Expanding to the east, the Rogers LTE network is now live in St. John’s making Rogers the first carrier to bring the fastest wireless speeds in Canada to Newfoundlanders. We’re now offering LTE to a total of 11 million Canadians and we’ll double our coverage this year with plans to expand to more than 25 cities in 2012, including Halifax and surrounding areas.

With Rogers LTE network, customers have access to speeds similar to broadband connections, making it easier to use mobile devices to download apps, stream HD videos and music or play on-line games, with virtually no delays or buffering.

In addition to expanding our network, we’re also expanding our leading lineup of LTE smartphones with two new exclusive LTE devices available this spring:  the Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC One X.

Nokia Lumia 900

After winning best in show at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year from CNET and a variety of prominent websites, the Nokia Lumia 900 marks a strong leap forward for Nokia it will be exclusively coming to Rogers as Canada’s first Windows Phone LTE smartphone.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is packed with a large 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED touchscreen, 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor and runs on the LTE network, offering an impressive option for new and loyal Windows smartphones users.  If you’re looking for a smartphone and camera in one, this device also features Nokia’s exclusive Carl Zeiss 8MP back-camera with F2.2 large aperture and 28mm wide angle lens for snapping high-quality images on-the-go. It also has a 1MP front facing camera for high-quality video calling.

HTC One X

Announced at Mobile World Congress yesterday, HTC One X will be the first smartphone in Canada designed with Beats Audio for an incredible audio experience. It  runs on Canada’s largest LTE network, comes packed with a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon ™processor, the latest Android 4.0 software (Ice Cream Sandwich), HTC Sense 4.0 and HTC’s amazing new camera experience.

We’re happy to bring these devices to Rogers customers first. Stay tuned to RedBoard for more information on both of these devices or check out more information bout Rogers LTE network here.

Katie is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Those days are a thing of the past. Today, we’re introducing the next big thing in TV from Rogers: NextBox 2.0, a suite of new features for Rogers cable customers in Ontario that delivers a TV without borders experience, any time, in any room of your home.

What’s new?

• Whole Home PVR: Now with a single PVR, you can watch your recorded shows from any TV in your home with a NextBox HD Terminal. Why it’s cool? Let’s pretend I’m a huge fan of The Bachelor (who’s pretending? I love it!). I’ve recorded it and can’t wait to see the most dramatic rose ceremony yet, but I’m dozing off on the couch. Now I can seamlessly switch the show to the bedroom and watch the big reveal in the comfort of my bed. You can even watch the same recorded programs in up to 4 rooms at once.
• Rogers Live TV: Stream 22 live TV channels on your iPad or Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet using your home Wi-Fi connection. Why this is a life changer? Say I’m watching a cooking show and instantly get inspired to whip up a dish along with the TV host; I can switch the live show to my tablet into the kitchen and live stream the show while I embark on my culinary adventure.
• An enhanced interactive TV guide: A sleek and intuitive new HD interface, with advanced search capabilities. Why do I love this? Because I can customize and build personalized channel guides and easily search for that show everyone is buzzing about, while never losing sight of the current episode. The new on demand portal makes it easier to check out what’s new on Rogers On Demand Channel 100.
• More tailored cable and internet packages: Usage-based packaging options. What does this mean? It means I can choose the services best suited to my TV and internet needs. All packages come with a discounted monthly TV service, NextBox 2.0 free for 6 months and a PVR Extender that allows you to record and store even more of your favourite shows! Whether you watch a little TV or a lot, there’s a variety of packages available to suit your needs.

With NextBox 2.0 home entertainment is now on your schedule and on the screen of your choice. Speaking of entertainment on any screen of your choice, Rogers On Demand Online has a new name: Rogers Anyplace TV.

It’s still your online entertainment destination or your favourite on-demand primetime TV shows, kids programming, specialty channels, movie rentals, and live streaming sports action – just with a different name. The new name captures the next step in TV entertainment. It’s about streaming sports action while you’re commuting or enjoying the latest episode of 30 Rock on your mobile when you’re waiting in line. It’s entertainment right at your fingertips.

In addition to watching your favourite programming online on your PC, you can also watch on your smartphone, tablet and Xbox 360.

Got a special place in your heart for Rogers On Demand? Your favourite On Demand hotspot on channel 100 will be keeping the Rogers On Demand name alive.

You’ll be able to see the new name starting now at RogersAnyplaceTV.com and over the next couple months, you’ll start to see the name changing for the mobile app and Xbox platforms.

Which room do you think is the best for TV viewing? Join the discussion on Twitter by using or following #NextBox.

UPDATE (February 27, 2012, 6:43 a.m): Looking for more information on NextBox 2.0? Take a look at this video to see it in action:

Kaili is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Sometimes I just can’t pick up a phone call. There are countless scenarios where answering my phone is not an option, like when I’m in a meeting, at the movies,  have my hands full of groceries or when my friend is in the middle of recounting a really important story that requires my full, undivided attention. Once you miss a call, you can’t always call into your voicemail mailbox right away to see what the person had to say, even if you’re extremely eager to find out.

