Canadian iPhone: Consumer Revolt against Rogers tariffs

My only question is... Why has Apple stayed silent on this? The only thing that has come out of Markham (Apple's Canadian Headquarters) or Cupertino is speculation and rumour from people other than Apple.

My rant about it: http://www.themattyg.net/index.php/archives/83

Rogers will lose $66 million with this pricing tactic!

FYI, Here is a copy of a letter I have tried to send to Ted Rogers over Rogers handling of the iPhone launch in Canada...


"Please pass this on to where it can do some good.

Rogers still has time to lead the Canadian wireless industry by taking it over. If Rogers reduces its iphone launch prices say to match AT&T's in the USA, it will net an immediate 6 million plus ongoing revenue for a shorter contract period, say 2 years at Approximately $2000.00 per year - at least $60 million.

MUCH More important than that, it will set aside the black eye Rogers is headed for, and set you up as industry leaders who listen to consumers and react immediately wherever possible and gain, (at last count 30,000), people who are very probably Mac friendly and you already know how fanatically loyal Mac people can be!

The sources for this assumption are simple.

1. AT&T and Apple's raging sucess wiith the iphone (Every other manufacturer is desperately trying to emulate it).
2. The www.ruinediphone.com site has 30,000 signatures of people who were going to get an iphone and now won't.
3. Base price assumed $199 and contract estimate based on averaged minimum AT&T plan revenues.

Contrary to your COO's idiotic (sorry, nothing else describes it) earlier statement, the iPhone is not "just a phone" or "just a peice of hardware".

Well, maybe in the sense that a portable CD player is the same as an iPod. Say - seen any portable CD players lately?

You get the drift, you have the power.

Please choose to lead and not follow.

Thanks for listening,
Neil

P.S. I've had an iPhone since they came out, have brought three others into Canada and am holding off on purchasing 4 for my company and 3 (more) for my family, so my numbers could be way low.

Hey are there any developer/product management folk out there who would be willing to talk to me?

Keep up the pressure, write to Rogers and Apple Executives

Rogers

nadir.mohammed@rci.rogers.com, (President)
john.boynton@rci.rogers.com (SVP and Marketing)
upinder.saini@rci.rogers.com,
raj.doshi@rci.rogers.com

elizabeth.hamilton@rci.rogers.com (PR)
dpeterson@casselsbrock.com (Member of their Board)

Apple people

satkins@apple.com

ccdowling@apple.com,
katiec@apple.com

Rogers Robbers are at it again! Damn it Rogers Robbers! You are found and we do not take it. No iPhone for me!

Go here to access RuinediPhone.com, with most features intact. The blog doesn’t work yet, as of this writing, but you can still sign the petition!

http://inflexion.iisnet-networks.com/~iphone/index.php

Go here to access RuinediPhone.com, with most features intact. The blog doesn’t work yet, as of this writing, but you can still sign the petition!

http://inflexion.iisnet-networks.com/~iphone/index.php

I have to laugh at the people stating that Rogers can charge whatever it wants, sure, but unfortunately they've got a monopoly on the 3G network in Canada, which is anti-competitive and monopolistic -- two qualities that are absolutely unacceptable in any market, in any country, capitalistic or not.

Also, a three year contract is despicable. Where is the pay-as-you-go market in North America?

You have to wonder how much pressure they received from RIM to ensure that the rates were better for Blackberries.

Vote with your wallets. Don't buy it!

unacceptable
we were waiting for the canadian launch to get iphones. instead, we'll just be going with our original plan of setting up a u.s. corporate account with at&t.