I have just finished talking to a Rogers rep and in every respect it was quite encouraging.
For me personally, I have the option of upgrading to an iPhone and adding a separate Data Plan (http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wi..._service_plans) to my existing voice service plan. As such, I can, for $30, get the 300MB data pack and still keep our existing Pooled Family Eve/Weekend Plan.
My Evening/Weekend which we have had for some time starts at 6PM. Thus, we are reluctant to move to another plan.
Now, I realize that a number of you may not believe me, or in particular, what the Rogers Rep told me about the Data Usage, but here goes.
Rogers has been testing the iPhone from day one and their findings have consistently shown that the number of emails, web pages and photo attachments, i.e., 200,000, 3,100 and 1,360 respectively for 400MB, are in fact inline. In addition, the average data usage as tabled per AT&T user has been verified. As the Rep said, you will be amazed at how much you will be get on the iPhone with just a 400MB data plan.
Now the only caveat was that they haven't been informed what the price would be to upgrade to the iPhone under the above circumstances. Hopefully, as the rep said, it won't be much different if any for those eligible to upgrade than the current posted price.
What was encouraging was the admission that Rogers was well aware of all the ruckus surrounding their plans, that much of the issues were due to misinformed voices, and that Rogers was working hard to make it a success.
And oh yes. They all are wanting to get an iPhone for themselves. And on that, I am not going to mess around with her Karma.
What I think is most frustrating about the Canadian situation is the following list:
1. 3 year contracts
2. system access fees
3. no GSM competition
4. a country with much better plans is right next door
Bell, Rogers and Telus have been screwing customers for years without anyone coming along to upset the proverbial apple cart. Now they're being dragged kicking and screaming into a world that expects more from mobile internet than text email.
All over the world providers have discovered a new way to suck money from their customers: deny that SMS is really just data and should be included free in all data plans.
Do you have any idea how much you're paying for text messaging? It's more than 100,000 times as much as you are for other data.
If you seriously exceed your Rogers iPhone data plan you'll be charged 3 cents per MB.
If you send one too many text messages (usually less than 50 bytes) you're nailed 15 cents
While I suspect these rumours are not true, I LOVE all the anti-Rogers rumours.
Rogers drank my milkshake!
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonK
I am wondering if this is possible. Somebody just gave me a 2.5G iphone and looking at the small print at the bottom of the iphone plan pages it says the plans are available on a 36 month contract. So does that mean I need to sign up for 3 years just to get the plan with my own phone? I will try calling them later on to ask about his.
Do you currently have a phone from Rogers? Does it have a data plan? If so, then you can unlock the iPhone and use your SIM and get the goodness without having to change your plan or tell Rogers a thing.
Also, if it's true that Apple is not selling the iPhone in Canadian Apple retail locations, then they are really mis-firing on their promotional materials. To a degree I have never seen before.
As a .Mac member I have been buried in iPhone ads lately in my inbox and all of them say "on sale at your local Apple retail store." This is kind of typical in that it rarely occurs to USA-ians that any other countries exist but their own, but given that some of these emails are keyed on my purchases from the Canadian online Apple store, and given that my .Mac name address etc. is in Canada, you'd think that they would send a special email to the Canadian customers about this change.
I can guarantee that there are a lot of .Mac users in Canada that will be running to their local Apple store (as they have been told to in apple's email to them!) and will be very disappointed when they don't get to buy an iPhone.
Hell, given that it's Canada, there might even be folks that have driven for a day or so to get there!
Given that the launch is only a day or two away, Apple needs to send out an email or make some kind of official announcement that the iPhone *won't* be on sale at their stores, if only to counter the erroneous emails they are already sending out on the topic.
Then why would they mention it on the US page, which they do? I also would like to see a link to any confirmation by Apple or their reps that there will be iPhones in any Apple stores outside the US on launch day.
While not exactly a confirmation, the CBC article linked above does mention that Apple will be selling in their Apple Stores in other countries, specifically in the UK. The Apple UK page, on Where to Buy the iPhone mentions only O2 and CarPhone Warehouse. So, if Apple stores there are selling it, it seems they don't mention it.