Today Rogers launched Visual Voicemail Plus, included in new Rogers Value Packs. It’s another first from Rogers and it’s available for most phones. What’s great about Visual Voicemail Plus is that not only do you get the audio file pushed to your phone but the message is transcribed to text and sent with the audio file as an attachment in a single message. This means you no longer need to dial into your voicemail inbox, enter your password, and listen to all the prompts – your audio message and transcription is just a click away. One of the other key benefits is that you see the list of your voice messages and can directly access the one you want, rather than having to listen to each one in order they were left.

Visual Voicemail Plus is available for select BlackBerry and Android devices and is managed via an application, as well as available on other smartphones and mobile phones that support MMS (picture/video) messages with messages delivered via MMS.

How to get Visual Voicemail Plus

Contact Rogers to subscribe to the service. BlackBerry and Android users can download the Visual Voicemail Plus app from Rogers Mobile Internet Portal or the Android Market. For these apps, everything is synchronized between your device and traditional voicemail mailbox. This means that if you delete or view a message in the app, it will be deleted or marked as Saved in your voicemail mailbox. For mobile phones that support MMS, you just need to set up your voicemail to get started and messages will be saved on your traditional voicemail mailbox once they have been delivered to your phone via MMS.

Get your home phone voicemail sent to you your mobile

Visual Voicemail Plus also allows voicemail messages to be forwarded as MMS messages from your Rogers Home Phone. Just log into the voicemail online portal and click on the “message to MMS” tab.

Get your voicemail on your computer

If you’re already using the recently launched Rogers One Number service, you’ll be glad to hear that you can now integrate Visual Voicemail Plus via MMS on your computer too.

Do you have a memorable voice message that you continue to keep saved? Care to share?

Kaili is a regular contributor to RedBoard

What hasn’t changed is the need and desire to stay connected to these important people.

In the next installment of RedBoard’s #TalkingFamilies series, we asked @KatiaMillar of Positive Fabulous Women to provide us with some insight into her family life and how they use technology. We’ll be setting her family up with smartphones and a family plan and in the meantime, we’ve asked her to answer some questions for us about how her and her family use technology. In return, we’ve made a donation to a charity of her choice. Here’s what she had to say about technology and her family:

What factors should parents consider when deciding if their children are old enough for cell phones? Were these difficult decisions in your own family?

My children had cell phones by grade 6 or 7 – because I wanted a way to keep in touch with them during the after-school program. I wouldn’t say it was a difficult decision, but it’s still not one that I took very lightly. I think it really depends on the child and the needs of the family. Obviously, if a child had to take public transit or walk to school, then it might be a good idea to have a way to stay in touch with a parent. Also, we have to assess where each child is at and if we can trust him/her to show responsibility looking after the phone and making sure it’s not lost. Children need to be aware that it’s a privilege to own a cell phone, and they have to be ready to handle that responsibility.

What can parents do to ensure their kids’ use of cell phones doesn’t interfere with family life?

I would love to say that it doesn’t disrupt our family life, but I’d be lying. As kids get older, it becomes increasingly harder to set boundaries and stick to them. I am a bit more relaxed about those rules now than I used to be, partly because I’m guilty at times myself. However, I think it’s critical for parents to set some limits around usage – eg. no phone at the dinner table. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. As a parent of two teenage boys, I have to pick my battles – so I choose to let that one go sometimes and focus on bigger more critical issues around life and school.

What do you consider to be biggest benefit/biggest disadvantage of a connected family?

The #1 benefit of a connected family is that we keep in touch easily. For me personally, I appreciate that I am able to stay in the loop of what’s happening in my kids’ lives even when they’re away from home. They know I’m “there” if they have a question or need anything. As children enter their teen years, sometimes the verbal communication is a challenge, so it’s great to have other means to stay in touch. The challenge is the constant interruption, as they’re often more interested in playing with their phones than having a conversation. It’s particularly frustrating when we’re out at a restaurant or with family, and they just retreat to their phones than trying to make human connection – so it’s an ongoing struggle to get them to put their phones away and be present.

How do you use your smartphone/cellphone to stay connected to your family?

One word: Texting. We have a 2-household family, so having a convenient tool to stay connected when they’re with their Dad is very helpful for us. When the kids are out with friends, I know I can check in with them any time. They will often text me if they’re late or need something, so it’s a fantastic tool for us to manage our daily needs and expectations. Yes, I have even texted my kids if they’re in their rooms to call them down for dinner – works much better than yelling!

Does having access to the internet and cell phones make family life different for your current family compared with the family in which you grew up?

Does it ever! Children these days don’t go outside nearly as much as we did to socialize and interact with their peers. They value their online friends almost as much as their school friends. What that means for parents, especially as the kids get older, is that it’s harder to bring them into our world as we’re constantly competing for their attention with the next incoming text. Smartphones can create an added challenge as they provide a portable escape from the world with games, internet access, etc.

Speaking of keeping in touch with friends and family, check out our most recent Rogers Innovation Report where we look at how Canadian technology users connect to family and friends.

What’s your favourite method to keeping in touch with your family?

Melanie is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Luck

Some of us will always think of Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin in The Graduate or maybe for his Oscar-winning role in Rain Man. However, I’m guessing that his starring role in HBO’s brand new series Luck will introduce him to a whole new audience.  The shows deals with horseracing and gambling and has a knockout cast that not only includes Dustin Hoffman, but Nick Nolte and Dennis Farina as well. Throw in the fact that it was created by David Milch, who also came up with classic shows like NYPD Blue and Deadwood and it gets even better. But wait, we’re not done yet. The pilot episode, which you can check out right now in our free preview, was directed by the amazing Michael Mann. Take a look at Luck and let us know what you think.

