# $20 Additional Is Removed! Deemed An Error By Rogers!



## donster28 (May 5, 2010)

*$20 Additional Offer Is Removed! Deemed An Error By Rogers!*

It was fun while it lasted...I'll just stick with my wifi only iPad thank you.

Rogers Removes $20 Data Bolt-On For iPad, Confirms No Fido Support | iPad in Canada - Canada's iPad Blog

What a scam!


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## Bighead (May 3, 2005)

I hope Bell or Telus would step up the plate and save the day!


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

I can't believe how bad Rogers is screwing this up. 

MAJOR, MAJOR release of a product that uses their network, and on the date of launch, they don't have any info on their site and conflicting information is coming out. 

What the heck are they smoking over there? 

It's like they purposely go out of there way to suck and provide bad customer experiences.


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## thadley (Jul 8, 2008)

I almost feel bad for their PR people. I made a comment on their blog post announcing the plans and the sheer volume of comments and emails I've been receiving from it have given my phone an extra 30% battery hit based on what it normally would be this day.

I love it.


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## Bighead (May 3, 2005)

Rogers is really hearing it, apparently.

CBC News - Consumer Life - Rogers under fire for iPad plans


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

donster28 said:


> It was fun while it lasted...I'll just stick with my wifi only iPad thank you.
> 
> Rogers Removes $20 Data Bolt-On For iPad, Confirms No Fido Support | iPad in Canada - Canada's iPad Blog
> 
> What a scam!


Removing the poorly priced option doesn't mean they won't put a new one in place by launch. Remember the nonsense surrounding the plan to begin charging for tethering? The customers have had enough and are voicing it. Rogers is listening but how well they sort it out remains to be seen.

Maybe one day in the future they will just think rationally and propose plans that work without the public outrage.


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## donster28 (May 5, 2010)

Macified said:


> Removing the poorly priced option doesn't mean they won't put a new one in place by launch. Remember the nonsense surrounding the plan to begin charging for tethering? The customers have had enough and are voicing it. Rogers is listening but how well they sort it out remains to be seen.
> 
> Maybe one day in the future they will just think rationally and propose plans that work without the public outrage.


I agree, they might still re-establish it after re-thinking. I must say Rogers is getting a lot of flak again for this...brings me back to the iPhone release in 2008 when customers started complaining and finally got a satisfactory deal with the 6GB plan. They should have learned a lesson and prepared for this release sooner...oh well...this indicative of greedy people in action.

Being a 6GB plan holder, I am hoping Rogers offer a reasonable plan for people like me, and soon, to keep us in their grasp. Otherwise, I will just wait for the next gen iPhone to be released and keep my 16GB iPad this time around.


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## JeanLuc (Sep 26, 2007)

I have a WiFi iPad now and was planning on selling it and getting a new WiFi and 3G model BUT now I won't. Not when I have 6GB usage on my iPhone and rarely use much. I know my iPad needs way more: magazines, newspapers, pdfs, mobileMe, TV, movies, music not to mention more and more apps! Come on Rogers, make some sense here!


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## classicbean (Jun 7, 2008)

Here are the screenshots of the before and after so everyone can get angrier.......


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

ehMax said:


> I can't believe how bad Rogers is screwing this up.
> 
> MAJOR, MAJOR release of a product that uses their network, and on the date of launch, they don't have any info on their site and conflicting information is coming out.
> 
> ...


They're STILL pouting and wishing iPhones had never come to take away from their BlackBerry sales. They had a good thing going until this Apple punk showed up.


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## Tulse (May 26, 2005)

donster28 said:


> They should have learned a lesson and prepared for this release sooner.


The iPad was announced _in January_. Then they had an _*extra month*_ when Apple delayed its launch in Canada. It staggers me that a $10 billion company couldn't figure out plan pricing after _five months_ of lead time. 

It also staggers me that a communications company would communicate so poorly with its customers. In early April they announced that they would announce data plans. In late April they announced that they would announce data plans, and gave a link for a page that, at some point in the future, would let you sign up for notification of the data plans. And even after signing up, I _never_ received any direct email from Rogers on data plans. Instead, the day that machines are can be pre-ordered, Rogers instead lets Apple give plan details, and Rogers couldn't even communicate with Apple correctly, and gave them incorrect information. 

