For those of you in Canada, good news. The cell carriers Telus and Bell have announced pricing and availability for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. In addition, Rogers will be announcing an update to its pricing.

Telus is offering four plan levels with three extras each to chose from, for a total of twelve different plan options. Each plan provides subsidized iPhone pricing of $99CAD for the 8GB iPhone 3G (black), $199CAD for the 16GB iPhone 3G S (black/white), and $299CAD for the 32GB iPhone 3G S (black/white).

The actual plans from Telus do not change with respect to the iPhone you choose. The prices begin at $50CAD for 150 minutes and 500 MB data and move up to $100CAD for 500 minutes and 3GB data; all plans include a 36-month contract term. Additionally, all plans include mobile tethering with the iPhone. All plans excluding the entry-level $50CAD/mo. plan include an option for unlimited messaging.

Bell has also announced their pricing and availability; actual iPhone pricing is the same as the Telus offering ranging from $99CAD for the 8GB iPhone 3G to $299CAD for the 32GB iPhone 3G S.

Bell's monthly plans start at $55CAD and include 300 minutes with 1GB data (tethering included) and increase up to $95CAD including 500 minutes with and 3GB data. As with Telus, all plans include a 36-month contract. Unlike Telus, however, the Bell plans include unlimited Wi-Fi at any Starbucks location.

Not one to be left out of all the press buzz, Rogers may be announcing a new plan for $95CAD/mo. An anonymous tipster reports that the Rogers plan will include 700 minutes and 1GB data with tethering included. The plan will also feature unlimited messaging.

Things are definitely heating up in Canada for iPhone users. Each provider is offering a little something different in terms of minutes, data, and extras. As always, don't forget to consider your coverage area, which iPhone in Canada has helpfully compared for you here.

While I don't live in Canada myself, I am definitely jealous of all the competition going on. I would love to see three US carriers with the iPhone all competing for my pocketbook.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in, and iphoneincanada.ca for the in-depth coverage.

Rogers Wireless has a little over one week left of its Canadian iPhone exclusivity. Wireless carrier Telus announced today that it'll start sales of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS on Thursday, November 5, 2009.

While the Telus network has been CDMA-only, the carrier is not selling a modified phone. Rather, the company is launching its iPhone-compatible HSPA network, which it's marketing to consumers as 3G+.

Prices on the new network match what many expected from Bell, which is also starting Canadian iPhone sales soon. Telus will sell an 8GB iPhone 3G for $99 (Cdn$), a 16GB iPhone 3GS for $199.99, or a 32GB iPhone 3GS for $299.99 with three-year contracts. Minus the monthly plans the 8GB iPhone 3G will run buyers $599.99, the 16GB iPhone 3GS will run $699.99, and the 32GB iPhone 3GS will run buyers $799.99.

[via Telus]

Last week Canadian carriers Bell and Telus announced that they would be offering the iPhone to customers. At the time details were scarce, but this week more information is available.

Electronista's sources report that Bell will get the iPhone 3G and 3GS on November 4th, just as their HSPA-based 3G network goes live. Releasing the iPhone 3G and 3GS on the same day as a brand-new network ... what could go wrong there?

Information on plans is still sketchy. It's been suggested that users will be able to use Bell's existing Combo plans with the iPhone, but that's not clear at this point. The pricing of the phone itself will be the same, according to Electronista, and contract-free models will be an option at $599, $699 and $799 each.

To receive the latest information directly from Bell, sign up at their information page.

The iPhone was slow to launch in Canada and after a rocky start, Rogers has been the exclusive carrier. That changed this week when Bell and Telus both announced independent deals with Apple. Starting in November, each will carry the 3G an 3GS. Just in time for holiday shopping!

Keen customers know that both Bell and Telus are CDMA-only right now. However, they've both pledged to deploy compatible HSPA networks that will serve as an inroad to 4G.

Neither company has released details like pricing, plans, etc., but Telus has set up a web page for interested customers.

While US iPhone users are stuck waiting for AT&T to get their act together, Rogers in Canada has stunned iPhone users by not actively trying to screw users right out of the gate as they did when announcing the data plan pricing for the iPhone last year. After a high-profile backlash, Rogers was forced to offer more reasonable data plans for iPhones, and it appears they've learned their lesson this time.

