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Rogers: “What does Unlimited really mean… not much!”
At the 2010 Canadian Telecom Summit today Rogers President Rob Bruce was comparing our rates to our southern counterparts in the United States – specifically unlimited plans and how we actually get more value up here in Canada. Bruce stated that “Here’s another fact. On Smartphones people talk about all Unlimited plans in the US. And yes… I know it makes for catchy marketing. But what does Unlimited really mean… not much. Our research shows that average daily use on an iPhone is about 210 MB and more than 90% of iPhone customers use less than 500MB of data.”
So if offering Unlimited plans to customers actually doesn’t mean much… where does this put all the new entrants Public Mobile, Wind Mobile and Mobilicity who came into the market heavily promoting that Unlimited plans are the way to go. Is this just a “catchy marketing” ploy or do we really need Unlimited in Canada?
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43 comments for “Rogers: “What does Unlimited really mean… not much!””
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Then they have nothing to worry about with offering unlimited plans. The reason people aren’t using more data on their plans is they are afraid of going over and being billed ridiculous amounts of overage charges.
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I like how they don’t like talking about Long distance in Canada while everywhere in the States is free.
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I like how he uses Canadian data he stated as an answer for unlimited usage in the US; two different markets, the so called findings he mentioned on Canadian usage is low because people are afraid to use their data only as a last resort so they don’t get hit with the overage fees….people try to connect via wifi. This is why your self contained little research comes up as you stated “nothing” from where i’m sitting.
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If no one is using it, why wont you just give it to us? People clearly want unlimited, and if your right that 90% uses less that 500MB, what difference does it make? It sounds like a scam to me. I’m happy with Wind Mobile, thx.
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“Our research shows that average daily use on an iPhone is about 210 MB and more that 90% of iPhone customers use less than 500MB of data.”
I don’t get it. So the average iPhone user only uses their iPhone for 2 days per month? What kind of research are these guys doing?
-Shayne
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Everytime a Rogers/Bell/Telus representative uses the statistics that “90% of our customers have plans under $40″ or “most of our customers use 200mb of data” to justify not having unlimited, they are misleading the public. The question is not what people are currently subscribing to right now but 1) what do they WANT to use 2) what will their data needs be in subsequent years. Obviously people who have a 500mb data bucket are going to use somewhere in the middle of that because they are monitoring themselves from going over, but in reality they WANT more data. Same goes with the voice plans. People subscribe to $40 because that’s what they are willing to pay, not because that’s the actual amount of voice they want to use.
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Comparing yourself as better than the US cell market is like Genghis Khan comparing himself as better than Hitler.
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Unlimited is perfect for those who don’t want to count their usage and worry about getting charged overage fees.
Also, it’s simply anti-consumer to cut unlimited plans by decreasing bandwidth allotment, without increasing the number of tiered options. It’s like broadband, how is it that companies were able to offer unlimited data years ago but now it’s all lowballed and hard-capped?
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Humm, if it doesn’t mean much, then why don’t they offer it too and jump on the same marketing wagon? rather than fighting everyone on “the most reliable network” silly marketing campaign.
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If unlimited is less than 500 MB for most of customers, why Rogers doesn’t give us unlimited?
Unlimited doesn’t mean all users are going to use their unlimited plan all the time at full speed. It means users are going to use their plans without having to worry about the amount of data they may or may not use.
Users are scared of limits. When you removed them, users are more happy.
Happy users without limits will use more … if the network is capable of providing more
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If average DAILY use is 210mb isn’t that about 6.3GB per month? Unless you get the Rogers intro rate for iphones you have to pay a huge monthly bill to get that much data in a month.
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Two things about this I wonder:
1) Perhaps people don’t use that much data because they’re afraid/cannot afford it?
2) if over 90% of customers use an average 210mb, then why not offer 250mb plans (for $15ish?)
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@Shayne – Exactly…that is classic corporate BS..
based on his math, every user exceeds the 500MB by day 3..wtf?
He is reading from a script that is eggheads put together…what a douche..
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“average daily use on an iPhone is about 210 MB”
Am I mistaken, or it really means that an average user needs 210*30=6GB data?
And isn’t 6GB around $80/month in Rogers/Bell/Telus?
And doesn’t Wind offer $35 for unlimited data? (Yeah, you’re right! Wind’s coverage sucks-for now!)
