iPhone 3G Costs – UK vs USA vs Canada
The iPhone 3G price plans for Rogers Wireless in Canada were announced today. As per usual it looks as though we are being ripped off compared with the UK and USA.
Not only are you required to sign a 3 year contract, Rogers also nickel and dime you with “system access fees” and making caller display an added extra (what year is this??).
Here’s a nice chart I’ve made that shows the cost breakdown of owning an iPhone in Canada compared with the USA and UK. You’ll be amazed at the difference in cost.
(Click for a larger version)
$3,225! And that is just for the basic plan here in Canada. Sheesh. At least it’s here I suppose?
Update: A nice quote from someone over on the ehMac forums:
“So in other words for the same price as the US we get about a third of the text messages, a third of the anytime minutes, no call display, evenings that start at 9 pm instead of 7 pm and an extra contract year. Oh and I almost forgot, 400Mb of data instead of unlimited.”
Update II: What can we do as Canadians? Here’s a couple of things:
- Learn more about bill C-555
- Sign the bill C-555 petition
- Join over
18,00024,00032,00050,000 other unhappy potential Rogers’ customers and sign the petition at: ruinediphone.com
Adam, 
D and 24 others are discussing. 
J Lane 5:29 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
You know, the really sad part was I read the price plans and my first reaction was “it beats the $400 I spent a couple of months ago for 10 MB of data use”.
Rogers is just like your classic abusive relationship — when they throw you a little bone, you breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Andy Peatling 5:37 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
@J Lane: Very true. It’s really sad that despite the fact we are being grossly ripped off, it is still far better than what we had before.
Jess 5:45 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
Wow. It is sad that we get excited about being put through the ringer.
I would love to get my hands on a few cell towers and open a real wireless company, one that understands the value of more and more connected people, to the company and to our economy in general.
I guess I should start saving……
Raul 6:03 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
One of the biggest killers, particularly for the heavy Twitterers and frequent bloggers (like me) is the data plan (400MB, seriously?).
Which is why I’m going to stick with my trusty Motorola without a camera or data
At least for now.
Andy Peatling 6:11 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
@Jess: I’ll echo that sentiment! I hope in the next few years we see the introduction of new carriers, we really need it. Either that or blanket WiFi/WiMAX coverage.
@Raul: Agreed, heavy users will surely find 400MB too restricting. I know that a lot of first generation iPhone users say they don’t use even close to 400mb so it “should be okay”.
We’re forgetting about the new App Store though, that’s going to add a considerable amount to bandwidth usage.
Jeff Ward 8:03 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
I may be ruining this for the rest of us here but I’ve had a hacked iPhone on Rogers since last year and I’ve been paying for the $65/month data plan for 1GB of transfer (on top of my regular cell plan).
This is the plan for people who have one of those AirCards. The guys at the shop hooked me up with it even though they don’t advertise it that well.
The plan I am on has way more data than the new plans but I’m sure I’ll be forced to switch. Visual voicemail will be great as I constantly keep missing voicemails due to the red dot that is always on whether I have VM or not.
400MB will be fine for me. Even though I currently have a gigabyte, I use maybe 40-50mb maximum. I’m sure with 3G though I’ll want to use it more.
I also think that Rogers will offer an unlimited plan within the next year as they have for some of their other phones. My guess is this is a tactic for them to stretch out your 3-year contract by making you sign again in a year for the new unlimited pricing.
Doesn’t seem like we have a choice, I do love me some iPhone!
Ryan 9:54 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
Couple things, I have iPhone with ATT. I get unlimited nights and weekends free. Also get unlimited in-network calling anytime. Also get rollover minutes.
UPDATED: Rogers Announces iPhone Data Plans; Hopefuls Weep | Touch Podium 10:20 pm on June 27, 2008 Permalink |
[...] Here is Rogers’ official page with all of the details. Here is a comparison of the total cost of the iPhone for the life of the contract between Canada, the US and the UK. [...]
Unlimited Data With Your Rogers iPhone? Think Again « Court Ordered Therapy 1:31 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
[...] Edit: Rogers now has a direct link to their pricing Edit: Thanks to Andy Peating for his handy direct comparison chart [...]