As we all know by now, tethering is built in to the iPhone 3.0 firmware, and as long as you are on a data plan that gives you at least 1 GB of throughput per month, you can use iPhone tethering for no additional charge in Canada until at least the end of 2009. It's unclear what will happen next year, and it seems that Rogers isn't sure yet either. But rather than simply not allow it while they figure it out (as AT&T is doing), they chose to allow it.

My guess is the execs at Rogers are doing a few things here:

1. Looking to increase goodwill after the disastrous data plan fiasco last year
2. Wanting to watch usage patterns to see just how popular tethering turns out to be, to help them determine price points
3. Using the drug dealer method of marketing -- get people hooked, then jack up the price

Of course, this is assuming they will revert to their evil ways; it would be nice to think that Rogers has actually turned over a new leaf and wants to provide reasonable service for a reasonable price. My guess is that most users of tethering are like me in that they want to have access to it for emergencies, but don't actually need it on a day-to-day basis. In that regard, allowing tethering as part of the not-inexpensive <1 GB data plans that Rogers provides makes reasonable sense.

So, does anyone think Rogers will continue to do what makes reasonable sense next year when it comes to tethering, or will the lure of a few extra dollars be too much for them to resist?

Rogers Wireless sold 255,000 iPhones since their introduction in July, and added 191,000 new customers, according to Electronista.

Desjardins Securities analyst Joseph MacKay estimates that Rogers will have to absorb subsidies for all those new customers -- two out of five who bought the iPhone -- adding about C$90 million in costs for the quarter. Over the three-year contract period, however, MacKay figures Rogers will do much better, as the average monthly bill for Rogers customers will be about C$100 (thanks to higher costs for iPhone plans), up from C$74 now.

Since Rogers is the only major GSM carrier in Canada, it said a third of its customers moved from another carrier, or had no mobile service before. Both Bell Canada and Telus had lower new subscriber numbers for the quarter.

Like Verizon in the United States, Bell Canada and Telus are planning on upgrading their networks to LTE, a fourth-generation mobile phone standard that AT&T will also support.

[Via AppleInsider.]

MacNN reports that Rogers Wireless will be revising its iPhone plans on October 1 to include a new 250 minute plan for $60, among other changes.

The new bundles, MacNN says, would feature a $60 plan with:

• 250 daytime minutes
• 75 texts
• 1GB data
• Visual Voicemail
• three months of unlimited local calling
• a permanent MY5 Local option

A $75 plan may also be available, with 400 minutes, 100 texts, and 2GB data.

Early on, Rogers has had a rocky relationship with iPhone customers, many of whom are unhappy with the relatively high cost of plan rates and miniscule data allowances.

Canadian readers: Is this an improvement, or does Rogers still have a long way to go? Let us know by leaving a comment.

It is no secret that our Canadian readers were a little upset with Rogers' initial iPhone service plans. Luckily, it looks like Rogers heard all the complaining as they are offering a special limited time offer for iPhone buyers. If you buy an iPhone and sign a three year contract with Rogers you can sign up for a special iPhone data plan that includes 6GB of data transfer for $30 a month, on top of whatever voice plan you sign up with. The offer ends on August 31st, but at least it is a start.

Rogers' Chief Marketing Officer, John Boynton, told CBC news that Rogers listened to their customers' protests, and are experimenting with this new plan. Let's hope Rogers thinks it works out well and our friends to the North can get a good deal for iPhone data service past August 31st.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog has a juicy story that even they admit sounds too good to be true: Apple and Rogers could be on the outs over the negative publicity surrounding Rogers' voice and data plans for the iPhone 3G.

Philip Elmer-DeWitt writes about Daniel Smith, a Canadian sales and marketing consultant, who posted a rumor from an anonymous "inside source" claiming Apple is punishing Rogers by diverting large numbers of iPhone 3G handsets to Europe. Smith later backed away from the claim, noting that the diversion could be related to a shipping problem or production delay.

Also, some Rogers retail stores have dismissed "thousands" of "a few hundred" additional staff hired for the launch of the new handset. (See below for an update.) The decision to let staff go was apparently made at the store level, and not a directive from Rogers' corporate offices.

Rogers plans have been widely panned, with some users creating petitions and websites voicing their displeasure. Rogers' plans require a three-year contract, have no unlimited data option, and offer two-thirds the calling time and half the text messages as AT&T's plans.

