Gus Digital
my digital realm, my digital voice
my digital realm, my digital voice
Sep 7th
As some of you have known, I had cancelled my Rogers contract a month ago to get my iPhone. At the time it was the only way for a new and current client of Rogers to get an iPhone, before waiting for their “upgrade window” to come (usually 12 months). A week after my cancellation and move over to Fido (to keep my current number), Rogers changed their policy to allow current clients with a good standing record after 3 months to upgrade their phone.
I wasn’t too pleased with them, yet again, and filed a complain with the Better Business Bureau. I had thought nothing would come of this.
On Friday I received a call from Rogers regarding my complain. Rogers, being them, played dumb and asked me why I should get my money back when I “signed a contract”. I quickly let “Rosie” know that the reason I was wanting my money back was because they changed the rules a week after I cancelled. Rosie of course was saying that I had already a subsidized phone and thus was responsible for the $400 cancellation fee. I told her Rogers themselves said the only way for me to get the iPhone was to cancel my contract. She asked me for proof of this. I wasn’t sure I had the email still from Rogers that told me to do just that, so she offered to return $200 back to me to satisfy the complaint.
I have found the email which stated:
In your recent email, you have informed us that you are disappointed
that you cannot upgrade your current cell phone to the new iPhone.We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
You would be able to upgrade to the iPhone after 12 months of your
current contract as we allow an upgrade once a year if needed.The iPhone 3G pricing is competitive and as you’ve read, it’s a heavily
subsidized model:The maximum early cancellation fee is $400, the 8GB model is $199,
that’s $600. To compare, that’s the original price of iPhone 2G and this
one is twice as fast.$600 is also well within the range of a variety of our unsubsidized
smartphones today (BB Curve $549.99; Nokia N95 is $689.99).
Gotcha!
I think I’ll have my full $400 back please and thank you! I’ll be calling Rosie on Monday and send her the lovely email.
UPDATE:
Well it looks like now they don’t want to return any money to me and have said they will close off their files on this matter? WTF?!!!! When speaking with Rosey, she claimed now that the fee stays. I wanted to speak to her supervisor, but of course she wasn’t there so I left a message and have yet to hear back from her after 1 day.
I’m still going to fight this. Who’s with me?!
Aug 9th
Today I was catching up on my RSS Feeds and I came across this interesting blog post by John Beihler. It looks like Rogers has changed their rules on upgrading your phone. As you are all probably aware I have been trying to get an iPhone from Rogers and they have refused to let me do so until my 12 months were up. Last week I had said “screw you” and cancelled my contract (which they had suggested) and went over to Fido and picked up an iPhone. But oh no Rogers has to say “no screw you” and throw this in my face.
What is a boy to do?
I’m not sure they will revert my cancellation fee back as I know they will say that I cancelled from Rogers and moved over to Fido. Granted if I stayed with Rogers themselves they might have returned the fee back.
Should I be surprised at this. I don’t think so. I think Rogers finally realized that they have pissed off so many of their clients and they are fearing that people will just let their contracts run out and wait for the new players to come into the market. I think this is their way to secure customers for another 3 years which will make it difficult for the new players to get customers.
Time will tell and see if Rogers will let my cancellation fee go, but I think hell will freeze over first before that happens.
Aug 2nd
Well I did it. I cancelled my Rogers contract and headed to Fido and got myself a brand new iPhone.
I have to say the process wasn’t as bad as I feared and they actually had some iPhones in stock. The whole process took about 20 minutes to complete. Granted the cancelation fee is going to hurt, but I feel sticking it out was going to hurt worse in the long run.
I have to say this is a sweet gadget that does just about everything I would wanted it to execpt record video.
So far I am enjoying so off the applications as well, including the Wordpress application that I am using to type this post.
Here is looking at 3 wonderful years to come.
Jul 17th
Well Rogers you did it! You have crushed my dreams of owning an iPhone. How does that make you feel? What’s that? You don’t care? Yeah I figured as much.
I have been going back and forth with Rogers this past week trying to attempt to get an iPhone.
