- He spent a year without the internet, then came back online. Why? Could you spend a day / week without the web? http://t.co/92TSJwDiqK ^eo
Posts Tagged ‘Internet’
Rogers LTE Network: Expanding to a market near you this spring
March 26th, 2013 a 9:01am
Weekends and sunny weather can move at a crawl, but when it comes to streaming my favourite song on the way to work or downloading a report before a meeting, I’m thankful for the fast LTE speeds on my smartphone. So I’m excited to share that our Rogers LTE network, Canada’s fastest wireless internet, will be bringing its speed to 44 new markets in Atlantic Canada, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec this spring.
Today, we’re announcing that over the next couple months, we’ll be launching LTE in Saint John, New Brunswick; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Guelph, Ontario; Muskokas, Ontario; Collingwood, Ontario; and multiple cities in Quebec. We’ll announce the other 38 markets in updates to this post over the next couple months.
We’re also excited to confirm that Rogers will be making its 2600 MHz LTE spectrum band available in all 44 markets, and 34 of the 44 new markets will offer theoretical network speeds of 150 Mbps. Rogers has more LTE network deployed in the 2600 MHz spectrum band than any other carrier in Canada.
What does 2600 MHz LTE mean to Rogers customers?
The 2600 MHz LTE spectrum band delivers higher speeds over the same distance, allowing Rogers customers to experience even faster service. It’s like how a train track allows you to commute even more quickly, but in the case of LTE, it means even faster internet for you.
How do I access it?
To take advantage of the 2600 MHz spectrum, you need to be in one of the 2600 service areas and use a 2600-enabled device such as the LG Optimus G 2600 or the LTE Rocket™ hotspot. More 2600-enabled devices will be coming to the network this spring.
In the coming months we’ll be expanding our network to these 44 new markets and growing our lineup of LTE and 2600-enabled devices. Bookmark this page for updates as we expand our LTE and 2600 offerings, or visit www.rogers.com/LTE.
Update, April 22, 9 a.m.: We’re happy to announce we are rolling out our LTE network in seven new markets today, including Airdrie, Alberta; Langley, B.C.; and the following regions of Ontario: Keswick; Hamilton, including Grimsby; Orillia; Stratford; and Ottawa, including Kanata, Nepean, Gloucester, Stittsville and Cumberland.
Update, May 1, 9 a.m.: We’re excited to announce we have rolled out our LTE Max network to a number of new markets in Ontario, including Chatham; Milton; Sarnia; Woodstock; Orangeville; Brantford; Collingwood; St. Catharines Greater Area markets including Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Welland and Pelham; and Greater Toronto Area markets including King City, Bradford, Whitchurch-Stouffville, East Gwillimbury, Georgetown and Halton Hills. Our LTE network has also expanded to cover Kentville, N.S., and Lloydminster, Alta.
: 
Tags: Weekend Reading: Internet consumption, smartphone or car, and the HTC One
March 8th, 2013 a 3:27pm
If there’s one thing I love writing about, it’s the endless stats that pop up online surrounding how important technology has become in our daily lives. This week we found some great articles that opened our eyes to how much we rely on the internet on a daily basis and what age group is more likely to give up their car before their smartphone. As well, we tell you about a new HTC Cash Back Offer for customers. Catch up with us in this week’s edition of Weekend Reading.
How much internet do we consume daily?
Ever wonder just how much data you really consume in a single day? If like me, you’re in for a surprise.
Internet Service Providers posted an infographic this week that’s pretty mind blowing, considering there are only 24 hours, 1440 minutes or 86400 seconds in one day.
So what did they find? For starters, there are 2.4 billion internet users worldwide. Of them, there are 2.8 million emails sent every second, 320 new Twitter accounts made every minute, and 780,000 apps downloaded every hour! This translates to about 133,333 years online, can you believe it?!
More crazy stats in the full infographic here.
What do you value more – your car, or smartphone?