It's hard to imagine any other industry where such incompetence at basic marketing and customer communication would be tolerated. I suppose its only because all the other telcos are even worse...


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

JeanLuc said:


> I have a WiFi iPad now and was planning on selling it and getting a new WiFi and 3G model BUT now I won't. Not when I have 6GB usage on my iPhone and rarely use much. I know my iPad needs way more: magazines, newspapers, pdfs, mobileMe, TV, movies, music not to mention more and more apps! Come on Rogers, make some sense here!


Unfortunately, the sense they make (or "cents" is more like it) is that they make so little money selling the iPhone or likely the iPad that the only way they can make some coin is with the 3G data plans. The consumers were wise enough to persuade Rogers two years ago to offer a better and more economic data plan, so that 6GB was well more than enough for an iPhone (I barely reach 600MB, and I use YouTube often), so that now that we have a device that can use that extra data, we would be paid-in-advance, as it were.

Rogers will not make much off the iPad itself (even less if you buy from an Apple Store), so the only way it can avoid being "Roger-ed" itself is by selling data plans for the iPad. Still, false advertising is false advertising, and anyone who has a copy of that ad has a legal case for that price, which means they'll have to cave or p-off a lot of customers. Unforunately, the future had b-smacked Rogers right between the eyes a couple of years before they were ready for it.


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## TGV (Jan 11, 2009)

Man, I am gonna quote what I said in another thread in this forum "To think that the 20$ charge (be it a one time fee, let alone monthly) is reasonable, doesn't make sense to me at all...

Looks like we have been gouged for so long, that we got used to and are willing to accept whatever tactics these greedy Telcos play on us.

I say No More!
Screw that, I will get a Wi-Fi only iPad and Jailbreak the hell out of it, actually I will make it a combo Jailbreak and add my iPhone to the list as well (just for the hell of it)!! 

Greedy bastards, technology is supposed to get cheaper and better, not the opposite...

Here's a message for you Teclo bitches, If I am paying for my Data plan, then it is mine and I have got the right to mess with it anyway I please, whether I share it with my iPad, laptop, or my wireless "cat", it's up to me to decide not you".


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## FeXL (Jan 2, 2004)

You got any more info on that wireless cat? I may be interested...

-----

OTOH, anyone who has been dealing with Robbers on any kind of a regular basis for any amount of time can't seriously be surprised that their service, pricing, business plan, etc., etc., etc., is and always has been, FUBAR.

Why should it change now?


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## TGV (Jan 11, 2009)

FeXL said:


> You got any more info on that wireless cat? I may be interested...
> 
> -----
> 
> ...


LOL on the cat part FeXL.

For the rest of your comment, I would say that's the thing, by us always accepting what they dictate to us we are basically giving them the green light to milk us even further...

If people stood up and said enough is enough, and we won't take that BS anymore, maybe these Telcos will think twice next time...

Products and markets are all about supply and demand, they supply crappy services/products, it's up to us as consumers to drive and say no thank you, or hell yeah!!


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## Tulse (May 26, 2005)

fjnmusic said:


> Unfortunately, the sense they make (or "cents" is more like it) is that they make so little money selling the iPhone or likely the iPad that the only way they can make some coin is with the 3G data plans.


Why are the iPhones any different from the other newer smartphones? Do they make more per device off of Android devices than iPhones? 



> Rogers will not make much off the iPad itself (even less if you buy from an Apple Store), so the only way it can avoid being "Roger-ed" itself is by selling data plans for the iPad.


No one is forcing them to offer an iPad data plan. They don't have to support the device if it is not financially sensible for them to do so.

As I said above, what has shocked me about this situation is less the data plans (since the pay-as-you-go plans are pretty much in line with the AT&T's), but how terribly Rogers has handled communicating with its customers. I am astounded at their incompetence in this area.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

TGV said:


> LOL on the cat part FeXL.
> 
> For the rest of your comment, I would say that's the thing, by us always accepting what they dictate to us we are basically giving them the green light to milk us even further...
> 
> ...


