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

[theducks.livejournal.com]

Am I ever!

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

[loic.livejournal.com]

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.

[theducks.livejournal.com]

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

[evil-megz.livejournal.com]

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

[trs80.ucc.asn.au (from livejournal.com)]

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.

[luyer.livejournal.com]

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.

[luyer.livejournal.com]

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.

[luyer.livejournal.com]

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