Rogers set to carry the iPhone in Canada?

The rumors are flying, but so far it's looking good for our Rogers / Apple / poutine fanboy friends up north. Will Pate, after hearing a rumor of the iPhone being headed for Rogers Wireless sometime in 2007, dug into the matter a little bit, and got this response from Rogers: "You were wondering about iPhone..Lots of speculation out there. Beyond the fact that Rogers is the only GSM carrier in Canada, we have not issued any statements as to whether or when the iPhone would be available at Rogers." And there you have it, completely vague, but near tacit assurance that Rogers will indeed be carrying the iPhone, since it happens to be the only GSM gig in town. At least that's what our iPhone-addled brains are reading into the situation, we suggest you draw your own conclusions on the matter.

[ttheTVaddict @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:06PM]

that's not exactly news... Rogers is the only GSM carrier and the defacto cell company for the iPhone. The real question is WHEN will we get it? June like our friends to the south, or 2008 like the rest of the world.

[aromedia @ Jan 25th 2007 10:21PM]

Rogers is not the only GSM carrier in canada. Videotron are the new kid on the (cell) block in Canada and they are GSM carrier.
Just to let you know...

[boe @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:06PM]

I wish some MS phone manufacturer would take the hardware used in the iPhone and make a full PPC phone. While the Q and Blackjack are nice slim phones, they don't have touchscreen nor as high of resolution as the iPhone. Many users I support have the 6700 and don't type long messages so they never bother to slide out the keyboard - they just use the screen keyboard. They should make an 11mm full PPC phone like the iPhone and one like it but with a keyboard as well - that way they could make one that is only 11mm and one that is about 15mm with a keyboard but with a nice high resolution screen. If they could up it to 640x480 that would be even better for browsing the web.

About the only hardware change I'd recommend is CDMA so we could actually use the unit in the states (Cingular sucks) and make it EVDO A

[Jason Brown @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:22PM]

get a life

[Matt @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:07PM]

At first i though they where talking about rodgers ohio (a place that sells ghetto shit like iPads and stujff) but then i saw canada... lol never new there was a cell provider called rodgers

[NewJohnny @ Jul 14th 2007 12:40PM]

I'm Canadian, but I know the names of all major cell carriers in the U.S. You're American, but know shit about Canadian carriers. You couldn't even spell it right, It's Rogers. Quick-- name a country that starts with 'U'!

[Jamie @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:08PM]

Fido is a GSM carrier in Canada. www.fido.ca

[ttheTVaddict @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:16PM]

Rogers owns Fido

[aromedia @ Jan 25th 2007 10:21PM]

Fido is owned by Rogers but Videotron is the new kid on the (cell) block in Canada and they are GSM carrier.
Just to let you know...

[Nathaniel C @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:12PM]

Rogers owns Fido.

Also, sweet! Not that I'm gonna get an iPhone though, but still.

[unicore @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:13PM]

Wow. I unfortunately live in one region where Roger's coverage is patchy. I may go cry.

[unicore @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:13PM]

And Fido is a Roger's subsidary.

[matthew @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:16PM]

Hey Jamie, Rogers owns Fido. Rogers is a massive Canadian Company and the best.

[fishhead @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:22PM]

Well Rogers isn't the only GSM provider in Canada. But they are the only one in most of Canada. http://www.cnac.ca/other_codes/imsi/imsi_codes.htm

Check out Ice Wireless http://www.icewireless.ca/

[Alex @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:28PM]

Rogers is in reality the only GSM provider in Canada (I realize there is that ice wireless, so all 20 people up there can get cell phone calls)...

I don't see why Rogers wouldn't get the iPhone...

[Silent @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:10PM]

Well, that was a pretty ignorant comment... but that aside, im stoked for the iphone coming to canada, since i am looking for a phone. however.. that is a slighly high price point.

[plchabot @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:30PM]

Giving the fact that Rogers's PDG was Apple canada's PDG, I think he have some contacts in order to get the iPhone.

[Ben @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:34PM]

Wait, does Rogers own Fido? It was only said like 4 times, so i'm not yet convinced.

[God Help Us @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:47PM]

YES ROGERS OWNS FIDO. FIDO is basically like ROGERS LITE. It happened around the same time Fido created their unlimited incoming/outgoing plan, supposedly so they could build their subscription base prior to a buyout. But goodness gracious if you're Canadian and you just found this out from an engadget comment, please, please listen to newsradio or pick up a newspaper once in a while, especially if you are planning to grow up into an adult voter.

[Dave Wood @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:42PM]

I emailed Rogers asking about the iPhone and received this response:

* Rogers is pleased to announce that yes we are going to be getting the
apple iphone .Watch www.rogers.com for the phone when it becomes
available.

And yes, that's a cut and paste, capitization and spacing errors and all.

Now, I just hope it's in June and not 2008 as I can't wait to ditch my crummy Treo 650.

