iPhone 3G in Canada: Ridiculous Rogers Rates Raise Revolt

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We've done our share of protesting the plan rates released by Canada's GSM monopoly, and therefor de facto iPhone 3G exclusive carrier, Rogers Wireless. But we're hardly alone. Reports have even surfaced of angry consumers egging Rogers retail stores.

Now CNN/Fortune have cast their spotlight on it, focusing one what was originally the explicitly, if sincerely named [redacted]rogers.com, now more safely (if less satisfyingly) rebranded ruinediphone.com.:

What’s wrong with Rogers’ rate plan? Both AT&T (T) and Rogers offer calling, data and text messaging at $75 a month, for example. But for $75 Rogers offers a third less calling time, half as many text messages, and puts a 750 MB cap on 3G data usage — with steep fees for users who go over their monthly limit.

In addition to ruinediphone.com's petition, would-be-Canadian iPhone owners should head on over to David McGuinty's petition for House Bill C-555 to promote transparency and fairness in Canadian telcos. and the Competition Bureau of Canada

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.
10 Comments
  • Rogers has done it again! No UNLIMITED Data plan for iPhone
    Well Rogers has done it again, showing it's yellow monopolistic teeth! 2GB of Data per month with the $115 Package? This is highway robbery! Are these corporate bloodsuckers for real?
    All this is stemming from he fact that there are no competition for Rogers in Canada! No other GSM Service Provider! I was planning to at least buy 3 iPhone 3Gs, but I changed my mind! No iPhone till Rogers stops this draconian pricing for their data plan! What is hard to understand is this: Why Rogers has such a problem with DATA? Why? At least can they stop issuing decrees and actually explain to their clients why they are so stingy with their data bandwidth? May be also explain to us why the majority of Service Providers selling iPhone can sell their phones with an unlimited data plan?
    Only 2GB a Month? This is a disgrace and it shows what Rogers really thinks about their Canadian Customers! They truly think that we are stupid & ignorant and that we neither know - nor are we capable of learning anything! Well I have news for you, Rogers: WE ARE NOT! I am canceling my plans for purchasing 3 iPhone 3G, until they offer UNLIMITED Data Plan! I am sure that most people, after finding out what Rogers is really doing, will cancel their plans as well. So I guess it was all for nothing to wait a full year for the arrival of iPhone to Canada! :(
    Knowing about Rogers underhanded decision not to offer UNLIMITED data plan, Apple should have NEVER given iPhone sells rights to Rogers in the first place! Unlimited Data has been the cornerstone of Apple's agreement for allowing a Service Provider to sell iPhone. Rogers held out for a full year, knowing that they have the monopoly on GSM market, and Apple gave up, which is very uncharacteristic of Apple. I guess Apple doesn't care about their it's Canadian Clients either!
  • this devise runs on a much higher data enriched enviroment then people are assuming the devise will run u in the ground it rums on almost 1.2 gb so you cant curse the website like people think then can i can advise to sign the petitions for rogers to give an unlimeted or get bell to switch to gsm sim card fast and they should buy the contact thea rogers has with apple
  • unknown the devise in canada hahaha you have fun the companys are going to make so much money off you and there data charges the devise runs on higher data then they offer i can say i know this for a fact so you spend like 135 a month plus over useage in the data which can add $1000 +++++ there have been people in the states wil unlimeted which means 2gb so u have fun or sign the petitions to get a better data packeg and if rogers goes unlimted it will only bee about a GB more so BECAREFULLY ALL U IPHONE WANA B'S and the devise DOSENT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO SEND MMS WHHAAAA and I KNOW MY FACTS have fun with the 3G devise
  • I just returned from Scandinavia and I was amazed at the low cost of cell service for the unlocked n95 I used. The pay as you go cost with Senoria was .016E per min. Why do we have to pay so much. Did Cretien name his grandson Ted?
  • If you try to access "ruinediphone.com" you will get the following mmessage:
    Forbidden
    You don't have permission to access / on this server. Thus sayeth the high Lord Ted.
    Rogers has denied access to the site because it was becoming huge (over 23,000 before access cut off) .
    People take notice - your voice has been stiffled again ! Dont stand for it - call Rogers and complain - call a newspaper and complain - don't just sit there like you always have before. That's why you pay the highest rates in the world!!!
  • HOW CAN ROGERS BLOCK THAT SITE ?
  • What dirty bastards... Check out this YouTube comedy video about Canada Day, at the end there is just a huge rail-off on Rogers and the iPhone:
    http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=DJMtRSwZSrQ
  • http://aou.livejournal.com/213006.html - they DO block it.
  • No they did not block it. I work for rogers, and even on ruined IPhone.com it advises that the problem was a server issue everywhere. There is no reason rogers would block a web site just because some people are against Rogers having IPhone rates. Talk about childish.
  • To Mandy Rogers: Okay, I would like to talk about "childish", or perhaps the condescension on the part of the company you claim to represent. The forced DRM application upon Canadian Rogers cellphone users, is in fact part childish and half condescension. You see, I make my own music as a digital musician. I've wanted to export my original music tracks as Mp3 ringtones on my device. that being the case, and so being the original composer of these tracks, I hold the copyright to that music do I not? But Rogers decides that I cannot upload my original ringtone to the phone without paying for it because they believe I'm trying to upload "pirated" music. What are the grounds for this? why do they not offer a way around for this? does Rogers think that i should pay them to upload a song, to there server, and some get me to pay them for a song that i made??? please make some attempt to find the absurdity in Rogers attempt to control the devices of the customers they are supposed to represent. I am an unsigned artist, I make my own music purely for the enjoyment of myself and a selct few of friends and would like to share and promote my music with other rogers users on my family plan as well, But Daddy (Rogers) says NO! go figure...