Hmm (iPhone in Canada thoughts)

[theducks]

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.

Comments

[singularity.livejournal.com]

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.