Video: iPhone 3G GPS

If you're in the mood for a double double, you might enjoy this video of the new iPhone 3G in action, which includes a look at its GPS functionality among other features.

Fido caves: Offers 6 GB $30 data plan

In a stunning move, Fido has caved in to protests and has offered a new and much improved promotional data plan, just two days before the much anticipated launch of the iPhone 3G in Canada. This plan offers 6 GB of data for $30 which in terms of price is in sharp contrast to their current $30 / 300 MB plan. The catch is that the new plan is only going to be offered until August 31, and will require a 3-year contract. Furthermore, it requires an "in-market" voice plan, which likely excludes special retention plans and maybe grandfathered plans as well.

Effective July 11, and as a limited time promotional offer for customers who activate until August 31, 2008 on a three year contract, a data-only offering of 6GB of data for $30 per month is being made available that can be added to any in-market voice plan. For example, with 6GB of data, iPhone 3G users can visit 35,952 web pages, or send and receive 157,286 emails, or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos each and every month.

There is no word yet on Rogers.

[Update 2008-07-09]

Now on Rogers too.

Rogers relents, sweetens deal for iPhone 3G.

In apparent about face, Rogers has updated it's iPhone 3G webpage to include information about alternate plans (including getting the iPhone without a data plan at all), and free bonus minutes for 3 months.

Price Plan Downgrade Fee
If you have subscribed to an iPhone Voice & Data Package or a Voice Price Plan with a Monthly Service Fee of more than $30, then a Price Plan Downgrade Fee of $50 will be applied to your invoice if, for any reason, you change to a Price Plan with a Monthly Service Fee of $30 or less at any time during the Service Agreement Term.

They have conveniently worded it so that the plethora of people out there with a $30 voice plan must either upgrade to a higher-cost voice plan or else pay a $50 downgrade fee.

Rogers spokesperson Liz Hamilton claimed consumers were just confused about the plans, but there was never any mention before on Rogers' website of allowing alternate plans, and several people have reported that Rogers customer service agents told them otherwise.

It is not clear yet if Fido will have the same policies, as this information has not yet appeared on the Fido website. If it does, I may get an iPhone after all.

In the meantime:

1. RuinediPhone.com has gotten well over 20000 signatures, but unfortunately their website now seems to be down.

2. Joy of Tech's comic summarizes this mess quite nicely.

RuinediPhone.com gets almost 11000 signatures

Just a few days after the website went up (initially as ****yourogers.com), RuinediPhone.com has almost 11000 signatures. This has gotten the attention of media outlets around the net, including CNNMoney/Fortune.

Rogers probably didn't expect the backlash, but I think it's well deserved.

No iPhone 3G for me

Rogers yesterday announced its iPhone 3G pricing, and unfortunately as some had predicted, their plans leave something to be desired. The details for both Rogers and Fido are as follows:

$60/mo: 150 anytime min, unlimited evenings/weekends, 400 MB data
$75/mo: 300 anytime min, unlimited evenings/weekends, 750 MB data
$100/mo: 150 anytime min, unlimited evenings/weekends, 1 GB data
$115/mo: 150 anytime min, unlimited evenings/weekends, 2 GB data

While the plans include unlimited received text messages and some sent text messages, note that these prices don't include Caller ID or the $6.95 system access fee. On top of this, a 3-year contract is mandatory, "evenings" start at 9 pm, and data costs 50¢ per MB if you go over.

An average user might want the 2nd plan:

$75 for voice and data
$15 (or $7?) for Caller ID
$6.95 for System access fee
$0.50 for 911 emergency access fee

Total (depending on cost of Caller ID) would be:

$89.45 ($101.08 including tax in Ont.)
or $97.45 ($110.12 including tax in Ont.)

No thanks Rogers.

iPhone 3G: On both Rogers and Fido.

Rogers Communications (along with Apple) is really going after the Canadian market with the 3G GPSiPodphonePDA. Instead of limiting the iPhone 3G to Rogers alone (like it has done with some other phones in the past), Rogers has decided to offer it on both its brands, Fido and Rogers Wireless, starting July 11. These two brands represent the only two major 3GSM providers in Canada, both running off the same HSPA network.

iPhone 3G will operate on Rogers’ High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) wireless network, the fastest mobile network in Canada. HSPA is nationally available in the top Canadian urban centers from Vancouver to Halifax, covering more than 60 percent of the population. iPhone 3G will also operate on Roger’s coast-to-coast GSM/EDGE network, proven to be the country’s most reliable wireless network. More details on pricing and availability will be available soon.

The question now is how much they will charge for the iPhone ($199 for the 8 GB model?) and contract (two years?), and most importantly, the data plan. The iPhone 3G represents an excellent hardware and software update, but much of the benefit of this speedy new unit may be lost to the masses if the data plan is not reasonably priced. Rogers and Fido both have a $7 unlimited data plan, but it is likely that this plan will not apply to the iPhone.