Deadwood

Speaking of Deadwood, that’s another show you can check out in our TMN Free Preview. This is the western to end all western, featuring a star making performance by the great Ian McShane. You can sample the first two episodes from the first season of Deadwood right now for the low cost of free.

Game of Thrones

One of the most anticipated returns this television season is that of Game of Thrones, which was a huge success when it first aired last year. I didn’t watch it right away, but I did play catch up not long ago and have to say I was suitably impressed. Great set pieces, great acting – you don’t have to be a hugh fan of fantasy to get into all of the intrigue. In our TMN Free Preview, you can check out the first episode of Game of Thrones season one, which really sets the stage for all that’s to come.

Those are just a few of the shows you can check out in TMN’s Free Preview. But really, there are so many more shows for you to sample  – Showtimes Nurse Jackie, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood and many, many more. Definitely head over to Rogers On Demand Online and take a look at all of these stellar, award winning shows. I’m pretty sure you’ll find at least one you like. And to read more TMN Free Preview related info, be sure to check Rogers Beyond The Guide blog. The TMN Free Preview is on now until February 26^th.

What’s your favourite show in the free preview? We want to know!

Andrew is a regular contributor to RedBoard

It’s true. In fact, the most recent data from the second Rogers Innovation Report shows some pretty interesting stats about Canadians and their use of technology to manage their personal relationships. We know technology helps keep people close, but did you know Canadians don’t really worry about family due to technology advances helping to keep us connected?

Back in December, we issued our first Rogers Innovation Report, a regular report we’re doing to get Canadians views on technology. We know Canadians are passionate about technology so this time, we’re taking a look into how Canadian technology users connect to family and friends. Check it out below and join the discussion on Twitter by using or following #RIRExplores

Do you relate to any of these stats? Were there any that surprised you?

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Now that more than 8 million Canadians have access to Rogers LTE network, we’ve decided to celebrate with a contest. The prize? One shiny new LTE enabled tablet: the HTC Jetstream. Sound like something you’d like? Read on.

How to enter

First off, you’ve got to have an LTE enabled device. Rogers LTE is available in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and surrounding areas, and Ottawa at the launch of this Contest. Once you’re using LTE, just email us a screen capture of your highest speed over LTE to redboardfeedback@rci.rogers.com. Make sure you include your full name and the device you used for the speed test in your email. Customers experience typical download speeds of 12 Mbps to 25 Mbps, but we’re looking for the fastest speeds in the country, so we’ll accept all entries over 25Mbps and post them here on RedBoard.

The contest begins today and ends February 27 when we’ll be doing a random draw of all eligible entries. We’ll only be accepting 1 entry per person so make sure you send us your best speed!

How do I do a speed test?

Easy. Using your LTE device, head over to either http://speedtest.rogers.com or a site like http://www.speedtest.net and follow the instructions. Note that http://speedtest.rogers.com is only available when using an LTE device.

What LTE devices are currently available from Rogers?

You have several devices available to you including:

• The recently announced Samsung Galaxy Note, an all-in-one LTE tablet and smartphone hybrid,
• The Sierra Wireless AirCard  313U model of LTE Rocket Stick,
• The Sierra Wireless AirCard 754S model of LTE Rocket mobile hotspot,
• The Rogers exclusive Samsung Galaxy S II LTE smartphone
• The HTC Raider,
• Canada’s first LTE tablet, the Rogers exclusive, HTC Jetstream

And, as of tomorrow, we’ll be launching the Sierra Wireless AirCard330U model of the LTE Rocket stick and coming this Spring, we’ll be launching the Sierra Wireless AirCard 763S LTE Rocket mobile hotspot which offers maximum theoretical LTE download speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

Now it’s time to see how fast Rogers LTE is for yourself!

Contest closes at noon (ET) on February 27, 2012. Open to residents of Canada, 18 years or older who are existing Rogers LTE customers before February 13, 2012. To enter, connect to the Internet using your LTE device and email as instructed a screen capture of your ‘speed’ of at least 25 Mbps over the Rogers LTE network to redboardfeedback@rci.rogers.com or infosfilrouge@rci.rogers.com. You must be the account holder on the Rogers LTE device used or be on a family plan with at least two LTE Rogers devices. Prize: one (1) HTC Jetstream tablet valued at $900. One entry/person. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. Mathematical skill-testing question to be correctly answered to win. No Purchase Necessary. Full rules here.

Contest Entries

Patrick, Laval, Samsung Galaxy SII

Raphael, Montreal, Samsung Galaxy SII

Larry, Laval, Samsung Galaxy SII

Alex, Mississauga, Samsung Galaxy SII

For more contest entries, go here.

UPDATE (February 14, 2012, 1:49 p.m): Great news! The Sierra Wireless AirCard330U model of the LTE Rocket stick is now available from Rogers! The new LTE Rocket stick will be $79.99 on a three term. For more details, go here.