First they tell me I’m not able to upgrade until I have been with them for 12 months. When I question this and let them know that they are treating their “new customers” like dirt, they return with another offer. What is that offer? Cancel your contract and pay $400 and then get a new three year contract and start like a new customer. I’m not at that point yet.
My hopes grew when a friend referred me to FIDO’s site and they have “something in the works” for people who don’t qualify for an upgrade and are new customers.
When I questioned Rogers on this, their response:
We are unsure of what FIDO is planning, however, be advised that the terms for obtaining the phone are the same between FIDO and Rogers. We do not have any information about anything planned in the future by FIDO and the IPhone, nor at the present time does Rogers. This product has been available for less than a week now and the terms are still applicable.
What? As a parent company you have *no* idea what is in the works?
I think my frustration is more on the “hush hush” that Rogers has. I think if they just open up and tell people that something is in the works that would be great!
I’m even willing to pay a premium to get the iPhone now, but just not willing to spend $400 and cancel and then renew again.
At this point my dreams have been crushed. We’ll see how I feel in a few days, weeks or months.
As a new Rogers customer I feel like I’m in prison waiting for my parol hearing to come in 12 months to decide if I qualify for the phone.
I fully regret signing up with Rogers and I should have gone with FIDO long time ago!
Jul 11th
Today is the official launch of the iPhone in Canada, but the 3G model no less and I have ot admit I’m feeling envious to all the people that currently lined up and will be purchasing this awesome looking device today. I had been waiting for this for over a year and I had even signed up with Rogers 4 months ago in anticipation for this. Alas since doing this so early, I am on a "contract" and cannot get one for a year. This just bites and it bites hard.
A good friend of mine says he knows a manager at one of the Rogers store and is getting one (even though he is currently on a contract himself). If he does, I am going to try to get one myself next week since I will be going camping this weekend and this will get me away from the city and avoid seeing my fellow techies walking around with the phone I’d love to have!
A co-worker of mine had said that today will be a sad day for me and that I should have called in sick. He did say to other co-workers that no one should talk about the iPhone today to help me out – What a nice guy
So to all how have gotten the iPhone, just know this guy here is envious.
Enjoy the iPhone everyone!!
Jun 30th
I have signed it, you should too!
Update: Based on their Facebook page, this site has been blocked by Rogers (no surprise here), but you can still access the site via a webproxy. When I did and looked at their blog, it looks like the they have a new DNS and will need about 48 hours for it populate.
It also looks like Rogers might be caving in and saying you can use any data plans now and any voice plans. I wonder then if the $7/month unlimited websurfing would work then.
Jun 9th
I have to admit I have never written a post just for the sake of writing something or for “Link Love”.
I thought I was well due to this.
As everyone knows, Apple announced their much anticipated 3G iPhone today, which will be available on July 11th through Rogers here in Canada. You can read more information on Duane’s and John’s blog.
Also over on Rebecca’s blog, she is giving away tickets to K.D. Lang this coming Friday, check it out and leave a comment to enter for your chance to win.
Raul has posted a nice birthday post for Tanya, aka Netchick and you can read his lovely post there.
Buzz Bishop is off to Disney for their Diabetes ride in January’09 and you can help him and his 95 Crave team meet their goal for this great fundraiser.
My old friend Antoni is adopting an elderly neighbourhood, where you can help out your elderly neighbours.
Have a great day everyone!
Apr 29th
It’s official. Today Rogers announced that the Apple iPhone is coming to Canada this year. Though not much more was said, I’m definitely excited about it finally arriving officially in Canada.
Of course the questions on how much it will be and how much the data plan will be still remains to be seen. As well the launch date wasn’t mentioned. I hope the phone won’t cost over $600, but with our luck it probably will be. It will most likely be the 3G version of the phone which is suppose to be launched sometime this summer.
I was hoping to have gotten the scoop ahead of time from my niece (who works at Rogers), but alas she was tight lipped about the whole thing. Maybe she can make it up to me by sending me an iPhone when it arrives.
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