Financial Post: iPhone to Drive Down cellphone rates?
If you’re a Canadian who uses wireless data, then you have got to be excited about Apple’s iPhone. Even if you have no intention of buying one, this just might be the device that forces the Canadian wireless companies to finally drop their ridiculous data fees.
You see, wireless data in Canada costs up to 10x more than similar plans in the United States. In fact, it would appear that Canadians pay more for wireless data than anywhere else on the planet.
Apple’s new iPhone is HIGHLY dependent on wireless bandwidth. However, wireless data in Canada is so expensive that there is almost nobody who will be able to afford to operate an iPhone in Canada.
Just check out the rate plans for AT&T in the US. A similar plan in Canada will cost upwards of $300/month. Who is going to pay that?
Since the iPhone requires a GSM network (so far anyway), it appears that we Canadians are at the mercy of Rogers. Here’s hoping that Rogers sees the light and comes up with a rate plan that will work. If they do, I think you’ll find mobile voice and data rates dropping across the country and that can’t be a bad thing.