Monday, June 30, 2008

Rogers relents, sweetens deal for iPhone 3G.

In apparent about face, Rogers has updated it's iPhone 3G webpage to include information about alternate plans (including getting the iPhone without a data plan at all), and free bonus minutes for 3 months.

Price Plan Downgrade Fee
If you have subscribed to an iPhone Voice & Data Package or a Voice Price Plan with a Monthly Service Fee of more than $30, then a Price Plan Downgrade Fee of $50 will be applied to your invoice if, for any reason, you change to a Price Plan with a Monthly Service Fee of $30 or less at any time during the Service Agreement Term.

They have conveniently worded it so that the plethora of people out there with a $30 voice plan must either upgrade to a higher-cost voice plan or else pay a $50 downgrade fee.

Rogers spokesperson Liz Hamilton claimed consumers were just confused about the plans, but there was never any mention before on Rogers' website of allowing alternate plans, and several people have reported that Rogers customer service agents told them otherwise.

It is not clear yet if Fido will have the same policies, as this information has not yet appeared on the Fido website. If it does, I may get an iPhone after all.

In the meantime:

1. RuinediPhone.com has gotten well over 20000 signatures, but unfortunately their website now seems to be down.

2. Joy of Tech's comic summarizes this mess quite nicely.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

RuinediPhone.com gets almost 11000 signatures

Just a few days after the website went up (initially as ****yourogers.com), RuinediPhone.com has almost 11000 signatures. This has gotten the attention of media outlets around the net, including CNNMoney/Fortune.

Rogers probably didn't expect the backlash, but I think it's well deserved.