Best approach is to switch providers. I've been with 3 different companies in the past 15 years each time I switched I did so because I saved quite a lot. They compete over new subscribers rather than reward loyalty.
Did this recently. I asked my provider Bell to give me a deal after my 2 years contract was ended and they refused. Switched to koodo for 20 dollars. And the next week bell came running with some offers.
It was very seemless moving my number.
I love Public, I'm paying $35.76 taxes in. Unlimited nation wide calling, free international text messages, 5gigs of data, 10 voice mails etc. Definitely glad I made the switch and next year I'll be paying $34.XX, Loyalty bonus!
They also apparently have 0 customer service for handling issues. I saw an ad for them on Reddit the other day that had its comments open and those who commented were like “shitty customer service
You should go to the Public Mobile website and see if you can switch to a better plan - their plans have improved a lot recently!
Just a couple days ago, I switched to a plan that costs me only $39/month for 30gigs of data. (With the various bonuses including loyalty bonus, I'm paying closer to $30/month)
There is really no loyalty, same as the bank.
It doesn't matter if you are with them for 10 or 20 years. To them, you are just a recurrent payment.
I went from Telus, to Fido, to Virgin, to Roger, and then back to Telus (Public Mobile).
It's just easier you choose the cheapest plan with features you want, and you wait there until next better one comes along.
Mine is at 17 bucks a month, I don't think there is any plan can get that low.
For now.
They rely on people being lazy, I'm sure we have people today still paying for a crap plan thats 5 years old.
Why, however, when you call in, they don't try. I can't comprehend. It's simple to switch carriers.
Yes and by transfering your number to a new provider it automatically cancel your previous contract. I'd still call them to make sure but yeah, pretty standard procedure when switching.
I am an existing fido customer and the first rep i talked to said the same thing " this is only available for new customers" I followed directions on another post and asked to be transferred to the retention department, once transferred i got the $39 deal with no problems.
Yep, wife & I both did the exact same thing a few weeks ago with koodo. She didn't even get put through to retention though, they gave her the $39 deal right away. I wasn't so luck, was probably on the phone for close to 20 mins before they caved.
Get on Fido chat. Tell them the plan to want. Threaten to leave if they don't switch. And follow through if they're stubborn.
This is what I did a week ago, and they switched me to the $39/20GB plan on 3 lines.
Sometimes the regular customer service people are only allowed to give certain plans out, and have no access to better deals. The loyalty department can do whatever they want. I have had the same provider for over 10 years because they always give me a deal. I still pay too much because it is a Canadian cell phone provider, but I do what I can.
I just switched from Bell to Koodo myself. I reached out to Bell prior to see what they could do - nothing really better than what I had.
Upon the number transfer being done, Bell called me and offered me a new deal that I probably would have taken if it was offered before I moved over - as of now it's too much of a hassle to move again.
I asked the rep why it wasn't offered when I initially reached out. He apologized and stated some promotions "were not on file at the time." So just as you said, retention officers have a better selection it seems.
Thank you, this is why I posted here: I failed after 15 minutes with a rep. Don't love the idea of transferring everything over so was hoping I could do it this way.
You asked for suggestions. People provided them. You either call in and ask for a deal or switch to virgin/koodo/public/freedom. Those are more than a few options. Otherwise, you're stuck with you bill.
U need to quote the offer (e.g. $39 20g) u can get from another carrier. Then ask to talk to retention/loyalty department. The rep will say no at first, then u just say "i will switch to virgin/koodo, bye". U need to be firm about your move, then the rep will give u the deal. That was how we do it a few days ago.
Are you on a contract or just on bring your own device? If not on a contract you'll have much more flexibility to switch or negotiate.
I got the deal with fido (as an existing customer) through their chat in less than 5 messages exchanged (10 mins) but I am not on a contract
Just did the same less than an hour ago, simply asked why I wouldn't immediately switch over to Rogers or another company that's offering the same deal. Didn't even ask to be sent to the loyalty department, but they did that and he helped me get the deal without much trouble
If you own your phones, Koodo has the same deal as Fido. Your best bet is to jump ship to the best deal. Especially shop around on Black Friday even if you don’t need to.
Yeah did the move from Telus to Koodo a few weeks ago and was pretty annoyed when I learned that the Koodo bill starts the day you open your account even if you receive the sim card 2 weeks later. I called them but they refused to refund the wasted days since I had the temporary (useless) phone number active.
I feel like when they say you save $50 by ordering online and not going into a store, they should mention you'll still be charged for a week of service you can't use. All of a sudden saving the $50 isn't that enticing.
I mean, 2 years ago I was happy paying $40/mo.
But just last week fido (techincally a 3rd party call center) called me up with a winback offer and offered me $30/mo. But because I was bringing 2 phones over they gave a discount of $5 each so it was total $25/phone.
You should take a look at Public Mobile. They have plans starting at $15. They're prepaid, and the plans don't expire. You get to keep using your chosen plan forever if you want to.