To kick off a new RedBoard series, Talking Families, we asked @Gingermommy of Tales of a Ranting Ginger to provide us with some insight into family life and technology. In her own words, she describes herself as a “Canadian mom of four: toddlers, tweens and teens” who uses “her blog and social media to connect, share and save with others.” We’ve set her family up with smartphones and the new family plans and asked her to answer some questions for us about how her and her family use technology. In return, we’re making a donation to a charity of her choice. Here’s what she had to say about technology and her family:

What factors should parents consider when deciding if their children are old enough for cell phones? Were these difficult decisions in your own family?

Having four kids who all range in age, I think each is separate. My 11 year old is more mature and responsible than his older sister was at the same age. He would use the phone to stay in contact with us. My older kids would want to text all the time. I think kids should be given a fair chance, but if they do not stay within their limits then they need to pay their own bill.

What do you consider to be biggest benefit/biggest disadvantage of a connected family?

Two of my kids are teens and often out and about with their friends. I like them having phones to stay connected with us. There are very few payphones and with debit there is seldom any change in their pockets. And, with one child who is learning to drive, the safety factor is huge. I do not like them being online all the time though. Some rules we have are no texting during dinner and designated family time.

What can parents do to manage their children’s cell phone usage? Should they monitor or set any guidelines? (ie: No texting at the dinner table? No phone usage in the house? Features like MMS disabled?)

We limit cell phone time during family hours. I also prefer my kids not to have data on their phones.

What do you look for when choosing a cell phone plan and provider?

Flexibility, I like to be able to add on and move it so it fits our large family’s needs. A plan that includes unlimited local calling and incoming calls is great. Also unlimited texting is great (we have had high texting bills before).

Does having access to the internet and cell phones make family life different for your current family compared with the family in which you grew up?

My kids have access to information at all times. That being said, we need to make sure they are looking at appropriate sites etc. Gone are the days of leaving a message for a caller. Now kids have instant access to their friends

What are some ways you would recommend for families to reduce their mobile device usage?

Set limits and boundaries. Communicate and respect privacy but still monitor what they are doing and for how long. We do not allow cell phones in the bedrooms when they are to be sleeping.

Stay tuned for the next Talking Families installment.

How do you stay connected with the people that matter in your life?

Melanie is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Technology keeping it exciting

According to a recent survey, 25% of Canadian technology users say the use of technology to stay connected with their significant other keeps their relationship exciting! And, it’s not just women who feel this way. Of that 25%, it was evenly split among men and women. Of those surveyed that think technology helps spice up the relationship, people from Quebec were the highest with 31% agreeing with this statement.

Time well wasted

How much time do you spend talking to your significant other each day? According to our research of Canadian technology users, the average young adult (18-24) spends 2.5 hours using technology to communicate to their boyfriend or girlfriend each day!

Dating and dumping

We all know technology can be used to connect people, but what about when it comes time to break it off? Overall, the phone remains the most popular method to hook up or break up. 48% of those surveyed have been asked out over the phone and 18% admitted to being dumped.

While 31% of 18-24 year olds surveyed said they have been asked out via a social networking site like Facebook, the favourite Gen Y approach is definitely the phone. More than half (60%) of 25-34 year olds surveyed have been asked out over the phone.

And what about text message? Can you really communicate your feelings in just a few characters? Apparently, you can. 27% of 18-24 year olds think it is totally fine to ask someone out on a first date through a text message. In fact, 40% say they’ve actually been asked out in a text message before. Only 12% have been dumped.

Of all Canadian technology users surveyed, the ladies are more open to being asked out via text than men. 14% of women versus 9% of men feel texting is a perfectly fine way to ask someone out on a first date. So guys, if you’re on the fence about sending that text to that special someone, I say go for it! It just might work out for you.

What do you think? Is technology hurting or helping romantic encounters?

Hungry for more stats? Check out the Rogers Innovation Report where we looked at technology predictions for 2012.

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Information about our research: From January 13^th to January 23^rd 2012, an online survey was conducted among 1,403 randomly selected adult Canadians that own a smartphone or tablet and use texting, social networking, video calling, email, instant messaging, or BBM. All were Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.6%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to region and gender. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

How might you use it, you ask? Well, if you’re like me and you’re always on the go, family and friends can now call your number – the same one they’ve always used – and rather than leave a voicemail (again!) you can have it ring on your computer or up to five phones of your choice so you’re always reachable when you want to be. Or, if you spend a lot of time calling that special someone, you can switch the talking onto a computer with Rogers One Number and you’ll no longer use up your daytime mobile minutes. And, if you want to take it a step further and stare into each other’s eyes, you can seamlessly turn the call into a video chat with the click of a button.

To really understand how it works, you have to see it in action. So to help me do just that, I recently sat down tech expert Winston Sih, to give you the details. Check it out:

Rogers One Number is available for free to eligible Rogers wireless customers, so there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t head over to www.rogersonenumber.ca and sign up right now. Once you’ve given it a try, let us know what you think by leaving us a comment.

How will you be using Rogers One Number?

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Starting tomorrow, Rogers is launching the Ultimate Unlimited Family Plan allowing you to limitlessly chat with your best friends about upcoming plans, give your daughter endless local minutes to gossip about the Bachelor or let your husband send unlimited messages to the boys about the game.

