Rogers iPhone pricing plan backlash
To say Canadians are disappointed with the service plans announced by Rogers yesterday is an understatement.
Mad, angry, even vindictive are more appropriate adjectives that can be used to describe the visceral comments posted by agitated Canadians on various blogs and in response to news stories.
In a very unscientific research study today, the negative comments (and they’re not hard to distinguish) far outweighed the positive ones by about a 10:1 ratio. I’m being generous.
In short, prospective iPhone users are upset Rogers won’t offer unlimited data plans. In most, if not all, western nations where the iPhone has been released to date, carriers have offered unlimited data as an option for consumers.
Rogers, by contrast, has decided to offer plans with data usage ceilings. For those that missed the news, see the rates below. (thanks to Stephen Taylor for the graphic posted on his blog.)
Despite protests to the contrary by the carriers and the high priests of Bay St., it is widely believed that Canadian carriers maintain some of the highest wireless prices in the developed world.
Here’s a smattering of the angrier, and sometimes entertaining, comments that have hit the blogosphere over the past 36 hours:
“I will tell you one thing: I will not be getting an iPhone any time soon! Rogers, I would have bought one on July 11th if you had offered a $30 all you can eat data plan… but don’t count on it anymore! OK!”
Rogers’ most expensive plan includes only 800 anytime minutes whereas AT&T’s ($130 per month) includes unlimited anytime minutes.
Note. Unlimited
And yet the company has the gall to claim its packages are “high value”. What did Charles Dickens call Roger, one of the characters in Oliver Twist?
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/16242
“The fact that the Canadian partner has decided not to offer unlimited data plans as part of its offering changes the very nature of this device from one of free-flowing, integrated-in-to-my-life use, to a tool where the ever-present concern is that the meter is running as I use it.
As a result, I will not be purchasing an iPhone 3G. Until the Canadian wireless partner can bring forward pricing plans for its service which are more closely aligned with the natural operating design of the stunning product Apple has created, I simply cannot justify purchasing an iPhone.
I hope - as the visionaries behind the product - Apple takes a serious look at the service pricing scenarios which Rogers has put forward for the iPhone, and takes the appropriate steps to rectify this problem.”
- johnny appleseed on the unofficial apple weblog (TUAW)
“Big shock that the plans are terrible and expensive compared to other countries.
The data examples are also misleading. Loading a page like Facebook will use more like 1.2MB of data each time. That reduces your browsing from 3000 pages to 330. I would also imagine that the Maps application sucks a ton of that bandwidth.
Boo Rogers. I hope, hope, hope that we start to see some real mobile competition in this country soon.
“Just get rid of your phones then people and don’t complain. Don’t buy them then.
No one NEEDS a cell phone. It’s a luxury.
I got rid of mine two years ago and couldn’t be happier. I get by just fine with out it.
Oh but that’s just me I guess, and I “don’t have a job where I need it” some would say; who cares then anyhow, the company pays for it?
Canadians like to complain about everything.
If you don’t like the price, don’t buy it. Or if you’re jealous that another country has better plans, move.
Oh but “we shouldn’t have to move, we should have the same service as everyone else.”
Seriously? Are there any two countries that have the same ‘rates’ for anything? Not just cell phones? All countries differ, so deal with it.
Sounds like a bunch a pre-school whiners.
The power is in your hands NOT to purchase their product.
Amen to David’s comment. The iPhone data plans offered by Rogers may very well be among the highest in the developed world, if not the highest. If you’re not happy with the iPhone plans announced, don’t buy an iPhone. It’s that simple.
Technorati Tags: Rogers, iPhone, Apple
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I for one REALLY want an iPhone. That said, with these prices, I will not be getting one. I hope that others will do the same in order to drive down prices for those of us who are willing to hold off.