Updated! Rogers/Fido to Sell iPhone 3G S in Canada, $199/$299 on June 19

No upgrade option, total crap but we knew this was coming.
We really need some protection from this stuff in Canada. What's worse is that we have to lock into a 3 year contract to have this phone, yet if it breaks after a year, we are screwed.

so I have to sign a new contract so I can pay $299 for the 3Gs?
if so, then how can I do that online? because I'm trying to pre-order it, and it's saying I'll have to pay $499 because I'm not qualified.

Let the whining begin, not only about Rogers but more so about ATT.
Info week has an article that is getting a lot of play:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/iphone/showArticle.jht...
ATT's reply:
"What we're trying to do is to be fair," said AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel. "Customers in the U.S. enjoy very, very low device prices. The financial models of wireless are built on that. If you want to change your device in midstream, we want to help you do that, but you have to look at the economic realities."
I imagine that is true of Rogers as well.
While this point of view is valid, the problem remains that there is no choice. The problem, (at least with ATT) is there is no BYOiP plan. Bring Your Own iPhone, and you should get a substantial subscription plan reduction.
But that's not possible.
What I don't understand is how ATT makes money on the iPHone when there are multiple lines of service.
First line is 99 bucks (varies from plan to plan).
Each additional line costs 9 bucks. Plus the 30 dollar data plan. So that implies the subsidy is ALL packed into the data plan. (Plus your initial handset cost).

Smartest thing anyone has said all day
“What we’re trying to do is to be fair,” said AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel. “Customers in the U.S. enjoy very, very low device prices. The financial models of wireless are built on that. If you want to change your device in midstream, we want to help you do that, but you have to look at the economic realities.
AKA ...if you want the new phone pay the full price or get it slightly subsidized. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Yup, I've been told by Rogers rep the same thing. Current 3G owners can't even think about upgrading to the 3Gs until 24 months into their contract - unless they pay to get out of the contract and then resign for another 3 years. The rep even went a step further to say Rogers doesn't have a price plan like AT&T for those who want to upgrade.
It's funny - I would think Rogers would offer some sort of upgrade plan - isn't it a way for them to make more money? Or would they just be losing too much on how the 3G was subsidized?

"but iphone 3G users cannot upgrade to 3GS unless you get rid of your contract and start another"
I was told today by Rogers that this is explicitly NOT allowed and that if you pay the $400 to buy out of your current iPhone contract you will be BANNED FOR LIFE from Rogers and never allowed to purchase the iPhone 3GS, EVER, or any other phone for that matter.

Same twitter page Keith said the following:
"There will be a no-contract price for customers who want to upgrade before they're eligible for a subsidy."
http://twitter.com/keithmcarthur/status/2082792749

Do the Fido/Rogers switch. That is how I got my iPhone in the first place. I was with Rogers, but couldn't get the iPhone because I had contract time remaining. But they told me if I switch to Fido (with a new contract of course), I would be charged the $200 on my bill to break the contract, but it would be waived when called them after getting the bill. Yup, it is stupid, but works.
When the new phone comes out, I plan on moving back to Rogers!

So what is it, 12 months or 24 months??
What does it even mean theres no-contract price? I'm a curren iPhone 3G owner and i want to upgrade to a 32gb in july when i'm up 12 months on my plan. Can i upgrade and sign a new 3 year term or do i have to pay full price for the device and it wouldnt effect my current contract?
I'm starting to wish i had just waited one more year for this phone. I love my iPhone but really the new features would be worth it for 299 on a new contract but not worth paying 500 bucks for. i'm going to pay 90 bucks for my plan anyhow so why pay more when you can pay less and have it now.?

Huh if i could be sure Ricks thing would work id so go for that.... id love the 32gb one but its so not in my reach.
Some have been saying sell your 3g but you wouldnt get much for it with the price drops and the price ive heard people waving about as a probable not avail for upgrade price is likely to be 600 which would be too rich for most people to afford.

i was just told by rogers website that i am eligible for a hardware upgrade on july 19th this year, which is one year from when i got my iphone 3G. So i'm asuming that Rogers will either allow you to upgrade to iphone 3GS for the subsidized price on a new 3 year term or there just not going to allow you to choose the iphone for the subsidized price but make you pay a bit more and still have to resign a new contract?
This is what i'm betting on!!!!
Way to go screw your loyal Rogers customers, i only hope that Telus gets Sim card phones and gets the iphone because if they do i'm leaving Rogers for them. If this is the way there going to keep treating there customers, then i'm gone!!!!

