The new Rogers/Fido iPhone 3G Rate Plans

[cinist]

Originally Posted by Erin

Statute of limitations in BC is 6 years, 2 in Alberta and 7 in Sask and Manitoba. So... Step 1 - Go to Alberta. Step 2 - Take a loan out for $30k. Step 3 - Go live somewhere cheap for a few years. Step 4 - Come home. Step 5 - Repeat...

But like I said, it's usually just as bad to have no credit.

nah, i meant if it takes her 6 years to be heading back home

[narc]

Spat with Rogers leaves Canadian Apple stores without iPhones
Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Apple has decided that its Canadian retail stores will have no part in helping Rogers market the new 3G iPhone handset to customers, the website AppleInsider reports.

As a result, Canadian Apple Retail stores won't be selling the new 3G iPhones Friday, July 11, representatives for the Cupertino-based company said during a private conference call on Monday evening. Instead, it will be up to Rogers and its partner Fido to lock subscribers into 3-year contracts that require a minimum monthly payment of $60 for just 150 minutes, 75 text messages, and 400MB of data.

Calls to Canadian Apple retail stores early Tuesday confirmed the move. Although the majority of the of stores contacted by AppleInsider said they were still unsure whether they'd be selling the new iPhone, one representative ultimately confirmed that Rogers and its partner stores will be the only place to buy iPhone 3G come Friday. Canadian Apple retail stores will, however, have demo units on hand the same day.

Asked whether the decision not to sell the iPhone was a result of Rogers' poor service offerings, the representative would only say that: "We have nothing to do with the service plans. Those are Rogers' plans."

Word of Apple's abandonment of in-store sales comes just days after the company was reported to have sanctioned Rogers by diverting a significant amount of Canada's iPhone 3G shipments to Europe as initial retribution. As a result, the Canadian carrier will likely receive only about 10 to 20 units per store, and therefore should "exercise caution" not to promise ample stock on launch day, people familiar with the matter have said.

Apple's knee-jerk reaction is believed to have been further stimulated by public outrage on the part of Canadian consumers following the release of the local pricing plans. Always concerned with its image, the iPhone maker has watched nearly 50,000 of its loyal customers sign an anti-Rogers petition at ruinediphone.com, which has in turn sparked hundreds of potentially damaging reports on the matter by bloggers and members of the mainstream media.

[dabbler]

crazy. I love how rogers "doesn't listen to online petitions" and then they get screwed by the manufacturer because they do. lulz

[Sykonee]

Canadians may as well just wait for the 6G iPhone. It should be out in, oh, 18 months.

[narc]

Rogers caves to consumer complaints

MATT HARTLEY

Globe and Mail Update

July 9, 2008 at 10:59 AM EDT

Bowing to public pressure, Rogers Wireless Inc. has opted to slash its data fees as the launch of the iPhone draws near.

Customers who purchase an iPhone and sign up for a three year contract any time between July 11, when the device goes on sale, and the end of August will be eligible for a $30-per-month data plan giving them access to 6-Gigabytes of data. Rogers previously had charged $100 for a 6-GB plan.

A Rogers spokeswoman said the decision to offer the new plan was based on “customer feedback.”

The special plan is available not just to iPhone customers, but any Rogers customer with a 3G next-generation smart phone.

“We listened to our customers, everybody from those who are very tech savvy to those who just knew they wanted this device and were really enthusiastic and didn't know how they were going to use the data but knew it was a data device,” Rogers spokeswoman Liz Hamilton said.

“So this will give them a great opportunity.”

According to Rogers' calculations, with 6 GB of data, users will be able to visit 35,952 web pages, or send and receive 157,286 e-mails or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos in a month.

Rogers also announced that it would hold special launch day events to welcome the iPhone to Canada on Friday. Six Rogers Plus locations and one Fido store will open at 8 a.m. on Friday with special promotions and free breakfast.

Rogers has faced intensifying criticism for its iPhone pricing plans over the past few weeks. More than 50,000 potential customers have signed an online petition at ruinediphone.com protesting Rogers voice and data plans as well as the company's decision to force all iPhone buyers to sign three year contracts.

Other international carriers, such as AT&T Inc. in the U.S., have opted to offer the iPhone for sale without a contract, albeit at a significantly higher price.


globeandmail.com: Rogers caves to consumer complaints





THE CATCH is...
Some of the catches have already been mentioned in the press release:

1) 3 year contract
2) "in-market plan". We don't know if that excludes just stuff like retention plans and SAF-less CityFido, or if all grandfathered plans are excluded.
3) DECF wasn't mentioned but of course there will be one (since it's a contract plan).
4) You must sign an agreement saying that you will provide your left kidney should someone in Rogers brass need one. (They exempt those who only have one kidney.)

[rustybob]

I briefly considered going iPhone today once the $30/6GB data plan was out, but once realizing I'd be doubling my bill (around $45/month right now) to $90/month for the same plan, plus unlimited incoming and about 9900 more text messages than I'd ever use. Um, no thanks.

