theducks | Hmm (iPhone in Canada thoughts)

So, let's assume Apple releases a 32Gb iPhone just in time for us to arrive in Canada. It seems my options are pretty much to get a three-year contract with Rogers, or don't get an iPhone.

I had a chat with the Rogers online support bot (or person in a third world country, who knows) talking about options. The cognitive dissonance was astounding. The mere idea that someone would even consider using a mobile telephone not purchased from the service provider is unspeakable to them, yet assuming it was some lady in india, no doubt personally quite familiar.

So a 16Gb iPhone will cost C$299 (+15% tax.. yay :P), and then C$60 (again, doubtless plus tax) per month, on a 3 year contract. If we come back after the 12 month period, I'd be up for an early termination fee of C$400 (+tax), so I'd have paid C$699 for the iPhone. Which isn't actually that bad.

But still, the whole "handset = service = carrier" mentality is retarded. I'm not saying that glibly, I mean that by not acknowledging that with GSM, SIM card = carrier and the carrier defines services for the SIM, despite knowing full well that it does, they are actually displaying signs of mental retardation.

Gah!

And another thing.. Canada has a population with similar density to Australia given relative country size, and a slightly larger one, why then does it have such a crappy telecommunications industry? Is it that Australia's government regulates things to allow competition? I'm surprised companies like 3 haven't tried there.

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Canada has approximately the US phone system, and it sucks sucks sucks. At least it sucks for consumers.

Are you excited to be paying to receive phone calls and SMSes yet?

Am I ever!

No, wait. That'll suck. But at least the plans seem geared towards that charging model.. right? :)

Right, but they're confusing. They don't give you a $$ credit, they give you a number of free messages (sent or received) and minutes (sent or received), but then you have to pay extra for "long distance" calls (whatever that means, I've never worked it out), you get (depending on your plan) extra in-network minutes, nights and weekend minutes, etc. It's really not set up for it to be obvious to consumers.

Also in my bill there are 13 separate taxes and tariffs that total about $17 that's on top of my monthly fee and usage.

Ah, well as I understand it at least you haven't had to pay for the spanish-american civil war for the last 3 years, so that's a plus

excusing everything else, having a number of sms/minutes of call credit is SO much better/clearer/ more sensible than having a $$ credit. Given all the companies with $$ credit change the rates along with the credit limits, so you can't do a simple comparison between plans and the $$ credit is effectively meaningless.

"with our new $30 cap you get $10 trillion worth of calls! [small print: calls charged at $10 tillion per minute]" etc

I think at least part of this comes from mobiles having the same area codes as normal phones, so act like normal phones wrt long distance (per minute) and local calls (free), except there's an underlying cost per minute for all calls. Charging twice for SMSes is simply extortionate though.

It comes from something a bit further down in the phone system, which is the different settlement model between carriers -- Bill and Keep (as used in the USA) vs Calling Party Network Pays (as used in Europe and Australia).

The good side of Bill and Keep is that it lets companies like Metro PCS exist (flat rate cell phone provider, around $50 p/m tax inc, including all services - unlimited text, voice, smart phone, calling name display, etc). The bad side of it is, well, the general US mobile phone providers.

I should make a post of some of the Metro PCS ads; some of them are really funny. I'll see if I can dig up some on YouTube and post them here.

Metro PCS ads:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xPGNcvXbBw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU5ZNQTbJys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSm6ugXL2vg

I couldn't find the one I was looking for (which features a customer at a competitor wireless carrier questioning their bill on an unlimited plan, to find out it has unlimited calls to the wireless phone store owner only). Anyway, I find their ads funny :) Unfortunately, doesn't help you with Canada or iPhones.

..of course, the US have evidence that the US model is superior.

As for other competition, after the wireless auction thing, some new companies are supposed to start operating soon which might help with that. Not to mention with Bell and Telus backing a system that didn't pan out worldwide, it's giving Rogers a monopoly on things like the iPhone and it's been suggested that Apple is really not happy with how Rogers is doing things. But until the new companies start up and/or Bell/Telus finally switch over to GSM(?) (I'm blanking on what the two technologies were called), we're kinda screwed. Both situations are coming but who knows how long it will take.

Then again, you probably know all this already and in better detail lol.

The Canadian "wireless" system (ie the mobile phone system) is absolutely shit in Canada. Go anywhere outside the major areas and you're pretty much stuck with Telus for the best coverage, much like it is with Telstra here. And Telus has a similar business structure to Telstra. The market is excruciatingly limited and highly priced.

Here's something you might not be aware of. In Canada, you pay for RECEIVING a call on a mobile phone, as well as making one. Oh yeah.

From my readings, the Canadian phone industry (and the non-NREN networking) seems stuffed ... major players, over regulated, no competition and the bad influence of those south of the border.

Perhaps consider somewhere else? :P

Just wanted to add that Rogers is well known for their crappy customer service. I worked as a CS rep for them, and I know from experience. Also, the GSM network here in Canada has been less than reliable. Rogers began selling GSM phones to customers when there was virtually no GSM coverage in Canada at all. Mind you, they sold them phones and then told them that they could take the phone to Europe, purchase a new SIM card there, and use the phone overseas. Therefore, they should not be giving you issues for wanting to use your current phone once you get here (if I'm remembering correctly you recently purchased an iPhone).

Oh, and GST here is only 5% now. So, most provinces you're looking at 12% tax.

The solution from the beginning was don't get an iphone. The solution when they first brought out an iphone was don't get an iphone and nothing has really changed since. I don't see the problem.

North America's telecommunications infrastructure blows in general so theres no reason to run against the big boys when service is gonna suck anyways. At my last apartment I could literally see a cell tower from my window and yet I had zero bars most of the time. Awesome.

...but you could buy your own uncrippled iPhone outright, get a voice plan and add monthly data, without a long contract, for an "Activation Fee of up to $35"?

http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-plans/iphone_card_plans

I was wondering about this too, since I saw a bit banner in the window of a Next Byte store down in Melbourne "Now Available: iPhone 3G"...

We suck is all. My biggest gripe with coming back to Canada from the UK was this.

Hmm (iPhone in Canada thoughts)

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