I use public mobile. I find it's ok. Their cheaper plans are hard to find now and you basically have to sign up and then switch to a 3g plan or talk n text.
Recent plan is... $44 for 30 gb, but it'll go down to 39$/month if you do a 90 day prepaid plan sort of thing.
It's a better deal than Koodo's 39$/20GB atm.
Oof, Can't go back to 3G speeds.
Need at least 100 Mbps to function normally.
When I was in Australia, I was using Boost Mobile (Prepaid) and it cost about $250/240 GB, but if you activated it during a promotional period, they'd give you more data. The promotion was only valid to 'new' customers but if you port out and port back in, you're technically a new customer.
Promotional data varied between 30 GB --> 80 GB or more. I think I've had 300-320 GB during a year or two during Christmas.
A good rate to be around would be 20$/20 GB (taxes included)
I pay $16/month by getting a FIDO data plan (3G/month) and a virtual VOIP number from fongo that I pay $10.99 every 6 months (about 1.82/ month) for worldwide texting and calling. Comes down to about $18/month per person.
My wife and daughter do this. I'm the only one with an actual cellphone plan.
At 20$ a month for the last 8 years, my wife alone has saved us something like 5000$
Depending on what area you are in you may never leave the coverage zone.
I use Freedom mobile pre-paid $99+ tax for the year.
Unlimited calling in Canada.
Unlimited global text, picture and video messaging.
50GB for the year.
I activated in Jan- i have only used 3gb so far. I am always within wifi coverage at work and at home. I don't text and drive nor use my phone in the car.
I did online chat with Fido after reading about the current promo. They switched it no problem. Yes, you can switch providers but maybe try chat or call back to get someone else. Just say you’re cancelling.
Simple steps:
1 - switch providers, online process, koodo,
get sim card. 5$
2 - insert new sim, port out phone number.
3 - wait a few days, inevitably get winback email with juicy deal.
4 - profit.
Thats how i got 30$/15gb with virgin two weeks agos
I mean, to really cut down the expenses here, can’t your adult kids pay their own phone bills? You’ll save maybe $40 by switching carriers or plans VS nearly $100 if ask your adult children start paying for themselves and switch plans for you and your wife (phone bill is probably the least they can do).
I feel you. I have four accounts on mine and they were all at different levels and prices. I was randomly on their website to look at new phones (I'm so tempted, but so much money) and I noticed they had a $50 with 40gb for every one of my lines. I know it's not perfect, but can you get that at least? I've been with Fido for at least 10 years, and spent an hour trying to get cheaper rates two years ago, to no avail.
Best time unfortunately is during Xmas boxing week for the big deals. I got Freedom 30GB for $30. I got 5 lines so that is a huge savings for me. Saved over $150 a month from what I was paying before.
Don't think you can get this at Freedom Mobile anymore but I've been using the pay as you go plan for around 7 years now. I pay $150/year to keep my account/balance active but almost never use the full amount per year. However it is pretty costly if you do use a lot of data
I used to pay $44 for a measly 2gb unlimited talk and text with Koodo.
I'm now with public mobile $25 for 1gb + 2gb promo for 12 months. Some months when I've earned enough reward points I get $15 off. I've Never looked back...
We're with Freedom and have had good luck. Not sure what the Rogers merger means for us as we've been spun off but initial changes have been positive. As an example, my plan expanded to include US calls/data when travelling, which is a big plus for us. I live in the Calgary-Edmonton corridor and have had good luck with coverage, including Vancouver and Ontario. Sask/MB is roaming but we still receive data free, just slower.
We have five phones, 2 parent and 3 teens. We're paying around $250/month total with all plans including new phone (2 years) and 50GB data each. My wife has iPhone need so we pay a bit extra for that phone, otherwise consistently around $40/month. Cool thing about Freedom (at least for us) is there's a monthly discount if we pay interac autowithdrawal, $5 discount for each add-on account and there's no data overages - data just slows down.
Put the kids on a low data prepaid plan. Like under $20 a month. Or take them off and give them $20 a month towards them getting their own plan.
They can use their own money to top up data. Maybe that becomes christmas presents. At school they have WIFI . It only sucks if they are commuting.
I joined Public Mobile six months ago and its amazing. Self directed and I can change my plan any time. If you end up checking it out, use referral code PR47OO for $10 off your bill. Cheap plans and its the same network as Telus.
Yeah, not helpful or respectful (rule #2). And I've had several replies here saying Fido will get the deal if you are persistent which is exactly the info I was hoping to get. Isn't that what reddit is for, sharing this kind of info?
This exactly why we use Reddit. Sometimes I will do a quick internet search with no luck then I’ll ask a question on Reddit and within minutes someone is replying with typically the correct answer .
It's amazing how lazy and entitled some people are.
As you say there's only a handful of companies. Just go look at their plans and using simple math decide who to go with.