[narc]

They came for breakfast and iPhones, and all they got was granola bars.

Hundreds of people lined up at the Rogers store at Yonge and Dundas in Toronto, starting in the early hours of the morning, through pouring rain, only to learn the cellphone company's flagship outlet had just 100 of the eagerly awaited iPhones in stock.

At 9 a.m., an hour after the store opened, the 300 or so damp people waiting in a line that stretched around the block still hadn't been told they would not be able to buy this year's hottest gadget — at least not from the main store.

Jennifer Gibson, the store's manager, confirmed Rogers had only 80 units of the eight-gigabyte iPhone and 20 of the beefier 16 GB version for sale on Friday. Other stores in the area were stocked with between 40 to 60, she said.

Rogers and its subsidiary, Fido, are the only ones selling the iPhone in Canada.


Hundreds disappointed by low iPhone stocks

Well, you better believe it my friend... just came back from the Montreal flagship store, which I had been waiting in line at for 3 hours before they announced that they ran out of 16 GB iPhones!!! It was not even 9 am! I had number 68 and there were about 30 people ahead of me on the sidewalk, not in the store yet! I just couldn't freakin' believe it... I was so pissed. Then I walked to a smaller store in Place Ville-Marie which opened at 9:30. There were a lot less people in line, but a lot less employees to handle the load as well. Around 11:00 they announced they were out of the 16 GB black, only 16 GB white and 8 GB left. Fine with me. The security guy (which appeared to be a regular Rogers store employee) told me there should be enough for us (me and my buddy). I waited until 11:45, I was next in line when they said they had just sold the last 16 GB unit!!!! Unfreakin' believable.

By my estimate, the flagship store had no more than two dozen of 16 Gb iPhones. Why did they create all this hype about the flagship store then? Morons!

Get this: The breakfast was no more than a granola bar and a (small) glass of juice or plain water! I was soooooooooooo hungry by 10 am, when I was waiting in line at the other store, I had to ask my lineup buddy to keep my spot while I went to get some breakfast. Stupid Rogers. Oh and then wanted you to do the wave and dance for them to get a stupid Rogers-red t-shirt or a rogers hat. No way... Not wearing that my friend!

I lost HALF A DAY of work and I didn't even get a phone!!!! I should send the bill to Rogers!

Nobody at the second store would tell me if they had enough stock for everyone and whether we were waiting in line for nothing. Why???? Do they think we have nothing better to do?

I'm pissed. I have no 3G. And Rogers can go f*** themselves!

Stock/store - Page 2 - iPhone in Canada Forums - The Canadian iPhone Online Community

[shift]

Rogers is such bullshit. Apparently the lower data plan is only available until August 31st, then they go back up to $60 a month for 400 mb.

Anyone know if you can unlock the 3G's and just use them with wireless internet and a normal cell phone plan?

[Leviathan]

Got my phone yesterday at the downtown Boston store. There was a long line up but no shortage of phones. They had crapload of workers that took each person out of the line and walked us around like a personal assistant while they signed us up and stuff.

[ebbomega]

Shortage of phones was due to Apple's retaliation against the poor data plans that Rogers offered.

Alex: You can get an iphone without a data plan, it just costs like $700. As for unlocking it, Well, that didn't take long

[Leviathan]

I don't know what it is like in Canada, but there was talk that you could get the phone here in the US without a contract. According to the Apple employees at the Boston flagship store this is not the case, a couple people in the lineup got turned away when they said they wanted to buy the phone without a contract. The Apple employees said it was a rumor that actually got printed in some main stream news papers.

[narc]

Just got off the phone with a CSR who said wait til Jul 24th.
She claims Fido is trying to negotiate no-contract pricing like ATT.
And if it's reasonable then I will buy the phone outright using my Fido$$
That way, no changes to my Agreement (which guarantees my price plan) or SAF credit.

[wishbone]

new shipments are supposed to be either tuesday (according to metrotown) or wed-fri (according to lougheed town center).

As far as grandfathered contracts, I've gotten some info. If your plan is $35 or less per month, you will have to pay an additional $50 for the iphone, so $249 for the 8 gig. That's fine, my plan is $20.

However, another store employee told me they could activate the 3g $30 dataplan FIRST, bringing my monthly billing to over $35, and then I wouldn't have to pay an extra $50.

If you're an idiot like me and plan on getting one of these, make sure you don't get this extra $50 fucking bucks tagged on.

[Leviathan]

I know it has been spread around the internet that there is an option to buy the phone without a contract but the Apple employees in the Boston store said that was a rumor that some how made it into the news. They will not let you walk out of the Apple store with a phone unless you have an AT&T contract here. There is a comment in the link Dave posted where a guy had the same issue.

