Okay, I'm done with BB. Had one now for 9 months and all it's given me is a total headache, dropped calls, poor battery life...well you know the drill.

I'm with Rogers and do NOT have an upgrade due at all....so they want to charge me like $350 or so to drop the BB I have, plus $250 to get an iPhone 4.

Is that about the going rate? It can all go on my bill etc. but I'm danged if I'm going to pay an outlandish hardware charge just to throw my BB away....

Can anyone offer - is there a cheaper/better way to move to iPhone on Rogers?

Or any other way to try to 'diminish' that hardware charge?

?

Jim

There is legislation on the table right now that promises to help correct this issue. It promises to place caps on cancellation fees. This may not affect the discounted purchase price of a new device locked to a plan though, if anything... we'll probably see those "deals" increase in price as a response to the new legislation.

As a workaround, my husband and I caught Rogers a couple years ago with a major contract change that we didn't sign for. These things happen all the time... even a charge increase for a standard service during your contract counts as a change in contract and unless you sign for it... it renders your contract void.

You could always scan your bills since the start of your contract and if you see changes to anything... call up Rogers and tell them you want to cancel your service due to breach of contract. They'll refer you to retentions and you may be able to squeeze a deal out of them that way. That's how I got out of my blackberry and into an iPhone 4 after having the BB for 9 months. It's cheezy, but as long as the cellphone providers are going to cheese it up with ridiculous cancellation charges, why not? I mean, it's not like you plan to change providers... you just want a different phone that you're happier using.

As an alternative to contracts, a lot of people are just buy unlocked phones directly from suppliers now (Apple Store). That way they can change providers as often as they like without getting tied up into cheesy contracts.

Since the iPhone really keeps its reseale value, I'd invest in an unlocked one, and keep the bb and get Rogers to issue you a second sim?
Bell would charge 30 dollars for that, not sure how much would Rogers charge.

If you buy the iPhone unlocked from apple they typically throw in a microsim for your carrier of choice for free, at least they have for both of the ones I've got... Unfortunately in terms of dealing with Rogers retentions is likely your best bet, but after only 9 months into a contract I'd be surprised if they do much for you... Btw why one earth are they trying to charge you 350 drop drop the blackberry, it should be yours to keep, but you likely will have significant contract cancellation fees if you want to buy another phone at a subsidized rate, shouldn't be an issue if you are buying at the full price...

Personally what I'd do would be buy unlocked from apple and sell the bb on kijiji etc... Leave Rogers and their contract bs out of it completely...

When I moved to Bell through Times Telecom, they gave me $400 in bill credits to cover any costs of cancelling with my old provider. Caveat emptor, Bell will never unlock iPhones, but I've been happy enough with Bell.

wait, i'm interested in finding out more about my options at the Apple store, we have one right here in Burlington.

can I walk in - pay them about $550 or so, walk out with a working iPhone4? will they "supply" a SIm that I can have them put in that will give me my account at Rogers....ie no changes made at all?

oh - ask as I have a 'grandfathered' plan with 2GB data, 100 monthly minutes and unlim texting for $22 a month...sweethart of a deal....and dont wanna part with that...

will that work for me?

Jim

proud owner of a brand new iPhone4 - miniSIM card cost me $10 so all in all, it was $385 - brand new in the box and I'm a happy camper! big thnx to @Paul82 for that tip....

:-)

Jim

proud owner of a brand new iPhone4 - miniSIM card cost me $10 so all in all, it was $385 - brand new in the box and I'm a happy camper! big thnx to @Paul82 for that tip....

:-)

Jim

Heeeey! I suggested that first!!! :(