Canada’s Cellular Providers…. Are they holding us back?
January 14, 2008
I was just reading through Robert Scoble’s blog post regarding the iPhone and it really got me thinking…. In this day in age where technology is constantly evolving, are Canadian cellular providers limiting us in terms of technology? There are so many devices these days, the iPhone and T-Mobile’s Sidekick come to mind that are simply unavailable in Canada. Some quick Google research revealed that the REAL reason these phones aren’t yet available in our country is not due to delayed negotiations with manufacturers like Apple, it is because of our ridiculously high data rates.
Above is a graph showing comparable data rates from other parts in the world, taken from another blog. I find this shocking and appalling. It is no wonder that these “Smartphones” are yet to be offered in Canada, at the current rates people would go broke using them to their full potential. Appleinsider says it best regarding the iPhone….
In the U.S., AT&T’s combined iPhone service and data plans start at just $59.99 for 450 anytime minutes, 5000 additional night and weekend minutes, and unlimited data. But in Canada, as Geist notes, a comparable plan for Rogers Wireless — the only carrier with an iPhone-compatible GSM network — would currently run about $295 per month.Rogers charges $60 for 500 anytime minutes, $25 for an additional $500 anytime minutes and a whopping $210 for 500MB data plan. Unlike AT&T, the Canadian carrier does not offer an unlimited data plan and its monthly minutes do not rollover to the next month if they go unused.
This is one of the main reasons I can’t stand the CRTC (The others being no ESPN, and the censoring the “good” Superbowl commercials, but that is a story for another day). I feel they are greatly limiting our technological development. Canada is the birthplace of the Blackberry, yet majority of their citizens cannot afford to use one due to the data plan costs. I personally believe that they hold too much control over the industry, and until they become a bit more lax we won’t see the iPhone anytime soon unfortunately.
January 14, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I’ve always wondered about that. I’ve been periodically checking in to see when the iPhone will be released in Canada. Rumors said that it would be sometime early this year, however I was unaware of the cost of a plan for the iPhone. I was originally going to get an iPhone as an “upgrade” phone, but after hearing the costs involved in using the features of the iPhone, I’m not too sure now. My brother used to work for apple tech support (On-Line Support). He said that there are so many problems regarding the iPhone, and that it wouldn’t be worth the investment. So perhaps the iPhone might be worth buying in the future but right now, I’m going to try to stay clear of it. To bad tho. Apple makes some pretty sweet technology:)
January 14, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I agree with you….price is one of the main issues to buy the iphone. I don’t think so that apple will decrease their price very soon. Just look at their ipod ………They have never decreased their price, hardly 5-10 dollars decline in Boxind day sale.
January 15, 2008 at 8:09 pm
The above two comments are completely right. iphones have many new features that require connection to the internet 24 hrs a day. For example the navigation system needs a real internet connection and not the one you see when you browse using your regular cell phone. So if you’re to connect to the internet that long on your phone, you don’t need me to tell you how much money Rogers would squeeze out of you. And if Rogers was to come up with new plan and reduce the cost for connection, regular phones would practically cost nothing so for now iphone in Canada certainly is overrated.
January 16, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Apple is always coming up with great new ideas. When the Ipod Nano came out this product caught my eye. I have had the Nano for the last couple years and this product has been great. When I first heard about the Iphone coming out in other parts of the world – I couldn’t believe how much money people were paying for it. I know I wouldn’t buy this product at a large price. I would consider buying it at a lower price. Apple recently just come out with a product called the MacBook Air which is one of the thinnest computers ever made. I just watched an advertisement on this product and it seemed really appealing to the consumer. In this advertisement a person sat a typical sized 8 1/2 by 11 envelope on a table, and opened the envelope and pulled out the MacBook Air. Apple is always trying to be one step ahead of its competitors.
January 16, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I agree, when it comes to innovation in technology Apple certainly are industry leaders. However, I think their strongest asset as a corporation is not innovation, but rather their marketing.
Their new Macbook Air as you mentioned is a great product. However, it is probably not the most functional computer available. With no optical drive, or onboard ethernet port it makes it a tough sell (in my opinion). However, I have no doubts in my mind it will be wildly successful due to the fact it is an Apple product, and they are a company with a cult-like following.
I found a more impressive announcement at Macworld was the new AppleTV. The ability to rent movies on demand is intriguing, and I think that this will be the way movie rentals will be going in the future. I am pretty disappointed however, that this service will be unavailable in Canada (for now).
August 24, 2008 at 11:36 am
Why do people bother with the silly iphone? Apart form the nifty screen it does not offer much, and the 3G version is so bad that there is a class-action suit against apple now.
There are so many far better performers available do not be fooled by the typical apple hype!
The Canadian cellular providers are indeed making us suffer. Almost any other country in the world has better service and often much cheaper. In many countries you can get 3G at up to 7.2Mb/s on your cell-phone at only $10pm for up to 1GB. The choice of handsets is also fantastic.
February 5, 2009 at 4:53 am
By the way, in 2008, Rogers didn’t offer the iPhone; thus, the costs were so high because of the use of an invalid data device. The charges would’ve then been, at at that time $10/MB. And, from I’ve experienced, the iPhone’s a data eater, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, compared to any other data device.
This report is just a jab in Canada’s wireless provider’s gut; however, things have change SIGNIFICANTLY, and you can know get an iPhone 3G plan with 2GB of data and around 400 min unl’t evn/weekend 9PM and my5 canadawide for about $90 after taxes (which, the 9PM evenings and weekend time, we owe to the Americans, as later changed our evenings from 6:00pm)
So, yeah. End of story.