Ted Rogers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Communications Inc. today issued the following statement:
We’re thrilled to announce that we have a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Canada later this year. We can’t tell you any more about it right now, but stay tuned.
Source: Rogers Communications Inc.
We can’t tell you any more about it right now… because it’ll be the next-gen iPhone Steve Jobs introduces at WWDC. (Also, we’re trying to figure out just how much more we can extract from our already-vastly-overcharged customers via our Big Ass Canadian monopoly that no other sane capitalistic country would even come close to allowing.)
Rogers is what happens when a cluess, asshat government allows a monopoly in the world’s most prolific cellular standard.
Its criminal. Glad they finally are rectifying the problem, but you Canadians need get tough on your do nothing government.
MDN, Also, we’re trying to figure out just how much more we can extract from our already-vastly-overcharged customers via our Big Ass Canadian monopoly that no other sane capitalistic country would even come close to allowing.
But we get FREE health care! Riightt!
Anyway we can always go to the US to get immediate operations.
The main reason they won’t divulge the details yet is that Rogers has got his lawyers trying to figure out how to get around the stipulations in the contract so they can charge $800/month for data and to recoup the 50% they will owe Apple for monthly fees.
And all Canadian collectively let out an “Eh?”
I am hoping for more than just the iPhone in the Great White North, come on Apple give us the Win CE/Palm replacement.
As far as cost is concerned I am paying $110/month with no data plan currently.
“…but you Canadians need get tough on your do nothing government.”
<cough>IRAQ</cough>
YES! Finally when all my fellow employees walk in with a Blackberry, I’ll just whip out by iPhone, which’ll be compatible with their exchange server in June.
@ Cdn and MDN:
Let the off-topic political debate begin…
I wonder if they use a Big-Ass Table to manage their Big-Ass Monopoly?
Just when I thought I was out, Roger’s pulls me back in– I left Rogers years ago but now I may be forced to go back… any speculation that Bell might get in on this with a 3G iPhone?
@Scarbro…..you and me both. Rogers has NO coverage near my cottage but Bell does. Rogers told us they have no intention of increasing coverage in that area. Crappy coverage, crappy service….it will be crappy (for me) if Bell can’t get in on this action.
got tired of waiting and signed onto a BB with Bell YESTERDAY. I knew my decision would accelerate the iPhone showing up the “next day” literally it seems. No loss, I got a decent enough deal to give me the one feature I wanted on my phone, email. I am sure I’m paying half of what the iPhone plans will cost in canada (75-99 range is my guess)
So MDN just “has” to slam Canadians too eh? Okay Mr I’m paying almost $4.00 a gallon for gas purchased from oil company monopolies.
I e-mailed my wife the MDN headline. She bought an unlocked iPhone last friday because she was sick of waiting. Boy is she gonna be pissed.
@ Gone Nuts
Oil companies are not monopolies. They should probably be regulated in the manner that other utilities are. They may be taking immoral advantage of a fair wind in their industry. They may be charging too much for gas at the pump. But they are not monopolies.
Finally … I have been patiently avoiding the unlock saga of iPhone here in Canada, as I knew 3G would be a matter of time. I currently pay about $700/month for a combo three phone plan on Rogers, using Blackberrys. I wonder what the iPhone plan will look like? maybe I will break the $1K or $2K mark? I am just glad they finally announced the release!
Don’t hold your breath for a June release of the iPhone with Rogers. They will still need to put some equipment in (visual voice mail). Maybe they will get around to it by the end of the year.
Canada is also opening up to more cell phone carriers this year. Rogers will only add the iPhone when they have to.
BTW, I’ve heard this announcement before from them. Best just to wait for Apple’s official statement. Seems odd they would announce it before Apple.
We don’t need either of the Democrats or the Republican candidate. We a need a real World Class Leader.
I say, Draft Tony Blair for President of the Uniter States.
Let’s open a two-four for our Canuck friends and hope the hosers at Rogers give them a monthly plan that doesn’t cost 200 loonies. Oh, and by the way, since it is Canada, it will have to be called an iPhone/iTéléphone, by Apple/Pomme, eh?
^^ Hilarious. Seriously, that’s priceless 84…
$700 is insane.
Holy cow – I thought $700 in Canadian would be less in US$, but the currencies are almost equal.
How can anyone justify that. Paying $70 for two phones in the US seems too much for me. You guys have my sympathy. Hopefully the Apple deal will reduce the price a bit.
While I would expect to pay slightly more than AT&T;in the US, I think it won’t nearly be as bad as everyone thinks. I’d expect monthly plan with 500 minutes and unlimited data to be around $75/month.
Telus charges $30/$45 dollars for two of their unlimited web usage data plans.
@Gone Nuts
“… almost $4.00 a gallon for gas …”
With gas currently at $1.25 per liter in many places in Canada, that converts to $4.73 per U.S. gallon. Dumbass.
Granted, this chart is a couple of years old, but the dynamics are the same. Bottom line is that companies like Apple and Microsoft typically make more profit per dollar of sales than do oil companies. I don’t like paying so much for petroleum products, but I like less the idea of governments having the power to decide that a company made too much profit and needs to take some of it away. If the government would treat the subsidies it give out as loans, then maybe it could expect repayment from successful companies when they have highly profitable years.
See profit comparison chart here:
