I sent this letter to the Toronto Star and also to a Rogers Board Member
I and many other Canadians were hoping that with the release of iPhone 2.0, we would also see the birth or Rogers 2.0 As today's release of the pricing and plans by Rogers indicate, our hopes were in vain. Rogers fails to understand that the iPhone as well as other smart phones are webified to the extent that they are always connected,
The entry level plan with Caller ID, is $92.65/month and that's just with 150 voice minutes, nowhere near enough for even the most basic needs. Who talks less than 2.5 hours a month on their cellphone, or 5 minutes a day? Certainly, one would expect that an iPhone user would be fairly technologically immersed and would be using their communication device all the time.
Over the 3 years contract, this basic plan would cost the customer ($60 + $5.95 SAF) * 1.13 * 12 * 3 = $2682.85
Most consumers don't realize how quickly they will reach their limit and they could be facing an enormous charge at the end of the month since they have no way of knowing their usage during the billing period.
On the lower end, why would someone get a 3G iPhone if all they can use is 400MB of Data? Its like having a Ferrari but you can't afford the gas, and you can only drive around the block 3 times a month.
On the plan that I need since its the only phone I have, $153.28 X 12 = $1840 x 3 = $5521.82
I doubt that I will be upgrading. I am an early adapter, and many like myself have the first iPhone unlocked with no Data Plan.
Instead of ensuring that iPhone users can enjoy all that the iPhone can offer, and looking at a business model that will allow Rogers to gain substantial revenue from applications that it can sell or rent to customers, as Apple is doing, it stays with the old and useless paradigm.
Sometimes I wonder if the people who create these price plans for service providers actually talk to customers, or pay their own cell phone bill.
