Rogers just keeps getting worse

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
For those who are existing Rogers customers, it looks like you will be might be out of luck for getting the iPhone on launch day, even if you find some in stock. Saw this posted at another forum and it jives with what I have been told from reps on the phone, though they were not 100% sure of anything this afternoon.

Quote:

With the introduction of the iPhone only hours away the buzz in the Canadian market is loud. It looks like Rogers Communication Inc. has a great opportunity to take a strangle hold of the Canadian cellular market. Since both Bell and Telus don’t use the technology that the iPhone needs they will be shut out of the hype and unable to offer this sleek phone.



With the announcement of better data pricing by Rogers Communication Inc. on Wednesday I personally did a 180 degree turn and decided that I want to get an iPhone. I qualify for an upgrade, but I was shocked to find out that I was not able to get an iPhone. At first you may think it was because they are all sold out, unfortunately the real reason is that Rogers Authorized dealers across metro Toronto have agreed not to sell upgrades as detailed in this email I received earlier.



“Launch Day Friday July 11th is now a little more than a day away. Due to the limited supply of product, the Rogers Dealers have taken the following position which is being endorsed by Rogers.

First Priority Product will be reserved for NEW ACTIVATIONS "VOICE & DATA PLANS" ON 3-YEAR TERMS ONLY. (Friday). Depending on remaining stock, Second Priority will go to Hardware Upgrades where DATA Plans are being added. (Saturday*- Monday) Third Priority, subject to available inventory, will go to Hardware Upgrades where there is a Data Plan and / or the account is fully eligible. Probably after Monday Corporate upgrades; will not begin until at the very earliest on LATE NEXT WEEK, depending upon Inventory status.”



I am sure you can imagine my surprise to find out that Rogers Communication Inc. was going to not allow it’s own existing customers to upgrade, rather they choose to push them aside. I started to wonder how would the average Canadian react to this, after about an hour I felt that this was a big enough deal, and I couldn’t imagine that the CRTC or the Government of Canada could allow such discrimination. You would think following the up rising that took place on the web during the last 10 days Rogers Communication Inc. would have learned the value of the customer and of customer service. Instead they choose to treat their existing, loyal customer base like trash. I can’t fathom why a company as big as Rogers Communications Inc. and that has so many intelligent people working for them can make so many bad decisions in a two week period.



I know that my words fall on deaf ears since I am just a small customer to Rogers Communication Inc. and my complaining does not have any effect. But I write this article with the hope that others in the same position as me will let their voices be heard and perhaps with enough people making a big enough deal about this so things can change in the future.



Not the end of the world. You will still be able to get one, Rogers is just forcing you to the back of the line as a reward for being a loyal, pre-iphone customer. If they treat their best customers this way, how has this company stayed in business, other than being lucky enough to have been granted a government cable monopoly...though I guess that abused cash cow is enough to keep them going.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    cam'roncam'ron Posts: 503member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    For those who are existing Rogers customers, it looks like you will be might be out of luck for getting the iPhone on launch day, even if you find some in stock. Saw this posted at another forum and it jives with what I have been told from reps on the phone, though they were not 100% sure of anything this afternoon.





    Not the end of the world. You will still be able to get one, Rogers is just forcing you to the back of the line as a reward for being a loyal, pre-iphone customer. If they treat their best customers this way, how has this company stayed in business, other than being lucky enough to have been granted a government cable monopoly...though I guess that abused cash cow is enough to keep them going.



    This sounds very wrong, sorry. I'm confident I will be able to get my iPhone tomorrow on a HUP. I have spoken to different stores, read many postings in howardforums and nothing matches this article. Where did it come from anyways? Sources damnit sources!!!
  • Reply 2 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cam'ron View Post


    This sounds very wrong, sorry. I'm confident I will be able to get my iPhone tomorrow on a HUP. I have spoken to different stores, read many postings in howardforums and nothing matches this article. Where did it come from anyways? Sources damnit sources!!!



    Sorry, it was at macrumors forums, but I closed the tab. But the people at howards would not know more, just because some work there. The 3 reps I spoke today and one in retention all said the same thing: they have not been given information and are in the dark. I spoke to a CS manager for 30 minutes yesterday and was told the same thing.



    Anyway, I am sure, from my own calls into CS that you will be able to purchase, as an existing customer,so long as you meet the criteria. That being, you must be in your upgrade window. What the poster was saying was that even though you may qualify, you may not be offered it by the Rogers store, because they will be instructed, and backed up by Rogers, to only sell them to new activations.