Rick how was having Fido, is it just as good as Rogers for signal? i know there the same company but i have heard in the past that Fido is sorda slow?

Those defending Rogers (and Fido and AT&T) claiming that they need they need your money because their plan "subsidizes" the cost of your phone are neglecting to mention an important point:
The carrier pays only the phone's wholesale price, further discounted for volume, not the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price they tell you they fronted on your behalf.
Did you also think that the sticker price on that new car is what the dealer paid for it? :-)

this might not be the best place to ask this.......but is Rogers/Fido supporting MMS and tethering?

Rogers and fido will be supporting mms and tethering less i read wrong but you need a plan with at least 1 gig for tethering or you can`t.

@Jeremy I'm with Fido and it's fine.
@Frazam I have the Developer release of 3.0 and I have MMS enabled right now, but not tethering. Tethering is to be enabled next week or the week after.

I am on fido and have been using tethering for months since 3.0 beta was out and tethering has worked flawlessly with no extra charge

@Jeremy - They use the same towers. I have never had a problem with the signal. Although, I have been standing beside someone with a Rogers iPhone, and we have different signal strengths!

Sweet i'm totally going to do the switch, plus Fido has some pretty sweet plans, and i dont have to wait til 12 months to do the switch so i can get it even sooner.e

From what I gather in Rogers press release is that we're going to have to start paying for tethering at the end of the year? Even if we have a data plan?
So every time Apple adds a new feature we have to pay extra to use it?

well i just hope that the app Skype will allow us to use the carrier network soon cus i'm going to save a huge bundle on long distance. if you want to know how to get a american itunes account, google it. Its very easy to set up and then you can get skype which works great.

I JUST bought my iPhone 3G a little over a month ago. I'm furious that Apple didn't announce the 3GS earlier because I would have gladly waited. I am currently on Fido and if possible will definately be swtiching to Rogers to get the 3GS. Is it really true that you can do this and they will wave the early termination fee?

I talked to a customer agent at Fido, and they told me that usually the other carrier with bill you for the switch fee not a cancelling fee. After you get your last bill from either fido or rogers who ever was your last carrier, you will have to call customer service to get the fee waived. They told me over the phone that they will. Though i'm not sure how many times your allowed to do this?
A friend of mine switched from Bell to Solo once and a year later wanted to switch back and they wouldnt let him until his Solo contract was fullfiled!!! So anyone thinking there going to switch who has done it at least once think again if you want to switch back!!?!?!
Sorry to hear this Dallas but you should have had some guess of a new iPhone, i've been watching the rumors for almost 6 months on wether a new iphone was coming out. You should have been checking www.macrumors.com every other day for the news.
I havent done it before so i'm taking advantage of it for the iPhone 3GS. The other thing i dont know is how soon after you sign your original contract can you switch to the other carrier? I'm only guessing after at least one year?? maybe sooner, who knows?

So I'm going to have to pay for a "switch fee" then? I've been with Fido for almost 2 years and have a great voice plan but the 3GS is worth it. My original contract with Fido started in August of 2007 and I just renewed it at the end of April 2009 for another 3 years to get my 3G. I really had no idea. I've been doing extensive research for months and all I got was that there was going to be a major software update (3.0). I found out from the Apple site (that I'd been checking for weeks and weeks) the day they announced the new device and by then I had already had my 3G for over a month. It sucks and I completely understand the logic behind subsidizing phones but still wish Apple would have released an official announcement on the 3GS earlier.

They never do announcements early, thats how they do buisness so well. I cant remember how many times i bought a apple product to only find out 3 months down the road that an update to the hardware was being done and i could have had a much better product for less cost as well. Apple likes to do that alot from what i've seen over the past 10 years i've been buying from them.
Thats sucks to hear that Dallas, i would be pissed off too! On another note apple's website never has any details on future products, so you have to research it further, thats why i check with macrumors.com most of the time or listen to a podcast by OSKen on sticher radio app /mac.
For future reference, i'd use both if you want info on a future product when researching to buy a new device or software.!

