$30 - 6gb extended 1 month plus new data plans coming
Rogers will extend the $30 - 6gb data plan promotion until the end of September. It’s mainly for the new Blackberry Bold customers but this is great news for the iPhone too. I don’t think anyone will ever sign up for their specific ‘iPhone plans’.
The Toronto-based company, Canada’s largest cellphone provider, on Thursday said it will extend the $30-a-month data plan — which lets owners of iPhones, other smartphones and computer laptop aircards download up to six gigabytes a month — until the end of September. Rogers announced the plan, which was to expire on Aug. 31, in July when it launched Apple Inc.’s 3G iPhone.
Liz Hamilton, spokesperson for Rogers, said the plan is being extended so that buyers of the BlackBerry Bold, which was released last week, can take advantage of it.
Rogers will introduce a $25-a-month data plan for the iPhone and other smartphones on Oct. 1 that will allow 500 megabytes of downloading per month, which will be bundled with a three-month promotion of unlimited usage. Another plan will allow one gigabyte of usage for $30.
The new plans are the result of monitoring iPhone customers’ usage since its launch, Hamilton said.
“We learned a lot,” she said. “We were educated by customers by what they wanted and we were educated by customers by what they used.”
Hamilton said just over one per cent of iPhone owners used more than one gigabyte of data in their first month, while about 95 per cent of owners used less than 500MB — findings that are consistent with tests performed by CBCNews.ca.
The company is also rolling out a “peace of mind protection plan” on Oct. 1, which will allow customers to get a better idea of how much data they are using. Customers will get periodic free incoming text messages warning them when they cross certain usage thresholds, such as when they have downloaded 80 per cent of their monthly data allotment. Also, excess usage charges that come into effect when the customer exceeds their monthly limit will be capped at $100.
Here is some more news from the Report on Business:
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, she said.
Other plans include $50 for 2GB, $60 for 3GB and $80 for 8GB.
So there will be a new data plan as well. 500mb for $25 a month isn’t bad. I guess that will be more of a long term data solution once the $30 plan finally expires. I don’t see anyone signing up for this plan who decided not to use data in the first place. For me, 500mb isn’t sufficient as I’m at 1.5gb’s already but I guess a lot of people aren’t data crazy like myself. $30 for 1gb isn’t bad but it’s hard to go for that when you could have got 6gb. At least more options are on the way.
I really like the data protection plan. If you accidentally go over you data allotment, the most you will be charged is $100. That is an excellent policy if you ask me.
hahah wow... i literally JUST got off the phone to add the 6GB plan... i should have waited till tonight :P Great news for Canadians i guess... slowly but surely.
I still haven't broken 200MB total since I got the iPhone, but I think I'll stick with the $30 for 6GB plan instead of saving $5 ($180 over 3 years) and risking not having enough data for future apps. If it was $20 for 500MB, I'd probably switch to that plan.
I wish they'd come out with better packages. Now seeing average usage, it would be nice if they upped the 300MB plan for $60 to 500MB, gave us more minutes and text messages, then it'd actually be worth the $60.
Given that $30 will get you 1gb, why does $5 less get you half the data? The savings from that would be practically negligeable. Especially given the cost/data ratio, it should be more like $20 for 500mb.
or something like that. I would definitely find it easy to drop $5..most people would I imagine.
And how about a 30 days of free data to see what your usage would be so you can make an informed decision about which plan to choose?....or being able to change your data plan at any time instead of locking in?
I'm still not signing up for data until they pull their heads out of their butts. Bah!
From the CBC article: "Unlike other cellphone carriers, Rogers is allowing customers to "tether" their smartphones, or connect them to a computer and use them as a modem."
From the CBC article: "Unlike other cellphone carriers, Rogers is allowing customers to "tether" their smartphones, or connect them to a computer and use them as a modem."
Tether my MBP to my iPhone I'm ordering this week, allowing me internet access anywhere?? Anybody have a link to how to do this?
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