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Aug 29, 08 - 12:24 pm Comment from: Predrag

Canadian people are just scared $h!tless about the possible data charges they could be paying if they were to exceed their limit. Having known Rogers for years, they are just affraid of receiving $1700 monthly bill after innocently watching a YouTube video or two, so they just try to stay on the safe side.

Aug 29, 08 - 12:30 pm Comment from: theloniousMac

We already know that most iPhone users aren't technology gurus.

Or is it because the screen is too small to do any research and reading on the Web comfortably? I use my MacBook for that. A phone is a phone is a phone even if it's an iPhone.

Does the data use include Wi-Fi, or is it just 3G/Edge.

I use the iPhone a lot more than my previous phone, but the stats say I've only used 200 MB of data in the past two months. Then again, I'm using the programs a lot, and transfer songs/movies from my computer.

A problem with the analysis is that it does NOT figure in the use of Wi-Fi. I use my iPhone 3G heavily for both browsing and e-mail, GPS and would likely exceed my monthly 6GB allowance on the Rogers network except that I am typically in shot of a wifi network.

This has been the case in Vancouver (my home), Ottawa (home away from home) and Toronto. I've always been able to connect to the hotels wifi network, coffee shop networks etc.

My heavy use just does not impact upon the Rogers network nor does it register in the Roger's statistics.

If what they say is true then Rogers should be happy to sell that package (6 gigs for $30) as they are clearly on the winning end of the bargain and users don't feel threatened by overage charges.
Why are the next batch of packages so expensive in comparison?

Rogers is clearly not about giving the customers a good or even a perceived good deal and therefore are seen as overly greedy.

SH$T!!!

I download at least 6 gigs of porn to my 1st Generation iPhone every month and i still pay only 70 bucks a month. No hidden charges just bare-naked ladies. GOD D$MN!!!

God Bless America!!!!

Aug 29, 08 - 01:00 pm Comment from: thethirdshoe

It's faster for someone to place music or movies onto the iphone from the computer then trying to download it wirelessly.

Aug 29, 08 - 01:11 pm Comment from: M. T. MacPhee

@Predrag @Canada Mark

++

Aug 29, 08 - 01:13 pm Comment from: DanielM

Unbelievable!

"Most of Canada's iPhone users seem to prefer the multimedia device for talking," Luann Lasalle reports for The Canadian Press. "After all of the complaints about the cost of operating the new, faster iPhone, its owners don't appear to be using the smartphone to its fullest for web surfing, sending photos, watching videos or listening to music…

Rogers added that 95 per cent of its iPhone customers used less than 500 megabytes of data, the equivalent of about 110 songs, and 91 per cent of its customers used just 200 megabytes."

Based on the fact that AT&T;reported before the introduction of the 3G iPhone that their first generation iPhone customers averaged about 100 MBs per month. This information, in fact, was used in Rogers' exclamation for not offering an 'Unlimited Data Plan' as AT&T;had done, and that the 400 MB Rogers' plan was more than sufficient for most users.

Now, unless somebody can show me otherwise, it would appear that Canadian iPhone users, in particular the 95% which used an average just 200 MBs/month appear to be using the iPhone to its fullest more than the Americans who only averaged 100 MBs/month.

Does not that mean that Canadians used twice as much data usage as the Americans? That we, in fact talk less, i.e., half the time as our neighbours to the south? That, perhaps we have more Wi-Fi connections available? Or that we just have more stupid reporters writing more stupid things?

"Analyst: Most Canuck iPhone users ‘not yet into the guts’ of what Apple’s device can really deliver"


Don't be afraid. It's just like cutting open a moose.

Aug 29, 08 - 01:38 pm Comment from: izod

@DanielM

You have hit the nail on the head my friend...

Everyone I know (including myself) with an iPhone here (in Toronto) are using it to it's absolute fullest... I only clocked 100MB of data in the first month, and I am pulling down loads of YouTube movies, surfing the web, buying apps, etc. And I of course am using WiFi connections at home, at work and lots of places in between.

