iPhone finally coming to Canada
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Apr 29th 2008 8:34AM
posted Apr 29th 2008 8:34AM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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About damn time.
You mean, "Abooot damn time".
No, I mean "About damn time."
LOL! rock99rock, you're a butt-hole.
It won't be good news until we hear the data rates. At current rates it's still completely useless. If Apple leans on Rogers and forces an all-in-one price then it will be dancing in the street time. iPhone or otherwise, the data rates here are criminal.
I think I just came... maybe a little.
I pay an extra $7 per month and get unlimited data on my Virgin Mobile phone, and yes, thats in Canada. Only downside is that they don't have smart phones, thus probably why their data is so cheap.
Pretty much every service provider in canada has an all-in $7 data fee.
As long as you're using it on the device and you're using it in Canada.
Umm... That only applies to WAP browsing. It's not unlimited DATA -- It's unlimited BROWSING, and of the worst kind.
IE: If you have a Windows Mobile (*GASP!*), iPhone, or Blackberry that $7 does sweet-feck-all for you.
@Adam
second comment was amazing.props.
YAY! I'm from Europe!
I'll trust this news when I'll see the iPhone on Rogers' shelves.
Until then, no way we'll see the iPhone in Canada anytime soon.
That just shows how skeptical we've all become in a year of waiting. "I won't believe this until Ted Rogers knocks on my door and gives me a golden-cased iPhone on a platter"
Believe me, when Ted says it (which he did, in this case -- he personally made the statement), it gets done.
I read this title and immediately thought to myself, "Great, another round of iPhone rumours!".
Even though I've been using one for months now, it would be nice to have an "official" iPhone with visual voicemail but only if it's the 3G version. I wouldn't hold it past ol' Teddy to bring the original iPhone to Canada so everyone else can dump their stock on us when the 3G rolls out.
Now the question is, will we be able to use our US iPhones here with Visual Voicemail and the like? It's only fair...
Yeah seriously, you can't blame a bulk of us for early-early adopting. =/ We need the native functionality lol.
first iPhone at the north pole, hmm? willl they get recption thar?
lol Santa's pimp'in an iPhone. That would be funny.
It will be interesting to see how well it does here considering BlackBerry is huge in Canada, even high school kids have BlackBerry. BB Messenger rocks!
Wooooooo, Europe!
Uhm yeah, I'll be leaving now..
Yes, that would be a good idea.
Atleast in your part of Canada it may be, but in my area normal texting is the rage (also expensive cell phone bills)
Love the image you guys used. You should use it as your stock photo for all Canadian iPhone news.
TTTTHHHHIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSS IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS . . . . Canada????
Tonight we dine in hell?
I'll assume it will be the new 3G iphone, otherwise it will confuse the heck out of me
Dreamer. Rogers isn't going to get the latest and greatest. They'll get the previous generation and cripple it with data fees.
If they follow their current structure the base plan will be about $200 a year and come with a massive 4meg of data included. Additional data will cost $10 per meg.
3G networks are only available in 7% of Canada (not west of Ontario at all) and not even available in major cities like Vancouver that has big ties with Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
So it's unlikely the 3G iPhone will be sold here when Rogers already has a smaller market than most countries.
*Although their data plans could make up for that with ridiculously higher costs than Japan, Korea, UK and even USA*
question is...how much is ted rogers going to ream us on data plans.... /sigh as excited as I am about the prospect of an iphone until cell phone data/voice rates become practical it will make for a lot of sad pandas
I've been using the 1gb/$65 data plan from Rogers with my iPhone and have never gone over yet.
There were also rumours awhile ago about a revamp of the Rogers data plans which went up to 5gb/$100 (everyone starts on a basic plan and then moves up according to usage). Maybe they'll be rolling these plans out at the same time.
Bell gives unlimited data for $7. That's.. um... about ∞ less money. But yeah. Rogers has a wonderful, cheap data plan! They did get rid of their unlimited texting plan, but $10 for 2500 is more than most people need. You can bundle that to a plan as cheap as $20, and all of a sudden, your features are there for $37 a month. Wow. Rogers gives a wicked deal. Although, the Aliant sellout to Bell hurt Atlantic Canada in the recent restructuring. The coverage is still better.
http://www.bell.ca/shopping/PrsShpWls_FeaSvcLanding.page
@ pundit
Bell's "Unlimited" $7 data plan is for MOBILE BROWSING only. The data plan that I have with Rogers can be used for Tethering. Quite the difference.