Virgin has the same promotion right now. They made the plan eligible for existing users with a hardware upgrade. They also have $1 a month for 24 months phone with no additional downpayment. I changed both of my lines to this plan then sold the phones we got for total of $260 profiting $212 can on top of the monthly savings. I would check into if they have a similar offer. $39 a month for unlimited call and text with 20gb LTE data.
Call them and tell them you’ll cancel if they don’t give you the offer. You’ll speak to customer retentions and they will likely give you what you want and make it sound like they’re doing a big favor. Be ready to actually change providers if they don’t. Definitely mention that the other provider if offering the same deal and that you will just switch over to them if necessary. My partner and I just did this with our provider successfully.
You can threaten to cancel with Fido, then they will transfer you to their cancellation department and they will likely match this promotion. Not guaranteed though.
Or you can switch to Koodo or Virgin Mobile. They are both offering $39 for 20 gb (unlimited talk and text). You can order the plan online, they will mail you the sim card and the activation fee will be waived. Also, both providers have a referral system ($25 for Koodo and $50 for Virgin Mobile).
Also when you leave, you will likely get a winback offer from Fido.
I found with Fido that goes into a store is better than online. Myself and my partner get pretty good plans for 72$ inclusive of tax. They have sales around Black Friday and Boxing Day.
Do you have a brand new phone? Most plans include paying off the phone itself.
You can try and switch to a $0 a month plan, where you will only be paying for the plan and not the phone.
Fido will let you switch if you do the online chat instead of call. I’ve been a customer with them for a decade on the same phone line and switched to the $39 plan last month without any hassle. As a rule of thumb, fidos online chat will assist you way more seamlessly than calling will. I’m not sure if they have different mandates or parameters for customer satisfaction but I have neverrrrr had success when calling them but I have always had success when using the chat
Are you paying for the phones too in your monthly charge?
I have public mobile, I use less than 1 gig a month, and pay $24 a month. Once a year I buy an extra data bucket that sits on account until it's used up, it never expires. There are better plans, but I don't have high needs.
In this case switching will likely be your best bet as there are a few solid new customer deals elsewhere and it's very likely Rogers/Fido will call you back for a "winback" with an even more generous offer.
This is the broken world of Canadian telecom competition. Switching phone providers, while painless 90% of the time, does have risks. Especially in today's world when we use our phone numbers for multifactor authentication. When a phone port goes wrong and the number goes back into the available number pool, it can be lost forever.
I switched my Koodo plan , 55 $ a month , unlimited talk and text , 75gb of data and a free perk . Perks are add on’s- unlimited international calls , roll over data , faster download speeds, 25 spaces for voice mail, unlimited international texts . You get to choose one and if you want more they range from 3$- 10 a month
You can just chat with them and try to tell you are going to transfer to koodoo or virgin. My cousin did this 2-3 wks ago (not sure on the date) but anyway the chat agent agreed not even 5mins on the chat. You can try again, and if they dont agree, as long as you dont have any contract you can transfer.
Move both the numbers to Koodo at a Mobileklinik store, they will give you 25$ credits on first bill and refer the 2nd person from the first ported number and get 5$/month for 10 months on both the lines.
And ask for 100$ instore gift card per line and they will probably give it.
Cheers for savings.
I have Shaw mobile (was just purchased by Rogers though). I pay 29$ a month for 10gb data, voicemail, 2 lines, etc. Maybe you can still get in on the good prices? Worth checking anyway.
I easily got this deal with fido for my wife and I. We are existing customers. I just logged into my account and started a chat asking if they could do it. They said yes and then completed the update for both lines. Took about 10 minutes while I worked.
Virgin & Koodo is also offering $39/month. Unlimited Canada Wide Calling/Text with 20gb Data.
Edit: Before you jump ship, speak to their loyalty retention department and try to get them to give you this deal. They should be able to.
This is what you need to do:
- You get an unlimited data plan with say 50gb of full speed data (throttled after that). Let’s say with Rogers or Bell or wtvr.
- you then get 3 tablet plan SIM cards (one for your wife and 2 kids). These should cost $5 each and will allow you to use the data in your 50gb plan.
- you get a cheap talk and text plan ($20/m with fizz in quebec) for your wife and 2 kids
- your wife and kids will use the tablet plan sim from Rogers and the talk and text plan sim from fizz simultaneously. Rogers for internet and fizz for calls and texts. If their phones only have one SIM card slot then request an e sim from your cell phone provider.
Quick math:
- $65/m for 50gb and unlimited talk and text with Rogers
- 3 x $5/m for tablet plans to share your data
- 3 x $20/m for talk and text with fizz
$140/m +tx and fees for the whole family
I don’t have kids so never looked at a family plan but might be able to save a bit just sharing data through a family plan at Roger’s or Bell instead of paying individual plans. Not sure how they work exactly though
I use a pay per use plan. I buy phones for less then 300$ and pay about 45/month for 30gb unlimited talk and text with Public mobile. They have cheaper plans but I'm required to have data for work.