I don't necessarily buy the CBC's stance that Canada is the only country where the iPhone is not being sold in Apple Stores. Considering that the CBC article touts the fact that it's not being sold as if it's news, yet their own Tod Maffin knew about it over two weeks ago suggests a certain lack of research on their part.
Certainly it is being sold in the U.S. -- that much is obvious. However I can find absolutely no concrete evidence that it is being sold in any other International Apple Store. Bear in mind as well that in some countries, like Australia, the iPhone will be available from multiple carriers. How would Apple handle this if in-store sign-up is going to be a requirement? Do they train their staff for every possible carrier? Particularly for the sake one ONE store in the entire country? Or do they just wash their hands of it and let the carriers handle it themselves?
The reality is that in the U.S. it makes sense to sell the iPhone in Apple Retail Stores.... They're almost as ubiquitous as AT&T stores. In every other country, however, Apple Stores are in the minority, particularly when compared to the outlets of the local cellular providers. From a purely business point of view, why would Apple waste time and resources training their staff and linking up their networks to various cellular carriers just to serve a small fraction of the overall population who live near Apple Stores?
Further, here in Toronto at least, each of the three locations with Apple Stores have at least one Rogers and one Fido store in the same mall. Some of the malls even have two Rogers Stores, plus other Rogers dealers such as Wireless Wave (who seem to think they will also be stocking the iPhone).
The bottom line is that in many of these countries, there may just not be a huge incentive for Apple to bother.
What I think is most frustrating about the Canadian situation is the following list:
1. 3 year contracts
2. system access fees
3. no GSM competition
4. a country with much better plans is right next door
Bell, Rogers and Telus have been screwing customers for years without anyone coming along to upset the proverbial apple cart. Now they're being dragged kicking and screaming into a world that expects more from mobile internet than text email.
All over the world providers have discovered a new way to suck money from their customers: deny that SMS is really just data and should be included free in all data plans.
Do you have any idea how much you're paying for text messaging? It's more than 100,000 times as much as you are for other data.
If you seriously exceed your Rogers iPhone data plan you'll be charged 3 cents per MB.
If you send one too many text messages (usually less than 50 bytes) you're nailed 15 cents
That's $3145.73 per MB
Hmm. Interesting. Perhaps you could tell Mr. Harris your perspective, so that he could become better informed and thus not making an ass of himself by writing such drivel. I am sure he would like to hear from you.
Do you currently have a phone from Rogers? Does it have a data plan? If so, then you can unlock the iPhone and use your SIM and get the goodness without having to change your plan or tell Rogers a thing.
Nope, I'm with Bell right now. Was thinking about canceling with Bell to use the 2.5G iphone instead. But if I have to sign up for 3 years just to use my own phone on a Rogers or Fido plan then forget it. I'll stick with Bell and I can add unlimited Hotspot access to my Bell plan for $24 a month and just use the iphone as an iPod Touch for the time being. To add hotspot access to a Fido plan apparently costs $40 per month and Rogers charges $24 per month for 600 minutes of Hotspot access. Again, another glaring price difference for what is, in this case, the exact same product!
I don't necessarily buy the CBC's stance that Canada is the only country where the iPhone is not being sold in Apple Stores. Considering that the CBC article touts the fact that it's not being sold as if it's news, yet their own Tod Maffin knew about it over two weeks ago suggests a certain lack of research on their part.
Certainly it is being sold in the U.S. -- that much is obvious. However I can find absolutely no concrete evidence that it is being sold in any other International Apple Store. Bear in mind as well that in some countries, like Australia, the iPhone will be available from multiple carriers. How would Apple handle this if in-store sign-up is going to be a requirement? Do they train their staff for every possible carrier? Particularly for the sake one ONE store in the entire country? Or do they just wash their hands of it and let the carriers handle it themselves?
