BGR served up a rumor that Telus in Canada was getting the iPhone 3GS in October. How will a CDMA carrier get the GSM iPhone? Simple, as mentioned last year, Telus has partnered with Bell to expand their CDMA network by adding in HSPA. That means Bell Mobility could support the iPhone 3GS as well, and the rumor’s TiPb’s hearing is they just might (though exact timing will of course depend on how fast they get HSPA up and running).
If Rogers/Fido’s Canadian iPhone 3GS exclusivity was tied only to their GSM monopoly, and that suddenly becomes an oligopoly, will the increased competition lead to better iPhone plans and prices for Canadian consumers? Well, oligopolies are historically only slightly better than monopolies, so we won’t get our hopes up any time soon.
So Canadians, anyone rather have their iPhone on Telus or Bell?
Above, customers at the Montreal Apple Store wait for Rogers to get their systems working
For the second year in a row, Rogers provided awesome new plans for their customers, but did it at literally the 11th hour and utterly failed to inform many of their service reps about the last-minute changes in pricing and policy for the iPhone 3GS (kudos for getting the marketing folks up to speed though!) and also failed to get enough bandwidth and infrastructure in place to make sure Apple could actually upgrade customers, and Sales Central could remain functional.
Luckily for one Rogers customer, however, Rogers online rep Keith McArthur, the office of the President of Rogers, and a little luck resulted in a happy ending. Mark wrote in to let us know about his experience:
Step 6: I went to the Apple Store, purchased my phone (that was Sunday) and faxed the bill the same day.
Congrats Mark. Let’s hope the rest of us have just as much luck when we call in!
Above, customers at the Montreal Apple Store wait for Rogers to get their systems working
Upgrading to an iPhone 3G S in Canada? We feel for you, and we fear we’re going to continue to feel for you for a healthy portion of the day. Last year there were activation backlogs and hang-ups all over, but it was especially egregious in Canada, where people were waiting for half the day for Rogers’ system to get up and happy and talking with Apple’s system.
Our esteemed editor Rene Ritchie just called in from his Apple Store to say that their system isn’t showing the 3G S on the Rogers system and it’s unclear how exactly it’s going to be resolved. Last year we heard 6-hour-wait horror stories. This year we’re crossing our fingers that resolution will come more quickly.
On the bright side, we haven’t heard a whiff of a problem anywhere else. From Switzerland to Cincinnati people who didn’t pre-order are finding lines short enough to guarantee everybody will get their phone and activations almost as quick as the iPhone 3G S itself.
Up until now, the only places to get iPhone 3G in Canada were Rogers and their subsidiary Fido. Apple Retail Stores didn’t carry them.
Friday, with the introduction of the iPhone 3G S, that changes. Per Apple mailing:
Available at the Apple Retail Store June 19th. Stores open at 8:00am.
Which may be up to 2 hours earlier than your local Rogers/Fido store to boot. You can also book a personal shopping appointment to help you get in and out faster if you so choose. (Though we can’t imagine spaces will last long).
So, Canadians, who’s going to Rogers/Fido, and who’s going to Apple Retail?
Yeah. Ouch. But that’s what BGR’s Canadian ninja are reporting. These are Best Buy inventory prices, but it’s hard to imagine Rogers/Fido stores charging less what with the exchange rate and typically Canadian shipping overages added.
Any Canadians (besides me) lining up for an off-contract iPhone 3G S this Friday? Does the price change things? How about those of you getting the full subsidy? Happier now?
Okay, I take back 13% of all the bad things I’ve ever said about Rogers. The Social Media Rep for Rogers/Fido, Keith McArthur, has unleashed the following today via Twitter:
Both Rogers Wireless and Fido will offer iPhone 3GS starting June 19. [link]
Rogers/Fido pricing is $199 for 16GB iPhone 3GS; $299 for 32GB iPhone 3GS on a three-year voice and data plan. [link]
8GB version of the iPhone 3G will drop to $99 on June 19 at Rogers and Fido with a three-year voice and data plan. [link]
Rogers is reintroducing the $30/6GB data plan for iPhones effective tomorrow, June 9. Offer available for a limited time. [link]
Rogers/Fido are only national carriers to offer $25/500MB plan. 93% of iPhone users use less than 500MB so this is the right plan for most. [link]
UPDATE: Steve in the comments points out this gem from the same Twitter feed:
There will be a no-contract price for customers who want to upgrade before they’re eligible for a subsidy [link]
iPhoneinCanada.ca is reporting that as of June 16, Rogers will begin offering a “heavy user” data plan for 15GB at $150 a month. Those of us who remember 200MB at $100 a month are no doubt shaking our heads, but for especially rapacious users on tethered or laptop setups, it could be more than worth the money:
Device support: All iPhones, Blackberries, HTC Devices, Smartphones, and Mobile Internet Sticks
Anyone hopping on that premium bandwagon any time soon?
Not sure when they — finally — flipped this switch, but this morning when I fired up iTunes I was greeted with a full on content party — US TV productions from ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and Warner Brothers are now available for Canadians to download in both standard and high definition.
Prices are $3.49 for HD (which includes an SD copy for your iPhone or iPod) and/or $2.49 for SD all by its lonesome.
So, if you don’t mind paying for a-la-carte programming a day later but sans commercials, loves you the HD option, and you live in the True North Strong and Free-ish, apparently this week is Canada Day come early!
iPhoneinCanada.ca has unconfirmed reports of Rogers discounting the iPhone 3G by $100 for qualified buyers (check the link for what qualifies as qualified).
If anyone can confirm this, let us know in the comments. Is Rogers trying to clear stock in advance of a next generation iPhone release this summer?
Our best frenemy forever, CrackBerry.com’s Kevin sent us word that Canadians currently excluded from all the Amazon Kindle E-Book app goodness may just have an alternative. Seems Chapters/Indigo (think Barnes and Nobles with maple syrup, eh?) is getting into the game, and onto the devices, with a new service called Shortcovers.
While Kevin was sickened by the prominence of the iPhone in the above video, we thought it was fantastic. (And if the fugly look of the BlackBerry app compared to the hot sexay of the iPhone version is any indication of how this whole BlackBerry App World vs. iPhone App Store sitch will work out for RIM…)
Any of our readers to the north going to check it out?
The iPhone Blog merged with the Phone different site in May of 2008. Both sites were founded on a premise that comes one from one of Apple's old slogans: Think different. The iPhone Blog: for people who dare to phone different.
