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Rogers Announces iPhone Plans in Canada

RebelScum said:
I will likely buy the iPhone on launch day but without a data plan....But I have no intention whatsoever of giving Rogers even a single dime in Data fees. I have emailed the high-ups telling them so. A few times, actually. All I've ever gotten back is a single auto-reply from Liz Hamilton re. my first message.
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Agreed. Unfortunately I need a phone for work and having been delaying the purchase waiting for a legal iPhone for a year. I even "migrated" my calendar and contacts to a touch that I've been carrying around for ~6 months. I'll be getting a corporate voice package without data (I need more than 150 minutes daytime). If data prices drop then I'll add it to the package. Remember, they make the money off the plans not the phone.

I've e-mail Liz and their customer service a few times to tell them my thoughts on the matter (including links to telus and Bell press releases re: unlimited data.
 
cere said:
I wish you luck on that. If it works, let us know, as I will probably do the same. I just wants others to test the waters and ensure that Rogers/Fido won't be trying to nail you for a much larger plan cancellation/rollback fee. Also, if you subscribe to the $60 plan, can you just switch back to your previous plan? I thought if you give up a grandfathered plan, it is gone. You could switch to another, current $20 plan, but it might not give you what your current plan provides.

Regarding the Wifi, I am very doubtful that they could/would disable Wifi. However, unlike Dean, Jason and Todd, Rogers has access to your device before you get it activated. I suppose, if they wanted to, they could disable it, but I can't imagine Apple would allow that.
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They may be able to in-store, but once you leave the building, I don't see how.

We'll see...I sincerely doubt it, THB. There are images all over teh Internetz of people using their iPhones as iPod Touches simply by removing their SIMs.
 
PhineasPoe said:
Agreed. Unfortunately I need a phone for work and having been delaying the purchase waiting for a legal iPhone for a year. I even "migrated" my calendar and contacts to a touch that I've been carrying around for ~6 months. I'll be getting a corporate voice package without data (I need more than 150 minutes daytime). If data prices drop then I'll add it to the package. Remember, they make the money off the plans not the phone.

I've e-mail Liz and their customer service a few times to tell them my thoughts on the matter (including links to telus and Bell press releases re: unlimited data.
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Agreed, and agreed.
 
So does this mean that people are caving in and buying the iPhone regardless? I'm a tad disappointed as not buying the iPhone at all will make a much stronger argument for Rogers to change than simply not purchasing the data plans...
 
Since I haven't been able to find anything confirming the WiFi disabling if a Data Plan is not purchased, I emailed Liz and will hopefully hear back from her soon. I hope my email was clear enough to get a straight answer from her and hopefully put this nasty 'WiFi disabling' rumor to sleep.

I'll let everyone know what she says if/when she replies.
 
How many Rogers stores?

Hi Gang,

1. I doubt Rogers could turn off WiFi. It is probably ignorant CSRs confusing it with not having access to their hotspots on a basic plan. A good friend of mine actually gave me a 2.5G iphone about a week ago - Yay!. I haven't added any cell service to it yet and it isn't even unlocked. I turn it on and it just says "No SIM Card" and then works as an iPod touch. I can access WiFi at home and at the Starbucks Hotspots without problem (I signed up for unlimited Hotspot access through my Bell account for $25 a month and just enter my Bell cell number to log in). So without a data plan you will still have access to WiFi. I can guarantee you that Apple will not allow Rogers to hack the iphone to disable any features. Steve Jobs would not stand for that as it would seriously degrade the user experience and that is one of the main focusses at Apple.

2. Does anybody know how many Rogers outlets there are in Canada? For the sake of argument let's say there are 400. If each was originally allotted 50 iphones then that is only 20000 iphones slated for all of Canada. If, at last count at ruinediphone, nearly 50000 people are signing the petition then that is 2.5x more people than available iphones and that is significant.

Cheers,

Ron
 
skorpien said:
So does this mean that people are caving in and buying the iPhone regardless? I'm a tad disappointed as not buying the iPhone at all will make a much stronger argument for Rogers to change than simply not purchasing the data plans...
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I don;t see how...Rogers is subsidizing the iPhone and planning to make that $ back through its plans. The plan is where they make their $$, not the device. If anything, I think that might actually hurt their bottom line.

But you are correct...it will give them the opportunity to spin it as "excellent launch day numbers". Which is some crap.
 
Project-79 said:
Oh, right, I see that now.

(Off-topic): Great radio station thought!

