Rogers Wireless released what would appear to be a final version of their data services for the new iPhone 3G. You can find the page with their rate plans here. I’ve heard different opinions from people who are with Rogers, with other carriers, and even people who have unlocked iPhones. Some people find the rate plans are too expensive, while others agree that they are fairly reasonable considering Canada has very poor data rates.
Right now Rogers is able to play with prices because they currently own the market for iPhones in this country. Being the only GSM provider, they have the ability to price services as they wish, which normally means we as consumers are going to be paying more than customers in places such as the United States. However, I feel Rogers has set some very reasonable prices for the iPhone. Let me explain, however I cannot because Internet Explorer 8 is crashing when I go to Rogers Sales Central.
Let’s break down what I’m paying right now for my Unlocked BlackBerry 8820.
I get 100 weekday minutes, unlimited evenings and weekends starting at 9pm, unlimited calling to family, 4mb of BlackBerry Internet Service, and the Smartphone value pack, which gives me caller ID, 2500 SMS, 1000 MMS, and some other crap. Anyway, I pay around $30 a month, because I’m a Rogers Employee. Normally I would pay $60 for that service. Now for the same price, I get 50 extra weekday minutes, 75 SMS, 100 times the data limit on 3G rather than EDGE, and a few new iPhone features.
Right there, the Data is a deal, considering BIS costs more per month than it does to run my car. Personally, the $115 plan makes more sense to me. You get 800 minutes, 2GB of 3G data, which would cost about $150 for the same Data ONLY for a BlackBerry, and again more crap for the iPhone. Yes, you still need the iPhone value pack of $15, plus System Access and 911. You’re looking at $140 give or take per month, plus taxes. Yes $140 is alot of money just for a cell phone, but you get a data limit which is pretty hard to go over, you can have a day and a half long phone call, and unlimited Rogers hotspot calling. It’s a decent deal as Canadian consumers, considering AT&T is offering $30 unlimited Data added onto whatever plan you have already.
Yes prices are shitty, but we’re Canadian remember, we have crappy phone rates. Regardless of the price, Rogers knows they are going to sell thousands of iPhones, most of which on Data plans. They will make a killing off them, and we eventually will see lower data prices. Right now though, its a start. Just 12 more days until iPhone!
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