Rogers dropped us a note to let us know they’ve extended their 6GB/$30 data plan, first introduced last year with the iPhone 3G and re-introduced this year with the Android Dream and Magic, and the iPhone 3GS, until September 15. So, if you have a qualifying phone like the iPhone, and you want ungodly amounts of data usage — and you haven’t already — make sure you add the 6GB/$30 promo to your plan ASAP. (Especially with free tethering still on until December 31, 2009).

While we’ve heard Canadian iPhone supplies still can’t keep up with demand, Rogers says:

Rolling inventory of the iPhone 3GS is on its way, and back orders are being filled for customers on a priority basis.

(And no, no official word yet on when Bell or Telus’ HSPA network will be functionally rolled out, nor when they will begin offering the iPhone 3GS, but we can’t help but think increased competition is great for consumers — and for the networks, witness Rogers beginning to test 21Mbps HSPA+).

Full Rogers/Fido iPhone upgrade options repeated after the break…

1) For Rogers Wireless customers who bought an iPhone 3G between July 11 and Sept. 30, 2008, and with an average monthly spend of at least $100, Rogers will provide $500 off the cost of an iPhone 3G S. This special offer expires September 15, 2009 and comes with the addition of a one-year term to the customer’s existing service agreement.

• 16GB 3GS $199
• 32GB 3GS $299

2) For Rogers Wireless customers who bought an iPhone between July 11 and Dec. 31, 2008, but aren’t eligible for the above offer, Rogers will provide $250 dollars off the purchase of an iPhone 3G S. This special offer expires September 15, 2009 and comes with the addition of a one-year term to the customer’s existing service agreement.

• 16GB 3GS $449
• 32GB 3GS $549

3) All Rogers Wireless customers can upgrade to the iPhone 3GS at our cost at Rogers.com, or for a suggested retail price of just $19 more than our cost through our retail channels.

• 8GB 3G $580/$599
• 16GB 3GS $680/$699
• 32GB 3GS $780/$799

4) Fido customers can take advantage of the Fido Rewards iPhone 3G S promotion:

• Use FidoDollars towards the purchase of a new iPhone 3G S
• Fido will top up the FidoDollars amount by $100
• This promotion does not include an extension or renewal of their service agreement.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Rogers/Fido Canada Extend 6GB/$30 Data “Promotion” to September 15

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?

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Rogers Canada Now Offering 15GB/$150 for “Heavy Users”

AT&T Mouth of Sauron Speaks!

Business Week is warming up the rumor we heard ten days ago about AT&T considering reducing the iPhone data plan from $30 to $20. This time, however, instead of just a price drop, it’s suggested there could be the introduction of a new, limited data option.

So, high end users could get “unlimited” data for $30, and lower end users could get a capped plan for $20.

Business Week’s sources also suggest that a lower price or price tier is part of the ongoing negotiations between Apple and AT&T regarding the extension of AT&T’s US iPhone exclusivity.

Of course, $99 and pre-paid iPhones are also tossed in for good measure. Apple has stated in the past that they wouldn’t leave an umbrella for the competition, so lower-cost — up-front up on plan — iPhones are seen as putting pressure on RIM’s BlackBerry and Palm’s upcoming Pre, and shoring up Apple and AT&T’s market share.

If you don’t use a lot of data, would a tiered option (already available on many international carriers) appeal to you? Would a lower end or pre-paid iPhone?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

AT&T to Offer Data-Capped $20 iPhone Plan? $99 iPhones? Pre-Paid iPhones?

Apple Insider has a pair of reports up, the first of which cites one analyst following up two other analysts who would all really, really like to see AT&T reduce data plan charges by $10 a month.

So would consumers. However, nothing to back it up yet but wishes and analyst musings to make it so.

The second report highlights that if AT&T does drop rates, and drives adaptions, they’ll only reach saturation level faster, forcing Apple to look again at Verizon and their 15 million customers to drive further growth.

Verizon customers would certainly love it, but can Apple wait long enough for LTE-compatibility to roll out?

Lastly, Dmackdaddy tipped us to what looks like AT&T seeking a lot of “retail sales consultants” in the Bay Area. Looks like some other areas may also be stocking up on staff. Regular business cycle, or just one more sign of the big iPhone 3.0 and iPhone next generation release expected for the summer?

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AT&T Roundup: Data Plan Dropping $10? Saturation Nigh? Taking on Staff Pre-WWDC?

UPDATE: Keith from Rogers in the comments:

I’m in the communications department at Rogers and can confirm that we are aware of this issue with the 6GB promotion. It was a technological malfunction that resulted in an error on less than 10 customer accounts. We take these things very seriously and we’re working to fix it. We will, of course, continue to honour the 6GB promotion for those customers who signed up for it.

Thanks Keith, now how about news on bringing back those $30/6GB accounts as standard so Canada reaches some form of parity with US pricing?

ORIGINAL: Prior to the iPhone 3G launch in Canada last year, there was a massive internet and public protest surrounding Rogers exorbitant data plans (not too long ago cresting $100 for 200MB!). To try and turn things around, Rogers offered a limited time $30/6GB plan (which should never have been limited in time) on 3 year(!) contract, and many were quick to sign up for it when they got their new iPhone 3Gs. Fast forward 9 months later, however, and seems some shenanigans are going on again around Rogers way. According to MacNN, people are losing those $30/6GB accounts, way before the 3 years are up:

The problem is allegedly widespread amongst Rogers iPhone customers, and believed to be connected to alterations of a person’s account, such as a change in address or phone number. Because the promotional code for the $30/6GB plan no longer exists, discounts may simply be evaporating as accounts are recreated. People who signed up for the $30 price were originally promised that it would persist throughout their three-year contract.