P-79
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I've always liked them (well, not when they got into their hip-hop phase in the early 90's). Have listened to them since they used their call letters, CFNY, as their name.
 
Set the iPhone Free Petition - Please sign

Hi all,

In response to customer backlash on iPhone Rate Plans there has been
an online petition set up to gather signatures and let Apple know that
customers are not happy with these rip off arrangements.

Please read and sign here:
Set The iPhone Free of Single Carrier Monopoly
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/myiphone/petition.html
 
rkertesz said:
Hi Gang,

1. I doubt Rogers could turn off WiFi. It is probably ignorant CSRs confusing it with not having access to their hotspots on a basic plan. A good friend of mine actually gave me a 2.5G iphone about a week ago - Yay!. I haven't added any cell service to it yet and it isn't even unlocked. I turn it on and it just says "No SIM Card" and then works as an iPod touch. I can access WiFi at home and at the Starbucks Hotspots without problem (I signed up for unlimited Hotspot access through my Bell account for $25 a month and just enter my Bell cell number to log in). So without a data plan you will still have access to WiFi. I can guarantee you that Apple will not allow Rogers to hack the iphone to disable any features. Steve Jobs would not stand for that as it would seriously degrade the user experience and that is one of the main focusses at Apple.

Ron
Click to expand...


Good point, I really hope you're right about that.
 
Garemz said:
Whats the difference between Call display and who called?
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Call display shows a message on your phones screen when someone's calling, who called is a text message that gets sent to you when you miss a call, whether you just ignored the call, were out of the calling area (no signal.. so you receive the text when you receive signal), and when your phone is turned off.. can be handy but at same time can be annoying if your phone is turned on and in full signal area
 
jazz4ivo said:
In response to customer backlash on iPhone Rate Plans there has been an online petition set up to gather signatures and let Apple know that customers are not happy with these rip off arrangements.
Click to expand...

And then what? Rogers is the only GSM carrier in Canada. Set it free all you want, but right now if you want an iPhone in Canada Rogers is getting your money.
 
jazz4ivo said:
Hi all,

In response to customer backlash on iPhone Rate Plans there has been
an online petition set up to gather signatures and let Apple know that
customers are not happy with these rip off arrangements.

Please read and sign here:
Set The iPhone Free of Single Carrier Monopoly
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/myiphone/petition.html
Click to expand...

The wording of this petition makes it seem rather juvenile and uninformed. I wouldn't want my name associated with it because it does not paint a wholly realistic picture of the situation.

With the release of the iPhone 3G Apple no longer adheres to a monopolistic approach to carriers. Several countries have multiple carriers. But in many countries, including Canada, there is only one GSM network so there can be no choice.
 
currymac said:
With the release of the iPhone 3G Apple no longer adheres to a monopolistic approach to carriers. Several countries have multiple carriers. But in many countries, including Canada, there is only one GSM network so there can be no choice.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wish people would stop blaming Apple for this. Apple has nothing to do with what Rogers is doing. Apple is providing a phone. It's up to the carrier to provide the plan, subsidies, etc.
 
I don't see how you can wash apple's hands completely of this situation. Apple changed the terms.. and this is how some of the providers have responded. Apple wanted to lower the cost of the phone, cell companies have decided to make up the subsidy money through crappy plans..

I'm not sure Rogers would have had better plans.. but in theory if the phones were 400$ instead of 200$ the plans would be better.. in theory. And long term rogers gets more money out of us with longer term contracts. Apple looks good bye lower the price of the hardware.. but really they have just passed the buck to the cell companies, who now feel obligated to re-coup that money and some more with long crappy phone plans.

PS. how is Fido an option, i'd like it to be but.. i dont see the Iphone anywhere mentioned on their site?
 
currymac said:
The wording of this petition makes it seem rather juvenile and uninformed. I wouldn't want my name associated with it because it does not paint a wholly realistic picture of the situation.

With the release of the iPhone 3G Apple no longer adheres to a monopolistic approach to carriers. Several countries have multiple carriers. But in many countries, including Canada, there is only one GSM network so there can be no choice.
Click to expand...


Totally agree! Also, The idea of a petition is good, but too many petitions on the same matter only serve to delude the desired impact.