The reality is that in the U.S. it makes sense to sell the iPhone in Apple Retail Stores.... They're almost as ubiquitous as AT&T stores. In every other country, however, Apple Stores are in the minority, particularly when compared to the outlets of the local cellular providers. From a purely business point of view, why would Apple waste time and resources training their staff and linking up their networks to various cellular carriers just to serve a small fraction of the overall population who live near Apple Stores?
Further, here in Toronto at least, each of the three locations with Apple Stores have at least one Rogers and one Fido store in the same mall. Some of the malls even have two Rogers Stores, plus other Rogers dealers such as Wireless Wave (who seem to think they will also be stocking the iPhone).
The bottom line is that in many of these countries, there may just not be a huge incentive for Apple to bother.
A couple people at MacOSRumor forums said they called UK Apple Stores and were told there would be selling them there. Here is one.
Word of Apple's abandonment of in-store sales comes just days after the company was reported to have sanctioned Rogers by diverting a significant amount of Canada's iPhone 3G shipments to Europe as initial retribution.
LOL
Thanks Apple, no need to shift over too much units to Europe. At least, not to
Germany. Know what we get for $60 (ok 29 Euro actually, which is roughly $48) :
- 50 minutes (+weekend), $0.6 per additional minute
- no SMS
- 100 MB of data (any additional MB for just $0.8)
- have to fork over $300 for the 8GB version, upfront
- 24 months contract
Compared to that, the Rogers deal sounds like a steal ...
While not exactly a confirmation, the CBC article linked above does mention that Apple will be selling in their Apple Stores in other countries, specifically in the UK. The Apple UK page, on Where to Buy the iPhone mentions only O2 and CarPhone Warehouse. So, if Apple stores there are selling it, it seems they don't mention it.
The CBC has corrected its story. It now reads:
"Apple has a number of stores in the United Kingdom, seven in Japan and one each in Italy and Australia. It is unclear whether they will be selling the iPhone."
Rogers has been testing the iPhone from day one and their findings have consistently shown that the number of emails, web pages and photo attachments, i.e., 200,000, 3,100 and 1,360 respectively for 400MB, are in fact inline. In addition, the average data usage as tabled per AT&T user has been verified. As the Rep said, you will be amazed at how much you will be get on the iPhone with just a 400MB data plan.
Kris Abel of CTV, and thusly Rogers, apparently disagree with that usage estimation.
They own the only cable company, they own one of the biggest video rental services, they are big, and mean, and people loves to hate them... I know I do. It's like I can blame everything on Rogers and I feel better.
Anyhow, that's what you get when you have to deal with a near monopoly. The sad thing is that they will probably sold out anyways...
A couple people at MacOSRumor forums said they called UK Apple Stores and were told there would be selling them there. Here is one.
I just called (3:52 EST) the Regent Street Store and was told that they don't know if they are going to be selling them. They think that they are getting some to demo. But that's if for now.
As I understand it, Rogers doesn't have much competition in Canada.
Since you think it's so easy, why don't you go and start a mobile network in Canada and start making your easy money?
If you watch this YouTube clip there is a developer that is interviewed that actually states that he has been shut down by Rogers so they remain a monopoly. Check 4:30min of the clip. This company was trying to sell plans but Rogers cut them off. MONOPOLY TACTICS!
"Apple has a number of stores in the United Kingdom, seven in Japan and one each in Italy and Australia. It is unclear whether they will be selling the iPhone."
Hmm, I don't like the fact that nothing in the CBC article indicates it has been updated and what has changed. Usually CBC is pretty good, but that's not very professional, they should be clear when they have changed the text in an article.
Hmm, I don't like the fact that nothing in the CBC article indicates it has been updated and what has changed. Usually CBC is pretty good, but that's not very professional, they should be clear when they have changed the text in an article.
Agreed. Even the "Last Updated" time didn't change.
Interesting that the photo numbers aren't much different. Perhaps it is the only criteria that was common in the tests. Would love to see the study protocols.