This answer could likely vary depending on your age group, as showcased by a recent survey from The Huffington Post. According to the survey, “Millennials” (ages 18-34) were the only group to put their mobile device needs before that of transportation.
That being said, they were also the more conscious of the groups to make an effort to utilize things such as public transit, carpooling, and walking or biking. With so many alternatives, it’s easier to see why 30% were more willing to give up their car before their smartphone.
How do you feel about the results? Are you a “millennial” who passionately stands by your device? Or in another age bracket who defies the stats and would sacrifice your vehicle for your smartphone? I think no matter what demographic you fall into, it’s a tough decision. As one of our previous Rogers Innovation Reports indicated, 4% of Canadians would be willing to sacrifice bathing to keep their internet – maybe it’s not such a difficult choice after all! What do you think?
HTC One awards and promo offers
Those of you looking to upgrade to the new HTC One couldn’t have picked a better time! After winning “Best New Mobile Handset, Device or Tablet” at the Mobile World Congress, HTC decided to supply a $100 (CDN) credit to HTC customers who trade in their older HTC model to purchase the HTC One.
For a limited time, customers can register for the HTC Cash Back Offer, purchase and activate a new HTC One before March 31, 2013 then send in their old phone with proof of purchase of their new phone. HTC will then send a Prepaid VISA card worth minimum $100 (CDN) in value! Full details on the phone and HTC Cash Back Offer available here. A fantastic offer for a fantastic device!
Kelly is a regular Redboard contributor.
Tags: Roam where you want to with Rogers: Introducing worry free Wireless Data Roaming Rates in the United States
February 8th, 2013 a 12:06pm
Canada spends more time online than any other country. And we know you want to be just as connected while travelling outside of Canada. But you’ve also told us that the cost and complexity of roaming rates get in the way of using your phone on the road the same way you do at home.
We’ve heard you. And that’s why we’re launching a new wireless data roaming rate for customers travelling to the United States.
Our new roaming rate, which launches this spring, is designed to be an easy and worry-free roaming solution. Here’s how it works:
- For a rate of $7.99, customers will get access to 50 megabytes of data over a 24 hour period while travelling in the U.S.
- The new rate will provide customers nearly twice the data that they would typically use domestically
- Customers will be alerted before reaching 50 MB which means they will be able to control their roaming costs.
- It will be available to all Rogers wireless consumers and business customers
Why 50MB per day? The roaming rate was designed to give customers the maximum amount of data for the lowest price. Currently, more than 99% of our customers use less than 50 MB of data per day when roaming. Here are some examples of what 50 MB will allow you to do on your trip in the U.S.:
- Browse 50 maps or
- Browse 200 web pages or
- Send 1,000 emails or
- Send 5,000 Tweets or
- Send 128 photos
Do you use your phone differently while travelling than you do at home? Will this new rate help you to roam worry free?
Michelle is a regular Redboard contributor.
Why Windows 8: A Q&A with Raj Doshi, Rogers SVP of Products
January 3rd, 2013 a 8:46am
We recently announced that Rogers joined forces with Microsoft as the preferred wireless partner for Windows 8. We’re really excited about this new platform and some of the great new devices we’ve added to our lineup like the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Windows Phone 8X by HTC.
I sat down with Raj Doshi, Rogers senior vice president of products to talk a little more about Windows 8 and why you should get excited about it. Here are the highlights from our conversation.
Why should customers get excited about the Windows 8 platform? What sets it apart from other OS’s?
The Windows 8 platform is unique in that it provides solutions that both business and consumers will love.
From a consumer standpoint, the unique thing about Windows 8 is the tile functionality that lets you personalize your device. This is one of the key attributes of the Windows platform. The live tiles provide always-on connectivity which is perfect for things like social networking.
If you’re a gamer, the Window 8 platform provides Xbox solutions. It also gives you the ability to use SkyDrive cloud service solutions which brings all of your content together onto your mobile platform.
