Rogers wireless is reporting that after the first month of use on iPhone data plans customers are barely using up their data.
Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. says that in the first four weeks following launch of the device, 95 per cent of customers used less than 10 per cent of their data allotment.
Some iPhone owners may be more interested in the sizzle than the steak, using the device as a fashion statement first and a smart phone second. But given that early purchasers of new gadgets tend to be tech savvy, there's a more likely explanation for the trend. "Individuals are hesitant about exceeding their data [limits]," said Michelle Warren of MW Research & Consulting in Toronto.
Rogers set a cap of six gigabytes a month on its $30-a-month data package for the iPhone. The trouble is that with a new class of device running on a new high-speed wireless network, most customers do not yet know what usage translates into.
In addition, Rogers' initial pricing for its iPhone plans generated widespread criticism for being out of step with what AT&T Inc. charges in the U.S., making customers extra sensitive to data charges.
Rogers initially priced its iPhone monthly data plan at $100 for six GB of data and $30 for 300 megabytes, before yielding to consumer pressure. The current plan charges $30 for six GB of data, on top of standard voice charges, to customers who sign up before Sept. 1.
Liz Hamilton, spokeswoman for Rogers Wireless, said 95 per cent of iPhone buyers used less than half a gigabyte of data in the first four weeks, and 91 per cent used less than 200 MB - that's the equivalent of downloading about 50 songs or 12 minutes of high-quality video. "We were surprised at the amount of data usage - that it was that low," she said.
AT&T, the exclusive iPhone carrier in the U.S., allows customers to use as much data as they want on their monthly plans. When the company introduced the first iPhone a year ago, data traffic on its network ballooned.
U.S. smart phone users have no reservations about jumping on and off the Internet as they need it, Ms. Warren said, predicting that Rogers, Bell Mobility and Telus Corp. will all do away with limited-use data plans by late next year.
Some iPhone owners may be more interested in the sizzle than the steak, using the device as a fashion statement first and a smart phone second. But given that early purchasers of new gadgets tend to be tech savvy, there's a more likely explanation for the trend. "Individuals are hesitant about exceeding their data [limits]," said Michelle Warren of MW Research & Consulting in Toronto.
Rogers set a cap of six gigabytes a month on its $30-a-month data package for the iPhone. The trouble is that with a new class of device running on a new high-speed wireless network, most customers do not yet know what usage translates into.
In addition, Rogers' initial pricing for its iPhone plans generated widespread criticism for being out of step with what AT&T Inc. charges in the U.S., making customers extra sensitive to data charges.
Rogers initially priced its iPhone monthly data plan at $100 for six GB of data and $30 for 300 megabytes, before yielding to consumer pressure. The current plan charges $30 for six GB of data, on top of standard voice charges, to customers who sign up before Sept. 1.
Liz Hamilton, spokeswoman for Rogers Wireless, said 95 per cent of iPhone buyers used less than half a gigabyte of data in the first four weeks, and 91 per cent used less than 200 MB - that's the equivalent of downloading about 50 songs or 12 minutes of high-quality video. "We were surprised at the amount of data usage - that it was that low," she said.
AT&T, the exclusive iPhone carrier in the U.S., allows customers to use as much data as they want on their monthly plans. When the company introduced the first iPhone a year ago, data traffic on its network ballooned.
U.S. smart phone users have no reservations about jumping on and off the Internet as they need it, Ms. Warren said, predicting that Rogers, Bell Mobility and Telus Corp. will all do away with limited-use data plans by late next year.
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