Still, if these new numbers hold, it is still quite impressive.
iPhone will be available from multiple places in Australia, including 3rd party stores, i know that for sure. My Mac Australia has announced it will be selling it. For Apple not to sell it at their OWN stores in Canada, me thinks Apple not happy :P
Comments
For me personally, I have the option of upgrading to an iPhone and adding a separate Data Plan (http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wi..._service_plans) to my existing voice service plan. As such, I can, for $30, get the 300MB data pack and still keep our existing Pooled Family Eve/Weekend Plan.
My Evening/Weekend which we have had for some time starts at 6PM. Thus, we are reluctant to move to another plan.
Now, I realize that a number of you may not believe me, or in particular, what the Rogers Rep told me about the Data Usage, but here goes.
Rogers has been testing the iPhone from day one and their findings have consistently shown that the number of emails, web pages and photo attachments, i.e., 200,000, 3,100 and 1,360 respectively for 400MB, are in fact inline. In addition, the average data usage as tabled per AT&T user has been verified. As the Rep said, you will be amazed at how much you will be get on the iPhone with just a 400MB data plan.
Now the only caveat was that they haven't been informed what the price would be to upgrade to the iPhone under the above circumstances. Hopefully, as the rep said, it won't be much different if any for those eligible to upgrade than the current posted price.
What was encouraging was the admission that Rogers was well aware of all the ruckus surrounding their plans, that much of the issues were due to misinformed voices, and that Rogers was working hard to make it a success.
And oh yes. They all are wanting to get an iPhone for themselves. And on that, I am not going to mess around with her Karma.
1. 3 year contracts
2. system access fees
3. no GSM competition
4. a country with much better plans is right next door
Bell, Rogers and Telus have been screwing customers for years without anyone coming along to upset the proverbial apple cart. Now they're being dragged kicking and screaming into a world that expects more from mobile internet than text email.
All over the world providers have discovered a new way to suck money from their customers: deny that SMS is really just data and should be included free in all data plans.
Do you have any idea how much you're paying for text messaging? It's more than 100,000 times as much as you are for other data.
If you seriously exceed your Rogers iPhone data plan you'll be charged 3 cents per MB.
If you send one too many text messages (usually less than 50 bytes) you're nailed 15 cents
That's $3145.73 per MB
While I suspect these rumours are not true, I LOVE all the anti-Rogers rumours.
Rogers drank my milkshake!
I am wondering if this is possible. Somebody just gave me a 2.5G iphone and looking at the small print at the bottom of the iphone plan pages it says the plans are available on a 36 month contract. So does that mean I need to sign up for 3 years just to get the plan with my own phone? I will try calling them later on to ask about his.
Do you currently have a phone from Rogers? Does it have a data plan? If so, then you can unlock the iPhone and use your SIM and get the goodness without having to change your plan or tell Rogers a thing.
As a .Mac member I have been buried in iPhone ads lately in my inbox and all of them say "on sale at your local Apple retail store." This is kind of typical in that it rarely occurs to USA-ians that any other countries exist but their own, but given that some of these emails are keyed on my purchases from the Canadian online Apple store, and given that my .Mac name address etc. is in Canada, you'd think that they would send a special email to the Canadian customers about this change.
I can guarantee that there are a lot of .Mac users in Canada that will be running to their local Apple store (as they have been told to in apple's email to them!) and will be very disappointed when they don't get to buy an iPhone.
Hell, given that it's Canada, there might even be folks that have driven for a day or so to get there!
Given that the launch is only a day or two away, Apple needs to send out an email or make some kind of official announcement that the iPhone *won't* be on sale at their stores, if only to counter the erroneous emails they are already sending out on the topic.
Then why would they mention it on the US page, which they do? I also would like to see a link to any confirmation by Apple or their reps that there will be iPhones in any Apple stores outside the US on launch day.
While not exactly a confirmation, the CBC article linked above does mention that Apple will be selling in their Apple Stores in other countries, specifically in the UK. The Apple UK page, on Where to Buy the iPhone mentions only O2 and CarPhone Warehouse. So, if Apple stores there are selling it, it seems they don't mention it.
