Toronto-based national telecom company Rogers has officially moved away from device subsidy plans and now only offers device financing to customers.
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Financing allows customers to pay off the full cost of the device in 24 equal monthly payments with $0 down and 0 percent interest. Rogers also lets customers combine it with their Upfront Edge program, which reduces the cost of the device if customers agree to return it to Rogers at the end of their contract or pay the difference to own it.
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The main argument for the switch to financing is that it makes things more clear for customers. With subsidized plans, the cost of the phone is built into the monthly service cost, making it more difficult for customers to see exactly where their money is going.
Further, with subsidized plans, the portion of the plan that covers the cost of the phone doesn’t go away after the two-year contract ends and the customer has paid off the device (depending on the carrier). With financing, it does. In other words, if you like your plan and you like your phone, when your contract ends, you can keep using both and pay less without having to call your carrier and switch plans.