If you are a business, Windows 8 includes the Microsoft Office suite so you can do things like review and edit documents as you would in an office environment. For business users, it is very valuable to have this ability while on-the-go.
Back in 2009, Rogers introduced the Android platform to Canadians before most people knew about it. That has grown to be a huge segment of the market. Are we investing in Windows 8 now because we see a similar trajectory?
Windows 8 is going to provide customers with another choice in terms of platform. Windows 8 is actually an evolution of some of the Windows mobile platform solutions of the past. What’s unique this time is the fact that the operating system (OS) and the user interface are extendable across mobile, PC, tablet and Xbox. This time, it is a very cross platform solution and that’s why, as a company, it makes sense for us to support it. It aligns perfectly with the services we provide in each of these areas and from a customer adoption standpoint, it makes all of them a lot easier to use.
What can Rogers customers expect from our Windows 8 lineup?
Combined with our LTE network, we will have a lineup of solutions that are only available with Rogers. I think it’s important that customers recognize three key things that make Windows 8 devices from Rogers more valuable:
- A strong network – which we have in LTE
- Unique and well-designed devices and,
- Applications that leverage the speed of the network and the capabilities of the device.
In the Windows platform, we have delivered on all three fronts. We’ve got unique Rogers applications included like Rogers My Account and Rogers Anyplace TV. Combined with great devices and our LTE network, you have a winning combination.
When talking about Windows 8, you often hear the phrase “cross platform experience.” Can you explain what that means?
Sure. One of the biggest customer needs is the ability to both consume and interact with content in a consistent way across various devices. Windows 8 really delivers on that. Their tile interface allows you to interact with your content across all of their solutions including PCs, tablets, Xbox and mobile. Now, you are able to take your content seamlessly across all of your various screens and use it in a similar way. That’s pretty powerful.
What Windows 8 feature are you most excited about?
The tiles are the most exciting thing to me because it lets you personalize your device. You get to pick the information and key applications you want displayed on the front page so your device is unique to you. The voice interface and voice recognition on Windows 8 devices is also very useful for me.
Tell me a little more about what you like about Speech?
Sure. You just hold down the Home key, say what you want and it works flawlessly. The voice recognition is phenomenal. It is extremely accurate and works particularly well with things like Google Maps.
Anything else you’d like to add about Windows 8?
I did just want to add one thing about the Windows 8 tablet category. This category is unique because it moves the tablet from a consumption device to a “create-and-consume device.” For example, in the Samsung ATIV smart PC that we’ve launched, you can load up any Windows application so that it is basically like a PC. This creates a new category of devices called “convertibles.”
The notion of these convertibles is that it combines a tablet and a PC by adding a keyboard. Now, you don’t have to carry two devices. When I go out of town right now, I take my tablet and I end up taking a laptop too. This really puts the power of both of those devices together.
Thanks Raj!
Have you tried a Windows 8 device yet? What do you think?
This is Miranda’s final contribution to the Redboard blog. We wish you all the best, Miranda! And thanks for everything you’ve done to make Redboard what it is today.
: Tags: The Rogers Top-12-of-2012
December 31st, 2012 a 10:34am
10! 9! 8! 7! The countdown is on! As we wind down another busy year here at Rogers, here’s a look back at some of the important milestones we reached in 2012.
Do you have any to add?
- Speed: We put a lot of emphasis on the ever-increasing speed of our networks this year. Have you tried the wild-and-crazy Rogers Speed Experience yet? Santa did! From our LTE network, to increasing our internet speeds to our full range of devices, speed was definitely on everyone’s lips in 2012.
- Innovation: We’ve always been an innovative company. Our Rogers Innovation Reports highlight our commitment to innovation through a series of surveys highlighting mobile and Internet usage by Canadians. Did you check out our latest? It highlights 2012 trends and your tech predictions for the years ahead. If all your holiday sugar and eggnog has made you data hungry, you can check out all our Rogers Innovation Reports on Slideshare.
