**This is an opinion piece by Chris Aceto, contributing writer.**
I’m heading to California next week and I thought I’d plan ahead by calling Rogers and activating a US Data Pack. On the Rogers website I noticed some interesting plans on the Smartphone Data Plan page, namely the $40 travel plan.
TRAVEL PLAN
$40/mo
1 GB of data for
Canada & the U.S.
Additional Data $0.25 / MB
The above package seems like a great deal even though I will only be in the U.S. for 10 days. I decided to see if Rogers updated their U.S. Data Travel Packs to reflect these new data plan options, unfortunately they didn’t.
US TRAVEL PACKS
$60
75 MB of data
Additional Data $.80 / MB
What a joke! $40 for 1GB versus $60 for 75MB. Is Rogers serious?
I currently pay roughly $150 month for my Rogers plan and I think it’s unethical and insulting to turn around and ask me, a 10 year customer, to pay $60 for 75MB of data when I travel to the US no more than twice a year.
Rogers is clearly offering cheaper travel options in the form of monthly data plans which are 50% of the price with 1200% more data.
Seriously. Do the shot-callers at Rogers really think that little of us? Do they laugh at the fact that we, their loyal customers, pay these ridiculous prices even when their pricing structure shows blatant contradictions such as this one?
Those of you that are traveling abroad and are thinking of taking a TRAVEL PACK, please be aware that you are paying twice as much for a thousand times less data than someone who opts for the monthly travel pack.
The excuse that Rogers provided is that, “the system won’t allow us to add the monthly travel pack. If it’s added you will lose your current $30/6GB plan and will be charged for downgrading your plan $5/mnth for each month left in your contract upto $100. The Travel Pack is really the best option for you. We can offer you 75MB for a one time charge of $60”. I’m sorry Rogers. What was I thinking? If the system won’t allow it, of course I’ll pay this ridiculously high amount, knowing full well that you’re ripping me off. I’m sorry for being such a bother, asking to be treated fairly. If the system can’t compute this complicated request I’ll just pay whatever you want. No problem.
That’s fine Rogers. Keep treating us like morons. I will gladly pay $500 to break my contract 3 years early, if what you’re telling me is that you’re willing to lose $6600 over the next 3 years ($5400 Wireless + $1260 iPad Data) rather than let me pay you an extra $40 for 1GB of US data that I will only use for 10 days?
Who’s the idiot?
If you’re as angry as I am use this page to contact the Office of the President. Fill out the form and quote this article.
Bell Canada! Telus!? Are you there? This is the perfect time to step-up your game!
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Someone's got their cranky pants on today. 🙂
Yes, it sucks donkey balls. No, I won't buy travel packs or plans, I'd rather shut off data the few times I travel.
they're all a bunch of crooks
Unfortunately, I need to use data when abroad. Otherwise, shutting off data would be the best option. What's crazy here is that I'm willing to pay for it. I just want to pay a fair price… a price that they actually offer other customers. Is anyone else confused by this? The lack of logic behind what Rogers is doing is mind boggling.
I recently was in the states and needed to use data. I knew the travel pack was a rip off, but I didn't want to add something to my plan for the long term.
Rogers always seems to set up these types of situations where you are forced to get something you don't really want to pay less, or you need to add on all sorts of expensive extras just to get what you want.
I am using my unlock 3G with ATT pay as you go while in the US. But you must be on iOS 2.x for that. With 3.x, ATT no longer allow iphones to get data on pay as you go plan.
I did not find any decent solution since then for a 3.x iOS phone.
60$ for 75MB is what i use whe I have no choice. But 75MO does not drive you far…
i think fido offers something similar but its 30 bucks
Rogers sucks, I wouldn't switch to them even if their plans were cheaper than the competition.
better to jailbreak and unlock – and easy now 🙂
There is a simple solution. Add the monthly travel plan, then cancel it next month. (Bell won't allow this. Once you add something, you need to keep it for a while).
Better yet, since you are a 10 year subscriber, call Customer Service and tell them what you want, and they will arrange both the add and cancel. You just need to estimate the voice time and data you need. I've done this for vacations.
This kind of gouging makes unlocking an attractive option.
As I stated in my post. Adding the monthly travel plan is an option, however, they would have to remove my “limited time offer” $30/6GB plan. Also, they will pro-rate the billing and I have to call in to change back, assuming they haven't removed the offer when I do.
Are you suggesting that I lose my $30/6GB plan and replace with with a $40 1GB US plan even though I only need it for 10 days?
