Taken from: www.gadgetaddiction.com
People are going to start thinking I am some sort of Rogers lover… or hater, or Apple buff when in fact my true love in television, and online television. But with something as monumental as the Apple iPhone you have to stop and take special note to what is going on here.
Apple has a dream, a dream basically of everyone owning a an iPhone, a Mac, and of Microsoft being bought out at 25 cents a share to the thunderous applause of the Microsoft shareholders at receiving three times the closing price on their stocks. Ok, so none of those things are ever going to happen, but they do seem to have a slightly less crazy dream, and that is for people to be able to use their iPhones, and other mobile devices for voice, data and texting, world wide, at reasonable rates.
I know, I know, crazy talk. Apple entered into the distribution agreement with Rogers back in April to the delight of people everywhere (in Canada) Now, I also read this post all those months ago, and my first reaction was damn. That’s going to be expensive. (The rate plans that is.) As someone who sold Rogers products for years, I am intimately familiar with how they like to squeeze every last penny from people though their deceptive and confusing billing systems, and rate plans that always seem to skrew you no matter when you use their phone. I honestly was not expecting anything different for the iPhone.
When Rogers released the iPhone plans I honestly was not that surprised. In fact, I was actually pleased with the drastic reduction in data rates. I wrote about that here. I was seriously pleased at the time, and not surprised to see such a relatively paltry offering from Rogers. I was dissapointed, don’t get me wrong, I still think their rates are way to high, but I was not surprised.
I mused over a few websites of people griping, even read the fuckyourogers.com site to some great amusement. Amusement, that these people were going to be heard by no one, and would soon just shut their mouths, and buy the iPhone.
What has SHOCKED me however, is that this is not the case. People are actually doing something about this…
In Ontario, we elected a premiere that promised in writing not to raise taxes without holding a referendum. A few months later, Dalton McGuinty gave Ontario the largest tax increase in its history to “balance” the books… and then in the end we had a surplus in the exact total of the increase. Some people yelled and screamed, most said nothing, and when it came time to vote for him four years later, we gave him another powerful majority.
We vote for liars, and forgive cheaters, we bitch about taxes, and TTC strikes, traffic gridlock, David Miller, the Garbage Crisis, and the rising price of fuel. Korean cars flooding our markets destroying thousands of jobs…
Do we do anything about it? No.
BUT… throw Apple Computer in there, and all the sudden the people go crazy. As of writing this 53,300 people have signed the online petition… (big whoop… who cares about an online petition right?) CBC, CTV, Global, all the major news outlets in Canada are running story after story about angry consumers and Rogers. And now, the greatest news of all… rumblings that the all powerful Apple itself are furious with Rogers over their seemingly punitive price plans.
That report even suggests that Apple has diverted:
“…a significant amount of Canada’s iPhone 3G shipments to Europe as initial retribution. As a result, the Canadian carrier will likely receive only about 10 to 20 units per store, and therefore should “exercise caution” not to promise ample stock on launch day, people familiar with the matter have said.”
Spat with Rogers leaves Canadian Apple Stores without iPhones
I have to say I am pleased with all of this attention being brought on by this media focus on the iPhone, (a product I personally wouldn’t buy regardless of price point… I just don’t care enough about it but don’t blame others that do… I mean it is pretty… ) The best news out of all of this is that it is educating consumers as to what goes on in the rest of the world in regards to mobile rates. With various government reports coming out suggesting the government needs to stop blocking foreign investment in the telecomm sector, and the upcoming close of the spectrum auction that promises new wireless providers on the horizon I pray that the days of high wireless rates are numbered.
Thankfully with all this attention one thing is for certain…. no one, not any single cell phone company would dare raise rates now….. No… no… I’m being told that Bell and Telus are about to start charging for incoming text messages… “ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!?!?!”
Rogers Rogers iPhone Bell Telus iPhone ruinediphone.com fuckyourogers.com wireless data wireless rates telecommunications canada
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