- LTE: Innovation and speed came together for us in a big way in 2012 as we built upon our success as the first Canadian wireless company to launch an LTE network, in Ottawa, in 2011, followed by Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. 2012 brought the opening of additional markets from coast to coast, including cities like Victoria, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Kingston, Quebec City, Moncton and St. John’s.
- Rogers One Number: February blues? Not at Rogers! It was the month we launched Rogers One Number. “RON” as the service is known to its friends, lets you talk, text and send picture messages, and video chat with other Rogers One Number users, all from your computer using your existing phone number. By using Rogers One Number, all calls to Canadian numbers, video chats with other Rogers One Number users and outgoing wireless text messages are free. Did you catch our contest winners’ Rogers One Number chat with Canada’s very own Hedley?
- Mobile Payments and Rogers suretap: We teamed up with CIBC to bring mobile payment to Rogers customers earlier this year. Canadian athlete extraordinaire Simon Whitfield was on hand to make Rogers’ first mobile payment. To learn more about how mobile payments and Rogers suretap work, check out our Rogers suretap video on YouTube.
- Next is Now … More than Ever: this 2nd in our ongoing video series looks at statistics that speak to how much Canadians value the Internet, smart appliances, the development of the dual-screen experience with TVs and tablets, smartphone usage, digital wallets, and the impact the Internet is having on health, government, education, and shopping. Have you checked it out yet?
- Windows 8: How proud were we to be chosen by Microsoft as the preferred Canadian wireless partner for the launch of the highly anticipated Windows 8! We’re bringing the largest selection of Windows 8 devices to the Canadian market, releasing the Nokia 920 back in October. For all the latest details on our Windows 8 offering, visit rogers.com/windows8.
- iPhone 5: what would a Rogers year be without an iPhone launch? It sends our sales and marketing teams, our call centres and our clients into an excited frenzy every time. The iPhone 5 brought us a slimmer device with an improved camera and loads of other rich features. Which iPhone 5 feature is your favourite?
- BlackBerry 10: Not to be outdone, the upcoming BlackBerry 10 is causing quite a stir. So much so that we’re already taking orders for it! Head over to rogers.com to reserve yours today.
- Exclusive devices: Whether it’s the Windows Phone 8X by HTC (8 GB), Nokia Lumia 920, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC and ATIV S Smartphone or the LG Optimus G 2600, 2012 brought Rogers customers access to an exciting range of exclusive smartphones, tablets and apps. Which is your current fave?
- Rogers Smart Home Monitoring: Remember the Jetsons? How cool is it that the life George, Jane, Judy and Elroy lived is (almost) here? Ok so maybe we don’t all have our own personal Rosey-the-robot-maid, and we’re not heading off to work in flying cars, but George and Jane would definitely feel at home with Rogers Smart Home Monitoring. From controlling sensors, cameras, thermostats, lights and small appliances remotely through your computer or smartphone, Rogers gives you a taste of the world Hanna Barbara could only imagine when they created the Jetson universe 50 years ago.
- Rogers Anyplace TV: Sports on your tablet. What more could a die-hard fan want? Sure, from Vancouver to Toronto to Montreal and everywhere in between we’re mourning our hockey season, but being able to watch the Jays or Raptors or the NBA or Sportsnet on our tablets helps ease the pain. And if sports aren’t your thing, no worries: Rogers Anyplace TV has something for you too. Ring in the New Year with any one of our new releases. Men in Black 3 maybe? Or how about Resident Evil: Retribution? Paranorman? I know! Why not enjoy the perfect merge of sports and Hollywood with Clint Eastwood’s Trouble with the Curve? So many choices! Stop me now or I’ll be recommending movies into 2014!
Wow! What a year! So … have we forgotten anything? Which one of these great innovations changed your life in 2012? Drop by one of our newly revamped concept stores to tell us all about it! (I just had to slip a 13th in there … we’re on the cusp of 2013 after all!)
