If you’re looking to take advantage of Rogers’ Hardware Upgrade Program because you’ve already hit the one year mark, you better avail of it fast as this leaked internal memo reveals a new policy will go into effect come August 21.
From the regular 12 month minimum period, the new policy extends this another 12 more months making 24 months the new minimum tenure that subscribers need to attain for them to be eligible for the Hardware Upgrade Program. What’s their reason for this policy change? According to Rogers, lengthening the period in which subscribers can avail of the HUP will allow them to offer up “the most advanced devices for the best value.” They further go on to say that since quality of the mobile phones have improved over the years resulting in a longer lifespan, it isn’t actually necessary to upgrade ever year.
Below is the full copy of the memo:
**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT**
Policy change to Hardware Upgrade Program eligibility
(applies to non BPR/MSD customers)
The Hardware Upgrade Program will now provide a consistent minimum eligibility rule for all customers and eliminate the 3-5 day wait time between a data to data HUP cancellation and the processing of the new HUP.
Effective August 21, 2009, a minimum tenure of 24 months since initial activation or last upgrade will be required before a customer is eligible to participate in the hardware upgrade program. This change aligns all upgrades (voice, voice to data and data to data) with the current data to data HUP policy.
This change also reinforces the importance of explaining to customers that HUP eligibility and quoted hardware/plan pricing are subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed beyond the time of quotation.
Update to HUP eligibility:
The updated HUP eligibility rule of 24 months minimum tenure since a customer’s last upgrade or activation date will be system enforced and no exceptions will be allowed. All other standard HUP eligibility rules still apply.
Reasons for the update to the HUP:
* Rogers Wireless heavily invests in providing the latest data devices at affordable prices to our data customers. This update to the Hardware Upgrade Program is designed to offer a consistent upgrade eligibility to an outstanding selection of the most advanced devices for the best value.
* In addition to the outstanding selection of available devices, there has also been improved level of quality and technology that has gone into the line-up over the past years allowing a longer hardware lifespan.Customer impacts:
Please always check the customer’s account in Vision21 for HUP eligibility to ensure the customer is provided with correct eligibility information.
* Customers may have been eligible and now eligibility may have changed as a result of this update.
* Customers may have been aware of their eligibility prior to the update, but did not take advantage of the program at the time and are currently not eligible as a result of the update.Positioning:
* HUP eligibility as well as quoted hardware/plan pricing are subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed beyond the time of quotation.
* Rogers Wireless sells devices at a significantly lower price than the true value/cost of the device. This update to the Hardware Upgrade Program allows us to continue to offer the best devices at the best value in a fair timeframe for all of our customers.Please note that the information in this bulletin applies to the standard HUP program, and does not take into consideration any existing promotions that may require different eligibility. Always remember to consult the Sales Central bulletins to read the latest in HUP offers.
Thank you for your continued support.
While we understand where Rogers is coming from, it’s hard to put a twist on this and make it seem advantageous to the consumer because it simply isn’t. Unless, of course, you just want a measure to curb your impulsive tendencies to buy a new phone every year, then this definitely suits you well, but if not, you’ll probably frown on this new policy change along with the other Rogers subscribers in Canada.
Anyway, this is just be my opinion on the whole situation so let’s hear from you guys this time around. What’s your take on Rogers’ Hardware Upgrade Program policy change?
