Rogers cancelled flickr pro account - Page 3 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

CraigB · 2009-05-15, 11:30 AM

As was asked, "How long before we protest?".

That's the thing. If I ran Rogers (although I'd be much more catering to the customers), I'd do a lot of the same. Why? Because we all just sit here and take it. Rate increase after rate increase. Service removal after service removal.

What do we all do? We find a forum and complain about it, and that's about where it ends. So why wouldn't Rogers do stuff like this when the reaction never creates close to the chaos the extra revenue for them is worth.

It's OUR problem. We need to step up the response to the telecoms. Demand more and not accept less

/end rant.

But yes, this peeves me off. Almost as bad as their advertising in webmail when they previously advertised it as ad-free. We need to hold our telecoms up to the same standards on contracts as they do us. Sign us up for a 2 year contract, fine, but rates must stay the same, service the same, and any changes will allow us to leave penalty free.

I believe they advertised this as a service when I signed my recent 1 year contract so I want to look into holding them to this, as should everyone else.

Terry Fraser · 2009-05-15, 01:34 PM

I have a flkr account. Does this policy change mean that there will be no free service for flickr at all? Or will there be a basic free account? I just like to put photos up there so that I can link to them. I don't need lots of extra features.
I'm getting pretty exhausted with Rogers nickel and diming. Seems in a bad recession it seems like a bad time to turn us upside down and empty our pockets. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to stuff like this and generally ignore being reamed as I get in a comfort zone for what I have. But Rogers is really motivating me to find alternatives. Right down to stripping services down completely and finding other activities rather than sitting infront of a tv or computer monitor. If they are in danger of losing lazy guys like me then maybe they'll suffer lots of customer loss. I guess their big enough to not care much.

hugh · 2009-05-15, 01:35 PM

Terry, see post #1 for the letter

Terry Fraser · 2009-05-15, 01:55 PM

Thanks Hugh. I don't think this will affect me as I'm not a heavy user. I have 93 pictures there and I can get rid of about 30. So I don't think this will affect me. I think the way Rogers handled this is crappy. I see nothing wrong with charging for a good service that someone uses a lot and finds useful. But I think instead of just turning something that was free in to a pay service they should have at least thrown in some other useful features above what was available as a free service.
I have no idea if I had a pro account or not. How can you tell?

dalmond · 2009-05-15, 03:54 PM

I'm not sure if people believe that Rogers is in someway limiting what you can do on flickr because that isn't the case. Rogers is no longer paying for your "Pro account". If you believe that Flickr is worth using beyond what the standard free account (that anybody can get) provides then you should be paying to support the service. Not sure why there is a rampant belief that things you were offered once should be free forever. And I doubt that any of you chose Rogers service because you got a free flickr Pro account.

The limits outlined in the first post are just those listed on the flickr FAQ.

hugh · 2009-05-15, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Not sure why there is a rampant belief that things you were offered once should be free forever.

Because Rogers promoted the fact that a Flickr Pro Account was part of their High Speed offering. It was never "free" because HSI customers were paying for it as part of the whole package which included email accounts, photo storage etc.

By taking it away, Rogers has added $25 U.S. (per year) to the cost of internet service with Rogers.

SuzieQ · 2009-05-15, 05:57 PM

Has anyone called Customer Retention? I just finally got around to reading the e-mail today and, had thought about calling but, just recently filed a complaint with them and got a bunch of add ons so, I don't want to push my luck and call if they aren't willing to do anything about it.

SensualPoet · 2009-05-15, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugh

By taking it away, Rogers has added $25 U.S. (per year) to the cost of internet service with Rogers.

That's a pretty far out way to look at things.

Flicker Pro a nice add on -- and, apparently, something like 1.5 million Rogers Internet customers didn't sign up. Supposing Rogers took that payment to Yahoo! and invested it in making the network better for everyone? Or, at least, better for the majority instead of subsidizing a product which hardly anyone uses?

I happen to have signed up for a Flicker Pro account a while back but I won't be inconvenienced by downgrading to the free public account. I certainly don't feel as if my Internet just went up by US$25/year.

One thing I have noticed, as a Rogers Internet user since 2001 (when, after repeated attempts, Bell was not able -- after two months of trying and three modems in the mail -- to transfer my account from one condo to another in downtown Toronto), is that, every couple of years, Rogers magically makes my service faster.

And, btw, I haven't noticed any other provider -- Bell, Teksavvy and Primus among three I would have access to as an alternative where I live -- offering an equivalent to Flicker Pro.

