Rogers/Fido - Unlimited Mobile Browsing $7

[S.Chan]

New Unlimited Mobile Browsing Plans
Rogers and Fido have finally released their own version of an Unlimited Mobile Browsing plan to compete with Telus and Bell. Starting today, Tuesday February 5th, 2008, Rogers and Fido will be offering a $7 Unlimited Mobile Browsing plan and a $20 Value Pack (that includes Unlimited Mobile Browsing). As with Telus' $15 and Bell's $7 plans, some restrictions apply.

So What Are The Restrictions?
The plans will be restricted to Rogers or Fido branded phones/devices (respectively) that are non-PDA, non-Blackberry, non-Windows Mobile, and non-PC card devices. This means that the plan DOES NOT work for unlocked phones, tethering, smartphones, PDAs, Blackberrys, etc. Furthermore, you must use the built-in browser of your Rogers or Fido branded phone (i.e. third party applications will NOT work).

How Is This Enforced?
This is enforced by detecting the IMEI of your phone (each time you turn on/use your phone, your IMEI is transmitted to Rogers/Fido). This allows Rogers/Fido to see whether the phone you are using is a Rogers or Fido (respectively) branded handset and whether it is a Windows Mobile, PC-Card, Blackberry, or PDA device.

What Is An IMEI Number?
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. An IMEI number is a unique 15 digit number that identifies your GSM/UMTS/HSDPA handset. You can check the IMEI number of your handset by typing *#06# into your handset. If you want to find out more about your IMEI number, you can get it analyzed here: http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=analysis&sub=imeinr.

What Happens If I Use A Restricted Handset Or Device?
You will be charged the pay per use rate of $0.05/KB when you use a device or program listed in the restrictions section above.

What About Using A Rogers/Fido Branded Handset For Tethering?
You will be charged the pay per use rate of $0.05/KB when you a Rogers/Fido branded handset for tethering purposes.

How About Rogers/Fido Branded Handsets That Have Been Unlocked Or Debranded?
As long as the device/handset is not a PC-card, smartphone, blackberry, etc. (see restrictions above), the Unlimited Mobile Browsing plan will still work on your unlocked or debranded handset. This is because unlocking and debranding a Rogers/Fido phone does not change the IMEI of your handset.

Where Can I Get More Info About The Plans?
Rogers $7 Plan: http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wi...e_mobile#start
Rogers $20 Value Pack: http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wi...=20_comm#start
Fido $7 Plan: http://fido.ca/portal/en/domore/sdp_options.shtml
Fido $20 Value Pack: http://fido.ca/portal/en/packages/value_packs.shtml

[Vegeta88]

Thanks OP for the very informative post.
The info on the restrictions and how it is enforced was helpful.

[Shoryuken]

What happens for those of us on the existing $20 communicate package? Do we get automatically switched over to the new one?

[akz]

Thanks OP for the very informative post.
The info on the restrictions and how it is enforced was helpful.

each time u sign on the cell tower takes your imei for each and every session. If the imei is foreign to Rogers (ie: not a Rogers phone) then it will be charged the pay as you use rate.

so if you use the w810i from Rogers its recognized and u have unlimited browsing , but if you swap sims and plug in your N95 and sign onto WAP ur IMEI is sent up and its unrecognized and you get charged as you browse.

*no it doesnt matter if uve never given your imei to rogers, it will take it each time you sign onto wap for a different session.

What happens for those of us on the existing $20 communicate package? Do we get automatically switched over to the new one?

nothing is automatic with rogers :P




this thread on hofo has a lot of info regarding this: http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1315507

[sidshock]

imei cloning possible?
ie: clone my rogers W810i IMEI to Nokia N95 ?
I'm sure it must be...

[ovovov]

i am almost ready to kill someone( fido....) b/c i just signed with telus for 3yrs...
porting my numbers from fido to telus.....
i was in a really good plan ==21ish( includes 100 anytime, no saf, no cid, no vm
but unlimited evening from 7)

[bubble.tea]

.....
How Is this Enforced?
This is enforced by detecting the IMEI of your phone (each time you turn on/use your phone, your IMEI is transmitted to Rogers/Fido). This allows Rogers/Fido to see whether the phone you are using is a Rogers or Fido (respectively) branded handset and whether it is a Windows Mobile, PC-Card, Blackberry, or PDA device.
...

I'm AMAZED by this.

I am intrigued to be on the look-out to see if Rogers will now begin BLACK-LISTING stolen/lost imeis.

FYI., rogers has actually for quite awhile been able to see what imei each person is using EVERY time a call is placed/received. It is just the proactive and 'AI' nature of HOT-SWAPPING your eligible WAP useage rates that is awesome innovation in money-grabbing techniques .

Not sure why you've avoided it...but I strongly suggest (for the sake of the schemers) you just go ahead and use Rogers/Fido's new caption of 'on-device' browsing. I see it in your 'exception' paragraph..but it's not focused enough. Just add 'ON-DEVICE' in your enlarged para 1 TITLE., so people see it from the get-go. My humble suggestion .

This eliminates the BARRAGE of 'what about tethering' q's.

ON-DEVICE - STARTS AND ENDS ON YOUR DEVICE.DONE. Class dismissed .