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Comments (13)
was out by three days, so long rogers you bunch of fuckers
i think this new policy is completly rediculus! i have just moved from another province and was looking forwerd to a new phone because my old company dosnt exist in manitoba. while ive been telling my friends and family that i will be getting a new phone through my uncle and his plan, we had no idea that rogers would do this. as of now i have a cell phone i cannot use and my family dosnt have the money to start up a new account/contract. so for the next 3 months (how long it is for me untill i can get the upgrade) i have to go without being able to contact anyone except via e-mail and land line. this is such an inconveniance for me and my family as i am starting school in september and will be working and it will be increadibly difficult and tedious to get ahold of my family and friends to tell them what is happening when. if anyone has any info on how to get this policy abolished or any way around it please post. and one last thing, if you go into the store and they tell you there was a notice on your last phone bill, ITS A LIE!! it is not on the bill and you have to go searching for it. i am very angry with rogers and will not become a “valued customer”.
this change is so not consumer friendly, and sneaky at best..
i am now stuck with rogers for 2 more years but ill be getting
a line from another provider asap..
and when my rogers contract expires, i’ll make sure i wont
have to deal with this opportunistic company ever again.
off by 3 daysss too. this is BULLSHYT
i just recently tried to upgrade to an iphone and was informed that i had to wait 2 years. pissed me off, i called customer service and was told the reason they changed it to 24 months was so that they cold recover the cost of the phone. considering i pay $70 a month, and have no issue with a 3 year contract, rogers recovers more than the cost of the phone. i’ve been a rogers customer for 10 years, you would think they would have some preferred customer policy, at the very least allow someone to upgrade from a voice only phone to a smart phone. stupid policy, by stupid people.
man, i went on june to upgrade my phone, i was told you have to wait 2 month and will upgrade my phone, because it was only ten month. I called today and rogers said i have to wait another year.
This is crap, at least rogers should upgrade the phone for the people who already singed contract year ago. totally crap, I I can’t wait for my contract end, i’ll have better plan with some other company
I have been using rogers for 7 years, have 2 lines. One of my my phone is broken and I went to rogers office to renew the broke one. The line is 18 months old sice the last update. They told me about this new 2 years harware upgrade policy and suggested me to call ROGERS customer service. I called the customer service. This lady answered the phone and let me know that I can get a new phone but I have to pay full price. She tried to sell me Blackberry 8100 Flip phone for $240 and tried to sell me blackberry package. I let her know that I don’t want to buy a new package I just want a new working phone. Then, she looked at my other account and told me I can save more by paying more. I reminded her agai that I’m not looking for a new package, I’m looking for a new phone. She informed that she can’t do anything about and it is how it is. I let her know that this is ridiculous and another money trap of Rogers. So now they put me in a situation that I have to buy a new phone which is again ridiculous but Rogers make all their money on behalf of undeserved money they are earning from their customers. Congratulations, never help your customers just count your dollars, I’m sure in long run you will still be successful provider.
the battery of my iPhone lost it’s efficiency. Now i have to wait a year… Fun, im gonna have to recharge it every hour of the day
I just found out about this and I think that it is ridiculous. If we signed the contract last December, before this came in place, we should be able to upgrade after the 12 months. Bad move, Rogers. You’ll be losing a lot of customers over this one.
you guys should realize that an upgrade is a courtesy program they have for their customers. some company don’t even offered upgrade, some companies only upgrade the last 6 months of your contract. some companies will give you a credit of $50 for the first year and $100 for the 2nd year for the cost of a phone at retail price. It’s still better than most companies. some other countries you have to buy it at retail. They don’t subsidized the cost of the phone. wireless is the samething as your cable and internet. If you want internet, you buy youself a computer and if you want cable you buy yourself a TV. they don’t subsidize computer and tv for you. If you want a cellphone, you could still buy it at retail price. companies don’t have subsidized cost of phone for you.
This is dissapointing. In this day and age, it is nearly impossible for most people to stick to one product for more than a year. My phone suited me a year ago, now I have moved on to different things in my life, and a different phone would be more suitable. I don’t see how this is advantageous to Rogers customers, because being a fairly new one, I am unimpressed. I would rather pay the penalty to cancel my contract and switch to another provider than wait 2 years for my outdated hardware to be switched over.
Not happy.
James… thank you for speaking some logic. People need to compare other countries such as Japan (who has the newest technology) and phones are not subsidized at all.
it sucks!!! they are always coming up with new ways to screw their customers and their customer loyalty!!
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