I shouldn't have to call customer service every time I travel and plead with them to work out some Frankenstein option that still doesn't work properly. Rogers needs to upgrade their travel plans to more accurately reflect the monthly option rates.
ah.. why was my post removed? 🙁
well maybe a mistake.
btw, rogers really have bad plans!!
they just changed their student plans too!
same price, but instead of my10 and 6pm, they are giving my5, and evening from 9pm 🙁
grr
LOL, Rogers has an “Office of the President” too? That's where Telus sends you when you're upset too. They call it that to make you feel important.
“I got all the way up to the Office of the President with my complaint!” lol.
Well I've just been spun into a whole new universe of disappointment. According to my local Rogers store, Apple sent the word this a.m. no iphones for at least 2 – 3 weeks. Another store said “could be a couple days, most likely a few weeks”. Put your credit cards away for now my friends.
More reason to buy a unlocked device or jailbreak. Rogers does rip you off for travelling…
Nice to know and now I don't feel so bad about purchasing (and still waiting for) and unlocked IPhone 4 off the Apple site. When I travel to the US, I will pop in an AT&T SIM card and that will be that.
I don't know why you're so surprised. A one-time thing will always be way more expensive than a long-term. Would you complain about the price of one bottle of water versus a case of 24? The price of a magazine off a newsstand versus a subscription? The price of a day's worth of wi-fi capabilities while travelling versus your monthly home internet? Travel insurance for short-term versus a long-term health plan? It's economies of scale.
Stop being such a whiner
dude I'm with ya but I'm not a roger's they abviously haven't updated this package in 10 years and they are just being morons
And you don't think that $30 for 6GB is alot of money?? I think it was to much money. It should be liek a $6 feature to use 6GB. Companies continue to charge what they want because people continue to pay. It is so simple.
All this different cell phone companies started up did anything change? No. And by you paying for it anyways just proves to them that they can charge what they want. Because you say you need it. I don't know where this need stems from but it sure isn't necescity, it is more of a want. You want to be connected 24hrs a day you don't need to.
Just connect to a wifi source when your down there.
That is a horrible comparison. Of course I would complain if I could buy a bottle of water for $9.99 and a case of 24 for $5.99. It is ridiculous. Obviously people expect to pay a bit of a premium for the fact that it's a onetime purchase, but the premium per MB they are expecting their customers to pay is absolutely atrocious. This is more than a 3000% markup per MB.
go to bell, better and faster network. Customer service is not the best, but you have better options for american data.
Yes but that will not give you data unless you subscribe to an AT&T data plan, unless I am much mistaken!
The problem is that we are all slaves to these smart phones now, we can't live without internet/email for 1 week.
There seems to be some confusion here, unless I am totally out to lunch. The original post is talking about DATA, not voice. Some respondents appear to believe that by buying an unlocked phone, they can simply slip in a US carrier's SIM card (AT&T) and voila! I do not think that it is as simple as that. Yes, you can buy a SIM for your unlocked phone, and use an AT&T pay as you go voice plan, but unless you are willing to subscribe to a DATA plan for a year or more, I think you are out of luck. In other words, I am not aware of a pay as you go DATA plan. If someone knows something to the contrary, I would love to know!
Cheers!
Is your phone unlocked? When I travel I always just purchase a country-specific SIM card. When I was in the UK I was paying approximately $0.80 a DAY for 50MB of data, NO CONTRACT. I'm with Rogers too, but I try to deal as little as possible with those jokers and thieves.
Hence why I gladly purchased an iPhone 4 outright and unlocked.
I have had it with Rogers pricing games – mobile and television – just sent this message to the president and expect to have a reply the day after hell freezes over!
“This is not so much a complaint as an observation. I recently spoke with a Rogers Customer Care Representative regarding the business case to be made for purchasing an unlocked phone versus a locked contracted phone. When I asked to speak with a Manager I was told no one was available. I left my number and no one ever called me back. I feel strongly that Rogers voice and data plans for travellers to the US are hugely overpriced. I used to pay $60 per month for voice only roaming in the US but recently cancelled the service as my US travel has declined. I have now discovered that if I have an unlocked phone I can buy plans in the US for about 15% of the annual cost from Rogers, for voice and data – and further only pay for what I use. I have since made the decision to purchase an unlocked phone and will not be renewing my contract with Rogers when it expires next year. In addition I am about to cancel the majority of my TV services in favour of an IPTV solution with which I only have to pay for what I want, when I want it. I am currently a $450 a month customer of yours and have been a loyal subscriber for many years. I have worked for Rogers Broadcasting in the past and have been a big supporter of the “little company that Ted built”. He must be spinning in his grave with all the negative publicity Rogers is receiving these days over the increasingly poor customer service we are receiving.”
Really? I assumed there was an option with AT&T. Will have to double-check. Thanks Kevin.
I went to an AT&T booth in Tucson last year and asked for a pay as you go data plan for my unlocked 3GS and was told no such thing existed. YRMV.
