Rogers iPhone backlash - why bother?

anti-rogers petition The rising price of crude oil has officially caught up with Canadians.

The evidence? The anti-iPhone petition, launched last week in earnest after Rogers announced the terms of the contracts required for Canadians to operate the device on the Rogers networks.

Judging by the 22,000 signatures the petition organizers have accumulated to date, it’s clear people can’t afford the trip to a cottage with gas prices floating around $1.30 a litre at the pumps in Canada.

Instead, we poor bored Canadians have decided to fill our spare time signing a useless that’s bound to go nowhere.

Canadian gadget geeks are upset with Rogers because of what many perceive to be onerous iPhone contract demands. Rogers, which will start selling the coveted device on July 11, will require iPhone users to sign a three-year contract with the company.

Unlike carriers in other developed nations, Rogers will not offer an unlimited data plan, which is another source of frustration to put it mildly, for prospective users of the sleek, multimedia device.

The iPhone plans from Rogers will cost between $60 and $115 ($114) a month.

Heavy users are understandably frustrated with Rogers because of the low data usage ceilings attached to the plans. The petition, presumably, is a pressure tactic users hope will force Rogers to change the terms and conditions upon which the iPhone is purchased.

Good luck with that as they say.

Petition signers should keep in mind this is the Canadian wireless scene - Rogers is the only GSM network operator.

This means Rogers isn’t inclined to respond to irate consumers. A petition isn’t likely to change much of anything.

If Canadians are truly offended or outraged by the iPhone terms and conditions Rogers is demanding, they should probably do what Jack Kapica of the Globe and Mail suggested in a column posted yesterday.

“Don’t buy the iPhone. Do what you, as sensible Canadians, will do when confronted by prices you can’t stand: Leave the iPhone on the shelf.”

This action, or lack thereof, is more likely to prompt some sort of response from Rogers.

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July 1, 2008 | Filed Under News Items and Commentary 

Comments

One Response to “Rogers iPhone backlash - why bother?”

  1. john s on July 2nd, 2008 2:27 am

    iPhone pricing I must say is reminiscent of what Rogers and pals are trying to do with the Buffalo Bills coming to town…perhaps Canucks will show that they are not the guppies they think we are in both instances

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