@Dallas - I am in the EXACT same boat as you, except very frustrated because the Fido salesman told me when I purchased the contract that I had 30 days to return in for their "satisfaction guarantee". I am kicking myself now for not reading the receipts and fine print, for they tell me that Fido's policy is actually 15 days (and apparently they always have been). Apple annonuced the 32gb 3G S 20 days after my purchase, and so it is too late for me to switch. However because the Fido salesman himself told me 30 days, I decided to call customer service and complain. After talking to a few agents, a supervisor, and a manager, they told me I am out of luck because I signed their papers myself. I am kicking myself for not reading the fine print before I signed, but very frustrated that Fido will not honour the "30 days" my Fido salesman sold me on!!!
I am reading about this whole Rogers/Fido switch, and about how Rogers will waive the termination fee, but I don't want to be banned from a cell phone company for life; want to keep my options open! Any ideas?
I guess in a way like you said Jeremy, if I would have researched macrumours and similar sites before hand more, maybe I would have been more aware of their up and coming 3GS before it was announced. I am really kicking myself. Bottom line is though, Fido is not handling this situation properly in my opinion. THEY made the mistake of telling me 30 days (why this salesman did, I do not know), and I think they should honour that. What happened to "the customer is always right"? Obviously not with cell phone providers!
For those interested in Fido, be aware that they are no better than any of the other cell phone providers out there. I have heard horror stories from close friends about Rogers, Telus, and Bell. Fido is NO better. They are ALL crap. Why does Canada have such a bad selection?
I have a question for you guys. I have also been told by Fido customer service that I cannot buy another iPhone with Fido unless I wait and use my Fido Dollars on my account to "upgrade" to another handset. Apparently it's their policy that you cannot go and pay cash to upgrade a phone unless you are eligible for that upgrade (which I assume means 2 years into the contract? Or maybe 2.5 years? Apple does not currently provide their Apple Care protection plan warranty on the iPhone in Canada right now (they do in the states, but not in Canada). So, I only have the 1 year complimentary warranty that comes with all iPhones. WHAT IF my iPhone breaks within my second year after my complimentary warranty is over. Will Fido not let me buy another iPhone? Will I have to wait until I am "eligible" for an upgrade to replace my handset?

Anyone know if this will work?
1) I have an iPhone 3G. Signed contract last Aug 2008. Don't want to extend or change contract.
2) Sign up my dog for the new $299 iPhone 3gs with 3 year contract but NO data plan.
Walk out the door, walk back in, tell them my dog would like to cancel and buy out the contract ($200).
3) Dog gives me his new iPhone 3gs, I put it on my plan.
4) Sell my old iPhone 3G for $200 contract free on craigslist.

Yeah good luck selling your 3G for that much i posted my 8Gb for 100 bucks and everyone has denied my offer, why because its only 99 bucks on a contract? i dont know why someone wouldnt want a phone like the iphone but not be on a contract?
I think the cancelation fee is alot more then 200 if you cancel with in one year. The max is 400 from what my contract says. 20 bucks for every month remaining on contract up to a max of 200 dollars. Your better off waiting to see how much the iphone 3GS will be on non-subsidized prices and buy it that way.
Rogers or Fido have not posted there prices for that matter but promised that it would be on the 19th of June when the phone is released.
Jesse , They have to have a non-subsidized price for the iphone 3GS or 3G 8GB for thsoe who have had broken iphones outside there warranty!!! It's not fair to customers if they didnt.
Everyone who has issues with any cellphone company should report it to the Better Business Bureau, and make a formal complaint.

so i am one of those who is less than a year into my 3years at rogers and unable to upgrade for another 3 months. the 3gs is out in five days! so i called and cancelled my order for a 3g iphone when the rep told me the new one would be out in a few days. i dont have an i phone so rogers will allow an early upgrade as long as i take a data plan.

People honestly with the 3.0 update coming out for the 3g, go to the apple website and compare the two phones and ask yourself is it really worth the money?, if i was to choose between the two right now with the 3g price lowered over the 3gs, i would go for the 3g, video recording, 32 gig 16 gig, tethering WOW big deal, the camera no flash only 3.0, MMS i thing the 3g will come with as well.
Think About it, ur gonna be paying $500 buks to get it to cancel your current contract and get the new one, not worth it wait one more year so u can upgrade cuz apple will make another one in a year.

