30,000 Canadians are miffed about the high cost of the iPhone up north, and have signed an online petition, an open letter to Steve Jobs. Rogers is the iPhone carrier in Canada and their iPhone plan, compared to AT&T's in the US, is so much more expensive. Canadians hope the ruinediphone.com petition will pay off and force Rogers to offer a more competitive rate.
Right now, for $75 a month, Rogers customers get 300 minutes of talk time, the ability to send 100 texts and 750MB of data. Rules for the new iPhone 3G include the requirement to sign up for a three year contract.
The open letter, which over 30,000 have signed, reads:
Dear Steve,
My name is James and I would like to thank you for creating the wonderful iPhone device. We really think that you will change the world with it, just as you changed the world with the iPod. We were so happy to learn that on July 11th, we would finally be able to buy the iPhone and legally use it in Canada.
To our great disappointment, Rogers Communications Inc. has announced VERY unfair rates in comparison to AT&T in the United States and to other authorized wireless service providers around the world. As a result, a consumer movement was born yesterday (June 27th) in protest against these rates.
More than 20,000 people have signed an online petition to help make a difference and the list is growing rapidly. In the last 72 hours, the website has had 150,000 unique visitors from around the world supporting Canadian consumers. There are a vast number of Canadians that would take the opportunity to buy an iPhone at $199CAD but these new plans have put it out of reach for many.
I would like to invite you to take a look at all these disappointed people at www.ruinediphone.com.
I was going to buy an iPhone for me, my girlfriend and my family.
Now, sadly, I cannot afford the plan.
I hope you can do something Steve; we are loyal customers and trust that you will. We don't want to lose faith in Apple.
Thank you,
James Hallen
Representing more than 20,000 Canadian consumers.
The petition has created so much buzz, it's made the front of Yahoo Canada.
iPhone Rate Relief Petitions
30,000 Canadians Sign
Trend Themes
1. Affordable Smartphone Plans - The high cost of iPhone plans in Canada has led consumers to demand more affordable smartphone plans, presenting an opportunity for new entrants in the telecom industry to provide viable options.
2. Consumer Activism - The online consumer activism seen in Canada's petition for more affordable iPhone plans highlights a trend of consumers being more vocal about their demands, providing an opportunity for businesses to be more open to feedback and pivot their offerings accordingly.
3. Global Comparisons - The comparison of iPhone plans in Canada to other countries has highlighted the need for a more consistent, global pricing model for smartphone plans, providing an opportunity for the telecom industry to work towards creating such a model.
Industry Implications
1. Telecom - The demand for affordable smartphone plans presents opportunities for new entrants and for existing companies to innovate around pricing and data usage for consumers.
2. Consumer Advocacy - The rise of consumer activism and petitions creates opportunities for businesses to improve their customer service and listen to the demands of their customer base.
3. Global Business - The global comparison of iPhone prices highlights an opportunity for the telecom industry to work towards creating consistent pricing models across borders for smartphone plans.