lost one more customer (me)! And I don't think I'm going to be the only one backing down from picking up an iPhone unless you give us serious prices. When my brother called me this morning to tell me the prices I thought he was making up for not getting me on April fools!
This is wrong, we Canadians need to put an end to this!
PumaGuy
Good job Rogers!!! You just lost one more customer (me)! And I don't think I'm going to be the only one backing down from picking up an iPhone unless you give us serious prices. When my brother called me this morning to tell me the prices I thought he was making up for not getting me on April fools!
This is wrong, we Canadians need to put an end to this!
PumaGuy
I contacted Rogers
Thanks for the info here, Adil101!
Here's what I sent to Rogers:
I just saw your new data and phone rates for the iPhone. I don't mind paying a lot for the unit itself but the rates are incredibly overpriced. Not even talking just about the data rates (which, in keeping with competitive practices in the U.S. should be unlimited). To maintain my current phone time rate (including unlimited evenings and weekends, starting at 6:00 p.m. on weekdays), I'd have to agree to a plan which would see me pay about $70.00 more per month. *Just* for the voice service alone.
I was all excited about buying the new iPhone and was getting ready to sign up for a data and voice package - but these rates do not make any sense! I can't believe how unbelievable and unreasonable you guys are being!
As it is, I pay upwards of $250.00 a month for the full range of Rogers' services: internet, HD-TV with PVR and wireless. I had resisted upgrading my cell phone in anticipation of the iPhone.
You should know now that my plan has changed, and I will be letting my 3 year contract run out. After that, I will look elsewhere for my business and forget about getting an iPhone at all.
This is a big disappointment.
Check out some of the Apple-related forums out on the net: you'll see there's a major backlash going on right now at your announcement of new rates. You're about to lose a whole lot of customers.
That can't be your intent.
Thanks for the info here, Adil101!
Here's what I sent to Rogers:
I just saw your new data and phone rates for the iPhone. I don't mind paying a lot for the unit itself but the rates are incredibly overpriced. Not even talking just about the data rates (which, in keeping with competitive practices in the U.S. should be unlimited). To maintain my current phone time rate (including unlimited evenings and weekends, starting at 6:00 p.m. on weekdays), I'd have to agree to a plan which would see me pay about $70.00 more per month. *Just* for the voice service alone.
I was all excited about buying the new iPhone and was getting ready to sign up for a data and voice package - but these rates do not make any sense! I can't believe how unbelievable and unreasonable you guys are being!
As it is, I pay upwards of $250.00 a month for the full range of Rogers' services: internet, HD-TV with PVR and wireless. I had resisted upgrading my cell phone in anticipation of the iPhone.
You should know now that my plan has changed, and I will be letting my 3 year contract run out. After that, I will look elsewhere for my business and forget about getting an iPhone at all.
This is a big disappointment.
Check out some of the Apple-related forums out on the net: you'll see there's a major backlash going on right now at your announcement of new rates. You're about to lose a whole lot of customers.
That can't be your intent.
Dont count on it. I wouldnt count on it being available to buy as a non susidized either. Rogers sucks.....
Is it possible that these are the most expensive rate plans in the 70 countries that have the iPhone?
I might be stupid but doesn't voicemail need to know who's calling to recognize the caller and let you chose who to listen to and in which order? How can it do it if you don't take the valuepack? Does it mean voicemail would be showing "blank" IDs for every message if you don't pay extra? I'm confused...
Rogers or any other cell carrier in Canada did not build the worlds largest network. The cell coverage they have is only for populated areas of Canada which is 20% maybe 30% of the total area of Canada. There is no reason to gouge Canadians as the cost of running a cell network for Rogers is the same as running a network for ATT in the US.
There is only one reason for the excessive rates. LACK OF GSM COMPETITION as it has been said over and over and over.
sign the petition
even if you're not american...
www.****yourogers.com
replace the **** with a four letter word that begins with f and ends with uck.
even if you're not american...
www.****yourogers.com
replace the **** with a four letter word that begins with f and ends with uck.
Good job Rogers!!! You just lost one more customer (me)! And I don't think I'm going to be the only one backing down from picking up an iPhone unless you give us serious prices. When my brother called me this morning to tell me the prices I thought he was making up for not getting me on April fools!
This is wrong, we Canadians need to put an end to this!
PumaGuy
we need to fix this the canadian way. we need to do a mass gathering in front of ted rogers' house. egg it and toilet paper all his cars.
You guys are navie to think that you can do anything about this. When was the last time a corporate company changed the pricing due to complains? That's right, NEVER. 6 months down the line maybe, but change the announcement before launch because of petitions/emails? Dream on.
An iPhone isn't the only cell phone game in town. Go somewhere else and the prices will change.
BTW, stop using those things and it will teach them. Cable TV is definitely not a requirement. Anyone that I know who wants to save money cuts out cable TV first thing. It's funny how fast the cable company calls and starts dropping the price to get them to come back.
Internet access has gotten significantly cheaper over the years. You can get the 'slow' DSL now for very cheap. It's probably less than what I used to pay for 14.4k back in the day. These prices were driven by the free or nearly free internet providers.
Yep, I'm pretty sure all our 200+ Starbucks in Vancouver use Bell hotspots. No clue where Rogers/Fido hotspots are. But even if Rogers offers hotspots along with Bell in all the Starbucks it defeats the purpose of 3G phones.
