Rogers iPhone 3G in-store activation process gets detailed

For the smattering of Canadians wealthy enough to pick up an iPhone 3G from Rogers Wireless without worrying over the lack of an unlimited data plan, we've stumbled across what appears to be internal verbiage detailing the in-store activation process. Quite frankly, there doesn't seem to be any real surprises here, but it is somewhat interesting that retail locations will be required to download and use a special version of iTunes with an "Activation Only Mode," which will enable employees to unbrick the mobiles before customers leave. In any case, feel free to hit the read link if you're anxious to know exactly what the sure-to-be-hair-raising experience will be like come July 11th.

[Via GearDiary, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[rock99rock @ Jun 30th 2008 9:48AM]

And how soon can we see this "special version" of itunes on the torrents...

[LiqwidZero @ Jun 30th 2008 9:57AM]

Probably within three days of it's use or, possibly, even before that.

[doob @ Jun 30th 2008 10:22AM]

RTFA, it says that the publicly available release of iTunes 7.7 will have the store activation mode built in. Interestingly it says that this too will be out on July 11th.

[rock99rock @ Jun 30th 2008 10:59AM]

If it will be public, I guess the login is what will restrict it.

[John @ Jun 30th 2008 4:52PM]

It won't matter, unless you plan on hijacking a truck full of iPhones. If you buy the phone, it doesn't matter how you activate it - they've got you by the balls on the contract anyway.

[J-Cobe @ Jul 1st 2008 3:45AM]

Has anyone else noticed that the iphone3G is just an iphone. I mean, its great that they have it with 3G, but didn't the original iphone have the 3g chipset when it was sent to the FCC in the beginning. I know the original had issues with the battery operation with the 3G chip (meaning: battery life was none existent.). The iPhone 3G just looks like they popped the original (and nicer) backing off, slapped a thicker battery in it (and possibly a new bluetooth A2DP chip) replaced the back with a "colorful" PLASTIC back and called it a new phone.

Perhaps I am used to Apple making real changes to their devices, but couldn't Apple send me a new battery and backing of my choice with a note on how to activate my 3G chip.

[LiqwidZero @ Jun 30th 2008 9:56AM]

I'm sure this has been answered before, so just help me out here.

Can I buy the new iPhone for the price as listed, or do I have to resign another two year contract in order to just own one?

[Khris @ Jun 30th 2008 9:59AM]

No off contract purchase at this point, and it'll require a new THREE year renewal, not Two.

[Eric M. @ Jun 30th 2008 10:01AM]

You have to sign for two years. They won't let you leave the store without activating through AT&T, no more at home activations =(.

[Khris @ Jun 30th 2008 9:58AM]

You mean people still plan on buying one after hearing how Rogers has completely fucked up the voice/data plans?

[Evan @ Jun 30th 2008 10:59AM]

My only question about Rogers' activation is: do they tell you about the $15 a month extra Rogers charges for caller ID before or after you've signed the contract?

[holycow @ Jun 30th 2008 11:03AM]

You need to add CallerID ... it doesn't come as a default on Rogers. And it's 7$ atm, i don't know if they raised the price on that for the iPhone.

[CraigJ @ Jun 30th 2008 11:04AM]

Is the iPhone plan really any worse than the other data plans? My understanding is that Rogers likes to screw all of their customers. with sand.

[RoboDan @ Jun 30th 2008 8:50PM]

The rule here in Canada is that ALL cell phone carriers screw ALL of their customers as hard as they can with sandpaper/razor wire hybrid condoms (patent pending)

$35 a month for a cheap plan is considered "GOOD"
Any Canadian who had the choice would shoot a Bell/Rogers/Fido/Telus executive without thinking twice.

[Oskin @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:31AM]

I agree with Robodan... We got screwed all the time! Actually the iPhone data plans are WAY better than what we are used to... Last month just before the iPhone 3g announcement, i went to rogers store to look for a data plan for my emails and i ended up with a 2mb data plan for 15$... They wanted me to pay something like 80$ for 200mb of data! So as far as i can tell, the plans for the iphone are not that bad compared to the old ones... its still cost you a leg... at least now you got to keep the other one ;)

[Eric M. @ Jun 30th 2008 9:59AM]

I give it a week for this "special version" of iTunes to be all over the torrents and a month before it gets reversed engineered. Gotta love them hackers!

[Tim @ Jul 1st 2008 2:10AM]

apple, rogers, att, or and every other carrier could care less if you jailbreak your phone; you'd have signed a contract in order to get your phone, so theyre getting there money regardless.

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 30th 2008 10:00AM]

Remove the DRM, proprietary cable, proprietary software and open up the OS then MAYBE I'll consider getting one of these. Price is not a problem because you get what you pay for. oh and a micro SDHC slot wouldn't hurt either.

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:14AM]

www.iphonelinux.org/index.php/Main_Page
http://home.swipnet.se/ridax/connector.htm (for ipod right now but an iphone version is on the way)
http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/21/how-to-sync-an-iphone-over-wifi-without-itunes/ ( with a jailbroken iphone and ssh you have access to every Root file/folder)
http://wiki.iphonegameover.com/Windows_Cygwin_Binary_Toolchain_Installation
16gb iphone is pleny enough space

[Eric M. @ Jun 30th 2008 10:16AM]

@DefPo3t

I'm sure he was speaking about the iPhone being the way he wants it out of the box, instead of voiding his warranty by jailbreaking his iPhone and what not.