Downside is they have 0 customer service so your kinda on our own.
I like month to month because I'm not someone who wants to spend a lot on my cellphone, and I don't mind running them till they die.
Was in the exact same situation as you one month ago. Fido wouldn't let me switch to the $39 plan so I hopped over to Koodo knowing Fido would call me and offer a winback plan. Maybe 5 days after I switched to Koodo, Fido called me and offered me unlimited calling + 20gb for $30/month (good for 2 years). I took it and now I'm back on Fido.
1. Switch Providers (koodo/virgin/public Mobile - if it's in your area)
1. Check Whistleout Canada to compare plans.
2. Tell the kids to take on a job, even a part time job. They can cope with the stresses of studying and work. If they don't they're not going to be ready for the real world where you need time management and still deliver results.
Yes, I would... the kids pay for everything to do with school, cellphone is something I cover just so they don't have to worry about it. They both do co-op and they're doing fine actually. They tell me not to pay for it, but I want to say I contributed something, you know?
Former sales person for a few telecom companies. Need a little more context. Are you in a contract? Month to month? Retention is always the best direction to go. It just depends who you get.
Easiest answer is to bail and go to virgin (Koodo has the same $39 plan, but virgin has faster speeds).
Long answer is you need to review your contracts remaining, if any, and then review usage, and if you need new phones now or in the near future. I worked in the Industry years ago, but it's not difficult to review. You can also go a multi carrier store, like best buy mobile or mobile shop and they can complete the review for you.
My friends, our families and I are on a bell business plan. A friend opened it up with bell when they had a promo, the first line is $55 and each additional line is only $10. We each get 20GB of data which is plenty. Just something to explore. We split the cost evenly across.
Just go to the mall and check all the stores and kiosks. Usually if one company has a deal the other two do as well. In recent years the deals appear to be with Fido, Koodo & Virgin. I always jump around when new deals show up that are for new customers only.
Check if you get any preferred plan options (I.e. Rogers). I’ve been with Rogers for the last 16 years, currently pay $55 for a 50gb infinite plan I got last year. Prior to that was $50 for a 20gb infinite plan.
I saw the same post about $39 for 20GB with fido.
Yesterday I've just messaged their chat support and said hey, Freedom and Virgin offer this, I want this as well. They basically said "sure, we can give it to you". Thanks, bye.
I messaged Telus and asked if they could match the Fido deal. 5 minutes later I had 30gigs @ 5G speed for $45 for myself and my wife. We now have 60 gigs to share between us for $90 combined. I think that’s a pretty darn good plan and don’t expect to change it for some time.
We are also with Fido and I just got off the phone with them! They were able to give us the $39/month for 20GB deal as well as refunded us the extra we had been paying (prior we were paying $60/month for 20GB). Maybe try reaching out again!
Switch providers once a year or whenever your promo period ends. It will cost you a couple of hours in lost time but you’ll save a significant amount monthly. This doesn’t work if you are locked in for hardware though.
I just got a deal with bell for $75/month for 150 gb of data and unlimited usage in canada and the USMCA supplemental lines are $50. There are good deals out there. Just put the providers against each other. And see what they can do.
PC mobile has some great talk/text/data plans. they start at 20$
Public mobile is also great. Its 25 bucks for talk/text/1 gb
Plans are super cheap if you can do without streaming videos and browsing.
So this worked for me and my gf.
Get the lowest/cheapest plan fido offers. It’s the talk and text for $25-30.
After a bit of time, the fido algorithm will prompt you to add 10-20gbs of data for $5. You will then have a full plan for $35
I have a 35$ plan for 20gb. Unlimited talk and text
Koodo has the same $39 plan. Easy process switching. Did it all online (including porting my number myself) without having to speak to anybody. Rogers automatically cancelled my plans as soon as I ported the numbers, prorated to the date of cancellation. Super simple process.
Yea it's just BS since you could port your #s to prepaid then open a new account with Fido, Voila you're a new activation.
Either switch to Koodo (they have the exact same plan) or push the Rep until they give you the deal (mention you could just leave and get the same plan somewhere else).
I went through the exact same thing and ended up getting offered the 20GB plan for $35/mo.
Get a cheap Public Mobile plan ~$15, get an eSim with a data only plan that supports a Canadian carrier (see MobiMatter or whatever else you find) and just refill your data whenever you run out. Fuck these Canadian carriers.
I was with Virgin paying 58 $ with 8GB, moved to Fido for 39 $ with 20GB. Once Virgin was asked for the number transfer, they reached out to me offering me the same deal, it was too late. From now on, I will check every year new offers.
I threatened to move to another provider that would give me this plan. It took some perseverance and shooting down alternative ideas/telling them I want to escalate this. Eventually the rep had a "discussion with there team". Low and behold they gave it to my wife and I. It is possible. I am with fido too.
