MacDailyNews Note: Rogers previously had charged C$100/mo. for a 6GB plan.
In anticipation of iPhone 3G launch on July 11, Rogers Wireless today announced plans to open the doors of select Rogers Plus retail stores across Canada in advance of regular hours. Starting at 8am July 11, Canadians will be able to purchase the new iPhone 3G at special launch day events to be held at six Rogers Plus stores across the country. Be among the first in Canada to get the next generation iPhone 3G and have the choice of a 6GB data plan through a limited time promotional price offer.
“As Canada’s leading wireless carrier, Rogers is excited to bring iPhone 3G to Canadians even sooner, allowing our customers to be amongst the first in the world to experience this amazing mobile innovation,” says John Boynton, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Wireless. “To celebrate its launch on Canada’s fastest wireless network, we’re rolling out the red carpet with special events at six Rogers Plus stores and a limited time price promotional data offer from coast-to-coast.”
The following Rogers Plus stores in these cities will open their doors at 8am (all times local) on Friday, July 11 for advance purchases of the Apple iPhone 3G:
• Toronto: 112-10 Dundas Street East
• Montreal: 1015 rue St. Catherine Ouest
• Ottawa: 690 Bank Street
• Halifax: Unit 265, 7001 Mumford Road
• Calgary: 5244 Falsbridge Gate, NE
• Vancouver: 2097 West Broadway
Customers attending launch day events at these Rogers Plus stores will be treated to a free early bird breakfast and have a chance to win Rogers Wireless prizes.
Effective July 11, and as a limited time promotional offer for customers who activate by August 31 on a three year contract, a data-only offering of 6GB of data for $30 per month is being made available that can be added to any in-market voice plan. For example, with 6GB of data, iPhone 3G users can visit 35,952 web pages, or send and receive 157,286 emails, or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos each and every month (Based on live trials of iPhone 3G on Rogers HSPA network, July 2008).
New Canadian iPhone 3G customers will also have the choice to select from Rogers Wireless’ existing voice and smartphone data plans and/or additional features to best suit their needs, or from Rogers Wireless’ value bundled plans specifically for iPhone 3G. Existing Rogers Wireless customers can keep their current voice service plan and select a separate data plan to meet their needs or choose from other plans after checking their individual upgradeeligibility.
Starting July 11, iPhone 3G will be available at participating locations across Canada, including select Rogers Plus, Rogers Video, and Rogers Wireless retail locations and at the following specially selected authorized Rogers Wireless dealers: WirelessWave, TBooth and Wireless etc. iPhone 3G can also be purchased online at www.rogers.com and through Rogers’ customer service at 1-888-764-3771. For a complete store listing, visit http://your.rogers.com/mq/mqlocator.asp. Due to anticipated high demand, there is a maximum purchase of two iPhone 3G units per customer.
Source: Rogers Wireless Communications Inc.
“‘We listened to our customers, everybody from those who are very tech savvy to those who just knew they wanted this device and were really enthusiastic and didn’t know how they were going to use the data but knew it was a data device,’ Rogers spokeswoman Liz Hamilton said,” Matt Hartley reports for The Globe and Mail. “‘So this will give them a great opportunity.'”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Trevor” for the heads up.]
Still sucks…but at least it’s better
I’m shocked that Rogers gave ground. (Or to quote Barbra Walters: “Howly CWAP!”)
being promotional… how long after till they up the price?
Oh Canad – Ah. That’s better – a bit.
Unlike others, with Apple, the phone MAKER is in charge, not the ignorant greedy invisible radio carrier. We know who wears the pants in the iPhone family, now don’t we?
With that 6Gb – $30/month offering for 3 years, I wander if existing 1st generation iPhone users will be able add that to their existing voice plans. It’s no different. It would be fair to do so. I will call on the weekend or Monday and see if I’ll get a Dummy CSR who will give, if not I will keep calling until Dummy caves in. trust me, it happens.
Hope they do the same in Mexico’s Telcel…..
I guess Apple will now need to re-direct those Europe-bound iPhones BACK to Canada…
MW: I guess us Canadians have SHOWN Rogers….