Leaving Rogers for Bell on July 30th was the best decision I've ever made.
This seems perfectly reasonable I don't know why your going crazy about it the prices are reasonable.
This is why I bought my iPhone4 from Apple. not that I travel so often, but I'm no longer willing to be held captive to any (all?) of the providers who screw us with misleading fees that appear to be government mandated, “value packs” that only include unwanted service options, forcing you to subscribe to several unwanted services, to get the one service you do want. Seriously, where's the bare-bones simple “Caller ID+Visual V.Mail” option?
These are all confugurable options that they could easily make available, and have thousands of happy users, paying for exactly the services they want.
Exactly! I have no problem, whatsoever, paying extra for US data. However, a difference of over 1000% is ludicrous!
Agreed..I'm glad I got my10 Canada wide in 2008, there doesn't seem to be a my10 anymore 🙁
Even last year's student data plan was decent.. 200 mins + my10 Canada + 500mb of data for $50 + 6pm evenings. Just a few days ago this was on the site…not anymore 🙁 The new plans suck.
On a different note: Whats the point of having the phone released in Canada if you can't get the thing. I have been trying every since friday. No where on Vancouver Island can I fin one..Even the apple store in Vancouver is out.
Maybe they should of waited a month.
Be sure to sign your comment next time, Nadir.
Huh! Well, for now I'm in good 'ole Canada and I will research all the Canadian providers very carefully until my IPhone comes in and see who has the best US Data Plan.
I know someone who works for AT&T. I'm going to try to reach him and see what he has to say.
If it makes you feel any better the same package would be $85 on Telus. They have a $10 data pack that gives you $1/MB data, so $10+$75 for the 75 MB.
A better deal if you aren't going to use 75 MB of data I guess, but still a pretty big rip off. Seems like, if you travel to the US a lot it is better to just buy a phone outright, then use pay as you go data plans when down there.
You must be trying to leave a comment on some other article. Or did you not see this part:
“Rogers is clearly offering cheaper travel options in the form of monthly data plans which are 50% of the price with 1200% more data.”
How is that reasonable?
Maybe you can talk to retentions. but even you switch to Bell or Telus, I doubt you'll get any special treatment…
should have bought a unlocked phone
Unless you have a monthly data plan or an actual iPhone sim card from AT&T (and not from a pay as you go phone), you cannot use AT&T data on an unlocked iPhone 3G/3GS/4 – they will still let you buy it of course but it says you don't have a valid data plan if you try to use it on the phone. AT&T made this change awhile ago. Ironically, the same sim works fine with data in an Android phone.
So yes, having an unlocked iPhone is nice but useless if you are hoping to use it with AT&T in the US.
I bought one yesterday at the Montreal Apple store…they are receiving a few 100 everyday around 14:00
Although i agree with the author's outrage, i must say that articles as blatantly opinionated as these should be proofread by fellow editors. By posting this you are no longer being objective as a WEBSITE.
Do we come here for the news on the iphone? Or for outraged blog posts?
I'm in the same boat. Have a list of stores I call every day. Zilch. Only way is to line up outside an Apple store before 6am. I guess Apple doesn't want people with jobs buying their phones
The roaming charges are a total joke. Thank goodness the ipad is unlocked and so when I travel to the US I just get a months worth of service with AT&T on my ipad and I try to avoid using my iphone. But if travelled frequently then purchasing an unlocked iphone would be the way to go.
I travel to the US a few times a year and have an ATT pay-as-you-go SIM. I put $100 on it so it lasts for a year.
I start a 30 day data package when i go and it costs $20 for 100MB (IIRC). I don't use that much on my fido account here per month so it's enough for me.
I have an iPhone 3G and use data on an ATT pay-as-you-go SIM all the time.
I completely agree Turtle. To me it sounds like he's trying to get Rogers to give HIM a break because of the popularity of this blog site. Yes it's outrages but so are all the other options with all the other carriers in Canada.
I have travelled to the US many times and used pay as you go. The data option is media net and provides 100 MB to use within 30 days. You can buy a sim card on eBay or in an AT&T store. If you get it from eBay it can be activated online but in Canada you will not be able to get the text for the account password until you are in the US. Refills also add some trouble as you cannot use most Canadian credit cards. You will have to either get the refill at a US store or use pinzoo and paypal to pay. To get the data to work you have to configure your APN settings. Settings are available on factory unlocked phones or by putting in the AT&T sim in a hack unlocked Rogers phone. The APN settings can also be changed by using apn changer website to install the AT&T profile. Since the I phone uses a lot of data make sure that you have media net setup before having the phone on as it will use your balance in minutes (even when the phone is just checking push mail and not on safari).
Hope this helps