Customer service staff seem to vary greatly in their willingness and ability to solve this problem. NOT. GOOD. ROGERS. Being a GSM monopoly doesn’t let you abuse it, remember?

Meanwhile, according to Engadget Mobile, Rogers’ wholly owned, discount branded Fido subsidiary seems to be gearing up to ditch the iPhone 3G’s 16GB SKU entirely, leaving only the 8GB version on the product list. Fists with the low-end brand, we guess…

So, anyone hosed by Rogers on data, or going to be missing out that 16GB iPhone 3G on Fido? Let us know!

[Thanks Chris for the tip]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

UPDATED: iPhone 3G in Canada: Rogers Wrecking 6GB Accounts, Fido Ditching iPhone 16GB?

My fellow Canadians, if you’re already enjoying the virtually “unlimited” goodness and peace of mind that comes with Rogers reluctant, 11th hour $30/6GB promotional plan, then there’s nothing to see here. Your rate is good for the length of your contract.

If you haven’t jumped on the “deal” yet, however, remember that the plan is set to expire Aug. 31. Or it was… Rogers seems to have extended it — slightly — to Sept. 30.

After that?

A monthly fee of $30 will buy 1 GB of data instead of 6GB. A cheaper package of $25 will give 500 megabytes, filling the needs of most customers based on early consumption trends, [Rogers spokeswoman Liz Hamilton] said. Other plans include $50 for 2GB, $60 for 3GB and $80 for 8GB.

To mitigate the disaster of these new plans, Rogers will provide unlimited data for 3 months to all new customers on the plans, and customers can change between plans (up or down) without penalty. They’ll also receive a text message when they’re getting close to their hard limit, and another when they hit it. An overall cap will also be placed at $100 a month, usage be rogered.

While Rogers claims neither you nor I may really be able to chew through 6GB a month, they’re contention about not wanting to over-charge us is clearly disingenuous, or else they would be offering lower bandwidth plans at LOWER rates, not higher. (i.e., they would keep the 6GB at $30 and add a 2GB at $20, 1GB at $15, and 500MB at $10).

The protests are likely over — which we’re sure they’re counting on — but way to show your regressive spots there, Rogers.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone 3G in Canada: Rogers Extends $30/6GB to Sept. 30 + New (and Nasty) Data Plans

I’m not going to get off on another Rogers rant here. Suffice it to say, when it comes to Canadian telcos, I’m the rat who, having learned helplessness, now lies face down on the hot plate.

However, not content to let me lie there and wither in peace, now comes this report, determined to kick poor downed me with some hope:

Sources from inside Rogers claim that the device should be available the same month as an expected US release of an updated, 3G-capable model [...] currency values are likely to place the cost of the phone itself closer to the eventual US figure. [...] The sources claim that the iPhone will qualify for Rogers’ $7 on-device browsing plan, which currently allows all phones offered by Rogers (excepting BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices) to access the web as much as they like through the carrier’s officially-sanctioned browser. Whether Rogers will allow YouTube, the App Store, and other official but non-web devices to fall into the unlimited plan is unknown, though unlike with other phones Rogers will not have the choice of installing or customizing the web browser or other applications.

We’ll see (or more likely, we won’t see). The best indicator of future behavior being prior behavior, I figure the iPhone data plan will cost $100/month for 1GB. Prove me wrong, Rogers!

What do you think?

Read Via

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3G Rumors: iPhone in Canada Next Month With… Reasonable Rates?!

As posted (and updated) earlier, O2 has officially launched the iPhone in Ireland, making it the fifth country (after the US, UK, Germany, and France) to enjoy the revolutionary phone and breakthrough internet device… ish…

Apple Insider reports that Irish iPhone plans, unlike all previous iPhone plans DO NOT come with unlimited data or visual voicemail (a feature often touted by Steve Jobs as being a prime example of carrier cooperation and hence, the benefit of exclusivity).

There seems to be two options here:

1. We’ve heard before that Edge (2.5G data) coverage isn’t strong in Europe (which more quickly embraced the faster 3G data model), so could this be a (potentially temporary) situation that O2 will rectify over time? If so, we could be looking forward to service improvements and price drops like we saw with O2 in the UK.
2. Or is this a sign that Apple is no longer pressuring carriers to offer affordable, unlimited data plans or features like visual voice mail as part of the iPhone package? If so, this could be the beginning of a far more sweeping and important story. It’s long been rumored that extremely high data rates have kept the iPhone out of countries like Canada, so if Apple is bending to carrier demands on these issues, it could allow the iPhone to spread wider, but at the cost of the concessions Apple was previously able to leverage. (And which analysts said could change the wireless industry)

What do you think? Is this just a temporary road bump on the way to Irish iPhone bliss, or a sign of changing times in carrier-land? And if so, would you prefer to see the iPhone in more countries, even if you get less data and fewer features? Or do you want Apple to hold the line on unlimited plans and visual voicemail-style innovations?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Irish iPhones Now Crying? No Unlimited Data or Visual Voice Mail?