While Rogers has had Family Plans for some time, what’s new is that now you have truly unlimited local talk and extreme text messaging so you never have to worry about going over your minutes or minimizing your hour-long text sessions. With everyone on this plan, every month, you will receive one bill for your whole family that helps make managing the family wireless bills a little easier.

The Ultimate Unlimited Family plan starts at $95.94 per month for two lines including unlimited voice and messaging or $140.94 per month for two lines including unlimited voice, unlimited messaging, and 2GB of shared data. You can add additional lines to your unlimited voice and messaging plan for just $27.97 per line per month and to your unlimited voice, messaging and data plan for $37.97 per line per month. With these family plans you’ll receive great unlimited features including:

• Unlimited local talk
• Unlimited Extreme Text Messaging
• Unlimited Canadian-wide calling between plan members
• Unlimited Canadian-wide calling from your computer (new and only from Rogers!)

With the voice and data plan option, your plan members will share 2GB of data with the option to increase this for just $10 a month for an additional 1GB of data. You can also add-on unlimited Canadian-wide long distance for $10 per line per month. Both this option and unlimited Canadian-wide calling from your computer is available for you to stay connected with family members located outside of your local calling area.

As always, Rogers offers you a wide selection of the latest and greatest devices for every member of your family and when you’re purchasing one eligible device you can get up to 4 more at $0 each with a 3-year term Ultimate Unlimited Family Plan. This offer includes some of the hottest devices including the Samsung Galaxy S II LTE, Motorola RAZR, HTC Raider, Nokia Lumia 710 and many more. All Rogers customers also gain value from many included Rogers services such as Rogers Phone Finder and the Handset Protection Guarantee Program.

What unlimited feature would you use the most in your family?

Katie is a regular contributor to RedBoard

We’re raising the bar on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) experience with two new LTE devices that will offer the fastest speeds in Canada, as well as more LTE plan options.

What’s coming?

We’ll soon be launching the Sierra Wireless AirCard330U model of the LTE Rocket stick as well as the Sierra Wireless AirCard 763S LTE Rocket mobile hotspot which offer maximum theoretical LTE download speeds of up to 100 Mbps. These devices will be the first to support connectivity on both the 1700/2100 MHz and the 2600 MHz spectrum on Rogers LTE network, offering typical LTE download speeds of up to 40 Mbps, compared to 12-25 Mbps for devices using 1700/2100 MHz only. Now, that’s fast.

LTE mobile internet pricing plan news

We will also extend our range of 4G HSPA+ mobile internet plans to LTE devices including the Flex Rate plan for Rocket stick and mobile hotspot starting from $22.93 per month and Flex Rate plans for tablets starting from $7.93 per month. We’ll continue to offer the LTE Introductory Plan of $52.93 for 10 GB/month on a three-year-term and plans include no overage fees for the first month.

LTE options on more smartphone plans

Also starting this week, we will be expanding our range of LTE-ready plans for smartphones to include Voice & Data Plans starting from $52.97 per month as well as a $25/500MB Data Plan option that can be added to any voice plan.

Availability and how to reserve

The new LTE pricing options will be available this week. The Sierra Wireless AirCard 330U model of the LTE Rocket will be in stores in the next few weeks and the Sierra Wireless AirCard763S LTE Rocket mobile hotspot will be available this Spring. Rogers customers can reserve the new LTE devices online at www.rogers.com/lte.

We were first to launch an LTE network in Canada, starting in Ottawa last July, followed by Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in September as well as surrounding cities. We’ll be  expanding to more than 25 additional cities to bring the benefits of LTE to more than half the Canadian population by the end of the year.

We were also first to launch LTE devices in Canada and we continue to expand our selection with innovative devices like the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Note, an all-in-one LTE tablet and smartphone hybrid. We also carry:

• The Sierra Wireless AirCard  313U model of LTE Rocket Stick,
• The Sierra Wireless AirCard 754S model of LTE Rocket mobile hotspot,
• The Rogers exclusive Samsung Galaxy S II LTE smartphone
• The HTC Raider,
• Canada’s first LTE tablet, the Rogers exclusive, HTC Jetstream

What will you do with the speed offered by these new devices?

UPDATE (February 14, 2012, 1:43 p.m): Great news! The Sierra Wireless AirCard330U model of the LTE Rocket stick is now available from Rogers! The new LTE Rocket stick will be $79.99 on a three term. For more details, go here.

Sara is a regular contributor to RedBoard

How can I get in touch with the @RogersHelps team?

Easy. Just tweet your question to @RogersHelps. Make sure you don’t tweet @Rogers – that’s a nice guy named Glenn but he probably can’t help you.

Once you send us your tweet, a member of the team will respond to your request using their own account. For example, you might hear from @RogersAndrewNP or @RogersRavi. The team is online Monday to Friday 9am-9pm and Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 10am – 5pm EST.

What if I don’t use Twitter?

No problem. There’s other ways you can get help online. The Rogers Community Forums is a great place to look for answers to frequently asked questions. This peer-to-peer forum averages about 50 posts per day, and there’s a great repository of answers for you to search before you need to even post a question. Stay tuned for some great innovations as we prepare for our first ever expert event coming in February.

You can also get in touch with us through e-chat or email. Go to www.rogers.com/support to find out more ways to get in touch and get answers to your questions.

If you’re looking for all of Rogers different social sites, check out our social hub, Social@Rogers, your one-stop source to find and interact with all of our social sites.

