No, I don’t feel a sense of entitlement, but nor do I feel I should just sit back and say nothing.

And yes, I wish us Canadians would be far more vocal about other much larger and important issues we face. Maybe this is a start? Sad that it has to be corporate greed to wake us up, but hopefully, it will?

@Crispin: I’m an academic – I accepted that my words will change nothing a looong time ago…

What I would like to see is an online petition to solicit names/comments protesting the ridiculous amount of attention the Rogers/iPhone issue is getting while the rest of the world is dealing with global warming and an impending global food crisis. I’d be interested to see how many names that petition would get and how many media outlets would pick up on it.

@Crispin: Fair enough, but I don’t see why I should resign myself to acceptance rather than critiquing some of the downsides of the changes we’re all a part of.

While people could have converged on the general pricing plans to protest rates, it does not have the same effect as if people converged on protesting data rates for one phone that symbolizes what can be the future of mobile web development.

I would however push forward the fact that we as customers, citizens, and consumers ARE entitled to greater things — all three roles are tied together. To simply say that we don’t have to buy something is to deny the fact that we want something. The difference is that if we acknowledge that we want something and push back by not buying the iphone (or whatever product), businesses will have to take into consideration of the fact that their customers are actually a partner in what is referred to as the business to consumer relationship.

If they want to sell us something, they have to acknowledge that we have our demands and meet them adequately. This is how good and effective long-term business is done, but it’s up to us as the customers in different forms (at work or at home) to make sure the other side understands.

And Rob, it’s quite true that the masses speak through consumer activity. I’d just argue that this is a function of late capitalism that I’m not entirely behind. I think the neat equivalence between consumer activity and democratic participation is potentially reductionist and inadvertently closes off avenues of action in areas that cannot be adequately captured by ‘consumption’.

The best thing to come out of this whole thing is awareness. It was loud because it was the iPhone, but everyone was sick of our nickel and dime carriers long before the iPhone came out.

It’s not Rogers’ fault. It is the government’s (The government approved the buyout of Fido by Rogers). Which, in turn, makes it ours. Long term it is the fault of the Residents of Canada.

When we take back responsibility we can pressure for what we need: Competitive industry where we are not held to ransom.

Yet we must not forget, the frustrations of the people who sign the petitions are valid. They may be symptomatic reactions, but they are reactions of people who want change. They are applying pressure.

Will protests make a difference? It certainly injures Rogers’ brand but who cares about using a brand to gain market share when you have a monopoly?

Our goal now must be to get the government to notice the protests online. Rogers will only care when it means something to their motives. http://martin.cleaver.org/blog/2007/04/09/the-stupidity-of-canadian-telcos-with-their-exhoribitant-data-rates/

Ring your MP. Let them know you care.