# Rogers Responds About iPad Data Sharing



## KMPhotos (Jun 17, 2008)

Rogers says it is sorry about the iPad data sharing backlash. It wants data sharing, just not ready yet. 
Rogers Wants Data Sharing Plans – Just Not Yet.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Well, that's a good sign. Hold on to your data bucket…


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## Ottawaman (Jan 16, 2005)

Talk is cheap.


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## RunTheWorldOnMac (Apr 23, 2006)

Anyone else find the writing un-befitting of an official announcement from a major corporation?


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## Chookaboom (May 1, 2005)

If it happens, an additional $20 a month to share data is a FAIL. I am not opposed to some sorta one time fee (within reason) or a MUCH lower monthly. For now, I am glad I stuck to my original plan choice to get the WiFi iPad model.


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## pictor (Jan 29, 2007)

and still of little use to me unless Fido gets on board.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Ottawaman said:


> Talk is cheap.


Talk is cheap, but cellular minutes are not. And data is more expensive still!


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## Guest (May 14, 2010)

They are still saying the additional $20/month is what is likely in the cards, which is too steep for me, at that point they are still basically charging you almost full price for the data plan on the iPad so what's the point? I'll stick with mywi, thanks but no thanks Rogers.


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## Izzy (Apr 14, 2008)

They're going to resell me the data they've already sold me for another $20/month. It's basically $20/month for an access point for my iPad. It's like charging another $20/month for every additional computer that you have hooked up to your broadband connection. 

I would start a whole new plan with one of their competitors before I paid them another cent. 

It's time to open up the Canadian wireless industry to more competition.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Rogers does have personal data sharing... you can get a smart phone and a data stick and combine them together for $75 a mo with 1GB of shared data between the two. 

They're just figuring out a way to gouge the customer as much as they can without looking like they're gouging the customer.


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## iJayTee (Apr 20, 2010)

Rogers is playing games. Are they so out of touch with reality that they think the bad press was about taking away data sharing after semi-announcing it? Earth to Rogers: the extra $20 for reselling the same data is the real issue here.

It's not as if $0 solutions don't already exist: Mywi on JB'd iPhones, PDAnet on Android phones, iBluever for iPods and iPads that enable them to tether through Bluetooth. Not to mention Roger's own offering, the Novatel Mifi.

The tethering and data sharing horse left the barn a long time ago. What they're actually saying is that they will offer a $20/month surcharge for data sharing with an iPad only. The countless devices with fully functional USB ports can tether for free.

The technical complexities and their world leadership in sharing (lol) are just marketing red herrings... Don't fall for their sleaze.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

Izzy said:


> They're going to resell me the data they've already sold me for another $20/month. It's basically $20/month for an access point for my iPad. It's like charging another $20/month for every additional computer that you have hooked up to your broadband connection.


No it isn't like that because Rogers only sees one device on your broadband connection - your router. They don't see individual computers. If you were to call up Rogers and say "I want external IP addresses for every additional computer" then they'll either refuse you or charge you a fee per computer.

The wireless equivalent is getting a MiFi device and using WiFi on your phone and iPad. You are free to do this.

That said, Rogers should charge the same extra phone as they would for two telephones sharing the same wireless plan. Isn't that only $10/month?


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## Art Vandelay (May 10, 2010)

> John says:
> May 13, 2010 at 8:05 pm
> 
> Hi RogersKeith,
> ...





> RogersKeith says:
> May 14, 2010 at 12:06 am
> 
> Hey John. No additional charges on the $35/5GB plan.


Thats good. No activation fee or any other made up fees for the data plan. Since I dont have an iPhone, this 5GB plan sounds pretty good.


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

hayesk said:


> That said, Rogers should charge the same extra phone as they would for two telephones sharing the same wireless plan. Isn't that only $10/month?


I asked whether I could share my 6GB iPhone plan with a second iPhone if I added it to my account, and I was told I could not share the data with another phone.

Luc


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## equisol (Jan 12, 2008)

Well, it depends who you talk to. I asked if I could share my data plan between iPhones, and the answer was yes, if you use the family plan. But when this was settled I pursued to ask if I could add the iPad to it, and then the answer was no. So I asked what the difference waas, I can share between two iPhones, but not between iPhone and iPad, no answer on the other end of the line, except that the iPad was not available anyway.

I think they make it up as they go and have no idea what they are doing, except robbing us blind.


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

I was told I couldn't even put two iPhones on a family plan...


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

equisol said:


> Well, it depends who you talk to. I asked if I could share my data plan between iPhones, and the answer was yes, if you use the family plan. But when this was settled I pursued to ask if I could add the iPad to it, and then the answer was no. So I asked what the difference waas, I can share between two iPhones, but not between iPhone and iPad, no answer on the other end of the line, except that the iPad was not available anyway.
> 
> I think they make it up as they go and have no idea what they are doing, except robbing us blind.


I asked about this specifically as well at a couple of contact levels. The data is unique to each individual phone on the family plan and can't be shared; just like voicemail call display or texting. Only voice minutes can be pooled.

I have two iPhones on a family but that is because I upgraded my 3G to a 3Gs and gave the 3G to one of my sons. The iPhones were not purchased at the same time with the intent of having both on a family plan. Since the 3G is on the plan by virtue of a SIM card swap, there were no requirements to have data or a specific iPhone voicemail or text plan, just the same plan my son had before.


