Rogers launches discount Chatr brand to compete with new entrants

Rogers Communications Inc. launched its wireless discount brand Chatr Wednesday after a month of speculation about the company’s new offering. The new brand, which analysts say is designed to compete directly with new wireless entrants Wind Mobile, Public Mobile and Mobilicity, will offer an unlimited calling plan for $35 a month, which covers calls within the same province, and an unlimited text-and-talk plan for $45 a month, which covers unlimited calls anywhere in Canada. But the unlimited calling plans are only good for calls made from within “Chatr zones” that cover five of Canada’s largest urban areas. The service is available in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver, with plans to launch in Montreal. The service does not include smart phones or data plans but gives customers a choice of four handsets from Nokia, Samsung or LG. "Canadians have indicated they want unlimited talk and text with simple, worry-free plans on a network that is trusted to deliver quality service," Garrick Tiplady, senior vice-president of Chatr, said in a release Wednesday. "With chatr, customers will have a no worry, talk happy experience." Retail partners for the service include Wireless Wave, Future Shop, Best Buy, Telephone Booth, London Drugs, Costco and Zellers. John Bitove, Mobilicity’s chairman, has said his company will challenge Rogers’ new brand under the “fighting brands” sub-section of the Competition Act. In interviews with the media Wednesday, Stewart Lyons, the chief operating officer of Mobilicity, said the company is also considering challenging the Rogers service through civil litigation. “We served them with a letter last week that basically said if it launches in a manner as was revealed then we would take some certain legal action," Lyons told Mobile Syrup. In an effort to draw customers from the incumbents, Wind Mobile is offering a $150 “porting credit” to new customers who make the switch from another wireless carrier to Wind. The new entrant held a media event Wednesday outside the Rogers store at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, where it sold $1 hot dogs.

Rogers launches discount Chatr brand to compete with new entrants

Brief | July 28, 2010

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Rogers launches discount Chatr brand to compete with new entrants

Brief | July 28, 2010

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