Rich people won’t buy the iPhone 3G in Canada | Long Blog 5:38 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
[...] These are the iPhone 3G plans offered by Rogers. I found a nice comparison between the plans in UK, USA and Canada. [...]
tico24 5:51 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
o2 don’t offer a weekend/evening calling deal. The 600 mins are for any time in the day. This puts things into a different perspective.
Boy_R 10:13 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
In general talk plans in the UK don’t have unlimited evening and weekends. We have anytime minutes instead. Some of the cheaper talk plans do have evening and weekend minutes, but these are usually really bad value. To be honest, I’d rather have a whole load of minutes without the unlimited evening and weekends.
Also, we are not charged for incoming calls or texts. This surely should be part of your table.
Caller ID is generally free in the UK. It’s a basic thing that even the cheapest pay as you go phone has. If they tried to charge for it, there would be uproar.
Rogers really is screwing Canadians big time. I’m moving to Toronto in February and I’m not looking forward to setting up a new contract, with these figures.
iPhone 3G: abonnementen in Zweden, Noorwegen en Canada > Nieuws > iPhoneclub.nl 10:13 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
[...] zekere Andy Peatling heeft een vergelijkend overzichtje gemaakt waarin de tarieven van Engeland, de VS en Canada naast [...]
Suzyb 10:32 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
In the UK we will also be able to buy the iPhone on Pay as you Go making it even cheaper (assuming you don’t use it that often).
Stephen Last 11:54 am on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
You lot in Canada are indeed being ripped off, and you’ve waited long enough for the iPhone in the first place. Also, 3 year min contract is crazy!
I have to say though, it makes a refreshing change for us here in Britain to be the cheapest. We have a phrase over here: “Rip off Britain” which gets used all the time. We pay more for cars, petrol, food, for almost everything. The cost of living here is very high and going up all the time.
I filled my 1.6 litre car at the pump a fews days ago, it cost £55, not sure about Canada, but that would’ve only cost me about £20 in the US. We’re at 115p (cheapest) per litre now!!!
The iPhone is one of the very few things it seems we get the best deal on.
jason 4:09 pm on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
you should add a columns for ’system access fee + 911′ charges.
rogers make at&t look like an angel.
MILE 4:43 pm on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
Wow, that’s even worse than what we have here in Germany…!? Kinda sucks…
Generally I think they Brits do have the best plans in comparison to other countries…and now Canada may actually have the worst…
flyingmetalspatula 6:52 pm on June 28, 2008 Permalink |
Great article – your price comparison is invaluable to those new users. I feel sorry for those who aren’t aware of what the competitive wireless market outside of Canada offers.
My Happy Medium » Fuck you Rogers 5:02 am on June 29, 2008 Permalink |
[...] you have certainly met my expectations for the iPhone. Your price plans [...]
itsuccess 5:54 pm on June 29, 2008 Permalink |
Hi Andy…I will be posting this on my blog as well because we are getting ripped off in Canada. My firm IT Matters (http://www.itmatters.ca) is a big Microsoft Mobility shop and also a Blackberry shop. I talk with Microsoft about mobility on a regular occassion and they are wondering why mobility isn’t taking off in this country. Well geez, I wonder why! It is not a RIM or Microsoft problem it is a carrier, and a greed problem in Canada. Telus and BELL are no different!
Look for my post on http://www.weareitpros.ca
Cheers
Stuart Crawford
IT Matters Inc.
http://www.itmatters.ca
http://www.stuartcrawford.com
Are ROGERS, Telus and BELL limiting Mobility Growth : We are IT Professionals! 6:04 pm on June 29, 2008 Permalink |
[...] I encourage you to visit Andy’s posting at http://apeatling.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/iphone-3g-costs-uk-vs-usa-vs-canada/ [...]
Rogers iPhone: Get a second mortgage » mathewingram.com/work | 7:51 pm on June 29, 2008 Permalink |
[...] the site had accumulated more than 10,000 names). There are some detailed responses here, and also here, and serial tech entrepreneur Albert Lai has a response to the plans here. Former Tory candidate [...]
Greg Sadetsky 9:03 pm on June 29, 2008 Permalink |
Petition on the subject:
http://ruinediphone.com/
EDITing in the Dark » Canadian iPhone rates get American attention 10:51 pm on June 29, 2008 Permalink |
[...] when American media picks up a Canadian story. There is also a link in the comments to a site that compares many of the international [...]