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I can tell you my usage pattern is a lot different when given unlimited data on WIND. You end up using a lot more because, like everybody else says, you don’t worry about overage.
Normally I would say 500 mb is plenty if you watch your data and use wifi at every opportunity. But just imagine how freeing it is just to have unlimited. You think you only need 599mb, but once you start streaming video anywhere and doing video chats and other data demanding apps, you’ll see that 500mb doesn’t really go that far.
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Everybody I know that has an Iphone is not afraid to use the data. I work at Bell and when my customer asks if they will go over I say, No chances are that you will not because if you have Wifi @ home, school, work you will just jump onto that.
In all my time I have only seen 1 guy go over his 3gig data plan and that was because he traveled all month with now wifi zones.
And cell phone plans are not as expensive as people make them out to be, Student plans with unlimited talk and text with 10 numbers… nationwide for $30. <that is bang for your buck
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Watch the Video! He clearly states “The average DATA used on an Iphone is 210mb” not the average daily use.
I see hundreds of accounts each week working in the mobile data business and I can tell you it is a far cry to to see someone use more then 500mb of data on a phone. The average cell phone consumer doesn’t teither on a regular basis and isn’t strapped to their phone.
Implementing an unlimited data plan on a network would require money to actually change systems and networks, and the cost actually out-weighs the benefits. And aside from that, most telecom company’s offer high speed internet at home and unlimited data on mobile networks has potential to cut into that business and no company wants that!
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I’m curious, why comments on Mobile Syrup are “moderated”?
If all comments are vetted before posting, exactly what are the standards that would have a post rejected? I’ve seen outright racism, vulgarity, and now with Tim’s post, flat out telling other readers to “Go f*ck yourselves”.
I’m defintely not for censorship, but the delay in posting, often results in repetitive posts because people don’t see a previous reply that hasn’t yet been approved. Either remove the moderation of the comments entirely, or actually do something about the inflammatory ones like Tim’s.
…and @Tim, the arguements you make (re-hashing of the telcos speaking points) have been refuted soundly many times, so I won’t waste any more time here. Clearly, your valuation of anyone else’s opinion but your own wouldn’t allow you to consider an alternative viewpoint anyway.
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He is lying in front of so many people. May be he already has activated some “Unlimited” accounts from one of the new carriers for himself and his family!
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They simply cannot match them!
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210 MB a day?? Is that a typo? Who could use that much a day unless you are tethering.
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90% of canadian users dont go their limit because they are AFRAID of being over charged by rogers.. and 2ndly i understand the fact that if rogers starts offering unlimited… ppl might clog up their network but at the same time 500mb for 25 bucks is also not fair.. it should be something like 15/500 or 25 for 1gb … this is why im with wind now and ditched bell mobility.. they can talk all they want about their internal research.. its all about the plans they offer in stores.. wind works great in the gta.. no contracts no headaches.. unlimited everything.. but crappy phones..
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Hopefully it’s this attitude that will make Rogers bankrupt in a couple of years. If unlimited really meant nothing, than why am I paying $25 less a month on my cell phone bill with Wind than I was when I was signed up with Fido?
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the lower end plans does not include caller id which i find it’s relatively useful in the line of work
particularly when you have multiple jobs
to mr. rogar: why smartphone users have to pay at least $60 for a month? and typically over $70?
this is like my gas bills… going up up up up up…
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People have plans less than $40 a month? What is there bill at the end of the month? Also, people would use more data if they could afford it, or if it was UNLIMITED… try researching how much data people who are on an unlimited plan use. I want to use bad words when speaking about this guy, but I will bite my tongue. I will say however that Rogers has the WORST PLANS IN THE WORLD and I challenge anyone to prove otherwise.
Keep up the negative comments people… I LOVE IT!
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The one nice thing about unlimited isn’t so much that you have a ton of data to use…. it’s the fact that you don’t have to worry about how much you use and if you are going to go over and get raped on overage fees.
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I’m just curious
Do any of you guys work?
Have access to a phone or internet at home or work?
What more important unlimited voice or data?
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What I like about the usa plans is the unlimited local and long distant minutes. My local calling zones around my area are stupid, only a few of my friends cells are “local” so everybody else is “long distance”. So I end up just texting them.
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What Rogers says means nothing to me because I know the future of video, social networks and the web is mobile and for me Rogers is not part of the future, and not party of may future plans with mobile.