[Mike @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:00PM]

considering how slowly Rogers brings new smart phones to market (we got the HP iPaq 69xx in Jan '07), I say there's no chance we'll get the iPhone in June. I'd say xmas if we're lucky.

[humpty @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:02PM]

$660 CDN + a monthly data plan from Rogers is about $500 more than i want to spend on a phone. You wont even own it for 2 years.

[Justin @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:14PM]

I hope Rogers gets it for June 07. It would fall in nicely with Local Number Portability for wireless numbers (which debuts in March). That could be a killer combination for them. Although I think it might take time for them to licence the visual call waiting, free push e-mail from yahoo (Note rogers hi-speed is partnered with yahoo already), and any other carrier specific features the iPhone has.

[iphone man @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:17PM]

Personally I hope Rogers brings it to Canada as i cannot wait to get my hands on the iphone

[applesucksLeo @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:22PM]

The more they show that promo pic of the JobsPhone...the more it reinforces what terrible ergonomics it has as a "phone" and how fragile it is,and how scratched up it will soon become. Too bad it wasn`t a "slider" (like Kevin Rose said it would be). Oh...he also said it would have dual batteries. That was just wishful thinking ;)

[Q @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:23PM]

Have you seen Rogers' data rates?

http://www.shoprogers.com/business/wireless/plans_services/business_plans.asp?plan=dataservice&cat=2&typ=2

$100 PER MONTH FOR 200MB!

With Google maps, and a full featured web browser, 200MB can be used in a matter of days.

Just a single page on Engadget takes up half a megabyte!

I can't believe that people in Canada are willing to pay these exorbitant fees.

[mitch @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:42PM]

Don't forget though, 100$ is Canadian...

[Bryan Canning @ Jan 23rd 2007 4:02PM]

And that the unlimited data package with my blackberry is $25CDN.

[NewJohnny @ Jul 14th 2007 12:49PM]

Canadians do not pay those fees. Only businesses, the rich and the stupid pay it. I have a data plan for work at $100 for 250mb from Bell, and that`s a deal. The problem is we have a duopoly in Canada. Rogers and Bell are the only two carriers, everyone else just leases time from their networks.

[Jason Brown @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:26PM]

First off the iphone is not a smart phone. Apple said so the specs say so therefore its not a smart phone. Secondly in the last year rogers has had more releases then cingular. And cingular has still to bring in some of what Rogers already has. It is quite possible Rogers will get the iphone before cingular. Rogers tends to leave its media blitz until the week prior to launch. The fact they confirm it is coming says a lot more the you think.

[God Help Us @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:48PM]

As a Canadian and Rogers customer I must say that whoever said Rogers has released more phones than Cingular, implying that Rogers is somehow superior, has obviously been smoking too much crack. Just because you release a bunch of dumb phones and the Motorola RAZR in different colours does not make Rogers are the greatest GSM company in the world.

Cingular has the HTC StarTrk, TyTN, Samsung BlackJack, HP 6945. There is no comparison and it is a damn shame Canada is a third world country when it comes to cellular phones. Oh well, at least I can get the 2003SE edition of the HP69xx at Rogers. Whoohoo!

And now you think we'll get the iphone before Cingular? You poor, delusional man. Is reaching a market smaller than the state of California really in Mr. Jobs' best interest? Cingular had to change the way voice mail was delivered just for the iphone. Can you imagine how long Rogers will take to get that done? Third world countries already have 3G dammit!

I hope you're not a betting man because you'd be broke from all the times you picked the Washington Generals over the Harlem Globetrotters just because you thought they were due for a win.

Please save yourself the embarrassment and everyone else from your crazy talk and don't reply because you're fooling non-Canadians into thinking that Rogers has the greatest cell phone selection in the world. Even people who work for Rogers know better.

[ipodrulz @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:42PM]

Man Rogers here in Canada is HUGE.... I mean they bought out our 'skydome' and re-named it 'Rogers Centre'.... now their going to carry the iPhone.... we are so getting taken over..

[ipodrulz @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:42PM]

Man Rogers here in Canada is HUGE.... I mean they bought out our 'skydome' and re-named it 'Rogers Centre'.... now their going to carry the iPhone.... we are so getting taken over..

[applesucksLeo @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:52PM]

I wish we (Anaheim) had Deion Phaneuf.

[Dan Fallak @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:24PM]

This is so old I emailed rogers the day that the iphone was announced and got this response.


Rogers Wireless Customer Service
reply-to Rogers Wireless Customer Service
to Dan
date Jan 11, 2007 5:16 PM
subject Re: Your Cellular General Inquiry
mailed-by rci.rogers.com
Dear Dan,

Thank you for taking the time to write to us, we appreciate your use of
online customer service.

In your recent email, you have inquired whether Rogers will carry the
new Apple iPhone.