Aug 29, 08 - 01:41 pm Comment from: Bold

Well most of the iphone users in Canada have subscribed to a data plan for the first time. They still do not know, how much is too much and are just testing the waters. It was their first data bill. I can assure that this usage is going to increase as time progresses; eventhough most of them will still be around 1 Gb of data users. After all nobody wants to be caught with the outrageous bill for overusage. The good thing is that Rogers is redesigning their data plans effective October this year with text reminder for data use close to the allowance as well as setting a cap at $100 in case of overuse.

I`m sure the data usage will increase when Apple releases a tethering app (not netshare)

Aug 29, 08 - 01:59 pm Comment from: DanielM

Thank you izod.

And to Bold. Did you not get the memo?

AT&T;, which provides Unlimited Data in its iPhone plan, means that its customers didn't have to think, care or worry about how much data they were consuming. In fact, their only concern was that they would have to use Wi-Fi to download large videos if they were not synced to their computers.

Now, I don't know about you, but with those conditions, I would assume that everything equal, that their consumption would be higher vs compared to a service that capped their Data Plan as Rogers did. Wouldn't you?

But no! We used twice as much. Obviously we are not that ignorant, that we know how to monitor our Data Usage, and we don't need to wait to see the bill to find out. Just to verify it.

Sorry. Wifi's the name of the game for me. Actually, I'm surprised how often I'm in a hotspot and not wanting to do any heavy duty internet when I'm not. I'm pleasantly surprised where that comes in wrt data usage.

Aug 29, 08 - 02:16 pm Comment from: madgunde

Could it be, just maybe, that 6GB of usage is WAY overkill for the iPhone? Or maybe that people have access to a lot of WiFi, which is faster, and so don't tend to use 3G that much because when they're apt to sit around playing for long periods, they're at home or work where they have a WiFi signal?

Just maybe? This analyst is pretty dumb.

Aug 29, 08 - 02:27 pm Comment from: Buster

What a stupid survey...Robbers er... Rogers bleeds you dry.

Canadians with the iPhone are generally affluent. That means they have wireless. That means they are smart enough to use the wireless for the bulk of their downloads. That means that Rogers of course will assume that we use our phones for phoning....why does that sound like a stupid thing?

Unfortunately that means that we are also stuck with Rogers.....

I have an iPhone on Rogers and I'll tell you this article makes no seance, they are quoting in video's and songs downloaded, but Apple and Rogers wont let you do that, so it is irrelevant (iTunes store will not work on 3G or Edge)
I got my phone 1 week after launch and I have only used Send 12.8mb, received 270mb, I watch you tube videos, surf the net e-mail ect off my phone, need to try using streaming music service to really test the Data Usage.

headline:

Most iPhone "Analysts" not yet into the guts of what users are really doing with their iPhone. or knowledgeable about anything in general.


what drivel. but par for the course from an "Analyst"

maybe then they can offer more reasonable data packages, like instead of the $30/6gb they could offer say $15 for 3gb or maybe $5 for 1gb. Makes sense to me, but then again, I don't work in the money grubbing wireless industry.

This reporter is so dumb it's ridiculous ! Obviously you can use your iPhone for music, multimedia, games, and loads of stuff without downloading any data whatsoever, since it's all synced from your computer! I use my iPhone 20 hours a day with every app you can think of, and I barely reach 200MB per month.

Aug 29, 08 - 05:03 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

"I use my iPhone 20 hours a day with every app you can think of, and I barely reach 200MB per month."

You must be one sleepy little booger.

That's bullshit, I use my iPhone constantly to check weather, when a bus is coming, my online banking, facebook etc.... Even when I think I am using alot of bandwidth, i check the usage and to date the most ive used in a month has been 643MB. My plan has 6 gigs, overkill if you ask me. Long story short, this statistic is crap

Aug 29, 08 - 07:28 pm Comment from: Brau

Deadbeat journalism at it's worst. The first month I expressly sought out WiFi being scared of Roger's well known cutthroat overlimit charges. Realistically though, I have access to WiFi at home, work, all my friends/relatives, and the ONLY time I need Roger's network is when I'm on the road ... and I don't use my iPhone and drive.