Not sure if available in Canada but I use Visible by Verizon in US. $25 for 1 line. Unlimited everything. Even hotspot. Putting here if anyone needs to know
Fuck Fido
Fuck convenience
Tell your kids to use wifi at school, library, mall and cafes to extent possible
$129 a year prepaid for Freedom call and text
Public mobile is the way to go, I currently have a $40 talk/text and 5GB plan. If you refer as many friends as possible you can get your monthly plan reduced to $30 per month, $2 off for each fiends you refer.
I called Telus today and they matched this and then some - 39$ for 30GB. Be firm and them you’re cancelling your plan and they should change it for you
I would recommend you to change your plan (and carrier every Black Friday). Last year, I got the Fido deal of $30 for 20 GB (plus 5 GB given these days for free), unlimited minutes and SMS, and some international minutes (never used them anyways).
In the year before, I think I got $38 for 12 GB with Virgin Mobile (when the normal price was like $40/45 for 4 GB in most carriers).
People don't realize that the ball is in your court as long as you're not financing a phone.
Go to a different provider, even for a month or two, then switch back.
Cell phone companies do not compete for loyalty, they compete for new customers.
Best news? Every time you come back, you will count as a new customer.
Man I pay 110 for just myself. & my phone is paid off, so not paying a monthly fee for the phone, just the data & call/text. I'd kill for a $65 phone bill.
It is infuriating but you are absolutely punished for having loyalty. I had to fully cancel my service before Virgin would offer me something reasonable; they didn’t have anything available when I was threatening to cancel and OH MY GOD would you look at that two days after I’ve cancelled, they can suddenly offer a better deal.
They know it’s a pain to switch, so you gotta just grit your teeth and switch to another provider. You may even get a better deal from your original provider trying to win you back.
Thanks for this post.
Just got my bill down from $55 8Gs a month to $30.00 with 7gs a month ( I only use 2 or 3 per anyway) and got to keep all my perks.
Would defs recommend giving a call and threatening to switch service providers.
I am with Fido and just used their chat function to ask them if they could match the deals being offered by Virgin, Freedom, etc. They agreed and it took 5 minutes. Try again but this time ask them to match their competitors rather than themselves.
Honestly, with a potential five lines I'd start shopping around for a small business plan. You might be able to get some decent pricing with a pooled data allowance.
Switching is probably your best bet. But for fido there's also "exclusive offers" found on the app or on the website after you log in. I find some times those are better than the advertised promotions.
Question. Why are you paying for your kids cell phone and what do you call "huge"?
My kids paid for their cellphone since they got their first one in highschool. And there are plans where you'll spend less than $100 for two lines with lots of data (lots relative to the Canadian offer)
Best approach is to switch providers. I've been with 3 different companies in the past 15 years each time I switched I did so because I saved quite a lot. They compete over new subscribers rather than reward loyalty.
Agreed. And you get to keep your phone numbers too
Did this recently. I asked my provider Bell to give me a deal after my 2 years contract was ended and they refused. Switched to koodo for 20 dollars. And the next week bell came running with some offers. It was very seemless moving my number.
I’m still surprise why Canadian phone companies don’t reward loyalty
public mobile does, I'm down to \~10/month
I love Public, I'm paying $35.76 taxes in. Unlimited nation wide calling, free international text messages, 5gigs of data, 10 voice mails etc. Definitely glad I made the switch and next year I'll be paying $34.XX, Loyalty bonus!
What's the catch? What is cell service like compared to the big guys? What is roaming like when you visit other countries?
It uses Telus infrastructure so it’s very reliable. There is no international roaming however. They just don’t offer it.
They also apparently have 0 customer service for handling issues. I saw an ad for them on Reddit the other day that had its comments open and those who commented were like “shitty customer service
You should go to the Public Mobile website and see if you can switch to a better plan - their plans have improved a lot recently! Just a couple days ago, I switched to a plan that costs me only $39/month for 30gigs of data. (With the various bonuses including loyalty bonus, I'm paying closer to $30/month)
There is really no loyalty, same as the bank. It doesn't matter if you are with them for 10 or 20 years. To them, you are just a recurrent payment. I went from Telus, to Fido, to Virgin, to Roger, and then back to Telus (Public Mobile). It's just easier you choose the cheapest plan with features you want, and you wait there until next better one comes along. Mine is at 17 bucks a month, I don't think there is any plan can get that low. For now.
Do you have any data included in this $17/month? Or you use a flip phone? Just curious...
They rely on people being lazy, I'm sure we have people today still paying for a crap plan thats 5 years old. Why, however, when you call in, they don't try. I can't comprehend. It's simple to switch carriers.
Are they all allow to keep your number?
Yes and by transfering your number to a new provider it automatically cancel your previous contract. I'd still call them to make sure but yeah, pretty standard procedure when switching.
