In the wake of last week’s announcement by Rogers Communications of Canadian iPhone service plans, a grass roots petition campaign has been launched to protest both data limits on the plans and their associated pricing. User James Hallen initially created an anti-Rogers website with a profane URL, later re-directing traffic to an updated site called ruinediphone.com, claiming that the Canadian iPhone carrier’s rates on its iPhone service plans are unfair, especially when compared with those of U.S. carrier AT&T. Hallen notes that he “was going to buy an iPhone for me, my girlfriend and my family,” but now, “sadly, I cannot afford the plan.” To date, the website’s petition has received 16,874 signatures, and will continue to collect supporters’ signatures until July 11, at which point the founders of the website will send a printed copy of all the signatures and accompanying messages to Rogers’ headquarters in order to “demonstrate our indignation toward them,” and in hopes of forcing the carrier to rethink its iPhone plans and rates.
Update: Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber points out Rogers’ early cancellation policy: “An Early Cancellation Fee (EECF) applies if, for any reason, your service is terminated prior to the end of the service agreement. The ECF is the greater of (ii) $1100 or (iii) $220 per month remaining in the service agreement, to a maximum of 400 (plus applicable taxes), and applies on each line in the plan that is terminated.”