    I honestly don't know how they would even try to tell an eligible customer that they cannot buy it then and there. It would surprise me. But this is Rogers.



    Edit: found the original post. It was copied from ehmac to macrumors.
  • Reply 3 of 20
    prince1prince1 Posts: 18member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cam'ron View Post


    This sounds very wrong, sorry. I'm confident I will be able to get my iPhone tomorrow on a HUP. I have spoken to different stores, read many postings in howardforums and nothing matches this article. Where did it come from anyways? Sources damnit sources!!!



    I have been refused by my local Rogers store in Edmonton, AB, informing me that only new customers will get an IPHONE........... I can confirm this. Existing customers are screwed.
  • Reply 4 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    I have been reading conflicting reports about existing customers being able to purchase. One poster at macosrumors did manage to get one, but he was required to pay an additional $50 upgrade fee, on top of the retail price and $35 activation fee. This $50 was NOT eligible for a mail in rebate or statement credit. It was directly added to the price of the phone. This is false advertising and they should be prosecuted for it...of course they will not be.



    Also, the $30/6GB promo data package does NOT include VVM. It is only available with the original iPhone packages or with an $15 or $20 iPhone 'Value' pack.



    So if you are an existing Rogers customer, you will pay:

    $199 or $299

    +$50 upgrade fee built into the price of the phone

    +$35 activation fee, which is also theft because it is to activate your SIM, which you already have as an existing customer

    + you existing voice plan

    +$15 or $20 to get VVM

    +tax



    Unless you sign up for one of the ridiculous iPhone packages (what idiot would even consider these?!?), then you save the $15/$20 value pack but you pay the ripoff iPhone package rates. Likely, you will need to pay for the 'value' packs anyway, of you want call display or usable daytime hours. But then, you get the unusable data levels with these packages.
  • Reply 5 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cam'ron View Post


    This sounds very wrong, sorry. I'm confident I will be able to get my iPhone tomorrow on a HUP. I have spoken to different stores, read many postings in howardforums and nothing matches this article. Where did it come from anyways? Sources damnit sources!!!



    So, did you manage to snag one? I think it really depends on what store you visit. What did they charge you?
  • Reply 6 of 20
    Here is what Rogers has posted for their Limited Time Offer.



    The get the $30 3G Smartphone data plan it is a 36 month data contract, which still keeps you locked in with Rogers even if you are on a current voice plan.
  • Reply 7 of 20
    prince1prince1 Posts: 18member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    So, did you manage to snag one? I think it really depends on what store you visit. What did they charge you?



    I just ordered the 16 GB Black IPhone through Rogers Billing, which took me a bit to get through, and they are shipping one via courier which will take 2 to 5 days. I added the $30 6GB plan bring my total bill to $146 a month not including taxes.



    ECF is $400 for voice plan

    DATAECF is $100 for data plan
  • Reply 8 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prince View Post


    I just ordered the 16 GB Black IPhone through Rogers Billing, which took me a bit to get through, and they are shipping one via courier which will take 2 to 5 days. I added the $30 6GB plan bring my total bill to $146 a month not including taxes.



    ECF is $400 for voice plan

    DATAECF is $100 for data plan



    So, what did you pay for the phone?
  • Reply 9 of 20
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Wow. Rogers epic fail.
  • Reply 10 of 20
    prince1prince1 Posts: 18member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    So, what did you pay for the phone?



    $349 after the $100 credit, dun worry I'll find some reason to get that $50 back during the 3 year contract.
  • Reply 11 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prince View Post


    $349 after the $100 credit, dun worry I'll find some reason to get that $50 back during the 3 year contract.



    what was the $100 credit for? And if it was $350 after the $100 credit, you paid $449 initially?
  • Reply 12 of 20
    prince1prince1 Posts: 18member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    what was the $100 credit for? And if it was $350 after the $100 credit, you paid $449 initially?



    Dunno what he classified the credit as, but he applied it to my account. Technically I paid $449, but with the $100 credit I only really paid $349.
  • Reply 13 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prince View Post


    Dunno what he classified the credit as, but he applied it to my account. Technically I paid $449, but with the $100 credit I only really paid $349.