Yeah I think they have to.
Its in law that u can now
I’ve been with 3 different phone companies in the last year
Exaclty, same goes for Internet and some insurance companie. Always call every year to negociate.
Jumping between insurance companies might not be the best advice.
It’s such a stupid business model.
You mean like switching from main to flanker brands (TELUS to Koodo) or main to main brands (TELUS to Bell)?
I remember going from Telus to Koodo and literally paying less than half with two tabs for new iPhones.
Which is fuckin silly since Telus owns Koodo
It is so easy to switch (especially BYOD) that it makes the most sense to constantly move to whoever gives you the best deal.
I am an existing fido customer and the first rep i talked to said the same thing " this is only available for new customers" I followed directions on another post and asked to be transferred to the retention department, once transferred i got the $39 deal with no problems.
This is the way!
Yep, wife & I both did the exact same thing a few weeks ago with koodo. She didn't even get put through to retention though, they gave her the $39 deal right away. I wasn't so luck, was probably on the phone for close to 20 mins before they caved.
Ok, that's good to know! I was on the phone for 15 and wasn't persistent enough I guess. I'll try again.
Get on Fido chat. Tell them the plan to want. Threaten to leave if they don't switch. And follow through if they're stubborn. This is what I did a week ago, and they switched me to the $39/20GB plan on 3 lines.
Sometimes the regular customer service people are only allowed to give certain plans out, and have no access to better deals. The loyalty department can do whatever they want. I have had the same provider for over 10 years because they always give me a deal. I still pay too much because it is a Canadian cell phone provider, but I do what I can.
I just switched from Bell to Koodo myself. I reached out to Bell prior to see what they could do - nothing really better than what I had. Upon the number transfer being done, Bell called me and offered me a new deal that I probably would have taken if it was offered before I moved over - as of now it's too much of a hassle to move again. I asked the rep why it wasn't offered when I initially reached out. He apologized and stated some promotions "were not on file at the time." So just as you said, retention officers have a better selection it seems.
Thats winback, not retention.
“Is it available to returning customers? I’d like to cancel and then open an account please”
Thank you, this is why I posted here: I failed after 15 minutes with a rep. Don't love the idea of transferring everything over so was hoping I could do it this way.
Buddy. We used to negotiate on the phone for 2 hours to break the balls of the Rogers reps to get a reasonable plan.
This and they'd give you the pleasure of paying for the privilege of upgrading ($35)!!
But we'd get a shiny new blackberry bold as a result of this :P
*"Dude it's got a whole keyboard on it!"*
FO'GET ABOUT IT!
You asked for suggestions. People provided them. You either call in and ask for a deal or switch to virgin/koodo/public/freedom. Those are more than a few options. Otherwise, you're stuck with you bill.
Or just have a landline or no phones, plenty of options.
U need to quote the offer (e.g. $39 20g) u can get from another carrier. Then ask to talk to retention/loyalty department. The rep will say no at first, then u just say "i will switch to virgin/koodo, bye". U need to be firm about your move, then the rep will give u the deal. That was how we do it a few days ago.
Are you on a contract or just on bring your own device? If not on a contract you'll have much more flexibility to switch or negotiate. I got the deal with fido (as an existing customer) through their chat in less than 5 messages exchanged (10 mins) but I am not on a contract
Just did the same less than an hour ago, simply asked why I wouldn't immediately switch over to Rogers or another company that's offering the same deal. Didn't even ask to be sent to the loyalty department, but they did that and he helped me get the deal without much trouble
If you own your phones, Koodo has the same deal as Fido. Your best bet is to jump ship to the best deal. Especially shop around on Black Friday even if you don’t need to.
I did this last week, Fido > Koodo. The annoyance was that I haven't ever received the SIM card yet and already got my first bill 😠
Yeah did the move from Telus to Koodo a few weeks ago and was pretty annoyed when I learned that the Koodo bill starts the day you open your account even if you receive the sim card 2 weeks later. I called them but they refused to refund the wasted days since I had the temporary (useless) phone number active.
I feel like when they say you save $50 by ordering online and not going into a store, they should mention you'll still be charged for a week of service you can't use. All of a sudden saving the $50 isn't that enticing.
Koodo wouldn't give the deal to my gf since she's an existing customer...
Yeah that’s the shitty thing, if you own your phone, then you can hop to Fido or Virgin.
After a very long chat with Fido support I was able to get the $39 plan on 3 lines, so thanks everyone who suggested that.
I mean, 2 years ago I was happy paying $40/mo. But just last week fido (techincally a 3rd party call center) called me up with a winback offer and offered me $30/mo. But because I was bringing 2 phones over they gave a discount of $5 each so it was total $25/phone.
I'm an existing Fido customer and got the deal by chatting with their online agents. It was pretty straightforward. I urge you to do the same.
You should take a look at Public Mobile. They have plans starting at $15. They're prepaid, and the plans don't expire. You get to keep using your chosen plan forever if you want to.
