When Rogers decided to launch a new wireless brand in Canada they went the route of offering low-cost, no-contract, unlimited talk and text plans with “Unlimited Zones” in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver. They later rolled out a data offering, but the Chatr’s affordable brand falls into a three-brand strategy that also includes a premium service from Rogers Wireless and a mid-tier offering by Fido. There could be confusion in the marketplace, possibly even saturation, but Rogers is hitting every price point.
Now, four year later, the competition in Canadian wireless is a different game. Much of the reason behind bringing Chatr to life was to take on newer players such as WIND Mobile, Mobilicity and Public Mobile. In recent months, Public Mobile was acquired by TELUS and Mobilicity is on the cusp of extinction, but WIND Mobile is still making a play for Canada’s fourth largest carrier with over 700,000 subscribers.
Is there still a need for 3 wireless brands under one company? According to Guy Laurence, Rogers CEO and President, and emphatic yes. In an interview I asked Laurence about his new Rogers 3.0 vision and if it includes Chatr, or is the plan to mould the three brands into two. Laurence was to the point, without hesitation, and stated that “We will stay with three. Watch this space.”
There is no word on how the Chatr brand is preforming in the market, but clearly there are some new initiatives in the works.
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