14 DAY TRIAL // Canada is among the lucky countries that will get Apple's new iPhone 3G starting July 11, as the touchscreen handset will be offered by Rogers Wireless and Fido. Well, Fido is in fact a subsidiary of Rogers, hence Canadian users won't be able to buy the new iPhone from two completely different carriers.
Anyway, both Rogers and Fido have announced today the plans available with the purchase of iPhone 3G. Unfortunately, for those living north of the US, neither Rogers nor Fido will allow users to opt for an unlimited data plan. Furthermore, the two Canadian carriers have prepared exactly the same plans, priced in a similar manner.
The cheapest plan comes at $60 per month and includes: 400MB of data, 150 minutes of voice calling during daytime, unlimited calls in the evenings and in weekends, 75 text messages and unlimited visual voicemail. The most expensive plan costs $115 per month and includes: 2GB of data, 800 minutes of voice calling during daytime, unlimited calls in the evenings and in weekends, 300 text messages and unlimited visual voicemail. All plans, regardless of their price, offer unlimited Wi-Fi access for Rogers' and Fido's Hotspots.
Any of the plans that users will choose also requires a contract agreement for no less than three years. For more detailed info and pricing of all the Rogers and Fido iPhone 3G plans, please see the images attached on the left.
Talking about the iPhone 3G and the newly announced plans, John Boynton, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Rogers Wireless, said: "As Canada's leading wireless carrier, Rogers is thrilled to not only bring the iPhone 3G to Canada but to make it affordable and accessible to as many customers as possible. We've designed a pricing structure that offers affordable, flexible voice and data packages so Canadians can truly unleash their iPhone 3G experience on Canada's fastest wireless network."
Sylvain Roy, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Fido, also made a declaration, which kind of says the same thing, only reported to Fido (obviously): "As the wireless provider voted number one in wireless satisfaction, Fido is thrilled to offer a variety of well-priced voice and data plans making iPhone 3G accessible to as many of our customers as possible. These pricing plans will allow our urban customer base easy enjoyment of all that iPhone 3G has to offer."
The bottom line is that, although Rogers and Fido are trying to present their iPhone 3G data plans in a favorable light, Canadian mobile users will apparently pay the highest amount of money for the most unattractive offers and also for the longest period of time (three years). But the iPhone 3G might be worth it. Or not?