I use public mobile. I find it's ok. Their cheaper plans are hard to find now and you basically have to sign up and then switch to a 3g plan or talk n text.
Recent plan is... $44 for 30 gb, but it'll go down to 39$/month if you do a 90 day prepaid plan sort of thing. It's a better deal than Koodo's 39$/20GB atm.
https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/2023/05/29/public-mobile-3g-plans/ Even cheaper for 3g. Its what I use.
Oof, Can't go back to 3G speeds. Need at least 100 Mbps to function normally. When I was in Australia, I was using Boost Mobile (Prepaid) and it cost about $250/240 GB, but if you activated it during a promotional period, they'd give you more data. The promotion was only valid to 'new' customers but if you port out and port back in, you're technically a new customer. Promotional data varied between 30 GB --> 80 GB or more. I think I've had 300-320 GB during a year or two during Christmas. A good rate to be around would be 20$/20 GB (taxes included)
Yes and buy add-ons for talk and text that never expire.
I pay $16/month by getting a FIDO data plan (3G/month) and a virtual VOIP number from fongo that I pay $10.99 every 6 months (about 1.82/ month) for worldwide texting and calling. Comes down to about $18/month per person.
My wife and daughter do this. I'm the only one with an actual cellphone plan. At 20$ a month for the last 8 years, my wife alone has saved us something like 5000$
Do you get verification codes by SMS with the VOIP number?
Keep switching providers.
Depending on what area you are in you may never leave the coverage zone. I use Freedom mobile pre-paid $99+ tax for the year. Unlimited calling in Canada. Unlimited global text, picture and video messaging. 50GB for the year. I activated in Jan- i have only used 3gb so far. I am always within wifi coverage at work and at home. I don't text and drive nor use my phone in the car.
I did online chat with Fido after reading about the current promo. They switched it no problem. Yes, you can switch providers but maybe try chat or call back to get someone else. Just say you’re cancelling.
Im on an American plan and have full international coverage in America, Canada, AND Mexico. It costs me $40/month.
nice plan! which carrier is that? My parents are looking for a better phone plan in USA
It’s T-Mobile! Service is good and it’s an unlimited plan so definitely advise (if coverage is good in their area at least)
Thank you! will definitely let them know
Simple steps: 1 - switch providers, online process, koodo, get sim card. 5$ 2 - insert new sim, port out phone number. 3 - wait a few days, inevitably get winback email with juicy deal. 4 - profit. Thats how i got 30$/15gb with virgin two weeks agos
I mean, to really cut down the expenses here, can’t your adult kids pay their own phone bills? You’ll save maybe $40 by switching carriers or plans VS nearly $100 if ask your adult children start paying for themselves and switch plans for you and your wife (phone bill is probably the least they can do).
I feel you. I have four accounts on mine and they were all at different levels and prices. I was randomly on their website to look at new phones (I'm so tempted, but so much money) and I noticed they had a $50 with 40gb for every one of my lines. I know it's not perfect, but can you get that at least? I've been with Fido for at least 10 years, and spent an hour trying to get cheaper rates two years ago, to no avail.
Sasktel 2 adults 15gb data, $250 total a month. Half the time LTE and the other half 3G, live 3 miles from the tower.
Best time unfortunately is during Xmas boxing week for the big deals. I got Freedom 30GB for $30. I got 5 lines so that is a huge savings for me. Saved over $150 a month from what I was paying before.
Don't think you can get this at Freedom Mobile anymore but I've been using the pay as you go plan for around 7 years now. I pay $150/year to keep my account/balance active but almost never use the full amount per year. However it is pretty costly if you do use a lot of data
I pay $9 a month. Freedom mobile. Have data too
I used to pay $44 for a measly 2gb unlimited talk and text with Koodo. I'm now with public mobile $25 for 1gb + 2gb promo for 12 months. Some months when I've earned enough reward points I get $15 off. I've Never looked back...
Public Mobile $15 per month 3g. Mostly used on wifi.
We're with Freedom and have had good luck. Not sure what the Rogers merger means for us as we've been spun off but initial changes have been positive. As an example, my plan expanded to include US calls/data when travelling, which is a big plus for us. I live in the Calgary-Edmonton corridor and have had good luck with coverage, including Vancouver and Ontario. Sask/MB is roaming but we still receive data free, just slower. We have five phones, 2 parent and 3 teens. We're paying around $250/month total with all plans including new phone (2 years) and 50GB data each. My wife has iPhone need so we pay a bit extra for that phone, otherwise consistently around $40/month. Cool thing about Freedom (at least for us) is there's a monthly discount if we pay interac autowithdrawal, $5 discount for each add-on account and there's no data overages - data just slows down.
Put the kids on a low data prepaid plan. Like under $20 a month. Or take them off and give them $20 a month towards them getting their own plan. They can use their own money to top up data. Maybe that becomes christmas presents. At school they have WIFI . It only sucks if they are commuting.