Its true apple may be doing this annually, and most likely by next year the iphone will have video conferencing, a 64GB Harddrive, and may have a OLED display!!! Which would be a huge upgrade. I think now i'm going to wait it out one more year. Flash drives have gotten really cheap over the past year and apple had a order for 64GB harddrives which i'm assuming is what the new ipod touch is going to be and later down the road like this same time next year the iphone will have also. Apple usually announces there ipod lines in the fall for Christmas sales, so wait and watch for september to announce a 64 BG iPod Touch, and i'll bet it will have a 3.0 camera, the same bus drive and CPU chips as the new iphone.

I'm going to back up what bokoloks said. Why would you spend so much money on video recording, a camera 1 MP sharper, and a digital compass? With the 3.0 software for the iPhone 3G, you can do MMS, tethering, landscape keyboard, cut and paste, search, peer-to-peer applications, etc. etc. You don't need the 3GS to do all that -- the 3G can do it with the FREE 3.0 software update on June 17th.
Save your money and wait another year for the next iPhone to come out and upgrade then.

the only thing i wish was buying a 16gb last year because i really could use the space. i couldnt find a 16 last year so settled with an 8 which was fine up until about 4 months ago when i got more apps that are really large in size.

And Tethering to top it off!
For 5 bucks difference between 500meg and 6Gig you would have to be nuts to go the cheap route, especially with in-app purchases coming down the pike.

I work at Future Shop and I had my buddy check when I was eligible for hardware upgrade, and i am eligible one year after my original sign date - leading me to believe based on how much revenue I have generated with rogers, I am eligible for the subsidized pricing. August 19 baby...will keep posted...be worth heading to Future Shop to see if you are eligible for a hardware upgrade

It may say your eligible for upgrade but it doenst mean your eligible for iphone or smartphone if your already on a contract with a smartphone and want to upgrade. Rogers changed there policy in february for smartphone subscribers. Shitty deal for us!!!

I just got off the phone with Rogers and asked if I was eligible for an upgrade. I am and can get the better pricing. I also asked if my wife was and she is just shy, but the rep said that tomorrow it will not matter as she will still be able to upgrade. Prices are a little higher, but you can still upgrade early if you want.

so rogers pulls through in the end and offers us a great deal.

Does anyone know if there is a noticeable difference in speed when surfing the web when you compare Fido with Rogers on an iphone 3GS? If there isn't a noticeable difference, I'm going with Fido, because they are cheaper.

I just got my 16G 3G on May 28th, 2009 (i originally purchased it on May 1st, 2009, when they delayed it til the 7th, sent me a refurb when i'd ordered new...then didn't send out the new one after recieving the refurb back) All in all, after 16 different rogers reps, countless research (recon) calls to apple and rogers about the phone, and several reassurances that it was only a SOFTWARE upgrade,21 days later, i had finally purchased my new iphone for just under $300.
Two weeks later i heard about the 3Gs launch, which i was fine with, until i heard that not only was it significantly cheaper, but my 3G was being offered to blow joe for $199!! (So much for 'special pricing' for Loyal Rogers Customers with my Tenor!)
So i called Rogers, went up the food chain, and was told that because my phone was purchased on the 21 st, they won't do price adjustments for me, even though i didn't even get the phone IN MY HANDS until the 28th.
Too bad. So sad.
So please, don't tell me that 'Rogers has finally pulled through for the little guy' or any bull down that path, because it doesn't matter how long you've been with them, and how much of your hard earned money they've pocketed, Rogers and Apple are in the business of making money. There is no honour or romance in how they make their money, they'll take it however and from whoever.(esp. those of us who don't have giant bank accounts, or time to argue on the phone all day with them because we're busy paying off our phone bills.)

i was referring to the huge price drop for exsisting customers who purchased a iphone last year. In my opinion if you bought a iphone anytime this year, your a moron. WHY?
Because you should have done your research before buying the iphone 3G.
Rogers let me upgrade without a new contract and i paid 300 bucks for a new 32gb 3GS and only because my average monthly plan was around 100 bucks. Rogers was giving eligible customers a 500 dollars off the non-sunsidized price, which in the end made it 300 bucks.