Rogers’ iPhone 3G Plans Drive Canadians Crazy « Element9 3:24 am on June 30, 2008 Permalink |
[...] you think that, “Ok well, what could be so bad?”, below is a table (courtesy: Andy Peatling) comparing the rate plans for the iPhone 3G from 3 different carriers in 3 different countries [...]
Andy 4:44 pm on June 30, 2008 Permalink |
@Jeff Ward: Thanks for the tip, this may be worth looking in to. I hope they do change these plans, even if it is progressively. The three year tie in still really bugs me, so unnecessary.
@Greg: Thanks for the link, I’ve added it to the article.
Jesse 2:16 am on July 1, 2008 Permalink |
Lets not forget that the U.S w/ ATT get rollover minutes (carry over your unused minutes , expire after 1 yr) and they’re plans are nationwide. Canada is strictly limited to the city you live in. You will get charged roaming even if you drive 30 minutes outside your city. Im assuming the iphone crapass data plan will charge roaming as well if your not in your city (i have the unlimited on-device mobile internet plan and got charged data roaming while travelling 1 hr away from home this past bill. The U.S also has mobile-mobile calling, meaning you can call any AT&T cell without using your minutes. I’d maybe consider a lower minute plan if they had mobile to mobile. This is ridiculous. I spend about $80/mth anyways on my cell plan, but i’d rather spend that, if not more, having an unlimited data plan. I cant believe rogers is pissing this many people off and it hasnt even launched in the stores yet. I dont understand who would be stupid enough to make up these plans and expect people to just pay for it. They also state on the website now, that if you cancel while in your contract, you could pay up to $1100. Who the hell can pay $1100 on a cell phone bill, just to cancel?!?!?! I honestly dont even mind the 3 year contract as Rogers is somewhat more advanced than bell or telus who dont even use sim cards yet (im a fan of buying phones online and just popping my sim card in). I hope if anyone even considers the 400 MB plan, they at least make sure they can monitor their data usage. If not, you’re guaranteed to see thousands of dollars of overages. I’m glad i dont work for Rogers right now, it must be really embarassing!!!!
Rogers Wireless Announces iPhone Plans « Ramblings on IT 4:38 am on July 1, 2008 Permalink |
[...] that means something. I’ve been paying $90+ per month, but not for much longer if the the value equation doesn’t get a whole lot better. I want a better Windows Mobile handset than my Treo 700wx, and don’t want to have to monitor [...]
XaV'S 6:00 am on July 1, 2008 Permalink |
FYI, i have made a translation in french of the chart.
Michael Martin 10:15 pm on July 1, 2008 Permalink |
In the UK, you also get a free “bolt-on” with the plan. So as well as the default package you’ve mentioned above, you could get unlimited texts, or unlimited weekend calls.
The bolt-ons are listed here: http://www.o2.co.uk/mobilestariffs/tariffs/paymonthly/boltons
I didn’t realize how good a deal we were getting until I read this page. The Rogers charges are a disgrace!
(Still not sure if I can afford the iPhone though! xD )
iPhone price comparison at The NAvAP 12:17 am on July 2, 2008 Permalink |
[...] to Andy Peatling for creating a price comparison between three of the countries that the iPhone 3G will be first [...]
Brad Touesnard 11:19 pm on July 3, 2008 Permalink |
It’s funny, I’ve realized that this plan will cost me about the same as the phone plan (no data) I have now. How ridiculous is that?
I agree, it’s pretty sad that some of us are actually relieved that they are not screwing us as hard. It’s a gentler boning.
Franco Borgo 1:21 pm on July 6, 2008 Permalink |
I think you forgot those few thing that AT&T offer but not Rogers
- Rollover minutes
- Free mobile to Mobile
- Free Long distance call in the country
There is also the final taxe GST/PST (12.875% in Qc) that we need to add to the total Canadian price.
My experience in line on iPhone 3G Launch Day | Long Nguyen Blog 1:30 pm on July 12, 2008 Permalink |
[...] You probably already heard about the Canadian Rogers Petition. There were people from that, who were giving away sheets that showed comparisons of iPhone 3G prices between Canada, UK and US. [...]