Happy new year everyone! All the best to you and yours: health and happiness for 2013, from our family to yours.
Michelle is a regular RedBoard contributor.
Tags: A nation of Nomophobes : 83% of Canadians smartphone users take their devices to the bathroom, 51% to bed
December 27th, 2012 a 7:30am
Our annual survey of Canadian technology trends and predictions, is back! We surveyed Canadian smartphone and tablet users like you to find out what you’ve been up to in 2012, and to get a sense of where you think we’re heading in 2013 and beyond. Check out our Rogers Innovation Report infographic below to how you compare to other Canadians when it comes to some of the more common “Day in the life” statistics. From taking your smartphones to bed (51%) and to the bathroom with you (83%), to enjoying your erotica on e-readers and tablets (10%) to streaming Gangnam Style on your devices (43%), 2012 clearly showed that technology has become an integral part of our lives. Why, some might even say we’re a nation of Nomophobes! *
* Nomophobia : noun. A state of stress caused by having no access to or being unable to use one’s mobile phone.
Other interesting stats that emerged from the Rogers Innovation Report:
- 67% believe that mobile payment will be the payment method of choice within 2 years;
- 59% predict that within the next 2 years more Canadians will work from home thanks to developments in cloud technology and faster mobile speeds;
- 82% believe that integrated technology systems that seamlessly connect 2 or more devices will increase in popularity in 2013;
- 78% believe e-book sales will increase significantly in 2013. In 2011, that stat was 37%.
You can access the complete Rogers Innovation Report on Slideshare at slideshare.net/Rogers.
Join us on Twitter to discuss this year’s results using the #RIRExplores hashtag.
Michelle is a regular RedBoard contributor.
Tags: Top 5 reasons to switch to online billing
December 12th, 2012 a 3:07pm
I don’t know about you, but I hate clutter and piles of paper. A while back, I changed all my monthly bills to arrive online instead of in the mail and I’ve never looked back. It’s easier to keep track of, more convenient and it certainly helps cut down on those piles of paper.
If being more organized is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, why wait till January to set this up? Here are 5 reasons you should switch to online billing now.
- Recent changes – Based on your feedback, we’ve added more detail to your online bill to make it easier to read and navigate. For example, we updated the summary so that all your subscribed services are in one place. So now, if you have internet, digital TV and a wireless plan, you can easily see a breakdown of the charges together rather than toggling between pages. Also, extra charges, outside your base plans, are now displayed separately in a summary. Just click for a more detailed explanation of the charges. The new online bills also show how much of your data bucket you’ve used and how many days you are into your billing cycle.
- Environmentally friendly – Switching to online billing helps cut back on paper consumption. Did you know, in the last two years, eBill usage went from 25% to 42%? In fact, we will distribute 33.5 million eBills in 2012 which means we were able to save a whopping 1,608,000 kg of paper! Why not help make that even higher in 2013?
- Easier to track and analyze – Rather than having folders full of bills, all of your billing data is available online. It’s easier to access past bills and monitor your usage each month so you can make changes if necessary.
- 18 months of history available – Forget keeping 18 months of paper in a pile in your home office. Reduce your clutter with online billing and access up to 18 months of previous bills conveniently from your computer. The bills are available in PDF for easy archiving.
- Anytime, anywhere access – Speaking of your computer, no need to be at home to access your past billing information. With online billing, you have access to your account history from anywhere, anytime. You can also pay your bill easily at any time as well.
To switch to online billing, just set up or login to your My Rogers account and select “Enroll in Paperless billing.” For more information, go to www.rogers.com/onlinebilling
Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Tags: Weekend Reading: Social Media manners, Android’s reign, the internet’s physical space & reviewing the Nokia Lumia 920
December 7th, 2012 a 4:13pm
How do you feel about smartphones at the dinner table? Android or iOS? In this week’s edition of Weekend Reading we debate these hot topics while learning about the internet’s physical space and the Nokia Lumia 920!
