# iPhones working on Rogers network



## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

The technical support call center for Apple portables is located in Canada. That means they handle the tech support calls for portables, which was formerly notebooks but now includes the iPhone.

I know one of the managers at this call center very well and they know I am extremely interested in the iPhone (I drove to the US last week to play with one at an apple store). This person told me some interesting information...

Because this call center is in Canada they need to train the support people on how to troubleshoot iPhone problems. The employees had never even seen a real iPhone when it went on sale, but they received a batch last Wednesday. The phones are obviously running on the Rogers EDGE network, but additionally they have Rogers sim cards in them and they say "Rogers" at the top of the screen instead of AT&T.

The employees have been given strict instructions not to make calls with the phones (not sure why). The person I talked to also said that the YouTube application was not working on their training units, and suggested the network/data connection is still not entirely ready for the iPhone.

This at least tells us that the ball is rolling (Rogers branding in the UI), but also that it might be some time before all the kinks are worked out (issues with the YouTube app). Anyway, I just wanted to share this info with all of you since I'm sure many of you are as excited as I am for it to make it to Canada.


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## zarquon (May 24, 2005)

Good news



DataGridDotRedraw said:


> The phones are obviously running on the Rogers EDGE network, but additionally they have Rogers sim cards in them and they say "Rogers" at the top of the screen instead of AT&T.


Surely this isn't branding, but just the network identifier. I can make my Rogers phone show Fido any time, and my friend's UK orange phone shows Rogers when he turns it on here.

Z.


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## RunTheWorldOnMac (Apr 23, 2006)

Good news to hear, but your thread title is HORRIBLE!!! I got all excited, planning a trip to Buffalo as I awaited the topic to open only to be crushed...if this were hockey you would receive 10 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct...

I find it weird that the call center for Apple is in Canada...although the call center for T-Mobile and such is in Kingston.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Meh, not a big deal. Here's how easy it is for Apple to make the iPhone work on Rogers' network.

Step 1) Unlock the iPhone to work with any standard GSM card.

Step 2) Insert activated GSM card from the Rogers network.

Step 3) Done!

That is how they have their demo units working in Canada.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

guytoronto said:


> Meh, not a big deal. Here's how easy it is for Apple to make the iPhone work on Rogers' network.
> 
> Step 1) Unlock the iPhone to work with any standard GSM card.
> 
> ...


It could be even easier. They could be using units that were never locked (start and end at Step 2, for the Step-conscious reader).


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

guytoronto said:


> Meh, not a big deal.


Maybe not a big deal that the phone works on Rogers (it should), but it may be news that the YouTube app does not.


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

RunTheWorldOnMac said:


> Good news to hear, but your thread title is HORRIBLE!!!


What title should I have used that would not have got you so excited?


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

RunTheWorldOnMac said:


> I find it weird that the call center for Apple is in Canada


There are at least two Apple call centers in Canada that I know of. Peterborough ON and Saskatoon SK. I'm sure there are others outside of Canada too.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

DataGridDotRedraw said:


> The phones are obviously running on the Rogers EDGE network, but additionally they have Rogers sim cards in them and they say "Rogers" at the top of the screen instead of AT&T.
> 
> The employees have been given strict instructions not to make calls with the phones (not sure why). The person I talked to also said that the YouTube application was not working on their training units, and suggested there the network/data connection is still not entirely ready for the iPhone.
> 
> This at least tells us that the ball is rolling (Rogers branding in the UI), but also that it might be some time before all the kinks are worked out (issues with the YouTube app). Anyway, I just wanted to share this info with all of you since I'm sure many of you are as excited as I am for it to make it to Canada.


Nothing of what you has said lends any evidence that there are "Rogers SIMS in them"

If anything, what you have said suggests simply the iPhone roaming onto the Rogers GSM network (voice and data subject to large roaming fees) - which is standard for all GSM devices with roaming agreements between carriers such as AT&T and Rogers have...


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## RunTheWorldOnMac (Apr 23, 2006)

Hmmm....I need to be careful here, don't need to put my shoe in my mouth; it will ruin my lunch.

How about "Apple iPhone Tech Support Operates in Canada"?

Any takers?


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

RunTheWorldOnMac said:


> I find it weird that the call center for Apple is in Canada...although the call center for T-Mobile and such is in Kingston.


I met someone that was a manager in a call centre for a US carrier based in the Cambridge ON area I believe. When I asked why they were located up here, she said one word: "accents". Americans refuse to deal with someone who sounds 'foreign' to them. She said that she's even been accused herself of having an 'accent' and her speaking voice was as WASPy sounding as you can get.


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## jaline (Jul 7, 2007)

Yeah, apparently we do have accents, although it's easier for people from outside of your country / region to identify or notice them.


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

I hate to raise this issue again, but am I the only one who things that it is strange that a new member to ehmac would make this their very first post? 

DataGridDotRedraw if you are a legitimate new user, my humblest of apologies and a very big welcome. I think I've become skeptical because we've seen a rash of new users who pop in, post some rumour about the iPhone, and then disappear. Hopefully you will be a contributing member for a long time.


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

Oakbridge said:


> I hate to raise this issue again, but am I the only one who things that it is strange that a new member to ehmac would make this their very first post?
> 
> DataGridDotRedraw if you are a legitimate new user, my humblest of apologies and a very big welcome. I think I've become skeptical because we've seen a rash of new users who pop in, post some rumour about the iPhone, and then disappear. Hopefully you will be a contributing member for a long time.


Your comment is fair, no offense taken. I am a new member. I have been scouring the web for information about using the iphone in Canada and discovered this board. I figured I had some info to contribute so I signed up.