Rogers is actively working with Apple to launch the iPhone in Canada as
soon as possible and will be the exclusive provider of the iPhone in
Canada.

We appreciate your continuing patronage. Please contact us at your
convenience if you have any further inquiries.

For future reference with respect to this e-mail, please quote reference
number 16840700.

Regards,
Catherine W.
Rogers Online Customer Service
http://www.rogers.com

[na2jib @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:24PM]

when they unveiled the iphone they sait that cingular have a 6 month exclusivity
if its true i believe that rogers will get it in 2008

[ibrahim.alan @ Jan 24th 2007 1:53PM]

exclusive US carrier.

[gc @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:33PM]

The competition in the canadian cell phone industry is a joke. The data rates are assinine, text charges are rediculous. Everyone lauds their profits and ups their fees year over year. Coverage sucks too. Pricefixing? Ques'que c'est?

I'd like an Iphone so I could skype over wifi, but rogers will probably lock that feature out.
They'll price it at $699 cdn with a 3 year contract.

Nice website too..........

[retro @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:42PM]

Just because Rogers owns Fido doesn't mean Fido gets the same phones. Fido users don't get the cutting edge ones. But they are really fucking cheap.

[droolingoveriPhone @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:01PM]

Vidéotron (second largest cable provider) has recently introduced it's cell phone service through a partnership with Rogers, using their GSM network. I'd love to have an iPhone through them, as I'd have all four services (cable TV, high speed internet, digital phone and cell phone on one bill). Crossing my fingers real hard!!

http://www.videotron.com

[Iain @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:31PM]

Considering those idiots at Rogers charge $100 on top of your existing voice plan for an unlimited data plan (stupid wording considering they cap it at 200mb a month), I would be extraordinarily interested to hear how much they are going to charge for such a data plan on the iPhone. And they wonder why people think cell phone corps are the worst scum in business.

[Tanner Folsom @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:39PM]

I don't really know why this is "news"...

As soon as Apple announced that they were partnering with Cingular I knew right away that when it came to Canada that it would be with Rogers because (a) they are the largest provider here, (b) they used to be Rogers AT&T, and AT&T now owns Cingular, and (c) Rogers usually gets the latest phones before other providers.

The only real question in my mind is when.

[thegoodoldkicker @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:45PM]

Rogers the worse operator in Canada, their service sucks. Their networks sucks too. These guy are 5 years behind japan/korea. They don't even have G3. Expect a lot of DROP CALLS iPhone.

There's no way anyone in Canada will pay $700 Canadian for a iPhone. Only to make calls, that a waste of money. Not gonna happen Apple.

There's also a GOOD CHANCE of Roger screw their customers with a 3 years contract for 50 bucks a month. iPhone are as good as dead.

Better luck next time apple...there's alway charging a $5 for a update of itunes. LOL

[nicleT @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:45PM]

Rogers Canada suks!

Besides, rumors here says that it will not be released before 2008. With this delay, it will probably be the second gen iPhone ;)

[Ron @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:10PM]

Carriers are even worst in Canada than in the States. Period.

Their monthly fees \ plans are horrible. And they hardly throw in any good promotions towards new activations.

Fido was much better before Rogers bought them out. Now rogers just made Fido Crappier instead of better.

And the sad thing is. Rogers owns pretty much all the GSM service in canada, so there isnt any competition (even from CDMA, thats more a niche...since thier phones are even worst than the GSM versions)

[2Perfect @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:47PM]

[sarcasm]It's true Ben. Rogers owns Fido.[/sarcasm]
(But really, Rogers *owns*)

I don't believe Rogers even has 3G yet, and I think we only have 1 service provider that does. Anyway, phones that come out in Asia are officially released here almost a year after it is released there (i.e. not unlocked phones straight from asia). But since this is from the U.S., we might just get it before 2008 ^_^ Not that I would get it. Unlocked Asian phones ftw!

News to me that Rogers is the only GSM provider in Canada. What do the other networks use then, just out of curiosity?

And since we're on the topic of cellphones, do WiFi phones require you to sign up with your service provider? Or can you use your own broadband connection?

[Sam @ Jan 23rd 2007 2:12AM]

I actually am a Rogers employee, I called my local wireless expert a day after the iphone got announced and i was told they were working on something along the lines of getting the iphone but she talked about it being an multi year exclusive deal for cingular so unless that got worked out we would still have to wait just like all other service providers in America.

On another point with the upcoming Local Number Portability in Canada I could see them announcing more news on this as quick as possible to keep and gain wireless customers.

[Xinerauqs @ Jan 23rd 2007 7:41AM]

I want the iPhone to crash and burn. Seriously. It's crap.

[Mrmean @ Jan 23rd 2007 9:05AM]

you've used one I see?

[psxp @ Jan 23rd 2007 10:07AM]

Rogers and Ted Rogers (owner) suck arse and ASS!!