That wireless cat may be a little more real than you realize: 

YouTube - Philips iCat (2005)


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## TGV (Jan 11, 2009)

fjnmusic said:


> That wireless cat may be a little more real than you realize:
> 
> YouTube - Philips iCat (2005)


lol, man I can tell U, I can say some pretty funky stuff when I am pissed, the wireless cat just happens to be what ran through my mind at that very special moment!!


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## thadley (Jul 8, 2008)

Tulse said:


> Why are the iPhones any different from the other newer smartphones? Do they make more per device off of Android devices than iPhones? .


I've heard from a friend who works with the wireless providers that, yes, Rogers/Fido make essentially nothing off the iPhone, whereas the Android phones, because they're still kind of the underdog, will be sold to Rogers at a more heavy discount, allowing them to make more off a $300 Android phone then off a $300 iPhone.

Could be wrong, but if you look at the lack of promotion of the iPhone from Rogers, Telus and Bell then it does make sense.

I can kind of get where Rogers is coming from...they'll make almost nothing off the iPads as is, and to have a data hog jump on their networks for free, as some are suggesting...

I'm not saying I like it. I'm saying I can see where they're coming from.


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## TGV (Jan 11, 2009)

thadley said:


> I've heard from a friend who works with the wireless providers that, yes, Rogers/Fido make essentially nothing off the iPhone, whereas the Android phones, because they're still kind of the underdog, will be sold to Rogers at a more heavy discount, allowing them to make more off a $300 Android phone then off a $300 iPhone.
> 
> Could be wrong, but if you look at the lack of promotion of the iPhone from Rogers, Telus and Bell then it does make sense.
> 
> ...


I beg to differ thadley, how is an existing Rogers/Fido/Bell/Telus customer with an iPhone for instance is jumping on their network for free?

Aren't we already paying for our monthly Data plans and usage?

I don't know how you see where they are coming from.

So, is it ok for them to cash in on the data we didn't use for my 6GB/500MB/250MB per month, and not ok for us as consumers to use that otherwise unused and lost data with another device such as the iPad?


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## Tulse (May 26, 2005)

thadley said:


> yes, Rogers/Fido make essentially nothing off the iPhone, whereas the Android phones, because they're still kind of the underdog, will be sold to Rogers at a more heavy discount, allowing them to make more off a $300 Android phone then off a $300 iPhone.


That's true for the initial purchase, but where the real money is made is over the long haul. Given the total amount Rogers gets over a three year contract for a phone, and especially given that iPhone users are likely to sign up for more expensive plans, I can't imagine that the initial purchase price figures that much into the total revenue per customer, or that Rogers makes substantially less on iPhone customers relative to other smartphone customers. (I know that I certainly send them a big cheque each month.)


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## atFault (Jul 29, 2004)

Tulse said:


> The iPad was announced _in January_. Then they had an _*extra month*_ when Apple delayed its launch in Canada. It staggers me that a $10 billion company couldn't figure out plan pricing after _five months_ of lead time.
> ...
> It's hard to imagine any other industry where such incompetence at basic marketing and customer communication would be tolerated. I suppose its only because all the other telcos are even worse...


I'm about ready to start a _Rogers Rant_ thread. Anyone else?

I've given Rogers over $8500 in the last 6 years for transferring electrons. Glad to see that they've put it to good use. I do get regular calls to have them try and get me to buy different cable packages, but a reasonable cellular/data plan seems to be beyond them.

My rough calculations show Rogers grosses 613 million/month on cellular/data plans. This works out to 7.36 billion gross profit for the last year with wireless revenues of $1.662-billion for the quarter that ended March 31, 2010.

You'd think they could throw a little of that towards the crew in communications and marketing that are tasked with promoting iPhone and iPad, at the very least.

What this really shows is that Rogers does not care about service or customers; it cares first and foremost about investors and stock price. Fat cats in big houses, getting rich off the working class.


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## iJayTee (Apr 20, 2010)

atFault said:


> I'm about ready to start a _Rogers Rant_ thread. Anyone else?


It should be a popular thread and merely the beginning of the bombardment of bad press they're going to receive.

The one thing I keep coming back to is this: Rogers also sells the Novatel Mifi mobile router (temporarily out of stock due to the battery door problem) that allows 5 random people--be they Roger's customers or not--with any computer, phone, iPad, etc. that is wifi enabled to access data through it.

In light of that, do any data sharing prohibitions make any bloody sense?