Have you been helped by our @RogersHelps team?

Gina is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Shield your eyes…. The bright, crisp, huge 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display on the Samsung Galaxy Note will be here soon. It’s coming to Rogers in February. The Galaxy Note is packed with features, an all-in-one LTE tablet and smartphone hybrid. Running on Android OS 2.3, the Note is made of tough Gorilla Glass, has an “S Pen” stylus pen to take notes, and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. With the eight megapixel camera you can record 1080p HD videos, and since it runs on the LTE network you can upload your videos to YouTube in seconds.

The Samsung Galaxy Note joins Canada’s first LTE smartphones like the exclusive HTC Jetstream LTE tablet, the first LTE tablet in Canada, the Rogers LTE Rocket stick (Sierra Wireless AirCard 313U) and the LTE Rocket mobile hotspot (Sierra Wireless AirCard 754S). This device allows you to create a mobile hotspot for up to 5 Wi-Fi devices.

Rogers was the first wireless carrier in Canada to launch an LTE network. This year, we will expand our LTE network to more than 25 additional cities in Canada to cover more than 50 per cent of the population. The Rogers LTE network offers mobile speeds similar to broadband connections and delivers unparalleled connectivity and increased usage capacity to provide an unrivalled mobile experience. Rogers LTE network is now live in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and many surrounding communities.

Customers can reserve the Samsung Galaxy Note by using the Rogers Reservation System and searching under “Special Orders.” You can find more information about Rogers LTE at www.rogers.com/lte.

What feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note are you most excited about?

UPDATE (February 14, 2012, 12:26 p.m): Happy Valentine’s Day! The Samsung Galaxy Note is now officially available from Rogers. For more information, go here.

Katie is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Alcatraz

What do you get when you combine the most ominous prison in American history with one of the most acclaimed creators currently working in television? The answer is J.J. Abrams’ Alcatraz, which is free to watch to everyone. The show stars Sam Neil, Jorge Garcia (Hurley from Lost) and Sarah Jones. The series combines the supernatural mystery of Lost with a police procedural style case of the week, which makes it an entertaining show.  The big question of the series – how are long supposed dead former Alcatraz prisoners alive in contemporary San Francisco having not aged a day? Hopefully, we’ll get answers sooner than later.

Arctic Air

Take a look at the new CBC show Arctic Air, free to watch for all Rogers Customers, and you may notice a familiar face. Adam Beach has been seen in all sorts of mainstream fair, including the film Cowboys and Aliens, Flags Of Our Fathers and as a regular on Law and Order: SVU. In Arctic Air, Beach stars as Bobby, who returns home to Yellowknife and the family business, a maverick airline run by an eclectic group of people.  The show is already a huge hit, with more than 1 million people watching the premiere episode. Catch up on the series and see what Canada’s been talking about, right here.

My Babysitter’s A Vampire

If you’re looking for something for the kids, you should definitely check out Teletoon’s My Babysitter’s A Vampire. What began as a made for television film is now a full on series about a trio with some cool powers – Ehtan is a Seer, his best pal Benny is a spellmaster and his babysitter Sarah just happens to be a vampire. Together, they take on all sorts of things that go bump in the night – from zombies and ghosts to demons and witches. My Babysitter’s A Vampire is free to watch to Rogers cable customers, so catch up on the first three episodes right now.

That’s just a taste of some of the new shows available to watch on Rogers On Demand Online. There are also brand new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Glee and many more available as well.

Of all the new shows that have premiered in 2012, which are you most excited about?

Andrew is a regular contributor to RedBoard

We know that some of you have had questions about fixed term wireless contracts and why they exist.  What you may not know is that Rogers offers you choices, even when it comes to contracts. You can always be without a fixed term contract with Rogers if you choose to pay full price for your device upfront and pay for your services month-to-month.

Why do I need a fixed term contract?

When you enter into a contract, you receive a device or service at a reduced cost. The benefit of signing up for a 1, 2 or 3-year term is the upfront savings you get on the wireless device you want.

Wireless devices can cost hundreds of dollars depending on the model.   You can choose to skip the fixed term contract and buy your device at full price, but sometimes, getting a break on the cost of that new quick messaging device, smartphone, tablet or RocketStick makes more sense and is easier on your wallet than paying for it outright.

What if I want out of my fixed term contract? What fees apply

We often get questions about cancellation fees and why they exist.  As part of our ongoing commitment to our customers, we’ve implemented a new policy around what happens when customers with a fixed term choose to end their fixed term early.

Here’s the new policy:

• If you received a device subsidy when you signed up, and you want to cancel your service before the end of your fixed term, you will need to pay the Device Savings Recovery Fee (DSRF), which is based on your device subsidy.
• You can find the amount of your device subsidy (economic inducement) in your agreement. To calculate the DSRF, just divide the subsidy you received on your device by the length of your contract in months , multiply that number by the months left in your fixed term contract and of course, add applicable taxes.
• Did you get a bigger subsidy when you signed up because you have a data plan? Rogers offers additional subsidies to customers who sign up for both voice and data plans.
• The Additional Device Savings Recovery Fee (ADSRF) is charged to subscribers with data plans who cancel prior to the end of their term. You can also find the amount of your data plan subsidy (additional economic inducement) in your agreement.
• This is calculated the same way as the DSRF, taking into account the months left in your fixed term contract and the initial subsidy provided to you.
• The one-time service deactivation fee is $12.50 per line and charged to all term customers in provinces other than Quebec and Manitoba if they choose to cancel their services before the end of their fixed term. This fee helps to cover the administrative costs and charges associated with your cancellation.

