When I first heard that the iphone would be carried by my mobile provider (Fido, which is a subsidiary of Rogers) I was quite delighted with the prospect of having my own little iphone. Lo and behold the data rates have come out and they are disgusting. Apple is not selling the iphone in Canada, it can only be had at Rogers or Fido outlets. Theoretically this is a sign of Apple’s unhappiness with Rogers’ attempt to gouge customers with high fees and low data plans, and insisting that users subscribe to a minimum of 3 years with stiff penalties for trying to get out of the contract.
These are the prices at Rogers, which owns Fido and therefore Fido has the same pricing scheme:
| Monthly Fee* | $60 | $75 | $100 | $115 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday Minutes Included | 150 | 300 | 600 | 800 |
| Evenings and Weekend | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Evenings are from 9 p.m to 7 a.m Monday to Friday and Weekends are from 9 p.m Friday to 7a.m Monday | ||||
| Data Included | 400MB | 750MB | 1GB | 2GB |
| 1MB= 1,024 KB 1GB=1,024MB | ||||
| Bonus Sent Text Messages | 75 | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| Visual Voicemail – New with iPhone | Included | |||
| Visual Voicemail allows you to go directly to any of your messages without listening to the prior messages, so you can quickly select the messages that are most important to you. | ||||
| Access to Rogers Wireless and Fido Hotspots |
Unlimited | |||
| Bonus | 3 months Unlimited Local Calling | |||
| Additional Weekday Minutes (per minute) |
35¢ | 35¢ | 25¢ | 15¢ |
| Additional Data | 50¢ per MB for the first 60 MB, 3¢ per MB thereafter | |||
| Additional Sent Text Messages (per message) |
15¢ | |||
While the iPhone 3G Voice and Data Packages allow you to use this device to its fullest and offer savings over separate voice and data plans, they are not the only options available to you. Other pricing options are available. For example, you may choose to combine one of our new data plans ranging from $30 per month (for 300MB) to $100 per month (for 6GB) with a voice plan. Learn More. They are available by calling 1 888 ROGERS1 or by visiting your nearest Rogers retail location.
Already an existing customer?
If you are an existing customer, you may keep your existing voice service plan and add a separate data plan. To check your upgrade eligibility, please call 1 888 ROGERS1 or visit your nearest Rogers retail location.
iPhone Voice & Data Packages are available on a 36-month term service agreement.
*A $6.95 monthly System Access Fee (non-government fee), a monthly 50¢ 911 Emergency Access Fee (non-government fee) and a one-time $35 Activation Fee apply in addition to the monthly service fee. Local airtime over the allotted monthly minutes in the plan, long distance and roaming charges, any additional service options selected and applicable taxes are extra and are also billed monthly.
Data Usage – Your iPhone will be enabled for data usage. If you subscribe to a plan with no data included, data charges at a pay-per-use rate of 5¢/KB for data sent and/or received over the Rogers network will apply, unless you subscribe to a data plan, which we highly recommend. Roaming charges apply while using your iPhone outside Canada. U.S. data roaming on iPhone Packages is $3/MB. The standard international data roaming rate applies. Visit rogers.com/roaming for our roaming rates and destinations. Data usage is measured in KB rounded to the next full KB.
Value Packs for iPhone 3G
Add a Value Pack to your package and save up to 53% off the regular price of Wireless Essentials.
| $15 iPhone Value Pack | $20 iPhone Value Pack |
|---|---|
| Get the 1st Month FREE* | |
| Wireless Essentials Included | Wireless Essentials Included |
| Call Display | Call Display |
| WhoCalled™ | WhoCalled™ |
| 2,500 Sent Text Messages | 10,000 Sent Text Messages |
| Caller Ring Trax™ | Caller Ring Trax™ |
| 2,500 Call Forwarding Minutes | 2,500 Call Forwarding Minutes |
| 6pm Early Evening Calling | |
| SAVE $11 Per month | SAVE $23 Per month |
lydia said,
July 8, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Who wants apples when you can have a blackberry
tasty.
AC said,
July 9, 2008 at 1:32 pm
So are you getting one? May I humbly suggest that you either:
a) Wait until Monday the 14th (to see if Rogers blinks), or at least
b) Wear this to your local Rogers/Fido store: http://tinyurl.com/6c38zj
opinionatedbean said,
July 9, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I want one, but not at Rogers’ inflated data plan price. With companies like Sprint in the USA offering unlimited packages for $99 I think it’s high time Canadian telecos start paying attention to consumer needs. They won’t, because we really only have 3 mobile companies. Though I was browsing through some business newspapers yesterday and Rogers stock went down – due to 2 main reasons — the shit hitting the fan with regards to their pricing schemes; and because the Federal Government has been selling off “space” in the mobile ether to foreign firms to about 40% of the overall “space”.. so hopefully in the next year or two there will be new mobile firms who will complete for my dollars and thereby I get a better deal.
I want the iphone but I’m thinking of either (a) letting my contract with Fido lapse (October of this year) or (b) sign a new 3 year contract to get the Samsung Jack.
I like your suggestions and I shall share them with friends.
puckrobin said,
July 9, 2008 at 4:11 pm
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/07/08/tech-iphone.html
I like how Apple has pretty much disowned Rogers over this. Rogers is offering what was called during my days of working for corporate communications “insult pricing”. People might be willing to pay a bit more given certain circumstances — say, in a gas station versus a Dollarama — but there is a pricing limit where the consumer just says “oh, f**k off!”
abe said,
July 9, 2008 at 5:17 pm
To clarify, Apple never intended on selling the iPhone in their canadian retail stores. From the day of the announcement, Rogers and Fido stores were the only places to get the iPhone in Canada.
And while I don’t believe the rumor that the launch shipments have been reduced, as they were probably shipped last week. Don’t forget they have to clear customs, then get to all the stores, it all takes time. They may reduce the shipments to replenish stocks, but we won’t know that for a few weeks.
I do think that rogers is on the wrong side of the diminishing returns curve with their pricing though. So they won’t get the sales they are hoping for.
If they had an unlimited data/voice plan for $50/month just think of the possibilities
100,000 people at $50/month ($5million) or
10,000 people at $100/month ($1million)
Just think of the possibilities rogers.
Best Iphone 2 U » Blog Archive » Rogers/Fido and the iPhone in Canada said,
July 25, 2008 at 1:32 pm
[...] administrator wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptData Usage – Your iPhone will be enabled for data usage. If you subscribe to a plan with no data included, data charges at a pay-per-use rate of 5¢/KB for data sent and/or received over the Rogers network will apply, … [...]
Hot Iphone 4 You » Blog Archive » Rogers/Fido and the iPhone in Canada said,
July 26, 2008 at 2:07 pm
[...] Sandy wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptiPhone Voice & Data Packages are available on a 36-month term service agreement. *A $6.95 monthly System Access Fee (non-government fee), a monthly 50¢ 911 Emergency Access Fee (non-government fee) and a one-time $35 Activation Fee … [...]