Rogers Listens – Updates Data Plans for the iPhone, Bold, & N95

For those eager for an iPhone or Bold, Rogers has rolled out an update on it’s data plans that deserves some attention.  The plans are reasonably globally competitive and compared to the original Rogers data plans pre-consumer backlash, they are wins for Canadian consumers. 

Even more importantly, Rogers has taken smart steps to derisk the data purchase.  Rogers will now not charge for the first three months on a data plan to help consumers see reporting on their usage levels and then select the optimum plan.  As well, they have placed a $100 cap on excess usage.  Providing a limit on risk or unknown exposure to charges that has left consumers burned and wary in the past.  Both very smart moves addressing two major data plan barriers to entry for consumer.

We are still fans of the $30 6GB plan.  Sign up now.  It will disappear at the end of September and we will not see anything similar until late 2009/early 2010 when the new entrants begin to enter the market.

Price	Original 2008	Pre-Iphone	Market Response	Restructured
$15	2MB	2MB	N/A	2MB
$25	4MB	4MB	N/A	500MB
$30	N/A	300MB	6GB	1GB
$50	N/A	500MB	N/A	2GB
$60	30 MB	1GB	N/A	3GB
$80	500MB	3GB	N/A	8GB
$100	1GB	6GB	N/A	N/A

Blackberry Bold Released

The much anticipated Blackberry Bold has been released in Chile with Movistar.  It appears that it will miss the expected August 6th date with Rogers but it should be available soon in Canada.

 

I suspect that these interative delays for the Bold in Canada are based on carrier testing iterations with RIM.  It’s common for carriers to exhaustively test devices before releasing them for sale.  Every carrier has a slightly different network configuration and different issues may be found by different carriers.  The handset manufacturers iterate resolution of these issues with the carriers until the handset is deemed to be green lighted for release.  At this late stage, the issues are usually very minor but at the same time, carriers want to avoid expensive customer service calls and will push to resolve as many issues as possible before releasing a device.

Update – Rogers Blackberry Bold Release Date

Quick update to our previous story (Rogers Blackberry Bold Canadian Release Date) about the Canadian release date for the Blackberry Bold. 

We’ve learned from another Rogers contact that they expect promotional material for the Blackberry Bold this week – the week of July 28th – and plan to have the Bold on sale next week.  Fits well with our previous story indicating a release date of August 6th.

Rogers Blackberry Bold Canadian Release Date

We just received an update on the Rogers release date for the Blackberry Bold in Canada.  As we discussed in our earlier post on the Bold, Apple Iphone Vs. Blackberry Bold, the Bold is expected to be a strong competitor in the smartphone space, especially for customers with a need for heavy email and BES integration. 

For all of you waiting for the Bold, our moles inside Rogers have told us that it will launch in Canada on August 6th.  I’m sure we will see marketing and promotion in advance of the 6th. 

For you Blackberry fans, rest your thumbs…

Apple iPhone vs Blackberry Bold

Side by Side

The early reviews are in on the Blackberry Bold and comparisons with the iPhone are inevitable.  In summary, the comparisons highlight that these are two distinctly different phones with different strengths.  Perhaps the real RIM vs. Apple showdown will come when the Blackberry Thunder comes out later in the year with a large screen and soft touch keyboard.

 Boy Genius has one of the better high level reviews and it summarizes into:

1. If you are a hardcore Blackberry email junky and have a preference for a hard keyboard, then go Bold.  It’s a bit larger than recent Blackberry’s but has great styling, great keyboard, an improved browser and the best Blackberry screen to date.

2. If you are not hooked to Blackberry’s and are a moderate email user then go iPhone.  It’s the best general purpose mobile device.  Great OS, great design, the best browser, good email, and a growing list of easily accessible and innovative applications. 

The Bold looks great though I prefer the smaller size factor of the Curve.  Big anticipation here at Cell Canada for the Blackberry Thunder.  It will be RIM’s first foray away from the hard keyboard tha thas defined their products and success for so long.  If it just keeps up with the iPhone and doesn’t come with an App store, then RIM’s chances of defending against Apple longer term are suspect.