It’s always important to understand what you’re paying for, which is why we’re trying to make it easier for customers to understand our device subsidies.

Heather is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Whether you’re a dentist, lawyer or plumber, bringing qualified, local customers to your door is essential to growing your business. Gone are the days of flipping through phonebooks to find local services – millions of Canadians are taking to the web and their mobile devices on a daily basis to find products and services, making it crucial for you, as a small business, to have an online presence.

To help you connect with local customers, we have launched Outrank, a new online marketing solution that helps small business grow their customer base by marketing effectively online and on mobile devices. Check out this video from the Outrank team that explains the service:

Specific features available in Outrank include:

• Website:  A member of the Outrank team will work with you to create a professionally-designed website that showcases your business brand. The website will also convert site visitors into phone calls and will be developed with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices. 
• Paid Search Marketing: Dedicated marketing experts on the Outrank team will use a proprietary bidding algorithm to place your business’s ad prominently in the ads section of top search engines such as Google, Bing & Yahoo.
• Search Engine Optimization: Through set best practices for website development, maps optimization, custom content creation and link building, the Outrank team will work to achieve prominent placement in the “natural” section of top search engines for your business.
• Performance Dashboard: The dashboard provides access to campaign results including website traffic and metrics on the number of phone calls and emails your business receives as a result of your online advertising campaign.

To learn more about Outrank, check out www.RogersOutrank.com.

How do you attract local customers to your business?

Allison is a regular contributor to RedBoardBiz

Topping the list of trending topics was Long Term Evolution (LTE). Several companies showcased products that highlighted the benefits of faster wireless connections, especially for video communications. Rogers was the first carrier in Canada and one of the first in the world to launch LTE last year in Ottawa in July.

According to the Connected Magazine team, some of the biggest buzz was generated from things like 4KTV which doubles the horizontal resolution of the current top-end high-def TVs, ultrabooks, super small but powerful laptops, and Windows 8, Microsoft’s new operating system which is expected on tablets and personal devices as well as PC.

To catch up on all the news from CES 2012, check out Connected Magazine’s extensive coverage. To help you find what you’re looking for, here’s a run-down of their recent posts:

• Wierdest gear: Dancing Robots, Inflatable iPad Cubes and more
• Weighing in on Smart TVs from Samsung, Lenova and LG
• Top tablets from Toshiba, Samsung Lenovo and more
• Gadgets galore: ViewPad e70, Boogie Board Rip and more
• Top 5 freshest gadgets
• The biggest buzz: 4K TV, Ultrabooks, Windows 8 and more

What did you think was the most exciting thing at CES 2012? Have you ever been to the event?

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

That’s why we’re pretty excited to tell you about today’s launch of Sportsnews, a new sports cable service at no additional cost for Rogers digital cable customers. It’s the channel you flip to for your real-time sports fix. It’s the first cable service of its kind in Canada. Head over to channel 999 to check it out (available in SD or HD).

Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect to see on Sportsnews:

• Large scoreboard (one-third of the screen) with scores, including pre and post-game notes and in play scores and stats.
• Twitter feed streaming from your favourite Sportsnet personalities.
• The headline zone featuring breaking news and fun trivia facts.

Pulling in real-time scores, stats, breaking news and fantasy info, means there’s always something interesting for avid sports enthusiasts. Especially with the NHL All-Star Weekend around the corner, can’t wait to see how my favourite players stack up in the skills competition and how they’ll perform in the All-Star Game. Pretty sweet I can get those updates while I’m channel surfing or working out.

Will you be tuning into Sportsnews?

Kaili is a regular contributor to RedBoard

To celebrate Chinese New Year, Jacky Cheung’s ½ Century concert tour is coming to Canada and on January 16, it will be his first time performing in Toronto. He’ll also be in Vancouver on January 13. Jacky is referred to as the “God of Songs ” and if you’re a fan, check out our Rogers Facebook page where we’ll be giving away a pair of tickets to the show each day until January 13. You can also purchase tickets here.

Also, Ontario digital cable customers can enjoy several free previews. Check out the channels and languages featured below:

For more cable and wireless deals in the spirit of Chinese New Year,check out www.Rogers.com/cny.

And, speaking of the year of the Dragon, the Dragon Ball - one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Toronto – is happening on January 28. Rogers has been a proud sponsor of this event for the last 7 years and with over 1,200 guests celebrating it’s sure to be a night to remember.

UPDATE (January 25, 2012, 5:07 pm): Congratulations to the winners of our Jacky Cheung 1/2 Century World Tour giveaway! Here they are posing with none other than Jacky Cheung!

Kaili is a regular contributor to RedBoard

We shot the Motorola RAZR - with its heavy-duty Kevlar fiber coating and tough Corning Gorilla Glass – out of an air cannon through things like popcorn, pop, paint, canvas, an egg and a cake.