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

RunTheWorldOnMac said:


> Hmmm....I need to be careful here, don't need to put my shoe in my mouth; it will ruin my lunch.
> 
> How about "Apple iPhone Tech Support Operates in Canada"?
> 
> Any takers?


That's a good title, but I thought there was more to my post than the fact that apple has call centers here. My title is accurate and I offer my sincerest apology for causing you such excitement; it was not my intention for you to interpret the thread as an iPhone fix for Canadian subscribers.


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## RunTheWorldOnMac (Apr 23, 2006)

What I thought was that with my title, you would have the full details as you had to further explain things.

Viewing the original title can be misleading; my title draws them in gently, and your details explains it further without having one urinate like an excited puppy waiting for the page to load; it was too powerful a title. As you are new here, I will fill you in that most of us here have lost our marbles and are quite impatiently awaiting the arrival of the iPhone in Canada so our emotions are running high.


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

Oakbridge said:


> I met someone that was a manager in a call centre for a US carrier based in the Cambridge ON area I believe. When I asked why they were located up here, she said one word: "accents". Americans refuse to deal with someone who sounds 'foreign' to them. She said that she's even been accused herself of having an 'accent' and her speaking voice was as WASPy sounding as you can get.


In addition to accents, turn over at Canadian call centers is lower than American call centers (while still being high compared to other industries of course). Also, the people who will work for slightly above minimum wage in Canada are, on average, better educated than the same income demographic in the US - generally meaning your call center is going to offer better service from people who are more reliable and make better decisions.

It's not as cheap as India, but the quality is a lot better. Another person I know works for a big consulting company who sets up a lot of call centers in India and a big problem there is a cultural norm to take an afternoon tea break... everyone, together... Nobody is on the phones! "We're sorry, wait times are above average. Please remain on the line and your call will be answered in priority sequence."

I was surprised, I called Bell yesterday at 6pm to see when my current contract is up and there was no wait at all. The iPhone will likely be out before my contract is up, so it'll cost me an extra $240 if I want an iPhone right away. I'll still be first in line.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

DataGridDotRedraw said:


> I was surprised, I called Bell yesterday at 6pm to see when my current contract is up and there was no wait at all. The iPhone will likely be out before my contract is up, so it'll cost me an extra $240 if I want an iPhone right away. I'll still be first in line.


(Unless you need to keep your current cell number) wouldn't it cost less to get the iPhone _and _just ride out your Bell contract (and I'm unsure if they charge for changes, but you might also switch to the lowest cost plan available for the interim)?


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## Flipstar (Nov 7, 2004)

DataGridDotRedraw said:


> ... The employees have been given strict instructions not to make calls with the phones (not sure why) ...


Probably because they are roaming and would rack up the $$$.

On another note, The Apple Insider posted an article today regarding a possibility why the iPhone has not reached Canada yet. 

You can read it at: 

http://www.appleinsider.com/article..._data_rates_keeping_iphone_out_of_canada.html

EDIT: Forgot to add, if you want to sound like an American so people don't rip into you for your accent down there... instead of saying 'aboot' just switch it up with an 'aBOWWWt'... Got sick of my classmates ripping into me when I was there for school.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

OT: Is this serious? I'm from Toronto, study languages, and haven't heard anyone say aboot.



Flipstar said:


> EDIT: Forgot to add, if you want to sound like an American so people don't rip into you for your accent down there... instead of saying 'aboot' just switch it up with an 'aBOWWWt'... Got sick of my classmates ripping into me when I was there for school.


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## jasonwood (Oct 19, 2003)

HowEver said:


> OT: Is this serious? I'm from Toronto, study languages, and haven't heard anyone say aboot.


I never thought I said it until I started going to trade shows in the US 5 times a year and everybody makes fun of me for it!!

It's not fully "a boot" but it's more "a boot" then they're used to down there.


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

HowEver said:


> OT: Is this serious? I'm from Toronto, study languages, and haven't heard anyone say aboot.


The way we say it doesn't sound funny unless you listen closely to the way they say it. It almost sounds like we say "a boat". We don't generally notice the difference between how we say it and they say it, but they do... and of course their way is right.

The accent also applies to words like: out, shout...etc.

They also use different words than we do for somethings... trash (garbage), atm (bank machine), restroom (washroom), grill (bbq)...etc. ATM is fairly popular here, but if you say "Bank Machine' there they look at you like an alien.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

I disagree, but we are talking about people who say "ATM machine" far more than they say ATM.



DataGridDotRedraw said:


> The way we say it doesn't sound funny unless you listen closely to the way they say it. It almost sounds like we say "a boat". We don't generally notice the difference between how we say it and they say it, but they do... and of course their way is right.
> 
> The accent also applies to words like: out, shout...etc.
> 
> They also use different words than we do for somethings... trash (garbage), atm (bank machine), restroom (washroom), grill (bbq)...etc. ATM is fairly popular here, but if you say "Bank Machine' there they look at you like an alien.


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## Billionairess (Jul 15, 2003)

I hear people say "aboat", "oat" (for out), and "hoese" (for house), every single day. It is mostly co-workers. The ones born in Canada seem to do it slightly more than those that have immigrated, but immigrants seem to pick up on it quickly, especially non-native English speakers. I live in downtown Toronto and have lived here the whole time I have lived in Canada, but I was born in the Northeast U.S.


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## DataGridDotRedraw (Jul 10, 2007)

Billionairess said:


> I hear people say "aboat", "oat" (for out), and "hoese" (for house), every single day.


Ya, after living in California and returning to Canada I hear it too. I had to change the way I said many words while I was there because I couldn't get through a sentence without somebody laughing or asking me to say that word again.


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