RSSReport claims Apple not happy with Rogers, carrier disagrees
By Ed Oswald | Published July 7, 2008, 12:38 PM
A blogger says sources within Rogers are saying the Cupertino company is punishing the carrier over its meager iPhone plans, although the carrier says nothing's changed.
Canadian consumers are also up in arms: over 44,000 have signed a online petition on RuinediPhone.com demanding better plans from the company.
The base plan in the country at $60 CAD ($59 USD) offers 150 minutes of talk time, with unlimited nights and weekends, 400 MB of data, unlimited incoming texts, and 75 outgoing texts. The phone itself will sell for $199 CAD (8 GB) or $299 CAD (16 GB).
Compare this to the base plan in the US, which for $10 more a month offers users 450 minutes, 5000 night and weekend minutes, as well as unlimited mobile-to-mobile and data -- however, no text messaging. Here, the phone sells for $199 USD (8 GB) or $299 USD (16 GB).
Such a disparity is enough to anger some to the point of boycotting the device altogether, and apparently enough to cause Apple to limit shipments if the latest report appearing on the independent blog Smithereens is to be believed.
Blogger Daniel Smith cites a Rogers exec telling his source that additional staff planned for the launch have been let go, and that each store had seen its allocation reduced to as few as 10-20 units, with Europe being confirmed as the destination.
Retail outlets were being urged not to "over-promise," according to word from Rogers corporate.
However, Rogers is disputing those reports. "I can confirm that Canada's inventory of iPhone 3G has remained the same throughout our announcements," spokesperson Elizabeth Hamilton told BetaNews.
She further said that the company does not comment on petitions and rumors generally, but did cite customer feedback showing "great demand" for the device.
This is not the first time where there has been consumer backlash over iPhone rate plans. Swedish provider TeliaSonera was forced to change its data plans to include unlimited data after its high-end plan only included 1 GB of data transfer.
A request for comment from Apple Canada had not been returned as of press time.
"customer feedback showing "great demand" for the device" - This might have been way before the pricing was announced. I don't see any evidence here.
Yet another spin by Rogers, which shouldn't surprise us at all.
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|They definitely don't need extra staff for the launch. I'd think that they could close their doors and leave them closed, if the plans show their true attitude.
Is their cable business treated similarly?
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|yes it is. Funny thing about Rogers is they have such a large advertising budget that they constantly have commercials ongoing stating they have the best service when they don't yet they somehow believe that they are fooling someone.
They're cable is CRAP especially when they limit the bandwidth in comparison of satellite. They have at home phone service that doesn't even come close to offering plans offered by Telus home.
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|yep unfortunately in canada we do not have any carrier that gives unlimited data and text.
For the bigotry comment. i do think it is but i agree that the U.S has the most amount of ignorant people in the world.
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|Its nice to se that you are doing YOUR best not to be outdone in the 'ignorant' department...
So just what "amount" are you referring to? Imperial quarts?
LOL!
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|the U.S has the most amount of ignorant people in the world.
Never been to China, have you?
Few to no schools, millions more people... ;)
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|I would have to agree that this phone on a plan without unlimited data is scary
With the ease of web surfing and the available MSN and IM capabilities you would blow through that data in no time.
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|I hear it already..
Rodgers is a business and needs to make money! Bandwidth is a Valuable resource and Canada might not has a much of this as other places around the world. Now we are seeing this applying to talk time also..
Plus Canadian's are smarter then Americans and need LESS talk time to get there point across!!! ;)
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|We may be witnessing an historic event in Canada!
Canadian consumers are "mad, are standing up and are not taking it anymore".
Hopefully Apple will do the right thing and remove iPhone from Robbers.
All Canadian captains of industry should be aware, this is a shot across your bows for your neanderthal and predatory business practices. Change NOW or perish.
Terry
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|ARR CAPTAIN!!!
LOL
I wish Canada would learn the reasons why we DO NOT REQUIRE THE CRTC!
lets face it w/o Hockey Night in Canada that station would have no one watching it.
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|I'm a Rogers customer and while I don't plan on getting an iPhone, I have to agree that the data plans Rogers is offering are crap.
Us Canadians are being screwed by our cell phone carries and the CRTC. We have the worst data plans, services and regulators.
If I was Apple I'd tell Rogers to just screw themselves.
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|IF those Geriatrics at the CRTC would realize the benefit of competition we would have the option of choosing more than one carrier's plan for an iphone like they do in the US.
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|At least the Canadian is not as stupid as the American.
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|Thanks for the bigotry.
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|Yay! Gross Generalization FTL!!
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|"At least the Canadian is not as stupid as the American."
So which 'Canadian' are you talking about?
If you are going to try to make a cute insult, you might want to get help using the correct plural forms of your words!
There is nothing like an idiot telling others they aren't swooft!
LOL!
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|these plans are a complete joke. after working for at&t and seeing what the usage of the phones was like i would never get one without an unlimited data plan.
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