Cell Phone Plans

[Swarly]

Well Freedom now has a Promo Everywhere Canada $50 plan:

Home Network:
-10GB full speed data
-Unlimited Canada & US talk
-Unlimited global text, pic, video messaging

Away Network (Canada):
-500MB full speed data
-2400 Canada & US talk mins
-Unlimited global text

Includes all the normal add-ons; worldsaver, voicemail+, call control, freedom WiFi access

PLUS they offer Apple's and Pixel's for $0.

I switched to this plan yesterday and then signed up for a hardware upgrade to the Pixel 2 (64GB), $0 down, just $20/month added for the TAB for the next 24 months. So I am paying just $480 total for a brand new phone and they are even financing that for free over 24 months. Too sweet.

[OutOfTheCube]

I went to Freedom first and was told the whole company is out of iPhone 8. Everyone else seemed to have them in stock so not sure what their deal is. Lost at least one potential customer to the 'big guys'.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I went to Freedom first and was told the whole company is out of iPhone 8. Everyone else seemed to have them in stock so not sure what their deal is. Lost at least one potential customer to the 'big guys'.

oh ya? I did all my changes online so maybe I'll be waiting like a month for my Pixel to show up lol

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Canada may have expensive cell phone plans, but for how big it is you get some of the fastest internet speeds in the world I have heard.

Most people who travel to the US will tell you ATT sucks compared to here. I found their 4G in almost every major city to be like 3G here.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I went to Freedom first and was told the whole company is out of iPhone 8. Everyone else seemed to have them in stock so not sure what their deal is. Lost at least one potential customer to the 'big guys'.

Did you forget to wish them a Happy New Year?

[Calgary14]

Are there any deals for lower data (ie. 5GB)?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Most people who travel to the US will tell you ATT sucks compared to here. I found their 4G in almost every major city to be like 3G here.

Canada pays more for cell phones but the infrastructure might be best in the world.

[Azure]

I think most of us would be pretty happy paying around $65 per month for 10GB of data on LTE speeds.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Azure

I think most of us would be pretty happy paying around $65 per month for 10GB of data on LTE speeds.

Previously, I had the 6 gig plan for $65 for years, and I felt like one of the lucky few in Canada who actually had a good plan. I honestly couldn't complain about the service, speeds, or cost of my plan, especially considering that others were being gouged so badly.

I jumped onto the 10 gig plan out of principle, even though I never exceed my 6 gigs. But for the same price, I'll take it. I hope that a lot of people who weren't lucky enough to get the old 6 gig plan for cheap were able to get on this one and cut their bills down a bit.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

I jumped onto the 10 gig plan out of principle

Pretty much the same for me on my son's account. He had the Koodo 5 GB for $48 MB/SK plan, but often goes over. He said he is going to keep his data under control, but now he won't have to. However I did want to send a message that this is what the consumers want. Hopefully this is a sign things will switch more into our favour.

Funny thing, apparently Koodo wouldn't do this for existing customers so I had to port him over to Telus. Really the same company in the end, but at least Telus' roaming options are better. We made the switch at a Best Buy mobile store. I asked the guy if it was because they make more off a new activation as opposed to a plan change- he said that they aren't on commission.

[Azure]

Well I think it was made pretty obvious what the consumers want, but I find it so strange that the big 3 providers all at ONCE offered the same deal.

If that isn't a definition of collusion and price scheming, I don't know what is.

[ken0042]

While I don’t doubt there is collusion between the big 3- this doesn’t seem like an example of it. This was matching Freedom’s offer of 10 GB for $60- with the advantage of their own networks so no limits on the nation wide coverage.

[verda13]

For those with Rogers who were unable to get through to get the $60 / 10GB plan, I just called and mentioned that I tried calling while the plan was still available and it was offered to me relatively easily. Well, minus to 40 minute queue.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by ken0042

While I don’t doubt there is collusion between the big 3- this doesn’t seem like an example of it. This was matching Freedom’s offer of 10 GB for $60- with the advantage of their own networks so no limits on the nation wide coverage.

Why didn't one of them offer something a little better? 8GB of data for $50?

The fact that they all came out and made sure the plans that were offered were exactly the same is a bit sketchy.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Azure

Why didn't one of them offer something a little better? 8GB of data for $50?

The fact that they all came out and made sure the plans that were offered were exactly the same is a bit sketchy.

8/$50 is cheaper but not necessarily better.

People were waiting on hold for hours, threat of cancelling subscriptions was almost non-existant because even if you cancelled there was no guarantee you'd be able to get into the new plan or get your number ported over. Why would any of the big 3 drop to a slightly better offer? If they matched they keep their client base. There'd be so few people that would have changed phones/companies to save $10 a month and get 2 less gigs it wouldn't even be worth it. That's not necessarily collusion that's just knowing what your competition is doing.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Azure

Why didn't one of them offer something a little better? 8GB of data for $50?

They did each something a little better. On the big 3 you get 10 GB of data nation wide; and unlimited calling nation wide. With Freedom you only get those big amounts in the major cities; with Freedom's craptacular coverage. Keep in mind that on Friday it only started with one of the secondary carriers matching the offer (Koodo or Virgin), then all 3 of the secondary, then the major versions of those carriers. Offering anything more would have led to a price war.

[Anduril]

This practice of coming out with the exact same plan is exactly what carriers have been doing all this time. It's nothing new. While we'd like to hope and see a true free market based on competition and a price war in favor of consumers, it'll never happen given the priority of telecoms is to make money.


There's something to be said that the carriers are still trying to do other things to entice consumers. Whether that's additional temporary data, promotional plans (that get matched), media features/add ons like free Netflix, that's about as far as you can see for differences.

[jeffporfirio]

I have 4 lines with the $48 for 5GB SK Koodo plan, and thought about changing, but none of our lines have ever gone over the 5GB.
If they offered US calling (except for Freedom which sucks) and maybe 8GB for $50, I would have switched 2 of the 4 lines.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

8/$50 is cheaper but not necessarily better.

People were waiting on hold for hours, threat of cancelling subscriptions was almost non-existant because even if you cancelled there was no guarantee you'd be able to get into the new plan or get your number ported over. Why would any of the big 3 drop to a slightly better offer? If they matched they keep their client base. There'd be so few people that would have changed phones/companies to save $10 a month and get 2 less gigs it wouldn't even be worth it. That's not necessarily collusion that's just knowing what your competition is doing.

They don't have to do it now.

Offer it 3 months from now when nobody is expecting it. Fact is that they all just copy each other and make sure prices stay as high as possible while everyone makes max profits. As soon as Freedom and their 'craptacular' coverage came along and offered a better plan, the big 3 together decided that they will match, but will ALL match exactly the same.

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by Azure

They don't have to do it now.

Offer it 3 months from now when nobody is expecting it. Fact is that they all just copy each other and make sure prices stay as high as possible while everyone makes max profits. As soon as Freedom and their 'craptacular' coverage came along and offered a better plan, the big 3 together decided that they will match, but will ALL match exactly the same.

Should be important to note that the deal was only offered in AB/BC/ON. Coincidentally that's where Freedom Mobile operates.

And then you had these great deals of $55 for 6GBs in the past readily available in SK and MB. Again province's with other carriers offering choice and better plans.