To tweet or not to tweet during meals?
We thought it might be fun to kick off this week’s edition of Weekend Reading with a little debate spurred by an interesting article in the Washington Post. Entitled “In defense of the bathroom smartphone user,” the author takes a different approach to what we usually associate with bathroom use and handheld devices. The focus instead is placed on manners, and using the washroom as a scapegoat to check your phone during dinner, which should come as no surprise since 4% would give up interacting with people in real life first! So we want to know: is it more acceptable to use your phone at the table because of our need to stay connected? OR should we just put away our smartphones during the meal and focus on our company like the good old days? Read the full article and let us know what you think. Where do you stand on smartphones at the dinner table?
How long will Android stay on top?
As 2012 winds down, analysts are already making their predictions for 2013 – but some are looking as far ahead as 2016 when it comes to forecasting the most popular mobile platform. Several tech blogs reported this week on findings from the IDC (International Data Corporation) suggesting that Android would remain the most popular platform for the next 4 years.
Digital Trends noted that Android had an advantage by partnering with companies such as Samsung, LG and Sony for their devices, while iPhone Headlines focused on current market share percentages that revealed Android has 68.3% while iOS only has 18.8%. Android Headlines was excited to share the IDC’s future percentage predictions, but BGR was quick to note that the Windows Phone stands to gain the most market share.
Do you agree with the IDC’s findings? What’s your favourite platform?
Estimating how much space the internet takes up
Gizmodo had a thought-provoking post this week on the concept of the internet as a physical entity among us. How did they measure this? We’ll give you a hint – it involves hard drives and some math. Head over to the full article for the surprising answer here!
Jany Jang’s take on the Nokia Lumia 920
Recently one of our Rogers Social Insiders took part in Pure Imagination, a Microsoft event and 24-hour Hackathon, coinciding with the recent release of Windows 8. One of the perks was getting to demo the brand new Windows device on the Rogers LTE network. We sat down and spoke with Jany about her favourite features of the Nokia Lumia 920 and new Windows 8 platform, what it was like to build an app, and what went down at the Pure Imagination event. Read our blog post with Jany here. What have been your favourite features of the Nokia Lumia 920?
Kelly is a regular contributor for RedBoard
Tags: Introducing new wireless plans from Rogers: A new way to think about wireless Internet
November 7th, 2012 a 9:31am
It’s a pretty cool time to be a wireless customer. Smartphones just keep getting smarter, networks keep getting faster, and virtually all the things you love to do on your home computer you can now do on your mobile device.
So, with more than 65 per cent of our customers now using a smartphone and 56 per cent of Canadian smartphone users accessing the Internet at least once each day, now is a perfect time to help you maximize the potential of your devices. Much of this comes with having the right plan to suit your smartphone habits and wireless Internet needs.
That’s why today, we are introducing new plans that better reflect how our customers are using their devices in 2012 and into the future. We’ve redesigned and simplified our price plans with you in mind and are introducing Unlimited Talk and Text with new options for Wireless Internet. Most customers can now get more wireless internet and unlimited calling for only a couple dollars more than they are paying today. These plans are available to new customers starting November 7th, but existing customers can update their plan to one of these great new options at any time at no cost to migrate.
Take a look:
As you can see, our new Talk Text and Internet plans are straightforward, offering Unlimited Talk and Text, letting you focus on all the things you can do with Wireless Internet. And, to help you identify the plan that’s best for you, we’ve designed new categories to help you choose:
- If you’re just getting into Wireless Internet and may surf a few web pages from time to time , you’re probably an OCCASIONAL customer
- If you’re doing a bit more online: accessing wireless Internet for browsing, Facebook updates, email and some photo uploads, you’re likely a SOCIAL customer
- If you’re an app lover, spending time online to stream music, download and upload video and play online games or use your smartphone for work, you’re most likely a STREAMER customer.