We're merely the first to become aware of Roger's nonsense. Mom and Pop and grandma will notice this as soon as their iPad is in their hands.

Methinks a small revolution is coming


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

Rogers had the ability to step up to the plate and offer Canadians something that AT&T didn't offer the US customers: the ability to add an additional device (iPad) for a nominal charge. It would have moved many potential buyers away from the Wifi version to the 3G version.

But...

Sadly they screwed up. 

I agree, it is pretty sad that even with the extra month to prepare for this, they still weren't able to get this right. I've made the comment many times, companies (like Rogers) should visit an Apple Store on the day that they launch something like an iPad (i.e. back on April 3rd). They would have seen first hand how a product launch should be done. 

There is no way that Apple just made up the original $20 option. This must have been part of the discussion and it would have to have been Rogers that first brought it up. 

We've got 3 major telcos in Canada. It would be nice if one of them separated themselves from the pack and became a leader. I'd love to see one of them say "**** on how we've done things in the past, here's how we are going to do them in the future."

I had hoped that working with Apple might have given them some help in learning to do things that benefit their customers. Not that Apple gets it right 100%, but their track record is far superior to most other big businesses. 

If someone is listening from Rogers, it's time to put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Until you do, this is one Wifi iPad user who will not switch to a 3G version anytime soon.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Oakbridge said:


> Rogers had the ability to step up to the plate and offer Canadians something that AT&T didn't offer the US customers: the ability to add an additional device (iPad) for a nominal charge. It would have moved many potential buyers away from the Wifi version to the 3G version.
> 
> But...
> 
> ...


Correction. Rogers not only "had the ability to step up to the plate and offer Canadians something that AT&T didn't offer the US customers: the ability to add an additional device (iPad) for a nominal charge"—they DID offer it. And rescinded it the same day. That's false advertising, pure and simple. They should be held to the account. If it was affordable to the company at the time it was announced (after much figuring and projecting, I would imagine), then it's still affordable now. It's only GREED that made them realize they could make a whole pile more money by making loyal customers purchase a second data plan. 

Tethering using an existing 6GB for $30 data plan will be where it's at.


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## pawcio (Apr 16, 2010)

Anyone else notice that when you go on "_www.rogers.com/iPad_" it redirects you to the URL "_http://www.rogers.com/web/content/ipad-dataplans?cm_mmc=Redirects-_-Consumer_Wireless_Eng-_-iPad_PrelaunchDataPlans_0510-_-iPad_"
In the URL you can see "PrelaunchDataPlans"... I'm guessing these plans that are posted are temporary and Rogers knew it from the start, they are just checking if they can sneak these crappier plans through to the customers... But just in case they have some "better" plans waiting for the launch... Anyone else thinks so?


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## Paul82 (Sep 19, 2007)

Rogers doesn't even sell the ipad... And I wouldn't be surprised if they never do... They are primarily a wireless service provider not a retailer... Just look at it from the perspective of how much you pay them... In terms of revenue they are getting a new iPhone from me every 3 months...


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

fjnmusic said:


> Correction. Rogers not only "had the ability to step up to the plate and offer Canadians something that AT&T didn't offer the US customers: the ability to add an additional device (iPad) for a nominal charge"—they DID offer it. And rescinded it the same day. That's false advertising, pure and simple. They should be held to the account. If it was affordable to the company at the time it was announced (after much figuring and projecting, I would imagine), then it's still affordable now. It's only GREED that made them realize they could make a whole pile more money by making loyal customers purchase a second data plan.
> 
> Tethering using an existing 6GB for $30 data plan will be where it's at.


I'm still sitting in the camp that says the option was pulled because of complaints over the high price. $20 per month to share your existing $30 per month plan. That's $50 per month for 6GB (provided you even have that plan) over two devices. Paying for an independent plan makes more sense from a pure $$$/GB aspect. Rogers gave the iPhone a 6GB for $30 plan knowing that you have to try really hard to use it (Apple helps by capping allowable download sizes over 3G and not allowing things like Skype over 3G, etc.). With an iPad, Rogers assumes you are going to use the data and therefore you will pay for it. They just got too greedy and I still think they will add a tied plan at a lower rate. Don't know if it will be low enough to be worth it though.

You won't hear me complaining that Rogers pulled that tied plan; it was ridiculous. Who would even have bothered with it?


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## broad (Jun 2, 2009)

> You won't hear me complaining that Rogers pulled that tied plan; it was ridiculous. Who would even have bothered with it?


this

who the sh1t is going to pay *minimum* $50/mo for 3g service on both an ipad and an iphone? thats absurd.


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## BobF4321 (Mar 11, 2008)

Bighead said:


> Rogers is really hearing it, apparently.
> 
> CBC News - Consumer Life - Rogers under fire for iPad plans


Looks like Rogers is not interested in taking a leadership position... they are satisfied with waiting to see what the competition will offer first. Unlike Apple, who are willing to take risks to raise the bar. Maybe some other carrier would be a better match with Apple?


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## Guest (May 10, 2010)

Rogers screwed up this one big time. I bet Apple is much less than pleased about it as well. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple try to pull a boner with Rogers on the new iPhone hardware and not allow it on their network. It's in Apple's best interest (and I bet they've spent a lot of time negotiating it) to have good data plans in place at launch. This screwup from Rogers in itself probably lost Apple a lot of iPad 3G sales from the early adopters, namely us -- the ones that complained about and then finally got the 6G data plan on the iPhone 3G release.

I think that we can all speak up with our dollars. I'll not be buying an iPad 3G and therefore not giving them more of my hard earned money, and in fact when time comes around to update my iPhone to the newest hardware on release this summer Rogers will lose the last of my business, which has been trickling away from them for years if any other companies will be offering the new iPhone (and after today you can pretty much guarantee they will). They will lose my dollars to the tune of $2500+/year, whereas they could have kept my business. Too bad for your Rogers, you've screwed up so much stuff over the years that every year you lose more and more of your long-standing customers. Pissing off the early adopters/geeks is the last demographic you want to **** off. We are the users that give the sage advice to everyone else to use your services, but guess what? After pulling a boner like this one you'll be losing that as well. Rogers no longer has my $$ for internet, they no longer have my $$ for cable TV and soon enough they will no longer have my $$ for my cellular access. Way to retain "loyal" customers Rogers!

As for the repercussions, and you bet there will be some, when you add in the fact that it was *Apple* that got the egg on it's face more than Rogers -- as Apple are the ones that posted the $20 add-on option (when rogers couldn't even be bothered to put up a proper web page and left a lame form so they could spam you), and I'm sure that someone at Rogers said "ok" before Apple did post that $20 add-on, it sounds like Rogers may not like the consequences very much.

Go get 'em Apple ... and Rogers, all I have to say, is in my best Nelson impression, "Ha ha."


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## Guest (May 10, 2010)

ehMax said:


> I can't believe how bad Rogers is screwing this up.
> 
> MAJOR, MAJOR release of a product that uses their network, and on the date of launch, they don't have any info on their site and conflicting information is coming out.
> 
> ...


You never know Mr Mayor ... maybe that's part of their new business plan?? 

I think that they think that they are so big that it doesn't matter ... sad, sad sad.


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## atFault (Jul 29, 2004)

Oakbridge said:


> There is no way that Apple just made up the original $20 option. This must have been part of the discussion and it would have to have been Rogers that first brought it up.


Heh, maybe they did just make it up. Perhaps it was on the table for discussion and Rogers said don't go there, Steve. What better way to fire things up regarding data pricing than to have Steve tell Apple Webmaster #42 to put it up on their site on the Canadian launch/pre-order day. When Rogers and Co. call Apple to complain what's Steve to do but say "Woops, how'd that get on there ... we'll take it down right away." Damage is done and the ball is in play. I wouldn't put it past any of these guys playing hard ball.


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

fjnmusic said:


> Correction. Rogers not only "had the ability to step up to the plate and offer Canadians something that AT&T didn't offer the US customers: the ability to add an additional device (iPad) for a nominal charge"—they DID offer it. And rescinded it the same day. That's false advertising, pure and simple. They should be held to the account. If it was affordable to the company at the time it was announced (after much figuring and projecting, I would imagine), then it's still affordable now. It's only GREED that made them realize they could make a whole pile more money by making loyal customers purchase a second data plan.
> 
> Tethering using an existing 6GB for $30 data plan will be where it's at.


No, I'm afraid that you are mistaken. Rogers never announced a $20 plan. That was information that was posted on Apple's web site. To the best of my knowledge, it never appeared on Roger's site. 

That may be splitting hairs, because I don't think that Apple would have posted something like this without it being something that had been discussed. My guess is that Rogers didn't pull anything. I agree with most others, Rogers had ample time to get things organized and they screwed up and were still back and forth on this until the last minute.


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## Bighead (May 3, 2005)

It would be cool to do a protest outside of Rogers HQ.


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## iphoneottawa (Apr 21, 2010)

Ordered a 3G this morning. Really love the wifi one and will be selling it when the 3G comes in. 
Not a rogers fan butThe good thing is you *don't have to sign a contract*. So you're paying for the data. 
You can pay for 5 gb a month and then 250 mb the next and nothing the 3rd month.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Oakbridge said:


> No, I'm afraid that you are mistaken. Rogers never announced a $20 plan. That was information that was posted on Apple's web site. To the best of my knowledge, it never appeared on Roger's site.
> 
> That may be splitting hairs, because I don't think that Apple would have posted something like this without it being something that had been discussed. My guess is that Rogers didn't pull anything. I agree with most others, Rogers had ample time to get things organized and they screwed up and were still back and forth on this until the last minute.


I don't think I'm mistaken. If Rogers didn't announce it, why did they need to _un-announce _it?

"Rogers is taking fire _after backtracking on an offer_ to allow iPhone and other smartphone customers to share their data connections with Apple's upcoming iPad device.

The wireless company on Monday announced it would offer two iPad service plans, with 250 megabytes of monthly usage for $15 or five gigabytes for $35, when the device becomes available in Canada on May 28. _Rogers also touted the option to "add iPad to your existing Rogers data plan" for $20_, an offer that was listed on Apple's Canadian website.

After a number of customers asked for clarification on the Redboard website of Rogers, _a company official revealed the data-sharing offer was an error_ and would be removed, which angered a number of interested customers."

CBC News - Consumer Life - Rogers under fire for iPad plans


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## KMPhotos (Jun 17, 2008)

atFault said:


> Heh, maybe they did just make it up. Perhaps it was on the table for discussion and Rogers said don't go there, Steve. What better way to fire things up regarding data pricing than to have Steve tell Apple Webmaster #42 to put it up on their site on the Canadian launch/pre-order day. When Rogers and Co. call Apple to complain what's Steve to do but say "Woops, how'd that get on there ... we'll take it down right away." Damage is done and the ball is in play. I wouldn't put it past any of these guys playing hard ball.


I'm sure it was nothing like that - but boy would that be awesome if it went down like that. There has always be rumours of bad blood between Apple & Rogers ever since the release of the iPhone 3G. This is just another chapter.


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## groovetube (Jan 2, 2003)

i definitely stopped before pre ordering my ipad when I saw that this is totally up in the air. I'm getting one, but truthfully, it isn't shipping til the 28th, so I can wait to see who will step in a make it happen. I wasn't going to get a 3G originally, but I don't want to decide fully until I hear the plan options. I have the 6 Gig plan on my iphone, since when do we have to pay for each device accessing our internet plan????

This is where the CRTC needs to show it's even relevant to Canadians anymore.


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## thadley (Jul 8, 2008)

TGV said:


> I beg to differ thadley, how is an existing Rogers/Fido/Bell/Telus customer with an iPhone for instance is jumping on their network for free?
> 
> Aren't we already paying for our monthly Data plans and usage?
> 
> ...


At no point did I say it was okay or that I in any way approved of what was being done. Honestly, when I first heard about the iPad I just assumed we'd get some kind of data bucket or iPhone tethering, as that was all that made sense to me for it.

But there is no up side, profitability wise, to them allowing current data plan users to tap into their data plans with the iPad. None whatsoever, unless it causes someone to upgrade a current data plan. Rights aside, what you pay for already and what you don't use aside, there is no profitability upside in the short term to them allowing that. In the long term, yeah, maybe. Good PR, improved customer loyalty, better press on the world stage. But that's not quantifiable. It's hard to get a strict ROI on that.

By no means is it right. We pay for that data, and while we don't generally use it, we signed a contract saying we have every right to use every kilobyte of that data every month for the next...well, I'm coming up on 2 years with Fido, not sure about you folks.

I don't agree with it. I think they would be smart to charge a slightly exorbitant one time fee (they're Rogers, they can't just GIVE it to us) to get it on the network and call it a win and a PR coup because, generally, we'd grumble, but that'd be a pretty sweet deal. I think that's what we, as consumers and often high spenders, deserve.

But I can see how, from a strictly business, non-customer service perspective, it makes sense.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

thadley said:


> At no point did I say it was okay or that I in any way approved of what was being done. Honestly, when I first heard about the iPad I just assumed we'd get some kind of data bucket or iPhone tethering, as that was all that made sense to me for it.
> 
> But there is no up side, profitability wise, to them allowing current data plan users to tap into their data plans with the iPad. None whatsoever, unless it causes someone to upgrade a current data plan. Rights aside, what you pay for already and what you don't use aside, there is no profitability upside in the short term to them allowing that. In the long term, yeah, maybe. Good PR, improved customer loyalty, better press on the world stage. But that's not quantifiable. It's hard to get a strict ROI on that.
> 
> ...


Actually, there is an upside for Rogers. Since Rogers makes its profit on the data plans, and it wouldn't have to sell any actual iPads, any data plans it sells would be pure profit. Allowing current iPhone users to access the data plans _that they're already paying for anyway_ would be a demonstration of good faith and a way to woo customers over to Rogers. Plus, if you're getting close to your 6GB/month limit, Rogers could offer to sell you an additional amount, say another 4GB for $20. For gosh sakes, they're selling laptops with 3G receivers built in these days.


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## thadley (Jul 8, 2008)

fjnmusic said:


> Actually, there is an upside for Rogers. Since Rogers makes its profit on the data plans, and it wouldn't have to sell any actual iPads, any data plans it sells would be pure profit. Allowing current iPhone users to access the data plans _that they're already paying for anyway_ would be a demonstration of good faith and a way to woo customers over to Rogers. Plus, if you're getting close to your 6GB/month limit, Rogers could offer to sell you an additional amount, say another 4GB for $20. For gosh sakes, they're selling laptops with 3G receivers built in these days.


True, but see, that's logical, long-term thinking. I don't think we can assume anyone at Rogers is doing that.

I think it makes all the sense in the world for them to let us tap into the extra 5.5GB I have left over every month. But odds are if I did that I would probably not end up paying them anything extra, ever, outside of the 20 cents for a SIM card. They'll never, likely, make any extra money off my data plan.

Mind you, the same logic could be applied to tethering, and they surprised us there.

I suspect we'll see some kind of link up plan in the next couple weeks. Sadly, I won't be able to use it anyway since I'm on Fido, but eh. I actually think 250MB will be enough for what I do with it.


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## groovetube (Jan 2, 2003)

there is no "upside" here as far as rogers is concerned. They, and the other cell companies here would prefer to stay in the stone age in Canada and continue to skewer their customers with way over priced cellphone and data plans. 

I'm still awaiting this pie in the sky conservative boast to come true that we're all gonna get lower prices because of increased competition. Good thing I didn't hold my breath.


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## jimbotelecom (May 29, 2009)

I bought my wifi version on U.S. launch day and will be mifi tethering in the near future, taking advantage of my 6GB plan.
I suspect that Bell and Telus will be coming out with similar offerings to Rogers so I don't think you'll be getting any significant savings from them. The company to watch will be Mobilicity that will launch in June. I'm pretty sure they'll have a 3G data plan that will kill the major carriers offerings, but it will have its downside. The big 3 have national reach and pretty good 3G penetration outside of cities. Mobilicity has mainly urban spectrum so there will be roaming charges when you leave the city. If you have specific requirements in big cities you'll be fine.


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## fyrefly (Apr 16, 2005)

Word of warning for those considering (right, so, IMHO) jumping ship from Robbers - The Telus ECF is $720 maximum (versus $400 for Bell/Rogers). So if you get a Telus iPhone (not iPad, as it's not under contract) - and a month later lose your job or move to an area where Telus doesn't have service - you're out *$720* to Telus to cancel your contract. :S


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