Certainly it is being sold in the U.S. -- that much is obvious. However I can find absolutely no concrete evidence that it is being sold in any other International Apple Store. Bear in mind as well that in some countries, like Australia, the iPhone will be available from multiple carriers. How would Apple handle this if in-store sign-up is going to be a requirement? Do they train their staff for every possible carrier? Particularly for the sake one ONE store in the entire country? Or do they just wash their hands of it and let the carriers handle it themselves?
The reality is that in the U.S. it makes sense to sell the iPhone in Apple Retail Stores.... They're almost as ubiquitous as AT&T stores. In every other country, however, Apple Stores are in the minority, particularly when compared to the outlets of the local cellular providers. From a purely business point of view, why would Apple waste time and resources training their staff and linking up their networks to various cellular carriers just to serve a small fraction of the overall population who live near Apple Stores?
Further, here in Toronto at least, each of the three locations with Apple Stores have at least one Rogers and one Fido store in the same mall. Some of the malls even have two Rogers Stores, plus other Rogers dealers such as Wireless Wave (who seem to think they will also be stocking the iPhone).
The bottom line is that in many of these countries, there may just not be a huge incentive for Apple to bother.
What I think is most frustrating about the Canadian situation is the following list:
1. 3 year contracts
2. system access fees
3. no GSM competition
4. a country with much better plans is right next door
Bell, Rogers and Telus have been screwing customers for years without anyone coming along to upset the proverbial apple cart. Now they're being dragged kicking and screaming into a world that expects more from mobile internet than text email.
All over the world providers have discovered a new way to suck money from their customers: deny that SMS is really just data and should be included free in all data plans.
Do you have any idea how much you're paying for text messaging? It's more than 100,000 times as much as you are for other data.
If you seriously exceed your Rogers iPhone data plan you'll be charged 3 cents per MB.
If you send one too many text messages (usually less than 50 bytes) you're nailed 15 cents
That's $3145.73 per MB
Hmm. Interesting. Perhaps you could tell Mr. Harris your perspective, so that he could become better informed and thus not making an ass of himself by writing such drivel. I am sure he would like to hear from you.
Oh here is the link. Enjoy. http://www.wirelessweek.com/Succeeding-SMS.aspx
Love to hear your comments on how it could be done for nothing.
Rogers drank my milkshake!
Do you currently have a phone from Rogers? Does it have a data plan? If so, then you can unlock the iPhone and use your SIM and get the goodness without having to change your plan or tell Rogers a thing.
Nope, I'm with Bell right now. Was thinking about canceling with Bell to use the 2.5G iphone instead. But if I have to sign up for 3 years just to use my own phone on a Rogers or Fido plan then forget it. I'll stick with Bell and I can add unlimited Hotspot access to my Bell plan for $24 a month and just use the iphone as an iPod Touch for the time being. To add hotspot access to a Fido plan apparently costs $40 per month and Rogers charges $24 per month for 600 minutes of Hotspot access. Again, another glaring price difference for what is, in this case, the exact same product!
I don't necessarily buy the CBC's stance that Canada is the only country where the iPhone is not being sold in Apple Stores. Considering that the CBC article touts the fact that it's not being sold as if it's news, yet their own Tod Maffin knew about it over two weeks ago suggests a certain lack of research on their part.
Certainly it is being sold in the U.S. -- that much is obvious. However I can find absolutely no concrete evidence that it is being sold in any other International Apple Store. Bear in mind as well that in some countries, like Australia, the iPhone will be available from multiple carriers. How would Apple handle this if in-store sign-up is going to be a requirement? Do they train their staff for every possible carrier? Particularly for the sake one ONE store in the entire country? Or do they just wash their hands of it and let the carriers handle it themselves?
The reality is that in the U.S. it makes sense to sell the iPhone in Apple Retail Stores.... They're almost as ubiquitous as AT&T stores. In every other country, however, Apple Stores are in the minority, particularly when compared to the outlets of the local cellular providers. From a purely business point of view, why would Apple waste time and resources training their staff and linking up their networks to various cellular carriers just to serve a small fraction of the overall population who live near Apple Stores?