The bottom line? "Something is definitely up, whether it is indeed an Apple power play is up for debate," Smith writes.

Thanks, Jason!

Update: Of course, everyone's in "mountain out of a molehill" mode on this one. Daniel Smith wrote us to explain that the "thousands" number was taken by Apple 2.0 from a forum entry where he misspoke, and admitted as much. He says the number is closer to "a few hundred" which is still significant, true, but not quite so dire.

Additionally, BetaNews contacted a Rogers spokesperson, Elizabeth Hamilton, who denied the reports, saying she "can confirm that Canada's inventory of iPhone 3G has remained the same throughout our announcements."

When Rogers/Fido announced the iPhone voice/data plans a few days ago, the proposed rates were not received warmly. Over ten thousand people are letting their eDispleasure be heard on the "Rogers + iPhone3G == Ruined" protest website.

Canadian petitioners are unhappy with the high plan rates and the lack of affordable data. The site offers a list of Rogers/Fido contacts and suggests consumers take action, sending an email or letter, or calling.

The petition itself is full of impassioned feedback, suggesting that Rogers is killing a potential new market by exploiting demand with subpar overpriced service.

Are you Canadian? Let us know what you think of the the data rates in the comments.

Thanks, heath

We've known for awhile that Rogers would be bringing the iPhone 3G to Canada, but we didn't know what kind of plans would be offered. Well, the wondering can stop because Rogers has just posted a website detailing all the service plans and features you can get for your iPhone in Canda, and how much it'll cost you.

As you can see from the above chart service plans start at $60 (Canadian) and go to $115. Interestingly, there is no unlimited data option which might cause trouble down the road when you load up your iPhone with lots of heavy network using 3rd party apps.

Check out Rogers' page for all the details.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Our Canadian readers have suffered a long, iPhone-less time. There are been countless rumors that Rogers, Canada's leading cell phone provider, would be releasing the iPhone 'any day now.' The above graphic from Rogers' website mentions that someting 'really big' will be coming on July 11th. Hmm, that date looks familiar... what else is happening on that date? Ah, right, the international launch of the iPhone 3G.

Canadians, looks like you'll soon be able to join in on the iPhone fun.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Update: Rogers might be playing coy, but Apple released a press release letting us know what is happening on the 11th in Canada. In the rush of news yesterday, I overlooked this. Thanks, bob.

Only last month Rogers finally officially confirmed that the iPhone was Canada bound. Now electronista is reporting that sources inside the company are saying that the 3G iPhone will debut next month (presumably about the same time as the US launch) and will qualify for Rogers new reasonably priced $7 unlimited data plan. Rogers has long been notorious for high data costs, making the new plan particularly welcome for the data hungry iPhone.

Needless to say this is good news for our friends up north, and yet more fuel on the 3G iPhone fire (as if it needed any).

According to The Star, Canadian communications firm Rogers Wireless has finally announced plans to carry the iPhone.

"We're thrilled to announce that we have a deal with Apple to bring the
iPhone to Canada later this year," they said in a statement. "We can't tell you any more about it right now, but stay tuned."

This comes after nearly a year of back-and-forth between the two companies and the Canadian public. In April of last year, Rogers made a point of telling CBC News Online that they had not reached an agreement to carry the iPhone. At the time, they were the only GSM carrier in the country (all others used he CDMA standard). So no Rogers meant no iPhone.

Then, an article in The National Post suggested that Rogers would price the iPhone out of the hands of most Canadians, comparing it to their "Right Fit" plan, which offered (as of July '07) 250 anytime, zero weekends, 25MB of data and an additional fee for texts for a whopping Canadian $97/mo.

That was speculation, of course, and today's cryptic message from Rogers doesn't offer any contradictory details. However, the brief announcement should make many Canadians happy.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Poor beleaguered iPhone fans in the Great White North are apparently in for a long wait. In a Globe and Mail article, the CFO of Canada's lone GSM provider Rogers Communications is quoted as saying: "The truth is we aren't very far with Apple.... They're concentrating on this launch and the U.S., and when they decide to turn their mind to other markets, we'll be in line."

Well at least this suggests that Rogers will eventually carry the iPhone. We earlier mentioned a report that they "had not announced their intentions to carry the iPhone." So our friends up north will just have wait, but at least there's reason to hope.

[via macitt]