Rogers also has an Unlimited Mobile Browsing only plan for the same price.
@Khris,
You are correct, but the difference is, Bell allows you to use the $7 unlimited data (non-tethered) on the HTC Touch...unlimited email, browsing, streaming, downloading, etc for $7 on a fully-functional data device...
Come on AT&T! Canada needs some competition in the GSM arena!
Anywho, been using my iPhone since last September on the Rogers network WITHOUT data with no major drawbacks. WiFi hotspots fill in fine.
I pay $15 a month for unlimited (yes unlimited) data on my blackberry from telus.
I think it's way too late for this to happen. The telcos here have had a pricing 'war' for unlimited data for the past couple of months and many like myself had picked up blackberries and wm-devices by great numbers instead of waiting for this 'mythical' device to be released.
Rogers. Apple... Christmas 2007 would have been the 'obvious' time. But who the hell am I kidding, I'm just a Canadian consumer, not a 'marketing expert'.
What's the sound/scream in the picture supposed to be?..
That's the iPhone screaming maniacally as it invades Canada. That's clear, right?
screams are the iphone being raped by Rogers pricing of dataplans..
Only the rich will get an Iphone in Canada they are the only ones who can afford a data plan...
It's too bad. As much as I want an iPhone, I loathe Rogers. I wish they'd make a CDMA iPhone just for Canada. Rogers reams everyone on SMS and data pricing, the only way they compete is in voice. The network sucks outside of the cities and their customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
Bell ported the GSM version of the LG Chocolate last year (better than the CDMA version, which didn't have the touch-interface) for their networks, I'm sure Apple would let them do it with the iPhone.
I wouldn't hold my breath. Not for a few years at the least.
Hey Joshua, what happened to you little post on Woz and The Thing breaking up?
Bell still has that $7 for unlimited data on an HTC Touch...I swear Rogers better have at least a $10 for unlimited data for something like this.
So are they gonna release it one country at a time for ever?
2018: Congratulations Lithuania, the mighty 3G Iphone is going to be released in your country!
Europe doesn't like roll with carrier specific phones.
OK, my question is will it come to Fido. They are supposedly the same company, but they seem to have some kind of marketing driven "distinction" going on. I've been with Fido for years and have a huge credit with them.
I really doubt it. Fido is owned by Rogers, but they have their own plans and their own phone selection. The sim cards aren't interchangable (I discovered this recently when I thought it'd be nice to give my old Fido phone to my girlfriend who's with Rogers). Hell, Fido is still limited to the old Fido network coverage area, which is now completely mythical since it connects via the vast Rogers network.
I highly doubt it.
My GF is with Fido and when she tried to get a new phone from them, they told her she had to pick from the Fido lot and couldn't pick from Rogers.
But then again, iPhone may be an exception.
I wouldn't put it past Rogers to offer the old iPhone in Canada, the left over stock when the 3G model comes out.
That's Rogers for you!!
Welcome to Canada!!
Our water is clean
Our women are pretty
Our faces are full of smiles
Our dollar is awesome and
Our telecom providers have our balls
Thank you for visiting Canada!
Please come back soon!!
our women are pretty aren't they
Some of the best!!! ;)
Meh, they are ok...
Really only hot in Quebec...
Maybe B.C.
oh REALLY now?
Sorry to say, but Canadian women remind me of lumberjacks! I suppose it's a matter of personal preference though (personally, I'm good with our Caribbean women).
"They are lumberjacks and they're ok, they sleep all night and work all day..."
How about this oversight from the great apple/cingular.
Puerto Rico!!!!!!!
we still dont have them locally!!
and cingular is huge here
so everyone imports them.
also we dont have an apple store and the apple online store wont ship anything to us.
we cant buy apple care without using a friends/family members address in the states and shipping it over there for problems.
but apple is sold at circuit city (we just got them here) / best buy (just opened too) / compusa (still open here) / office max / a local outfit modernica that has its own "genius" staff / and you can buy ipods at radio shack/ sears/ blockbuster etc..
this is the most frustrating situation for a apple fanboi. I bought a unit at compusa and when compusa announced they were going belly up they told everyone to shove it when it came to their warranty. The company that bought compusa has decided to keep one of the locations here open but im not sure if they are doing repairs still (the unit is to old now anyway for me to car) but seriously it sucks to have zero recourse in these situations. For a company so interested in keeping their closed system so they can provide a good experiance what kind of message is that? you can ship here via ups/fedex/usps and it costs the same as anywhere else in the us we use the dollar and we speak more english here than some parts of the usa does at this point so WHAT GIVES????
oh yeah and cingular has edge and gprs here so that is no excuse. I DONT GET IT. someone know why?