For all the Traitors who left Rogers., paid their ECF's and went to Bellus/Tellus.....I can just hear the thunderous grumblings now....Can you imagine the OCEAN of people who left in the last 2~3months for unlim data? ....Yowzah!!!!
EDIT: Okay I guess I didn't quite understand the scope of the restrictivity of the offer .. Boo on Rogers...No 100% similar match-up means it's a half-assed attempt . Shoot.

FYI., for those of us who are on the $20 communicate pkg currently...or fido's $17 (or whatever it is)., it won't be an AUTOMATIC switch to the new pkg...YET....they'll have to phase it out, or you will need to manually request the change.

Cheers.



Oh...and lastly., Bravo to Rogers for ACTUALLY updating their site ON-TIME, to reflect the new offers. Very Impressed....oh and also that it hasn't crashed yet >

[sungfra]

I will sign up right the way if its not because of the IMEI restriction. Part of the advantage of using a GSM phone is the flexibility of switching phones freely. What Rogers does is to limit your phone choice by forcing their consumers to use their limited phone selection. Well, at least this is some kind of progress.

[bubble.tea]

FYI...for all those devious minds out there....just because in your Rogers ONLINE Account profile., it lists the Motorola v220 because that's the original phone you ever got (and never manually registered different phones as you got them), but you're actually using a BB., or a Touch., or an N95....go ahead...try to scam unlim data....I'll pay $100 to see your bill at the end of the month.

The system KNOWS!!! Don't try it.


As for cloning. I'm sure it's possible. I'm also sure Rogers has already spent tens of thousands of dollars to develop legal courses of action to pursue anybody who tries to DEFRAUD them of service fees. It's just not worth it.

[AirForceElite]

Keep in mind guys, that while this is a great step in the right direction to compete with Telus/Bell plans, there is "if's" and "but's"

First of all, don't forget that you have to use your phone's BUILT-IN browser for it to work. So no Opera Mini or anything. This sucks imo because of how bad some websites look on built-in browser (everything is screwed and mis-aligned)

Second of all, Telus and Bell let you choose which phones you want it on. Obviously, #1 people's choice is HTC Touch because it's just such a good multimedia phone.

Basically this means that you have to use regular phones, that kind of suck for web browsing compared to smart phones.

Yes this is indeed step in the right direction, but limiting it so much is just straight mean. I waited and waited and waited sooo long to be able to use HTC Touch with unlimited data and I managed not to sign contract with Telus/Bell to get their "true" unlimited data plan....all that wait is for this

Why couldn't Rogers make an exception and include HTC Touch to make it allowed to have unlimited data. I mean that's on everybody's wishlist.

Still great move...finally GSM carrier in Canada have unlimited data...but it's not what people really wished for.

[Cheezer88]

Am I missing something?

>non-PDA, non-Blackberry, non-Windows Mobile, and non-PC card devices

Which phone can I use? At least you can use a Touch with Bell...

I was thinking of jumping into this but forget it... Have you try surfing with a V220? V360?

[AirForceElite]

Am I missing something?

>non-PDA, non-Blackberry, non-Windows Mobile, and non-PC card devices

Which phone can I use? At least you can use a Touch with Bell...

I was thinking of jumping into this but for get it...

My biggest grip with this. If only Touch was allowed as an exception, I'd sign it right now.
But with current limitations, the only phones you can use are just that "regular phones".
No smartphones/pda/bb/wm6/etc

just the regular phones

[xarekusu]

2 questions


Question 1 -
Just to confirm, so it doesn't matter which rogers phone we use? I can switch between 2-3 rogers phone and they won't charge extra?
Do I have to give my IMEI to Rogers and that is the only phone I can use with the unlimited plan?

Question 2 -
What is the best current and maybe future phone that is good and that we can use with the unlimited plan.

Thanks

[Waste]

I just called Fido. They will allow their E62 users to sign up. I have an E61 and argued that it's the same phone with a few extra features until they allowed me to sign up.

Fido will not allow you to use BIS and their unlimited web surfing. It's one or the other. As I need BIS, the unlimited is out for me.


From Fido's Website - Does not mention it doesn't include E62:

The Unlimited surfing on your Fido option includes unlimited mobile surfing on your handset and is only available on selected handsets only (non-Fido certified handsets, Windows Mobile devices and PC cards are not eligible). Data usage incurred on ineligible handsets and devices, incurred while tethering (using a handset or device as a wireless modem or laptop) or incurred using non-Fido (third party) applications downloaded to your handset will be subject to a pay-per-use charge of 5¢ per KB. Option applies within Canada only. While roaming outside Canada, data transmission charge of 5¢ per KB apply, except in the U.S. where data transmission charges of 1¢ per KB apply.

[AirForceElite]

2 questions


Question 1 -
Just to confirm, so it doesn't matter which rogers phone we use? I can switch between 2-3 rogers phone and they won't charge extra?
Do I have to give my IMEI to Rogers and that is the only phone I can use with the unlimited plan?

Question 2 -
What is the best current and maybe future phone that is good and that we can use with the unlimited plan.

Thanks

1) You can change phones every hour, it won't matter as long as they are not phones limited by Rogers which you can read above

2) That would be Motorolla RAZR 2. Probably best phone non-PDA/BB/WM6 phone out there