AnalogX · 2009-05-15, 07:45 PM

Dalmond:

Flickr was the replacement for Yahoo Photos. If I had known that my Pro Account would all of a sudden be downgraded to a Normal account. I wouldn have shared 700+ Photos.

I use forums a lot... Photography and Art forums are my thing, so by downgrading my account.

It means 500+ Shared photos will become unavailable, so all these forums and websites that I've shared photos with will not display them.

I have no idea where every single image was shared.

I guess I could spend my Long weekend, moving my photos to Photo Bucket or Picasa or something and share them there.

hugh · 2009-05-15, 07:53 PM

Quote:

That's a pretty far out way to look at things.

But as a Rogers employee, I wouldn't expect any different response

If Rogers start charging for email, which is now included with a HSI package, would you say the same thing

i hate tv · 2009-05-15, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugh

But as a Rogers employee, I wouldn't expect any different response

In his defence,

Quote:

every couple of years, Rogers magically makes my service faster

From what I have heard, this tough economy has hit wizards, warlocks and witches hard too! The price of eye of newt for example has gone up over 300%!
So they took away flickr, BUT, they have been giving free "magic" for 3 years, so it all balances out...

On a serious note, you have to expect things like this from big ISP's..... That is why I use just the service, none of the "extras" that create additional ties to the company (flickr, @roger.com, etc...)

nickleinonen · 2009-05-15, 11:15 PM

Quote:

$25 seems fair. I pay more for my webshots account.

diddo.. and if i didn't already have my webshots account [joined in march 2002] i probably would have started a flickr account. i like the webshots site more than flickr and i love the webshots desktop/screensaver program.

outinthornhill · 2009-05-16, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garbuckle

My internet speed didn't double, so why is my Flickr Pro account being taken away?

So let's see:

- Non-stop Home Phone telemarketing calls and snail mail spam
- No TSN2 in my lifetime, it seems
- A website that is down half the time
- A reputation for billing mistakes
- Monopolistic GSM cell service
- Rate increases every 3 to 6 months
- Inflexible TV packages
- Incapable and incomprehensible support
- Internet bandwidth caps and throttling
- And now a reduction in services with no proper explanation

Yeah, I'm this close to canceling everything, and I don't even have the option of going with another company, as I live in a Condo (no dishes allowed). I would've been gone months ago if it wasn't for the hefty discount I currently receive (which I think everyone should receive). But even that doesn't seem worth the hassle most the time.

*sigh*

LOL - if half of this was based on fact ..... Note first post - say no more.

jayson · 2009-05-18, 04:57 PM

The thing that ticks me off is that only a couple of months ago when the advised me of the increase in fees, one of the bullets they used to justify the increase was the included Flickr Pro subscription. Now that the fees have gone up, they take away one of the reasons for justifying the increase ... not cool!

Cheers,

jayson

kcrannie · 2009-05-19, 08:04 AM

And on the heels of Rogers announcing the downgrade to Flickr Pro comes the news that Rogers is (will) be ending yet another part of its co-branded service with Yahoo!; YOP (Yahoo! Online Protection), effective June 30, 2009. Customers are being encouraged by various methods to switch to Rogers Online Protection

http://www.hispeed.rogers.com/bband/...pgradesecuirty

Rogers Online Protection is a security suite by Radialpoint, the same security suite used by Bell Internet.

http://www.rogershelp.com/yahoo/article.php?id=10V-15

Although, there is (has been) no official word on the divorce between Rogers and Yahoo!, it appears the co-branded partnership between Rogers and Yahoo! may well be ending, as evident by the gradual delcine in services provided to Rogers HiSpeed subscriber's, leaving customers with only the bare necessities with the assurances of yearly soaring costs, bandwidth overage fees, deep-packet inspections, throttling P2P, and the like. And some subscriber's are already speculating that, perhaps, Rogers Yahoo! Mail may well be next to fall.

2009-05-15, 01:35 PM	#33
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,501	Terry, see post #1 for the letter __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

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2009-05-15, 11:30 AM	#31
CraigB Rookie Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 16	As was asked, "How long before we protest?". That's the thing. If I ran Rogers (although I'd be much more catering to the customers), I'd do a lot of the same. Why? Because we all just sit here and take it. Rate increase after rate increase. Service removal after service removal. What do we all do? We find a forum and complain about it, and that's about where it ends. So why wouldn't Rogers do stuff like this when the reaction never creates close to the chaos the extra revenue for them is worth. It's OUR problem. We need to step up the response to the telecoms. Demand more and not accept less /end rant. But yes, this peeves me off. Almost as bad as their advertising in webmail when they previously advertised it as ad-free. We need to hold our telecoms up to the same standards on contracts as they do us. Sign us up for a 2 year contract, fine, but rates must stay the same, service the same, and any changes will allow us to leave penalty free. I believe they advertised this as a service when I signed my recent 1 year contract so I want to look into holding them to this, as should everyone else.