That's called "The Apple Experience" - i.e. being shafted.
Enjoy. Or get a Nokia N95..
No offense but Puerto Rico isn't even a state merely a self-governing commonwealth.
@ mike
explain to me what our political status has to do with the opening of an apple store and more importantly for us who want to use apples on the island with the ability to apply for apple care? Like I was alluding to in my original post I can buy an apple here (albeit through alternative third party resellers) but I cant buy apple care. I dont know if apple care is offered internationally but we as common wealth of the united states have few barriers to be included in the fold of US based apple care system.
This is just one of a million examples I could give you of the difficulties of living in a place with a loose/grey/rocky relationship with the U.S. companies ship stuff here and dont support it. I can buy an Xbox on any corner and have a fedex shipping dept. down the street but my xbox red-rings and I have to ship it to microsoft myself I cant leverage their return policy. Tivo was selling units through compusa here for over a year before they actually supported our little island with a local phone number and local guide listings. microsoft windows cds are pressed here and i took me 2 months to get a server 2003 disk through a reseller because microsoft "latin america" didnt have one to send me. that is the real root of the problem some companies lump us into latin america and some include us in their us distribution chain.
My point is Apple has a very closed distribution chain that they control very well but this is a glaring loophole in support/service/sales to the 4 million United State citizens currently residing on the island.
Better be 3G. Will sell like hotcakes and will probably finally temper the import of jailbroken iPhones from the Walden Galleria store (I bet just Canuck sales kept that AppleStore knee-deep in greenbacks).
While Blackberries abound in Canada and are fantastic devices, the iPhone will make a significant dent. This is too bad given my kids work in the shadow of RIM.
Does the Rogers Vision plan not allow for unlimited on-device mobile browsing? From what I can tell, as long as you're not hacking your iPhone and using 3rd party apps you should be fine. Actually I'm just wondering how that would work with the new App Store coming. Maybe any and all signed apps will allow you to use unlimited data. Also it doesn't look like they're calling it Vision anymore.
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-plans/essentials?content10=unlimited_ondevice_mobile#start
Canada was just waiting for the second generation iPhone - we have to maintain standards. I love the iPhone, but with the new Blackberries and other devices on the way, I'm waiting to see what happens.
The telecomm industry in Canada has been having its cake and eating it too. Rates are high, and our options are limited. I got screwed by Rogers a while ago with a terrible phone that died and awful reception, plus oily company reps tried to strong-arm me then kissed my feet when I cancelled the contract. I fully expect a premium and hidden charges with the iPhone. I'm with Telus for the time-being, which works well enough for me.
Awesome!!
We took this long to get the iPhone to Canada? Is the US to blame for any of this or is this all the Canucks fault? If it is the US's fault then no wonder the Canucks don't like us, look how we treat them. Freaking iPhone is halfway across Europe and our neighbors to the north are just now getting it?
However, if this is Canadia's fault (that was on purpose) then ha ha at the Canucks.
It's all Rogers fault. The end.
Argh, my contract was up a couple of months ago, and I've been kind of waiting to see what happens. I really wish they've give a release date though, my current plan is pretty crappy.
Is it even worth the effort for Apple to release the iPhone in Canada? Is there much of a demand for the iPhone there? How well will the touchscreen interface work when you need to wear gloves most of the year 'round in that frigid place? The same goes for places like Minnesota or Wyoming. You'd need one phone for the summer and another for the winter.
I'm not passing judgment, I'm merely asking as to whether the iPhone will work that well in Canada.
Yeah, I guess you're right. You know we don't have any smokers up here either because you can't use your hands when it's cold outside.
Forget the touchscreen... the biggest problem here is Canada is charging the iPhone. I don't have a power outlet in my Igloo, how would i charge the iPhone????
Why you'll buy special iPhone gloves with conductive pads on the fingertips!
"Is it even worth the effort for Apple to release the iPhone in Canada?" - yes, apple should release the iphone globally instead of just some countries. there's many places people want the iphone but hey, you just have to get it elsewhere and unlock it. and I think people are tired of unlocking and envying the official carriers.
"I'm merely asking as to whether the iPhone will work that well in Canada." - oh, it'll work fine. a lot of iphones work fine even when unlocked and people are enjoying it.
My Prediction:
$500 for the phone with a 2 year plan
$100/month Basic Data Plan
$15/month system access fee
$10/month obligatory iPhone fee
$10/month for caller ID
$10/month for voice mail
I could go on all day. Suffice it to say, no good deal has ever come out of Rogers. Us Canadians always get screwed when it comes to cell phones. $300 for a 2 year old Sony slider? No thank you
I just got my hands on the plans Rogers is going to be offering for the iPhone.
$124.99/month
- Unlimited local calls
- 100 Canadian Long Distance minutes
- Unlimited email
- Unlimited Received Text Messages, Call Waiting & Visual display
- 3 months of unlimited local calling
- 5 free downloads from rogers.com/musicstore4
- 1 royal a$$-f**king/month
- Wireless voice calls are billed by the minute
- One-time Activation Fee per phone is additional
- $6.95 System Access Fee per phone is additional
- Monthly 911 Fee per phone is additional
I just got my hands on the plans Rogers is going to be offering for the iPhone.
$124.99/month
- Unlimited local calls
- 100 Canadian Long Distance minutes
- Unlimited email
- Unlimited Received Text Messages, Call Waiting & Visual display
- 3 months of unlimited local calling
- 5 free downloads from rogers.com/musicstore4
- 1 royal a$$-f**king/month
- Wireless voice calls are billed by the minute
- One-time Activation Fee per phone is additional
- $6.95 System Access Fee per phone is additional
- Monthly 911 Fee per phone is additional
...actually only Rogers seams to screw Canadians....Telus and Bell have quite competitive prices on Cell phones,
For example, I got an HTC Touch for $99 on a two-year contract (free on 3-year) with tons of stuff included including unlimited data and I pay $50 per month after SAF and taxes....on Bell btw..
iPhone? Jeez, that's like soooo 2007.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to imagine two of North America's biggest egos (Jobs & Rogers) in the same room (it'd have to be an awfully big room) negotiating this deal. Rogers - even as recently as this month - stated that he has no interest in unlimited data plans (nor can I see him agreeing to profit-sharing with a hardware provider), while the 'magic' of Job's iPhone relies almost entirely on unfettered access to online data - and his cut of the profits.
Capped data plans as suggested above are a Pandora's Box - and what might be plenty for one user may not be anywhere close for another and may drive users into penury or complete frustration with the device, but still stuck on a 3 year contract.
Then there is the question of being required to pay a significant premium (over and above the cell plan, the 911 charge, the fraudulent 'System Access Fee' and assorted 'Essentials' like voice mail, call display, text messaging and long distance plans you're already paying) simply to make this smartphone / iTunes download device operate as advertised/intended.
"Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum", or, as PT Barnum more succinctly stated, "There's a sucker born every minute" - and it is perhaps these are the motivating quotes that drive Jobs and Rogers more than anything else to something of a détente.
Meanwhile, an iPhone? Really?
Well said man...
You get a HIGH rank for that!
Bravo!
Baz for president errrr.....prime minister!
Uhh... no thanks.
As Prime Minister, I'd be very good for Canada (whether it liked it or not), but would be very problematic for the US Administration - and we've seen what the US does with governments / countries / politicians that don't genuflect to them.
If, on the other hand, you got me the Chair of the CRTC, then I could some serious work re: non-competitive wireless companies, giving consumers protection in regards to ISPs and disallowing throttling of services, require cable companies to offer cheaper basic services and 'a la carte' ordering of stations beyond that (rather than premium-priced bundles chosen by the companies), force TV networks to actively seek out, commission and produce quality Canadian TV (that viewers actually want to view) that means something to us and aren't just a rip-off of a US show which is a rip-off of a British show which is a rip-off of a Danish show and to stop simply being re-broadcasting networks to US shows that we can watch directly thru our cable services.
Oh Rogers, Bell, Telus, Shaw, CTV, Global and the CBC would have a lot to answer for...
Prime Minister? Nah - thanks anyway.
I kinda liked it better when the iPhone wasn't in Canada, I actually liked the iPhone but if everyone's gonna start buying one I'll have to find a cooler phone.