So again, whatever they say means nothing because the future of mobile is Canada is not with them.
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That’s data, understandable. To use that much data on a mobile phone you need some serious usage (video streaming mostly) So looking at unlimited data might be overkill…BUT customers want the choice. It’s freedom to chose what suits you best.
Also, what about voice? We want unlimited voice plans, why the hell they don’t have it? Bunch of Robbers
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There are 2 things that are not being taken into consideration in this guy’s numbers:
1. Wi-Fi data
2. The lack of voip/data calls options available in Canada for things like Skype, Vonage, Google Voice.
If these VOIP options were more available in Canada, you better believe those numbers would be higher – so the question is not “what are people using?” it should be “what are the providers PREVENTING us from using.”
They don’t want you using VOIP because they can’t charge you as much for it… cuz the can’t control your use of Wi-Fi… YET.
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/
They’re coming for you…
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First up I don’t think Rogers knows how to speak the truth, & second they doesn’t know how to look to the future. As you can see in this statement they only look to the past…
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Dear Mr Rogers’ President:
1-As others have said, if most people use very little data, why don’t you offer Unlimited?
2-Since it is still legal to think in this country, I would like to let you know what many people think about your company and the other telcos: You are more full of it than a whale with no a$$.
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That’s my question why would you not offer it if its just a marketing ploy? I mean isn’t Rogers great at marketing ploys themselves? Ex. Social View?
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Or maybe Rogers is getting ready to release a plan that makes everyone happy…..
iPhone4=6 gig plan.
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That’s ok Mr Rogers, don’t change and convince yourself your right.
Ps. Pay no attention to the rats jumping off the sinking ship.
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i understand that unlimited data is not needed on a cellphone.. thats why we have home internet for downloading etc.. but the rogers rep in the video purposely ignored UNLIMITED VOICE … if wind can afford to offer unlimited province wide calling for 35 bucks.. im sure rogers can afford the same… if not for cheaper.. ya sure, rogers will say we have more costs, more employess to pay, more of everything due to our bigger size.. but at the same time.. they also have alot more money coming their way each month due to being that big.. so if they offer a plan, per say.. 1GB data, unlimited local calling, with unlimited text for $99/month .. everyone thats on wind or mobilicity and public will jump on that plan without a doubt.. besidies.. unlimited voice doesnt clog but towers that much.. unlimited data does.. and this plan will only offer 1 gb so uers wont abuse the data usage.. but then again.. if rogers listned to their customers or potential customers to begin with.. they wouldnt have been nicked name, most appropreatly, ROBBERS
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Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!
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Yeah have fun tethering with 500 MB of data a month. Wind mobile with unlimited data plans works great for me. I easily port about 5 numbers a day from Rogers to Wind… people are so sick of their crap that they are jumping at the chance to pay the cancellation fees that Rogers gives them to sign up with us. It’s hilarious, the Rogers reps are even starting to tell people that they don’t have an account number when they call to avoid losing customers. What a joke Rogers has become, they can’t keep up with Bell and Telus’ network, so they are starting to target Wind and Moblicity’s unlimited plans. The only reason that most people don’t use that much data is because 3/4 of Iphone users only have a data plan because they are obligated to get one to be able to buy the phone and people just want an Iphone because it’s an Iphone.
And that’s not even mentioning voice plans…….. although I guess Rogers has you covered if you only like to use your phone at night and only have 5 friends.
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They remind me of Apple boycotting Flash. LOL, this is never gunna work. Its human nature to want more for what they pay for. If they offer, less they are in for a surprise
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@trickyD.. even with all that hate they r still #1 telus has over 5 million customers, bell has over 6 and rogers has over 8… with the iphone 4 coming up they are only going to be growing cuz most iphone users are on rogers and they r going to be upgrading on rogers as well.
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What a crock of s**t! Two things, if it’s JUST a marketing gimmick, and there is actually no disadvantage to offering unlimited because it will “bring less value” why not offer it?! He is such an a*****e! How stupid does he think we are!? Fido gave me an unlimited plan, and I use about 3gigs of data a month and about 4000.00 mins!
I love how he just assumes that everyone would still use the same amount of data if they had an unlimited plan.
What a f**king moron! This is why I will never go back to Rogers.
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this site share relevant information. i will recommend this to my friends
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