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## iJayTee (Apr 20, 2010)

Macified said:


> I asked about this specifically as well at a couple of contact levels. The data is unique to each individual phone on the family plan and can't be shared; just like voicemail call display or texting. Only voice minutes can be pooled.


It's the same with Telus even with a 40+ device corporate account where we have some ability to negotiate: voice minutes are pooled but data is per device.

I think we're in transitional period of cellular data communications. Not only are more people beginning to use substantial quantities of it but the speeds have been increasing significantly in recent months with the 7.2 Mb HSPA and the newer HSPA+ that gives 21 Mb. There are even 3G home data wifi stations with phone jacks available through Bell and Rogers now.

Over on the cable and HS internet front, Telus TV's new system, Mediacenter, shares HD and SD data streams to the PVR as well as internet bandwidth through a Cisco router. With the TV turned off, you get ~ 25MBs HS internet and this comes down to about 3 when you are watching/recording 2 HD streams and one SD stream. The significant part of this bit is that this is the first time where internet and TV data has been so explicitly linked as data in a home plan.

Worldwide, cellular carriers are all over the place with respect to how data is provided, shared, capped and the restrictions on sharing. There's the Spanish model where you can share what you wish through their data plan and they'll even give you a free sim for your 3G iPad and then there's the AT&T model that forbids even USB and bluetooth tethering of iPhones. AT&T, unfortunately, has the most influence when it comes to Apple's decissions on what part of their devices they will cripple... such as bluetooth tethering for wifi iPads or turning iPhones into wifi hot-spots both of which can be easily done on JB'd iPads (ibluever) or iPhones (MyWi) respectively.

Increasing consumer pressure will force all of them eventually to provide unlimited, shared data plans. But most carriers are having to be dragged kicking and screaming into providing what we want. If Telus, Rogers, Bell and Fido truly competed against each other, we'd have this sooner rather than later. But all their plans, rates and policies are suspiciously similar aren't they?


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## a7mc (Dec 30, 2002)

I've looked into the data sharing between two iPhones too. The answer, as evidenced by the posts above me, is yes AND no.

No, you cannot pool your existing data to another iPhone, even if you are on a family plan.

Yes, you can share data IF you sign up for the "Shared Data Family Plan" which has a specific data package with 1GB of shared data. You can see the plan here: http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=WLRS_Plans&category=family

So it can be done, but only if you don't already have data, and only if you need less than 1GB between both accounts.

A7


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## iJayTee (Apr 20, 2010)

^^^ More evidence that they're all over the place with their plans at the moment


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## Tulse (May 26, 2005)

iJayTee said:


> Increasing consumer pressure will force all of them eventually to provide unlimited, shared data plans.


I think the "shared" is more important than the "unlimited". I can certainly understand the need for metered plans, or even for tiered pricing based on usage -- bandwidth is a limited resource given their infrastructure. But what drives me crazy is the _artificial_ limitation of bandwidth to a _device_, rather than to a _customer_. What I want is for the telcos to sell their bandwidth to _me_, rather than to my phone, my iPad, and any other wireless device I have. In other words, treat wireless bandwidth like wired. Don't charge differently just because of the brand of the device attached, and don't sell me separate bins of data that are device-limited.


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## iJayTee (Apr 20, 2010)

Tulse said:


> I think the "shared" is more important than the "unlimited". I can certainly understand the need for metered plans, or even for tiered pricing based on usage -- bandwidth is a limited resource given their infrastructure. But what drives me crazy is the _artificial_ limitation of bandwidth to a _device_, rather than to a _customer_. What I want is for the telcos to sell their bandwidth to _me_, rather than to my phone, my iPad, and any other wireless device I have. In other words, treat wireless bandwidth like wired. Don't charge differently just because of the brand of the device attached, and don't sell me separate bins of data that are device-limited.


I agree that the data sales model is what needs to change first. It's even more ridiculous currently for carriers that allow tethering whichever device (usually a laptop) can be tethered. And it might be that bandwidth limits and pricing might continue as they exist. But even that is currently a mixed practice for voice with unlimited time periods like free evenings and weekends or City Fido that puts no limits on local calling any time.

A lot of this is simply what we have become accustomed to. For example, Shaw has theoretical caps on the HS internet plans but in practice they don't hassle you unless you habitually exceed the cap by a large ammount. But now Telus Mediacenter doesn't differentiate between TV and internet data. It's all part of the same data pool. They cap the upper limit of data per second but you won't find yourself unable to watch a hockey game at the end of the month because you've streamed too much tv data  

I think all of this will come in time but for now, I agree, I'd be happy with using the data I purchase on whatever device I want to use it with.


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

I remember, in the beginnings of cable high-speed internet, when they did charge extra for a second computer connected to the modem at home. This is from a time when home routers were a mere curiosity for nerds like me...


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Is there any way to clone an iPhone SIM?


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## equisol (Jan 12, 2008)

gmark,
yes, it is possible, quite easy as a matter of fact. But there is a but: the problem is that you cannot connect two sims to the network at the same time. They are mutually exclusive.


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