Further, here in Toronto at least, each of the three locations with Apple Stores have at least one Rogers and one Fido store in the same mall. Some of the malls even have two Rogers Stores, plus other Rogers dealers such as Wireless Wave (who seem to think they will also be stocking the iPhone).
The bottom line is that in many of these countries, there may just not be a huge incentive for Apple to bother.
A couple people at MacOSRumor forums said they called UK Apple Stores and were told there would be selling them there. Here is one.
Word of Apple's abandonment of in-store sales comes just days after the company was reported to have sanctioned Rogers by diverting a significant amount of Canada's iPhone 3G shipments to Europe as initial retribution.
LOL
Thanks Apple, no need to shift over too much units to Europe. At least, not to
Germany. Know what we get for $60 (ok 29 Euro actually, which is roughly $48) :
- 50 minutes (+weekend), $0.6 per additional minute
- no SMS
- 100 MB of data (any additional MB for just $0.8)
- have to fork over $300 for the 8GB version, upfront
- 24 months contract
Compared to that, the Rogers deal sounds like a steal ...
While not exactly a confirmation, the CBC article linked above does mention that Apple will be selling in their Apple Stores in other countries, specifically in the UK. The Apple UK page, on Where to Buy the iPhone mentions only O2 and CarPhone Warehouse. So, if Apple stores there are selling it, it seems they don't mention it.
The CBC has corrected its story. It now reads:
"Apple has a number of stores in the United Kingdom, seven in Japan and one each in Italy and Australia. It is unclear whether they will be selling the iPhone."
Rogers has been testing the iPhone from day one and their findings have consistently shown that the number of emails, web pages and photo attachments, i.e., 200,000, 3,100 and 1,360 respectively for 400MB, are in fact inline. In addition, the average data usage as tabled per AT&T user has been verified. As the Rep said, you will be amazed at how much you will be get on the iPhone with just a 400MB data plan.
Kris Abel of CTV, and thusly Rogers, apparently disagree with that usage estimation.
http://krisabel.ctv.ca/blog/_archive...8/3782141.html
Anyhow, that's what you get when you have to deal with a near monopoly. The sad thing is that they will probably sold out anyways...
A couple people at MacOSRumor forums said they called UK Apple Stores and were told there would be selling them there. Here is one.
I just called (3:52 EST) the Regent Street Store and was told that they don't know if they are going to be selling them. They think that they are getting some to demo. But that's if for now.
Love Skype, I can call virtually anywhere.
'rogers' and 'fido' sound like dogs' names to me.
lol..
Since you think it's so easy, why don't you go and start a mobile network in Canada and start making your easy money?
If you watch this YouTube clip there is a developer that is interviewed that actually states that he has been shut down by Rogers so they remain a monopoly. Check 4:30min of the clip. This company was trying to sell plans but Rogers cut them off. MONOPOLY TACTICS!
The CBC has corrected its story. It now reads:
"Apple has a number of stores in the United Kingdom, seven in Japan and one each in Italy and Australia. It is unclear whether they will be selling the iPhone."
Hmm, I don't like the fact that nothing in the CBC article indicates it has been updated and what has changed. Usually CBC is pretty good, but that's not very professional, they should be clear when they have changed the text in an article.
Hmm, I don't like the fact that nothing in the CBC article indicates it has been updated and what has changed. Usually CBC is pretty good, but that's not very professional, they should be clear when they have changed the text in an article.
Agreed. Even the "Last Updated" time didn't change.
Kris Abel of CTV, and thusly Rogers, apparently disagree with that usage estimation.
http://krisabel.ctv.ca/blog/_archive...8/3782141.html
Can't argue about it. I took the numbers posted earlier. http://www.appleinsider.com/articles..._150_mins.html
Interesting that the photo numbers aren't much different. Perhaps it is the only criteria that was common in the tests. Would love to see the study protocols.
Still, if these new numbers hold, it is still quite impressive.