Top Posts « WordPress.com 12:08 am on July 13, 2008 Permalink |
[...] iPhone 3G Costs – UK vs USA vs Canada The iPhone 3G price plans for Rogers Wireless in Canada were announced today. As per usual it looks as though we are [...] [...]
Blastr.tv » Blog Archive » Blastr EPISODE 44 - 3G IPHONE! OMG 3:03 pm on July 13, 2008 Permalink |
[...] I’m not getting an iPhone in Canada, sign the petition! 60,000 [...]
Stephen 7:29 pm on July 22, 2008 Permalink |
This chart isn’t quite fair. It’s based on the different (even if mandatory) plan lengths. It assumes if you live in the U.K. you are going to only own your iPhone for 1.5 years, where as if you live in Canada, you’ll own it for 3 (implied by the phrase “Total Cost of iPhone”).
Rishil 9:29 am on August 15, 2008 Permalink |
Unlocked iPhone could be a dream come true, easy tools also now available..
http://askwiki.blogspot.com/2008/08/much-awaited-iphone-unlook-tool-now.html
Enjoy!!
Super Pricy IPhone reaches India « does not exist 8:16 am on August 21, 2008 Permalink |
[...] people in Canada are protesting against high Iphone prices . The ruined iphone site, is something that people in India should follow. The thing is, we are [...]
Urban Iulian » Lacomia Orange a facut ca romanii sa plateasca cel mai piperat pret pentru iPhone 3G! 2:43 am on August 25, 2008 Permalink |
[...] TABELUL COMPARATIV AL PRETURILOR UK vs US vs. CANADA Aceste informatii le puteti vizualiza aici http://apeatling.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/iphone-3g-costs-uk-vs-usa-vs-canada/. Telefonul iPhone 3G poate fi cumparat si fara abonamentul Orange, putandu-se folosi o cartela [...]
Smart A.. 8:27 pm on September 4, 2008 Permalink |
Canadians,wake up!My friend bought iPhone in States over a year ago for little money,bought the cheapest prepaid fido phone then switched the PIN card in a second.Simple,clean,fast.
All you need is use your brain.
Iphone 2:34 pm on November 17, 2008 Permalink |
I love iPhone 3g..
Does rip-off Britain still exist? The Bitterwallet price comparison test | BitterWallet 4:00 am on March 3, 2009 Permalink |
[...] (If you’re interested in comparing the iPhone 3G, Andy Peatling does a pretty good job on his blog). [...]
D 5:43 am on March 11, 2009 Permalink |
The service for Canada is a joke… Whats with the 7 extra dollars being charged for caller display but its not an option in the plan? Seems like the company is getting more bang for our buck.
Adam 10:57 am on September 3, 2009 Permalink |
I got a 1 year cheap deal with 02 here in Britain, £20 a month with an unlimited bolt on for the Internet for an extra £5 a month, went online and purchased an iPhone from the USA for £175. Put in my sim card and saved myself nearly £800 pounds as the phone was mine and I was tied in for only a year and not the 2 years they wanted if I has got the phone through them. I am now on the same tarrif out of contract and pay only £30 a month including the Internet and the phone is still going strong, oh and I sold the original phone as unused in it’s box for £50.
iPhone ook in Canada niet meer exclusief - iPhone - iPhoneclub.nl 12:11 am on October 6, 2009 Permalink |
[...] voor het eerst concurrentie krijgt. De prijzen van de iPhone en bijbehorende abonnementen zijn in Canada veel hoger dan in andere landen: je moet een abonnement voor 3 jaar afsluiten en bent voor de duur van de [...]
Rogers doesn’t get it « nishant mehrotra 10:37 pm on October 29, 2009 Permalink |
[...] Rogers doesn’t get it Published October 30, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment Tags: iphone, marketing I’ve recently came to the realization that my 3 year contract with Rogers (Canadian Wireless company) has come to an end. Now I can finally get an Iphone! However my happiness lasted about 10 seconds when I realized the lack of options for us Canadian Iphone lovers. Were getting ripped off big time people. Check out the below chart, courtesy of Andy Peatling. [...]