- And, if you’re online most of the day, share Internet access between your tablet and your smartphone; download and upload photos, videos, music; send large attachments in emails and/or spend time accessing online or cloud storage, you’re definitely a CONNECTED customer.
So tell us, what kind of Wireless Internet customer are you?
Carly is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Tags: Rogers and Boys and Girls Clubs launch a new education program
November 5th, 2012 a 2:12pm
In this second blog post in our series highlighting the great work being done by Canadian non-profits we support through the Rogers Youth Fund, we want to tell you a bit about our work with Boys and Girls Clubs across the country. With more than a century of experience providing high-quality before and after school programs helping children and youth to overcome barriers, Boys and Girls Clubs build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life. Who better, then, to work with us to develop Rogers Raising the Grade, a program aimed at increasing academic skills, high school graduation rates and access to post-secondary education for at-risk youth. This interactive after-school program helps kids connect with mentors and tutors, interact with peers and receive homework support.
As part of the program, Rogers has helped develop Raising the Grade Technology Centres, which offer access to high-speed Internet and current technology including computers and other electronic resources to support learning. This year, Rogers and Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada are rolling out Raising the Grade in 25 Clubs, including the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club in Regent Park. We chatted with Ian Edward, Executive Director at Toronto Kiwanis Boys & Girls Clubs about Raising the Grade. Here’s what he had to say:
Q: What is life like for many of the kids in the community you serve?
A: Unlike the majority of us who have a computer at home and access to the internet and print and produce work at home, most of the kids from Regent Park live with the reality of the digital divide. They simply don’t have the same opportunities at home as the majority of Canadians. Many of the kids we serve are new Canadians who just don’t have support at home because their parents are working multiple jobs or retraining. We try to provide them with the support they need to continue to advance in their educational pursuits.
Q: Your location, 101 Spruce Street, has undergone important renovations that included the creation of the Rogers Raising the Grade Technology Centre. What can you tell us about these changes?
A: Our building has undergone a complete retrofit including the wiring, which was also donated by Rogers. Our old tech lab was built from donated equipment that was piecemeal, often out of date and not a network environment by any stretch of the imagination. The new tech centre was set up through a consultation process between Rogers’ tech teams and the kids themselves, so we could be sure the technology would meet their needs.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for kids in your community to have access to this kind of tech centre?
A: Tech has become such a huge part of our lives: we’re connected to the Internet. It has become the way information is gathered, learned and communicated. Having this kind of access to technology allows our kids to communicate and keeps them on a level playing field with kids from more fortunate backgrounds. At the Rogers Raising the Grade Technology Centre, young people can do all the research they need to do their homework and can access online resources like health services which are expanding faster than we can keep up. Through social media, which is so important to their social networking, the tech centre provides yet another opportunity for our kids to keep up with some of their peers. I’m astounded by how intuitive they are; kids figure out technology faster than we can and in ways that I would never think of. It’s impressive.
Q: What kinds of projects are possible now that might not have been possible before the Rogers Raising the Grade Technology Centre was set up at your facility?
A: We’ve been able to add a number of programs, including digital video editing and digital photography, because we now have the right technology. Volunteers and our young people are working together to develop web sites. We have a group of five 8-10 year olds who actually created their own language and fantasy environment. They’ve been able to create their own website as well as build an online community. It’s neat to see.
The Rogers Youth Fund initiative: our national commitment to helping Canada’s youth overcome the barriers they face in getting the most out of their education. To learn more about who we’re working with, check out the interactive map and scroll over the map pins to find out more about local programs in your area.
Carly is a regular contributor to Redboard.
Tags: 
@RogersBuzz
RedBoard Biz
Rogers on YouTube
Rogers on Facebook
©2013 Rogers Communications Inc.
Home |
About |
Talk to Us |
Comments Policy |
Privacy Policy |
Terms of Use |
Rogers.com