BREAKING NEWS: Rogers Offers 6GB iPhone Data Plan For $30 A Month… But With A Catch… [UPDATED x3]
It seems that the pressure has gotten to Rogers. This press release just went up that gives Canadian Apple Fanbois the news that they were wating for. Rogers is offering a 6 gigabyte data only plan for $30 a month. But of course, there’s a catch:
“Effective July 11, and as a limited time promotional offer for customers who activate by August 31 on a three year contract, a data-only offering of 6GB of data for $30 per month is being made available that can be added to any in-market voice plan. For example, with 6GB of data, iPhone 3G users can visit 35,952 web pages, or send and receive 157,286 emails, or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos each and every month.”
While this isn’t the unlimited data plan that people wanted, it’s way better than their other data plans. It going to be interesting to see what the reaction in the marketplace is going to be.
UPDATE: The Fanbois have spoken. Response seems to be positive for the most part. Expect them to be lining up outside Rogers stores to buy iPhones on Friday rather than burning down the stores.
UPDATE #2: The Globe And Mail has posted a story on this. Apparently, Rogers came out with this based on “customer feedback” according to a Rogers sock puppet spokesperson. No, really? You don’t say.
UPDATE #3: More mainstream media stories here (Note: They get some of the facts wrong), here (Note: CP almost gets it 100% right), and here (Note: They get it completely right, and they get into the new discussion about Bell and Telus charging for incoming text messages. More on that later).
July 9, 2008 at 10:53 am
Amazing isn’t it…people see the headline story of 6GB for $30, but then completely assume that this is unlimited data, and then completely forget about the other rip off fees that we get stung with every month – system access, caller ID, visual voicemail, 911 etc.
Coming from the UK, I got my first phone in 1996. That’s 12 years ago. Not once did I pay for incoming calls, receiving text messages, 911, system access etc. Number portability was simple, prices were less and the hatred towards cell phone providers wasn’t as vitriolic as here in Canada. That’s why I have a $10 a month pay as you go cell.
July 9, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I agree the extra fees are a bit much, but, if the 911 fee allowed for triangulation of my location (maybe it does, I don’t know), I think it would be worth it. The system access fee is a straight out cash grab, which is BS! We pay the $35 to ‘activate’ the phone, I assumed that would constitute the ‘system access fee’.
What is Rogers scared about with unlimited data? I mean, if 6GB is ‘equivalent’ to unliimted, why not just do UNLIMITED! Who knows??!!!