The operative word here is promotional.
What does it matter how good this sounds if the promotional prices expire in three months and you’ve just signed a three-year contract?
History in the making.
uh it was Steve-o taking iPhones out of Canadian Apple Stores that pushed Rogers off their greedy ass.
MDN Take please? So I don’t have to analyze all that CorpSpeak.
Yes, you Canadians really showed Rogers. Good luck with those 3 years contracts.
If you really want to show Rogers, don’t buy the iPhone until they are willing to play nice. Apple doesn’t have much patience for company’s not representing their products the way Apple likes.
Lo! Behold the power of the almighty Steve-o!
This is a promotional price that will be valid for a short period of time and will not carry you through till the end of your VERY lengthy commitment time (the longest commitment in the world, clocking in at 3 years).
It is the old “Oh my god! If the rollout fails here in Canada, we will be the laughing stock of the whole world!” (as in the fact that it might be the ONLY place where the initial introduction of the iPhone is NOT a success).
So, to avoid that international embaressament, they decided to offer a special “introductory” price, to help them get this thing rolling.
It is temporary, it is still far from what they could charge while maintaining vast profit margins and most of all, it is designed to help Rogers save face in the international arena and thus avoid the potential future scrutiny of the sleepy Canadian lawmakers (who for the most part like playing golf with big Ted).
Sorry to pour some cold water of reality over this premature happiness – this is only cynical manipulation.
Canadians will never be free of Rogers’s dominance of so many facets of the Canadian economy…
(mostly because Canadian by nature just submit and never really complain or become active…)
A limited promotional offer? That’s not good enough. I hope everyone boycotts them. — And I’m not even Canadian and I don’t even have an iPhone!
if it’s 6GB for $30/mth and a 24 month contract, we can start talking.
They say the 30$ a month can be added to, and I quote “any in-market voice plan”.
They offer pay by card (if you don’t use your phone that much) and also $25 a month plan (if you still don’t use it that much!).
Would that make the Roger plan the lowest available plan on the planet??
Even at 3 year contract, it’s still $55 (or even less if you get the pay by card) of course plus taxes and other crap that we HAVE TO pay.
If that’s the case… wow! Now that’s an attractive offer.
…there must me a catch…
the way i read “introductory” “and promotional” i understood the deal to be $30/month for the life of the contract as long you sign up by Aug 31st. After that date this deal will no longer be available and higher rates will apply.
It should have been no contract to add data to your existing voice plan. In 3 years that plan may be $10 a month unlimited and you’ll be stuck with this crap. Oh Well, I’ll be richer than you think.
In Canada a promotional offer runs for the time of the contract. The promotion expires at the end of August not the deal you have made. The package will continue for the length of the contract. I personally believe this has all been about hype all along. What a way to create more promotion for your product. Create ridiculous prices for your product, lower it slightly and the masses will come. I guarantee the promotion won’t expire in August and will become the norm for the iphone. Simply add $30 to any existing Rogers Plan for Iphone. Doing it this way also allows them to save face from their original starting point. They didn’t revise the plans they added different ways to get there based on listening to their customer. In Canada I wouldn’t be surprised if the original pricing was somewhat placating to RIM. When Rogers realized how many people they could get with the adjustment in price they decided the RIM maker can’t get them the additional 100-200K subscribers that the Iphone can. Rogers has always been one of the first with the RIM product as the strong connection in Canada between the two companies. Rogers definitely has had to play this one carefully as the old rule goes: Don’t piss in your own backyard!
No word if this breaks the free WiFi offer and visual voicemail like the other mix and match plans…Be verrrry wary of this, people…
Who wrote that crap? Does anyone here write marketing drivel? And if so would you like to justify your continued survival?
MW Activity, as in not much brain activity in the marketing department
Roger’s web site is having difficulty!
Too little, too late.
This was a feeble attempt to save face. It looks like it worked though for a couple suckers on this board who actually think this is a good deal.
Bring the plans in line with the US and then we’ll talk. I can’t believe Apple allowed its customers to be screwed over like this.