Result: Despite constantly downloading apps, viewing YouTube videos, accessing Google maps, Mail with attachments, browsing, etc, my Roger's cell data usage amounts to about 100MB.

Aug 29, 08 - 07:30 pm Comment from: Brau

Just thought of it: Apple should add "Total" bytes downloaded so we can see the REAL numbers with free WiFi access included.

"91 per cent of its customers used just 200 megabytes."

200 mg may not be a lot of songs, but it is a decent amount of web surfing and email. It is ridiculous to use songs as the measure of data downloaded since most people sync their songs from their computer.

I use my iPhone for web browsing constantly and I use about 70 mg per week.

It's called Wi-Fi.

Smart people all over the world utilize Wi-Fi because its faster and less expensive.

In the first month of use I only used 1.4GB on Rogers, while on Wi-Fi I calculate around 4.3GB, give-or-take 20%. I seek out free Wi-Fi connects and have established a routine where I frequent these establishments.

It works for me and I suspect the same to be true for most iPhone users. It just makes sense. As apposed to the dribble some so-called reporters are writing.

Aug 31, 08 - 01:17 am Comment from: makemineamac

Well, I used well over 3 gig in the first month on Fido - also owned by Rogers, so Im certainly into the guts of it. But I was using Netshare for the back portion so that accounts for part of it.

As I was still within my data limits there were no extra charges for that, but the bill I just received was $273. For a month. Insane, and all because I travel. Every minute outside my "home area" is billed as long distance. Even though I asked all those questions upfront - "So free incoming is for everywhere? Yes, that's right" Apparently not. I love the US, hopefully someday we'll have some competition here in some way equivalent to what you have there.

>"After all of the complaints about the cost of operating the new, faster iPhone, its owners don't appear to be using the smartphone to its fullest for web surfing, sending photos, watching videos or listening to music. "

Web surfing? Home and office computers connected to broadband do it better, 22" LCD screen is somewhat larger than iPhone's and has somewhat better screen resolution.

Sending photos? Don't get me started on diffrence between quality of pictures made by 7-10 megapixel camera and those sad wannabes in almost any cell phone or smartphone.

Watching videos? Two words: HD TV.

>"they're likely still using it for light web browsing, light email and for the most part voice use"

Yes, you could use iPhone as a poor man's substitute for all I listed above, but how many poor men could afford iPhone?

So, it is just another toy for Canadian people who are spoiled by easily available HD TV and high speed Internet.

Aug 31, 08 - 10:55 am Comment from: DanielM

@makemineamac

What long distance plan are you using?

Aug 31, 08 - 01:57 pm Comment from: makemineamac

@DanielM - Don't have one at this point as most of the calls while I'm away have always been incoming.

With my old Telus plan incoming calls were free wherever I was, and I always used local numbers wherever I needed to access cheaper LD services. This won't work with Fido.

They offered a 300 minute LD package to me for $10, but that's equivalent to only about a weeks worth of incoming calls so it won't work. All calls really should be local, like it is in the US, but then our cellphone companies would not be able to make any money if that were the case. Here's hoping they will be able to offer me something better....

Aug 31, 08 - 03:09 pm Comment from: DanielM

@makemineamac

Can't see much difference.

From what we have been able to calculate, cell charges are quite comparable. It is just the way that companies present the data.

Here is probably the one of the best sites for comparing plans and as you can see, one takes from the other. However, at the end of the day, the actual costs basically the same as long as you are comparing apples with apples, if you can. http://www.comparecellular.com/

Aug 31, 08 - 03:45 pm Comment from: makemineamac

@ DanielIM - I'll take a look, but if it was apples to apples - which you can't do it appears because Fido only offers local calling in your local area, whereas with Telus or Rogers if I phone a local number while in Toronto or Red Deer it just counts against my local minutes - not minutes and LD you know? This is why since the switch, my average cell bill went up about 38%. That's significant.