Users in our Rogers forum note that the Canadian cable operator is informing users that as of March 1, most broadband customers will pay $2 more a month for "the many enhancements" Rogers has launched. Needless to say that the price hike isn't going over well in our forums, with users noting that thanks to limited competition they already pay more for service than many developed nations. Rogers has also led the charge when it comes to throttling and capping services, leading all Canadian ISPs in network neutrality complaints. You can find our user reviews here, which can speak to service quality or lack thereof.
Given these failings, customers are a little curious about what "enhancements" Rogers is referring to. In a post in our forums defending the move, a Rogers representative insists that users are lucky that the hikes weren't worse, given Rogers had to "absorb much of these costs." The company insists the improvements include some additional TV channels and SpeedBoost, a technology that delivers a little extra bandwidth at the beginning of a download (Comcast users in the States know it as PowerBoost):
We ve recently added 38 new TV channels and 36% more content to On Demand. We re continuing to roll out the brand new Advanced Search function. We have also developed our Remote TV Manager App for smartphones, allowing customers to set and manage their PVRs while on the go. We ve added SpeedBoost to all of our High Speed Internet packages. We ve also increased monthly usage allowances and increased the posted download speeds on many of our packages.
Rogers is taking a bit of a beating in the thread from customers, many of whom note that Rogers for some time has been advertising Speedboost as a courtesy service offered free of charge. Others note they haven't seen any speed increases in several years, despite seeing annual (or bi-annual) rate hikes. The reality is that Rogers raises rates because the state of poor competition allows them to, something reps obviously can't address honestly. Fortunately for those who do have options, the Rogers hikes come as competitors like TekSavvy are unveiling new unlimited offerings that beat Rogers pricing and restrictions rather soundly.read comment(s)