Lower Your Rogers iPhone Bill
Last week somebody asked me how much my monthly iPhone bill was. I was surprised when I found out that I was paying an average of $75/month (CDN) to Rogers. I’m not a heavy cellphone and started looking at ways to lower my phone bill.
I purchased an iPhone 3G in Septermber 2008 with Rogers and chose this package:
- 200 weekday minutes ($17.50)
- Unlimited evenings/weekend minutes (free)
- 6 GB data plan ($30.00)
- Tethering access (free)
- 911 emergency access fee ($0.75)
- System access fee aka money grab ($6.95)
After taxes I’m paying $62/month for my iPhone service. Text messaging is not included in my monthly plan and I only use a fraction of my data plan.
Texting Can Be Expensive
On average, I send and receive about 70 text messages per month. This is where Rogers seems to make a lot of their money if you’re not on a texting plan. I’ve been paying $12-$15/month by texting without a plan.
In 2009, Canadians sent 35.3 billion text messages according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. This is an increase of 70% over the previous year. At 15¢ a message that is $5.3 billion dollars!
Reduce Your Rogers Bill and Use a Text Messaging Plan
If you’re not on a text messaging plan with Rogers or any carrier, add one! I added the Messaging Bundle - 250 to my bill for $5/month. This plan gives me 250 sent text, picture and video messages per month and unlimited incoming text messages.
By simply going on a text messaging plan I lowered my Rogers phone bill by a minimum of $5 each month. During some months my savings will be as high as $10. It doesn’t sound like much until you consider that this is $60-$120 in savings over the course of a year. Would you rather keep that money in your pocket or give it away to Rogers?
Posted in iPhone at 6:46 AM
Comments
The best (or worst) part about text messaging is that the messages are stuck into routine communications between the device and the network. The communications are a necessary part of a functioning cellular network but the carriers decided that if they can stuff 160 characters into the unused space of a routine transmission they can charge for it (also the reason for the size restriction). Bottom-line: there is no additional charge for text messages from the carriers point of view so text fees are pure profit. This is also why free text messaging is the first thing they offer when a customer is unhappy or thinking of leaving.
I read about this on Gizmodo a couple of years ago: http://gizmodo.com/5119496/nyt-text-messages-are-an-even-bigger-ripoff-than-you-thought
Posted by: Ryan on April 23, 2010 10:38 AM
I guess I’ll have to call and threaten to move over to Telus or Bell and get my free text messaging plan and save $10/month. What a scam.
Posted by: jay 
on April 23, 2010 12:51 PM
In my entire history of cell phone ownership and usage, I have sent a total of one (1) text message.
Posted by: Paul on April 23, 2010 8:27 PM
The problem is that once you get 1 text message you feel obliged to reply to it and before you know it you’re texting all the time. I find it a great way to communicate with people when you can’t really have a conversation.
Posted by: jay on April 25, 2010 8:18 PM
is there a rogers store in mtl airport
Posted by: dov feldman on July 6, 2011 9:29 AM