2009-05-15, 01:34 PM	#32
Terry Fraser Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 370	I have a flkr account. Does this policy change mean that there will be no free service for flickr at all? Or will there be a basic free account? I just like to put photos up there so that I can link to them. I don't need lots of extra features. I'm getting pretty exhausted with Rogers nickel and diming. Seems in a bad recession it seems like a bad time to turn us upside down and empty our pockets. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to stuff like this and generally ignore being reamed as I get in a comfort zone for what I have. But Rogers is really motivating me to find alternatives. Right down to stripping services down completely and finding other activities rather than sitting infront of a tv or computer monitor. If they are in danger of losing lazy guys like me then maybe they'll suffer lots of customer loss. I guess their big enough to not care much.

2009-05-15, 01:55 PM	#34
Terry Fraser Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 370	Thanks Hugh. I don't think this will affect me as I'm not a heavy user. I have 93 pictures there and I can get rid of about 30. So I don't think this will affect me. I think the way Rogers handled this is crappy. I see nothing wrong with charging for a good service that someone uses a lot and finds useful. But I think instead of just turning something that was free in to a pay service they should have at least thrown in some other useful features above what was available as a free service. I have no idea if I had a pro account or not. How can you tell?

2009-05-15, 03:54 PM	#35
dalmond Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 135	I'm not sure if people believe that Rogers is in someway limiting what you can do on flickr because that isn't the case. Rogers is no longer paying for your "Pro account". If you believe that Flickr is worth using beyond what the standard free account (that anybody can get) provides then you should be paying to support the service. Not sure why there is a rampant belief that things you were offered once should be free forever. And I doubt that any of you chose Rogers service because you got a free flickr Pro account. The limits outlined in the first post are just those listed on the flickr FAQ.

2009-05-15, 05:57 PM	#37
SuzieQ Rookie Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1	Has anyone called Customer Retention? I just finally got around to reading the e-mail today and, had thought about calling but, just recently filed a complaint with them and got a bunch of add ons so, I don't want to push my luck and call if they aren't willing to do anything about it.

2009-05-15, 07:45 PM	#39
AnalogX Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 6	Dalmond: Flickr was the replacement for Yahoo Photos. If I had known that my Pro Account would all of a sudden be downgraded to a Normal account. I wouldn have shared 700+ Photos. I use forums a lot... Photography and Art forums are my thing, so by downgrading my account. It means 500+ Shared photos will become unavailable, so all these forums and websites that I've shared photos with will not display them. I have no idea where every single image was shared. I guess I could spend my Long weekend, moving my photos to Photo Bucket or Picasa or something and share them there.

2009-05-18, 04:57 PM	#44
jayson Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 145	The thing that ticks me off is that only a couple of months ago when the advised me of the increase in fees, one of the bullets they used to justify the increase was the included Flickr Pro subscription. Now that the fees have gone up, they take away one of the reasons for justifying the increase ... not cool! Cheers, jayson

2009-05-19, 08:04 AM	#45
kcrannie Join Date: May 2009 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 9	And on the heels of Rogers announcing the downgrade to Flickr Pro comes the news that Rogers is (will) be ending yet another part of its co-branded service with Yahoo!; YOP (Yahoo! Online Protection), effective June 30, 2009. Customers are being encouraged by various methods to switch to Rogers Online Protection http://www.hispeed.rogers.com/bband/...pgradesecuirty Rogers Online Protection is a security suite by Radialpoint, the same security suite used by Bell Internet. http://www.rogershelp.com/yahoo/article.php?id=10V-15 Although, there is (has been) no official word on the divorce between Rogers and Yahoo!, it appears the co-branded partnership between Rogers and Yahoo! may well be ending, as evident by the gradual delcine in services provided to Rogers HiSpeed subscriber's, leaving customers with only the bare necessities with the assurances of yearly soaring costs, bandwidth overage fees, deep-packet inspections, throttling P2P, and the like. And some subscriber's are already speculating that, perhaps, Rogers Yahoo! Mail may well be next to fall.