iPhone in Canada to usher in new data rates
updated 03:10 pm EDT, Tue June 17, 2008
iPhone Canada Rate Report
The launch of the iPhone 3G in Canada should also see Rogers introduce new rates that may reflect a greater dependence on mobile data but will also encourage higher rates per user, according to statements made by Rogers Wireless president Nadir Mohamed at the Canadian Telecom Summit. The senior official notes that new plans are coming within the next two weeks that will accommodate more frequent data use by a wider number of devices, which most understand will include the Apple device and the BlackBerry Bold.
While declining to provide details, Mohamed explains that the plans will be "easy to understand" as well as more adaptable and encouraging for users who want mobile data.
"There's a recognition on the part of Rogers that the world has changed," he says.
However, the executive adds that he expects the average revenue per use to go up with the launch of the iPhone 3G. A typical Rogers customer pays approximately $63 per month for a combination of voice, messaging, and data features, but an average iPhone subscriber should boost that figure to approximately $90 per month, Mohamed says. Most of the increase should come from increased data use.
The average doesn't necessarily imply a $90 monthly combined rate for the iPhone's voice and data in the country and may depend heavily on customers with higher-tiered plans as well as any additional services that may be usable with the phone, including SMS message packages.
Whether this update corroborates previous reports of the phone qualifying for Rogers' $7 browsing plan supplied to Electronista is unknown. The company has begun offering unlimted browse-only packages on most of its regular devices but has controversially begun extending this to include smartphones such as the N95 8GB, which critics have said artifically limits the usefulness of the device without a true unlimited plan.
Observers expect, however, that the high profile of the iPhone and its unusual software will pressure Rogers to start offering blanket data packages that cover all applications and either supply unlimited data or else a relatively large amount of bandwidth use per month. The company has been criticized in recent months for charging well above what AT&T does in the US for similar phone service.
Not buying it
06/17, 03:42pm reply
Well I was hoping that Rogers would not get the phone, then I figured that I may just get one anyway; now I'm thinking that Rogers is going to be just as bas as I thought.
We'll see, however, I don't think I'll get a Canadian iPhone.
sixcolors
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Joined: Oct 2001
Rogers
06/17, 04:00pm (1 reply) reply
IIRC, wasn't there another carrier in Canada who also got the 'rights'? Fido or something.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
Re: Testudo
06/17, 04:23pm reply
Rogers owns Fido. Same company, different name.
karmatose
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Joined: Sep 2007
Will my fellow Canadians
06/17, 04:39pm reply
Please stop embarrassing yourselves and your fellow countrymen. There are only two GSM wireless providers (Rogers and Fido) which are both owned by Rogers. A CDMA based iPhone will "never" see the light of day because:
1. It is an obsolete technology.
2. It is only used in parts of North America.
Apple is not interested in providing a version of the device that only works in North America. Imagine the bad press they would receive if clueless Canadian or American tourists took their CDMA iPhone which they paid considerable money for abroad on vacation only to discover that it does not work. They would not blame their provider but Apple out of ignorance.
If you are angry, get angry at Telus, Bell and Virgin for implementing CDMA networks with phones which are hardwired to only work on one network unlike SIM based GSM phone that you can unlock.
aristotles
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Not the case
06/17, 06:02pm reply
We are angry at rogers for being uncompetitive and Apple for choosing to work with them.
A WCDMA iPhone would have been a great product both here and in Japan (NTT DOCOMO is WCDMA). As for those international users; check out the BlackBerry 8830, it does both!
sixcolors
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Joined: Oct 2001
recognition
06/17, 06:11pm (1 reply) reply
"There's a recognition that the world has changed." that means: Rogers recognizes that by next year there'll be some actual competition in Canada. So they're going to grab while the grabbing is good, and maximize their short-term revenues by charging iPhone users a flat $90/mo. for the first 1 MB of usage, and then an easy-to-understand $10,000 for each additional GB.
midtoad
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Joined: Jul 2007
pressure on other carrier
06/17, 06:11pm reply
We can only hope this puts pressure on the other carriers to offer competitive data packages to make up for lack of being able to carry the iPhone!
legacyb4
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Joined: May 2001
Re: will my fellow
06/17, 06:37pm (1 reply) reply
Oh, the horror! I guess its just too hard for Apple to implement both 3G and CDMA??
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
How slow can Rogers be?
06/17, 07:05pm reply
This is getting ridiculous First Rogers isn't ready for the iPhone announcement, then when they put something up on there WEB site it is so stupid that it isn't even funny, with no link to anything. Then when they put a link in it points to an investor news-release, that very quickly moves down the page so you don't even see it. Now we will probably be waiting till July 15th to know what Rogers voice and data-plans will cost. Someone at Rogers should be fired over this!!! Ted anyone?
jstephe
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Joined: Feb 2006
Robber's strikes again!
06/18, 10:01am reply
If Ted's (Rogers) CEO mouthpiece is estimating a 30% increase in per user revenue, you can be sure the iPhone rates will be another ripoff. (That comment about investing billions to upgrade their infrastructure is another perversion of reality. The only thing accurate would be the select area (e.g. the least expense to exploit the greatest number.) Rogers will unlikely be one of the few countries in the world that will ruin the iPhone rollout. I'll be buying mine elsewhere and will rely on the unlockers to level the playing field in Canada. Hopefully we will be able to continue 'sticking it to the man'. Terry
tgarbutt
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