ROAM LIKE HOME in the U.S. for $5 per day

New roaming technology part of Rogers 3.0 plan to overhaul the customer experience

Heading to the U.S.? Customers can now access their Share Everything minutes, text and data for $5/day

TORONTO, Nov. 7, 2014 /CNW/ - To roam or not to roam? That's the question millions of Canadians ask themselves every time they travel to the U.S. Not anymore. Today, Rogers announced ROAM LIKE HOME™, a simple way for customers to use the Internet, make calls, send texts and emails in the U.S. just like they would at home, with their Share Everything™ Plan. ROAM LIKE HOME will be available starting November 10.

"Canadians have told us loud and clear that they're afraid to use their mobile phones when travelling to the U.S. They find it too complicated and the pricing isn't affordable. They also said they were paying for minutes, texts and Internet at home but they couldn't use it while they were away," said Guy Laurence, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rogers Communications. "So we've developed a new technology that lets our customers access their Canadian wireless plans while they're in the U.S. It's really simple and once you enroll it works every time you go.  We said we were going to overhaul the customer experience and this is an important step forward in our journey."

A recent survey revealed that forty-nine per cent of Canadians who travel with their mobile devices turn data roaming off while in the U.S. Almost two-thirds said the high cost of roaming packages is the biggest barrier to using their mobile devices while in the U.S. Instead of sharing their experiences in real time, sixty-six per cent of respondents wait until they get home before uploading photos of their trip. More than half of people surveyed would rather take a chance on a nearby restaurant instead of using their mobiles to find the top-rated eateries in the area.

ROAM LIKE HOME includes other friendly features. If you are in the U.S. for an extended trip we'll only charge $5 per day, for a maximum of 10 days per monthly bill. This means up to twenty-one days of ROAM LIKE HOME at no extra charge in that month. Also, you only pay for ROAM LIKE HOME on days when you use your phone in the U.S. Customers will only be charged a maximum of $50 for roaming on any given monthly bill.

"We've listened to Canadians and we're changing the way they roam," said Laurence. "ROAM LIKE HOME is an easy to understand daily flat rate with no confusing messages or complicated sign up process. So whether you're going across the border for the day, going to Florida for a week, or travelling for the winter, the days of calling the call centre, swapping out your SIM card or searching endlessly for Wi-Fi are over. At the end of the day visiting the U.S. should be about having fun, not stressing about using your mobile. Now our customers will be able to catch their favourite team, look up directions, or share their photos with friends back home all for just $5 per day."

Share Everything plans include shareable data buckets, unlimited talk and text, and a free 2014-15 Season's Pass subscription to Rogers™ NHL GameCentre LIVE™ with GamePlus™. Calls made within the U.S. and back to Canada are included with ROAM LIKE HOME.

Existing Share Everything customers can enroll in ROAM LIKE HOME starting November 10 by simply texting the word "travel" to 222 for free before they leave or once they've landed in the U.S. Once they've enrolled it will automatically work every time they travel. New Share Everything customers will be automatically enrolled so they can immediately take advantage of this great new technology, with the option to opt out at any time.

About Rogers
Rogers Communications is a leading diversified public Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).  For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit rogers.com.

About the survey
Survey results are based on a telephone poll conducted by Nielsen on behalf of Rogers between October 9- 18 2014 among 1,115 Canadians aged 18+ who carry a mobile phone or tablet with them while travelling to the U.S.  This poll was conducted via a telephone omnibus survey using random digit dialing and has a margin of error of +/- 2.9%, 19 times out of 20.

SOURCE Rogers Communications Inc.