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:20AM]

@eric
no warranty voided just restore to regular firmware and BOOM!
no one could ever tell

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 30th 2008 10:46AM]

Im referring to a usb jack instead of their proprietary jack and cable. In case I lose it or i have to use my existing car charger for all my other devices. Also no DRM so i can go to all my friends computers and share my "paid for" music via drag and drop instead of using proprietary software that will instead wipe my music library. 16gb is fine but with the falling price of flash memory it wouldn't hurt to throw in a 16gb sdhc card. I see my other issues are addressed with some hacking but I dont want to jump through a bunch of hoops to get functionality that should be there from the beginning.

[rock99rock @ Jun 30th 2008 10:46AM]

"16gb iphone is pleny enough space"

LOL

Will Farrell comes to mind...

"You're Crazy Man, I like you, But you're crazy"

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:56AM]

thedesolate
with an app called swap tunes on installer you can sync your iphone with your friends ans yours computer and have songs from both, witch isn't sharing with your friend but your friend sharing with you : D

[01 @ Jun 30th 2008 12:47PM]

@DefPo3t - sure, 16 GB is fine for a Phone, but not when that phone is your iPod as well. My current iPhone has 1/10 the space of my old iPod, and some of us actually enjoy having all our music with us.

[Michael @ Jun 30th 2008 10:07AM]

It is allready leaked. But it is useless for non legal unlockers

[Jason @ Jun 30th 2008 3:39PM]

What's illegal about unlocking?

[nikkers20 @ Jun 30th 2008 10:13AM]

this is a mirror to the special version of iTunes

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:14AM]

ban hammer in 3 2 BAN~!!!

[Biofeak @ Jun 30th 2008 10:19AM]

Off the topic, what happens if I am coming from different carrier, t-mobile to at&t for example. How can i keep my phone number? I think the number migration is going to be a real pain in the ass.

[juice @ Jun 30th 2008 11:02AM]

This is one thing that cell companies usually do very well... just ask em to switch over your number and they will tell you what they need...then they usually give you a new phone (iphone?) and in about a day, your number has been transfered

[Reapman @ Jun 30th 2008 10:19AM]

Argh.. I'm really torn here. On the one hand if I go iPhone I'll be giving up my grandfathered $50/unlimited GPRS data plan (with Tethering apparently).. but on the flip I'll have an iPhone vs a crappy Treo 680, and if I go for the 750 meg plan I'll probably save a few bucks a month vs the plan i'm on now. And the free hotspot access would actually be of benefit for where I live. I honestly wanted to wait for the Xperia but $200... that's mighty tempting.

I'd like to say screw you Rogers and protest their pricing, but I'm a mobile-data junkie. Bell's $7 a month for the Touch seems decent but not convinced WinMobile's onscreen keyboard will be of any use. Any other Canadians out there know any decent options?

[Mike @ Jun 30th 2008 10:55AM]

I like the HTC Touch. It's no IPhone, but for $7 a month I'm not worrying

[Justin @ Jun 30th 2008 10:19AM]

AT&T customer here, excuse me for butting in. All I want to know is, how am I going to activate an iPhone 3G for use with my existing iPhone service plan? Does this activation information from Rogers make that any more feasible?

[michael.lerner @ Jun 30th 2008 10:40AM]

The actual service activation is done through your carriers billing system. The tethering is a separate process which only unbricks the phone.

[Thomas Chung @ Jun 30th 2008 10:25AM]

Rogers can activate my ass.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jun 30th 2008 10:29AM]

Sir, that will require a 50 dollar deposit and an extra 10 dollars if you want the SIM (painfully) inserted.

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:33AM]

good thing its not cdma... that would involve putting the whole phoen up there D :

[bones @ Jun 30th 2008 11:09AM]

"Rogers can activate my ass."

That's coming, they still have a few kinks to work out so to speak.

[engadgetier @ Jun 30th 2008 5:25PM]

I hear they are designing a new sim for that reason....

[rayinjersey @ Jun 30th 2008 11:07PM]

Breaking: SIM suppositories glide in to Canada

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jun 30th 2008 10:29AM]

Someone tell me what the link has before I click on it.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jun 30th 2008 10:30AM]

That was supposed to go to nikkers20's message. Comment system is going haywire lately.

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:45AM]

its legit

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 10:48AM]

heres the rogers memo that came along with it http://iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1425

[Rich @ Jun 30th 2008 10:31AM]

Rogers activation process:

1. Pull down pants
2. Bend over

[szamot @ Jun 30th 2008 10:51AM]

...
3. Death by Banga Banga - for 3 years

[Kurian @ Jun 30th 2008 12:48PM]

Profit??

[Nihility @ Jun 30th 2008 2:59PM]

Don't worry dude, they got the profit part covered :(

[engadgetier @ Jun 30th 2008 5:26PM]

3. Take it like a Man!