I'm loving the phone though, the remote app that apple released for itunes is pretty sweet! I use to listen to Pandora at work a lot too, now it is available for the iphone. The GPS has been great for finding new places to eat here too :)

[narc]

Seems there are some serious 2.0 Firmware Instability from

I don’t know about you guys, but I am having quite a few issues with firmware 2.0. The App Store seems to crash one in every five times I use it (if not more), my iPhone locks up almost every time I get a text message pop-up while in a program, my iPhone randomly restarts and App Store apps constantly crash while using them.

2.0 Firmware Unstable | Apple iPhone School

Nice to see all those people that waited in line complaining now about the errors they are finding on their new toys.

HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - Apple.HowardForums.com

Also seems like there is a shortage of iPhone and there will be no NEW iPhone shipments until August 1st.

AT&T's IPhone Stock Is Mostly Sold; Apple Has Supply (Update1)

By Connie Guglielmo

July 13 (Bloomberg) -- AT&T Inc. stores have mostly emptied out of inventory of Apple Inc.'s new iPhone in the U.S. two days after thousands lined up to buy the handset.

Apple, seeking to widen its business beyond iPod media players and Macintosh computers, said it still had iPhone models in most of its own shops to sell today. The Cupertino, California-based company, which has 187 stores in 38 states, is selling it for as little as $199.

The iPhone 3G, which works with speedier third-generation phone networks, went on sale July 11 in the U.S. and 21 other countries. Apple's partners in the U.K., Germany, Canada and Japan said many shops ran out on the first day. AT&T, Apple's exclusive U.S. partner, said most of its 2,000 stores were out of supplies and that it expected new inventory within days.

``The Apple retail store likely has your iPhone 3G in stock,'' Apple told visitors on its Web site. ``Shipments of iPhone 3G arrive most days.''

Apple was out of all three models in 55 stores, according to a tally posted on its Web site last night. That includes outlets in Fresno, California; Victor, New York; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Madison, Wisconsin; and Knoxville, Tennessee. Apple's lone stores in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico and Rhode Island were out of supplies, leaving buyers there with no iPhones to buy today.

Bloomberg.com: U.S.

[anewlife]

It blends!

[bebu*funfun]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

Got my phone yesterday at the downtown Boston store. There was a long line up but no shortage of phones. They had crapload of workers that took each person out of the line and walked us around like a personal assistant while they signed us up and stuff.

whao crazy. i was just in there today. ok so what the dealio. If i run out to buy it at the boston store tmrw, how easy is it for me to unlock the phone? will it work the same? Im not planning to use it for any data plan, just want to use it when wi-fi is available, and have it as a nice accessory. I want to keep my current fido phone plan, nothing more. Is this do-able?

unlocking = how much and where?

[bebu*funfun]

duh. read the posts. so i cant buy the iphone in the states without the plan either? LAME. there goes my excitement to purchase something at the apple store in bos. damn. now waiting for another loophole..

[wishbone]

grabbed one from metro today.

OS goes a lot slower than an ipod touch, but i'm guessing it's the same processor tasked with twice as much.

[Leviathan]

I heard they were testing the next update before the phone even got released so I imagine it will be sped up at some point.

Originally Posted by wishbone

grabbed one from metro today.

OS goes a lot slower than an ipod touch, but i'm guessing it's the same processor tasked with twice as much.

[Leviathan]

Thats just what the workers said at the Boylston store. I think the problem you will run into though is that you need a SSN and a US government form of ID. They didn't even want to give it to me with my Massachusetts temporary license.

What brings you to Boston? Enjoy your stay.

Originally Posted by bebu*funfun

duh. read the posts. so i cant buy the iphone in the states without the plan either? LAME. there goes my excitement to purchase something at the apple store in bos. damn. now waiting for another loophole..

[bebu*funfun]

QUESTION! okay so im still waiting to purchase the iphone, but im getting mixed info from the apple store and the fido store. Im currently signed with fido and dont have a contract anymore and i want to purchase the iphone with my fido dollars and NO data plan. I want to use the iphone just for free wifi when available and keep my current phone plan.

I went to the apple store to see if fido can disable me from receiving data and he made it sound really simple and told me it is just a phone call away with fido. Went to the fido store and they looked at me like i was on crack and told me they cant disable data and that the iphone can take in wifi/charged data and it cannot be controlled. Ive read on forums on fnk that there has been problems with that and ppl that dont have a data plan are getting charged for data that they didnt use/didnt know they used.

Anyone know more info on this? Is it a simple option i can turn off on the iphone itself (not through fido?) I also found a application that i can download that says its for blking data.. would that work?

[decypher]

on the first iphones there was an option to turn off data and use wi-fi.

[Leviathan]

as far as i know, it is not possible to get an iphone without a data plan. There is no real option to turn of data on the iphone except to turn all the push features off and the location services etc. I would just get an ipod touch if you don't want a data plan, the phone seems kind of useless without it.

[bebu*funfun]

fido told me i need to verbally refuse a data plan so they have it on file. im in need of a phone and love to have my ipod/phone all in one. and the option of wifi is nice. mixed msgs from everyone..even on forums some were able to have fido/rogers CSRs turn off data, some wont do it.