Best impact of all, dont let Rogers see the color of your money on July 11th!
We've been waiting for at least two years (1 year during the conception of the iPhone, 1 year since the introduction of initial iPhone), a few months more is nothing.
 
you are not fixed in to have the data plan

For instance, you can get a custom plan

I will be getting My5 (call 5 numbers and text unlimited)- 10$ + 30$ for 300MB data

total will come to 40$ + tax
 
spaz8 said:
I don't see how you can wash apple's hands completely of this situation. Apple changed the terms.. and this is how some of the providers have responded. Apple wanted to lower the cost of the phone, cell companies have decided to make up the subsidy money through crappy plans..

I'm not sure Rogers would have had better plans.. but in theory if the phones were 400$ instead of 200$ the plans would be better.. in theory. And long term rogers gets more money out of us with longer term contracts. Apple looks good bye lower the price of the hardware.. but really they have just passed the buck to the cell companies, who now feel obligated to re-coup that money and some more with long crappy phone plans.

PS. how is Fido an option, i'd like it to be but.. i dont see the Iphone anywhere mentioned on their site?
Click to expand...

http://www.fido.ca/portal/promos/personal/iphone3/en/promotion.jsp

The image of the iPhone is on the first page. This is what you get when you click on it...
 
spaz8 said:
I don't see how you can wash apple's hands completely of this situation. Apple changed the terms.. and this is how some of the providers have responded. Apple wanted to lower the cost of the phone, cell companies have decided to make up the subsidy money through crappy plans..

I'm not sure Rogers would have had better plans.. but in theory if the phones were 400$ instead of 200$ the plans would be better.. in theory. And long term rogers gets more money out of use with longer term contracts than.
Click to expand...

Please don't think that I'm a shill here, but Apple can only be expected to do just so much. They worked diligently for over a year to bring the original iPhone to Canada on THEIR terms. Rogers simply refused, knowing full well that it was them or nothing. They could afford to wait... and they have.

After a year, with a vastly more capable phone, and a strategic move towards Enterprise customers, Apple had to weigh their choices... hold out for better rates that the ordinary consumer would feel more comfortable with, or make the best deal possible and get the phone into circulation. Aside from the large number of mobile, independent businessmen who see the incredible potential the iPhone brings to their businesses, there are a large number of corporations, including many multi-nationals, who are seriously considering rolling out custom applications that run on the iPhone. These businesses, as well as any other business can write off the costs to their business. To them, regardless of cost, the iPhone will pay for itself from increased productivity.

With the launch of the iPhone 3G, consumers, looking at paying for an iPhone with their own, hard-earned dollars, are not Apple's (or Rogers') primary market, and represent only a small, albeit vocal minority. That's just the way it is.

I fear that in the long run, only competition from new GSM network carriers will relieve the pain we are all feeling right now.
 
currymac said:
I fear that in the long run, only competition from new GSM network carriers will relieve the pain we are all feeling right now.
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That, or massive customer revolt, by not buying the iPhone. I challenge everyone who signed one of the petitions to NOT buy the iPhone on July 11.

And call or email Rogers to let them know why. After all, the money will speak to Ted Rogers.
 
MacinDoc said:
That, or massive customer revolt, by not buying the iPhone. I challenge everyone who signed one of the petitions to NOT buy the iPhone on July 11.

And call or email Rogers to let them know why. After all, the money will speak to Ted Rogers.
Click to expand...

We need to be realistic here. "Massive" customer revolt is simply not in the cards. Even if every potential individual consumer boycotted the roll-out, the sales to the Aristotles of the world and all the corporate customers who are waiting in the wings will make the launch and subsequent sales a success for Rogers and Apple. The roll-out may, in a few locations be marred my minor protest, and the press may cover the protests for a day or so, but it will VERY QUICKLY die away. It sucks for us, but the business plans are where the money is.
 
currymac said:
We need to be realistic here. "Massive" customer revolt is simply not in the cards. Even if every potential individual consumer boycotted the roll-out, the sales to the Aristotles of the world and all the corporate customers who are waiting in the wings will make the launch and subsequent sales a success for Rogers and Apple. The roll-out may, in a few locations be marred my minor protest, and the press may cover the protests for a day or so, but it will VERY QUICKLY die away. It sucks for us, but the business plans are where the money is.
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True enough. But if the rumors (yes, I know, don't put stock in rumors) that Rogers has now put themselves at the bottom of the distribution list for stock, they might feel the pinch when they can't fill corporate orders. If the rumor is true, it would certainly appear to be Apple's response to Rogers lack of respect for their customers. And while the may sell well to the Aristotles of the world, fortunately no one wants to base their entire business model on stupidity.
 
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