Rogers’ wireless data rates are so high that they’ve made Ted Rogers the 2nd richest man in Canada. But a new wireless data rate plan from Rogers may be the first sign of a move to be (slightly) more competitive.
Rogers has introduced a new, cheaper, plan for PC cards, those cell-phones-on-a-card that you plug into your notebook PC to give it wireless access to the internet. This may be a sign that cheaper plans for smartphones and PocketPCs are soon to follow; Rogers will have to act soon, since Bell has introduced a $7 unlimited browsing plan on their HTC Touch.
Previously, Rogers’ plan for these wireless data cards was 1 GB for $65, with each additional GB costing a rapacious $1000. The base price hasn’t changed, but now you won’t be bankrupted if you happen to go over that limit. Instead, you’ll just pop up to the next, lower-priced, pricing tier. Here they are:
- Tier 1: $65, includes 1 GB (i.e. $65/GB), if you go over the limit, you move up automatically to Tier 2
- Tier 2: $75, includes 2 GB (i.e. $38.75/GB), if you go over, you move up automatically to Tier 3
- Tier 3: $85, includes 3GB (i.e. $28.33/GB), if you go over, you move up automatically to Tier 4
- Tier 4: $100, includes 5 GB (i.e. $25/GB), if you go over, you pay $30 per additional GB
Since you automatically move from one tier to the next, and the rates get cheaper at each succeeding Tier, there appears to be no reason to sign up for anything more than Tier 1. Whereas the old plan cost you basically $1000/GB for anything over the 1st GB, the new plan actually costs less the more you use it, up to 5 GB. Even after that, your total bill will only increase at the modest rate of $30/GB.
Rogers appears to envision even cheaper rates on the horizon, judging by how they want to lock you into this new plan. Cancellation fees on this data plan are quite steep — up to $400. Always read the fine print on pricing plans.
Erodaland says:
Still way to expensive compare to any USA network company! For example helio.com you pay $65 to have 500 minutes day time, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited mobile to mobile, unlimited instant messaging, unlimited picture messaging, unlimited video messaging, unlimited high speed 3G, unlimited web browsing, unlimited gps enabled google maps, unlimited file transfer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would change my network company to this one if we had those kind of plans…but in CANADA everything is too expensive and nobody says anything :( Rogers rip off all their customers!
JohhnyWalker says:
If they can lower to a friendly price of $30 unlimited 3G they will attract many new subscribers, Rogers dont want canadians to have some fun!! Grrrrrrr!! Cmon rogers look at europe and asia!!! people there are enjoying their 3G capable phones using the net and video calling for a cheap and reasonable price! I bought a 3G phone but will never subscribe to your service! Ridicoulous price will never attract me and all my friends into this.. So yea Canada has the most boringgggggggggggggg cellphone fashion in the World!! Phones suck! Services Suck!
t says:
cancellation is only 400$ if it’s the only plan on your account and you signed onto a 3 year to get a discount device such as an aircard or usb key (ie: aircard, data only) if you have a voice plan on your account normal cancellation applies if you cancel the voice but the data can be added as a month to month, 1, 2 or 3 year plan. Also, if you already have an aircard you can sign it up on a monthly plan. Cancellation fee if you are on a voice and data term and only cancel the data is maximum 100$ min 25$
raw says:
Where did you get this information from? I searched the Rogers website and can’t find any evidence of these other pricing plans? It’s still the same old $65 PC Card plan displayed on a hidden page which can only be reached by googling (as far as I could find).
raw says:
Ah, nevermind. I found the page that details the plans. Here is the link if anyone is interested: http://your.rogers.com/business/wireless/plans_services/business_plans.asp?plan=flexrate
raj says:
Hate to say it because I despise Ted Rogers and his virtual neighborhood monopoly, but Rogers’ rates are far better (now) than Telus. I called Telus yesterday and wasted 25 damn minutes finding out absolutely nothing about how much Mb/Gb bandwidth I get for $100/mth. The guy said $65/m for 1Gb and $100/m for 250Gb. I said, “that can’t be right,” and wasted 15 more minutes for him to find out that no one bought into Telus’ late-to-the-market unlimited data card so they pulled the offer after 2 months. I’ve only been asking them for 3 bloody years. Telus currently has nothing for power users on the go.
fuTed says:
This is still a huge rip off!!! Kill Yourself Ted Rogers!
fritz says:
rogers is for the birds