Big announcement by Rogers, I wonder what the plans will be. Rogers has stated they don't like "unlimited data plans" but we all know Steve Jobs does. Let the waiting begin!
www.iphoneincanada.ca
Everyone keeps getting the data rates mixed up. Yes Bell has $7 for Data, Rogers does too. But that's for a NORMAL cell phone, like a LG Chocolate, RAZR etc. Windows Mobile devices have their own data rates, as do Palm Treo's and BlackBerry. You can't get a windows mobile device and pay $7 for unlimited data from Bell for example. The best is what someone else posted, that $65 for 1gb plan. Which is a total rip off. I'm with Telus and my BlackBerry is $15 for unlimited data, I got their sick promotion they had before Christmas for a couple of months but even so normally it's around $40 for unlimited BlackBerry data. Prices are coming down but Rogers sucks and has the worst call quality. I think the iPhone will do okay, but I think it missed the big initial wave when it was first released. As I mentioned previously, everyone uses BlackBerry now, or HTC. I'd personally probably look into one if I didn't have a BlackBerry, but I now would never get rid of my BlackBerry for any phone.
Actually I picked up an HTC Touch from bell which uses Winmo 6 pro simply because of the $7 data plan, it's pretty great.
Now if only it didn't freeze so much
@Mike
Get the new radio and 6.1 WinMO ROM and your problems with the Touch will disappear...also, fully-functional GPS for free!
And yes, the HTC Touch can use unlimited non-tethered data for $7...damn good deal!
Why, oh why, does it have to be Rogers? Oh, right, Bell and Telus use CDMA, not GSM. I guess I'll have to forget about the iPhone - no gadget is worth an ass raping from Rogers.
Blackberries are awesome devices if you work a lot and love to work, and just work non-stop. The iPhone is really cool - the touch screen and responsiveness was a really nice welcome to the cell phone market but we'll see how RIM's new touchscreen blackberry is and maybe they'll take the cake again. Personally and no offense to anyone, but you gotta be a fool to get a contract with Rogers. Just buy an unlocked phone - no need to support Rogers through a contract, at least until they start dropping their rates for both data and phone usage. Total rip off.
Thats why i dont think the next gen iphone will be released this june as this country has only just got v1! it would be insane to launch this and then v2 in the space of a few months
What I like to know is how come Bell always misses he boat on these opportunities? Are they so out to lunch?
Nope, they just don't like to sell crap is all.
oh la la, ca va etre chouette :) jen peux pas attendre.
Does anyone care? anyone that wanted an iPhone in Canada probably already has one. I know quite a few people with iPhones and i don't get why this announcement is a big deal.
you're quite right hey, but many iphone fans will want to get the 3G version... and on an official carrier means no battling with the unlocking...
Meh, you can keep it. We have RIM here anyway.
What I see missing from this debate is a matter of coverage. 3G isn't in all markets in Canada yet, so if Rogers puts out only the new, 3G version, those of us with only EDGE coverage can expect to get screwed. FSM knows, I'd love the iPhone2 as much as the next Apple junkie, but if they get the original, there's also a chance of larger subsidies - older product and so on - as well as an early-adopter's chance at getting the 3G iPhone when it does come here. It'll be interesting to see what happens to the market in Canada. Even though Rogers has issues (as ALL companies do), the possible benefits of getting the non-3G version first actually do weigh in the customers' favour. For once.
I hope they don't bring the EDGE version to Canada. 3G phones are fully backwards compatible with the 2.5G network, so even if your area isn't covered with HSPA a 3G iPhone would work just the same for you running on the slower EDGE network.
I know friends who have iPhones, or is getting one from south of the boarders. Most of them uses it unlocked with their existing carriers (Fido or Rogers), or they use it with Wi-Fi.
Not too many people up here will go for a plan from Rogers unless they are already locked down, or it's a company phone. We know Rogers only too well. Hey but you never know. It may take a deal like this to drag Roger's a$$ kicking and screaming to provide what is best for consumers (and Apple).
I'm sorry.
Why are people so excited about the IPHONE.... It's a piece of crap with old technologies that my 3years old WinMoble can do better. Not to mention the price and lack of software....
Yay for Rogers. Time for some overpriced iPhones, rates, and obscure contracts!
Oh my.... I think I'm going to 'spload....I've been waiting sooooooo long for a legit deal here in Canada and I pray they have a unlimited package or else (as everyones said) Rogers carrying this thing will be criminal.
Sweet, the iPhone is on its way out and now Apple is going to dump their overstock on our friends up north.
yeah, or we buy the new ones straight from Apple and activate using iTunes