Rogers will seek to make 3G-enabled ‘tablet’ devices more appealing to smartphone owners, by allowing users to share a single data plan between tablets and phones.

Rogers plans to begin selling Research In Motion’s much-anticipated PlayBook device, a 7-inch touchscreen tablet, among other tablets, in the first quarter of 2011. Although the first incarnation of the PlayBook will come with Wi-Fi only (i.e. no 3G chip), future versions are expected to have mobile broadband connectivity built in.

“We’ll start with the Wi-Fi and add the 3G when it’s available,” commented Rogers’ Chief Marketing Officer, John Boynton, adding that when that day comes, customers will be able to connect to the internet on smartphones and tablet devices, using a single data plan for both.