The Motorola RAZR video series were entertaining and not like other mobile demo videos. Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself in the series of videos below:

Motorola RAZR vs. The Baker’s Dozen:

The Motorola RAZR vs. The Movies:

Motorola RAZR vs. The Blank Canvas:

Think these are cool? Stay tuned. A special bonus video is coming soon!

UPDATE (January 6, 2012, 1:33 p.m): As promised, here is the special bonus video:

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

1. My Day as a Rogers Android: Our own @RogersMelanie got to live a childhood dream. On October 26, she dressed as the Android mascot at Android TO, Canada’s largest Android conference, and entertained more than 600 attendees throughout the day. To mark the momentous occasion, we filmed a video of her once-in-a-lifetime experience which generated more than 10,000 views.
2. Canada’s first LTE network is live: Where were you the day Rogers launched Canada’s first LTE network? I was in Ottawa – the first city in Canada to experience LTE – to show off the capabilities of the latest global wireless technology at a launch event. On that day, we also announced that LTE would be coming to Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. And on September 28, we officially launched Rogers LTE in those cities.
3. RedBoard Celebrates one year anniversary: On March 2, our blog turned 1. To mark this milestone, we held our first Tweetup in Toronto and invited RedBoard readers to come out and celebrate with us. For those outside the city, we held a contest to win RedBoard loot bags. We’re looking forward to celebrating our second birthday next year, as well as a first birthday for FilRouge, our new French blog, which launched in September of this year.
4. Rogers launches new early upgrade offer: On May 6, we announced an early upgrade promotion that allows you to upgrade your device as early as six months into your existing contract term. We know many of our readers here on RedBoard are the kind of people that want the latest gadget as soon as it’s available. We were happy to offer this new option to provide our customers with this added freedom and flexibility.
5. Rogers Innovation Report: top technology predictions for 2012: Just over a week ago, we launched the first Rogers Innovation Report, a regular report we’ll be doing to get Canadians views on technology. The best part? The infographic. This visual display of our findings revealed interesting statistics like the number of Canadians who sleep with their smartphones or have the urge to take them to the bathroom!

On behalf of the RedBoard team, we’d like to wish you a happy new year, and all the best in 2012. We’re looking forward to another great year.

Are there any topics you’d like to see us cover in 2012?

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

Personally, I’m looking forward to relaxing and hosting a few gatherings with close friends and family now that shopping’s out of the way. In the spirit of sharing, here are some ways I’m bringing holiday cheer into my home this season.

• Rogers On Demand’s Holiday Channel: Here you’ll find the best this holiday season has to offer, including kid’s favourite’s, editor’s picks, and of course classic movies and TV specials for the whole family to enjoy. For more ideas, check out Andrew’s “HoHoHo It’s the Holiday Channel” Redboard post.
• The Fireplace Channel: Those of us not lucky enough to have a fireplace thrive on this channel this time of year. Now I know, it’s not the real thing – but you still get the warm glow and crackle from the fire. Tune in on channels 204 for SD and 574 for HD.
• Galaxie Channels on Rogers On Demand: This is another great one to have going in the background if you already have a fireplace. Right now on Galaxie we’ve got 9 holiday stations to suit everyone’s needs! Listen online and through select tablets and smartphones – free for all Rogers digital customers!
• RogersurMusic: If you’re conflicted between the Fireplace Channel or Galaxie holiday music channels, fear not – you can have both! I like to entertain with the Fireplace channel going on my TV, and my special holiday mix playing in the background. urMusic has TONS of holiday tracks to download this season – everything from The Muppets to Bing Crosby!

As I type this post in front of the Fireplace Channel with eggnog in hand, and Nat King Cole’s “Merry Christmas to You” in the background, I’d like to wish all our readers a happy holiday on behalf of Rogers!

Kelly is a regular contributor to RedBoard

I couldn’t live without my gadgets and I’m not alone.

According to research we released yesterday in the first Rogers Innovation Report, Canadians love their cell phones.The vast majority of Canadian smartphone and tablet owners (85%) say they’re attached to their devices.

How attached? Well, one in 10 (11%) say they wouldn’t want to live without them. And four in 10 (39%) Canadians say they sleep with their devices within arm’s reach – either beside them on the nightstand or in their beds.

Younger Canadians are even more attached to their devices. Among Canadians aged 18 to 24, three-quarters (76%) sleep with their phones within arm’s reach and one in four (23%) snuggle up with their devices in bed.

And we want to use them everywhere. One in four Canadians (23%) want to use their devices in the bathroom, with a minority (3%) even wanting to use their devices while taking a bath or shower.

Canadian smartphone and tablet users are also optimistic that new wireless technologies will keep making their lives better. Some 68% of Canadians surveyed said voice interaction with devices, such as Apple’s Siri, will make their lives better, while 61% feel using their devices for purchases will do the same.

What about you? How attached are you to your device? What’s the most unusual place you’ve ever used your cell?

Keith McArthur is Vice President of Social Media at Rogers

These predictions come from the first Rogers Innovation Report, a regular report we’ll be doing to get Canadians views on technology.

As the year comes to a close, we focused our first edition of the Rogers Innovation Report on technology predictions for 2012. We asked Canadian smartphone and tablet users if technology makes their lives better and easier and their views on advancements for the next few years. Check it out:

What do you think of the first Innovation Report? Did any of the numbers surprise you?

Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard