A document leaked yesterday that detailed the rate plans for Apple's iPhone in Canada brought joy to gadget-heads, but it wasn't quite accurate.
The document posted on Ehmac.ca forum by someone claiming to be a Rogers Wireless employee spread like wildfire by giddy bloggers. It said Rogers will charge iPhone buyers $30 a month - on top of a voice plan - for unlimited data, far below what people were expecting.
But new data plans released by Rogers today tell a different story. The wireless company, the only one eligible to carry the anticipated iPhone, will charge $30 - for 300 megabytes of use. Higher limits will cost more, up to $100 for six gigabytes of data.Unlimited data plans, as is common in other developed countries, are still foreign to Canada.
However, the new numbers are a dramatic improvement over Rogers's previous pricing plans, which had consumers paying $100 for a scant gigabyte.
"The main takeaway is that prices are being driven down. Now it's actually affordable," said Amit Kaminer, a wireless analyst at the Seaboard Group.
Though unlimited plans are nice, they're not necessary to keep customers comfortable, he added.
A document leaked yesterday that detailed the rate plans for Apple's iPhone in Canada brought joy to gadget-heads, but it wasn't quite accurate.
The document posted on Ehmac.ca forum by someone claiming to be a Rogers Wireless employee spread like wildfire by giddy bloggers. It said Rogers will charge iPhone buyers $30 a month - on top of a voice plan - for unlimited data, far below what people were expecting.
But new data plans released by Rogers today tell a different story. The wireless company, the only one eligible to carry the anticipated iPhone, will charge $30 - for 300 megabytes of use. Higher limits will cost more, up to $100 for six gigabytes of data.Unlimited data plans, as is common in other developed countries, are still foreign to Canada.
However, the new numbers are a dramatic improvement over Rogers's previous pricing plans, which had consumers paying $100 for a scant gigabyte.
"The main takeaway is that prices are being driven down. Now it's actually affordable," said Amit Kaminer, a wireless analyst at the Seaboard Group.
Though unlimited plans are nice, they're not necessary to keep customers comfortable, he added.
"You don't want them to keep counting their megabytes, but you don't need unlimited for comfort, you just need a big enough bucket."
Since Rogers announced it will carry the iPhone in Canada, speculation has been rife over Rogers' pricing plans. Critics said the high cost of transmitting data over cellular networks in Canada would keep consumers away from high-end phones that browse the Web, send emails and stream live video.
In the U.S., AT&T charges $30 on top of a voice plan for unlimited data, which is the figure in the leaked document that drove Apple enthusiasts into a collective "nerdgasm."
The document also said the iPhone will cost $199 for the eight-gigabyte version and $299 for the larger 16-gigabyte model. As well, it noted that customers will have to agree to a three-year contract to buy it.
A spokesperson for Rogers said as policy the company doesn't comment on speculation and rumours, but said official details will be announced "shortly."
However, Kaminer doesn't rule out the possibility that Rogers might pull some surprises for the iPhone.
rrocha@thegazette.canwest.com
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