    Did he break down what the $449 was made up of? I guess $299 for the phone, $50 upgrade fee and $35 activation gee, but that only makes $385. where is the other $65 from?
  • Reply 14 of 20
    prince1prince1 Posts: 18member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    Did he break down what the $449 was made up of? I guess $299 for the phone, $50 upgrade fee and $35 activation gee, but that only makes $385. where is the other $65 from?



    No the Phone itself is $449 for non new customers or a hardware upgrade price point for me, I don't know about upgrade fee and activation fee, I'll wait till it posts to my bill and see. I suspect others will pay higher or lower, apparently $299 is for new customers.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prince View Post


    No the Phone itself is $449 for non new customers or a hardware upgrade price point for me, I don't know about upgrade fee and activation fee, I'll wait till it posts to my bill and see. I suspect others will pay higher or lower, apparently $299 is for new customers.



    What



    The



    F*ck
  • Reply 16 of 20
    grahamwgrahamw Posts: 575member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by waytogobuddy View Post


    What



    The



    F*ck



    Did you miss the "Rogers" in the thread title?



    Also, do try to keep it civil, we'll got little Apple blossoms that read this board.



    Kids - cussin' is bad!
  • Reply 17 of 20
    That Sir, was the first cuss I've put on these boards since 2004. It will be my last.



    I apologize for it, and feel Rogers deserves every ounce of its intonation, meaning and vileness.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    grahamwgrahamw Posts: 575member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by waytogobuddy View Post


    That Sir, was the first cuss I've put on these boards since 2004. It will be my last.



    I apologize for it, and feel Rogers deserves every ounce of its intonation, meaning and vileness.



    Hear, hear! Whilst I shall not repeat the word in text it rings resoundingly every time someone mentions the name Rogers to me. Fie on thee, Ted Rogers! Fie!
  • Reply 19 of 20
    cam'roncam'ron Posts: 503member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    So, did you manage to snag one? I think it really depends on what store you visit. What did they charge you?



    I totally forgot about this thread, sorry for the late reply. I got one no problem. I tried at one store, sales central was down and they weren't smart enough to start a written process so I went to another store and they called me later that day when it was ready. The first store did have a form with a number corelating to your place in line with the option to to HUP on it, they called the next day to say that they had one for me if I wanted it.



    Oh, I paid $250 + $35 Admin Fee - $50 Mail in rebate. I was at Tier III.
  • Reply 20 of 20
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    For those in Canada who are with Rogers/Fido and are in a 2 or 3 year contract and are not yet eligible for a hardware upgrade to the iPhone3G, yuo were likely told by CS that you had two options: 1)Pay $200-$400 cancellation penalty (+tax) on your current contract and sign a new contract or 2)sign a new contract and carry both contracts. However, the CS reps have also been saying, do not make a decision until July 24, as an announcement will be made that affects those in this position. For instance, we don't know if there is a unsubsidized price for these customers or if there will be any flexibility regarding the ECF, etc.



    at HoFo, a CSR from Fido has apparently leaked the July 24th announcement.

    Quote:

    july 24:



    The customer must meet all the following requirements in order to be eligible for an iPhone 3G upgrade:

    Have a minimum of 12 full consecutive months of service with Fido

    Have an active Fido Agreement

    Not be within their usual renewal window (2Y - 6 months, 3Y - 14 months)

    Accept the administration fee below :





    Number of months completed on current agreement



    13 - 15 months

    $35 2yr

    $110 3yr



    16 - 18 months

    $25 2yr

    $85 3yr



    19 - 21 months

    $60 3yr



    While it isn't as good as some hoped (i.e. waiving the cancellation fee entirely or allowing any admin fee or ECF to be paid and applied as a rebate against monthly bill, etc, it is much less than paying the full ECF, especially for those that had a $400 ECF on their current contract.



    My situation, for example, is I am 15 months into my current 3 year contract. I am not hardware upgrade eligible until I have 14 months or less remaining (22 months into contract). So, my options until now have been carry two contracts or pay a $200 ECF and buy the iPhone for $199. If the leak is true, then I will instead pay $110 admin fee to extend my contract and $199 for the iPhone (or $299 for the 16GB). This is still higher than I wanted, but much more reasonable I guess. At least now I have more information to make my decision with. Fido also has their Fido Dollars rewards, so I would get another $100 off of the total (after taxes). Depending on what CSR I speak to, I might also be eligible for another large gratis. Initially they said it could be applied to any phone except the iPhone, but that this might change come the 24th. We will see.
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