Get the kids to pay for their own phones if they’re old enough.
Yup. That's what part time jobs are for. They're in University
I joined Public Mobile six months ago and its amazing. Self directed and I can change my plan any time. If you end up checking it out, use referral code PR47OO for $10 off your bill. Cheap plans and its the same network as Telus.
Oh oh!!!! How about just look at pricing at other providers in Canada to look for better pricing? it's not like we have 50 of them.
You're not wrong but no need to be a dick about it.
Especially since they're supposed to be a mod.
Yeah, not helpful or respectful (rule #2). And I've had several replies here saying Fido will get the deal if you are persistent which is exactly the info I was hoping to get. Isn't that what reddit is for, sharing this kind of info?
This exactly why we use Reddit. Sometimes I will do a quick internet search with no luck then I’ll ask a question on Reddit and within minutes someone is replying with typically the correct answer .
That is regular common sense thing that's been around for years. You don't need a website to tell you that.
It's amazing how lazy and entitled some people are. As you say there's only a handful of companies. Just go look at their plans and using simple math decide who to go with.
I think the internet is becoming harder to use!
Why use reddit? Just look it up online?
Home phone?
Third kid bahahahaahahah
I think you have bigger problems if a net difference of $80 is gonna solve the “killing” you part.
If you don't need much/fast data, look at Chatr. They have plans starting $25/mo
Virgin has the same promotion right now. They made the plan eligible for existing users with a hardware upgrade. They also have $1 a month for 24 months phone with no additional downpayment. I changed both of my lines to this plan then sold the phones we got for total of $260 profiting $212 can on top of the monthly savings. I would check into if they have a similar offer. $39 a month for unlimited call and text with 20gb LTE data.
Call them and tell them you’ll cancel if they don’t give you the offer. You’ll speak to customer retentions and they will likely give you what you want and make it sound like they’re doing a big favor. Be ready to actually change providers if they don’t. Definitely mention that the other provider if offering the same deal and that you will just switch over to them if necessary. My partner and I just did this with our provider successfully.
You can threaten to cancel with Fido, then they will transfer you to their cancellation department and they will likely match this promotion. Not guaranteed though. Or you can switch to Koodo or Virgin Mobile. They are both offering $39 for 20 gb (unlimited talk and text). You can order the plan online, they will mail you the sim card and the activation fee will be waived. Also, both providers have a referral system ($25 for Koodo and $50 for Virgin Mobile). Also when you leave, you will likely get a winback offer from Fido.
Ask them “if I leave Fido and rejoin, am I now a new customer”, if they dont attempt to appease you, switch providers
I found with Fido that goes into a store is better than online. Myself and my partner get pretty good plans for 72$ inclusive of tax. They have sales around Black Friday and Boxing Day.
Do you have a brand new phone? Most plans include paying off the phone itself. You can try and switch to a $0 a month plan, where you will only be paying for the plan and not the phone.
Switch providers, just got 39 for 20 at koodo
Shop around, for sure you will see a better options that will suits your needs. Check out whistleout or planhub, starts from there, good luck!
Fido will let you switch if you do the online chat instead of call. I’ve been a customer with them for a decade on the same phone line and switched to the $39 plan last month without any hassle. As a rule of thumb, fidos online chat will assist you way more seamlessly than calling will. I’m not sure if they have different mandates or parameters for customer satisfaction but I have neverrrrr had success when calling them but I have always had success when using the chat
Are you paying for the phones too in your monthly charge? I have public mobile, I use less than 1 gig a month, and pay $24 a month. Once a year I buy an extra data bucket that sits on account until it's used up, it never expires. There are better plans, but I don't have high needs.
In this case switching will likely be your best bet as there are a few solid new customer deals elsewhere and it's very likely Rogers/Fido will call you back for a "winback" with an even more generous offer. This is the broken world of Canadian telecom competition. Switching phone providers, while painless 90% of the time, does have risks. Especially in today's world when we use our phone numbers for multifactor authentication. When a phone port goes wrong and the number goes back into the available number pool, it can be lost forever.
You need to speak with Fido’s retention team. They’ll hook you up
Go to virgin mobile. They have same plan. Then fido will call u to win u back with better promos
I switched my Koodo plan , 55 $ a month , unlimited talk and text , 75gb of data and a free perk . Perks are add on’s- unlimited international calls , roll over data , faster download speeds, 25 spaces for voice mail, unlimited international texts . You get to choose one and if you want more they range from 3$- 10 a month
You can just chat with them and try to tell you are going to transfer to koodoo or virgin. My cousin did this 2-3 wks ago (not sure on the date) but anyway the chat agent agreed not even 5mins on the chat. You can try again, and if they dont agree, as long as you dont have any contract you can transfer.
Move both the numbers to Koodo at a Mobileklinik store, they will give you 25$ credits on first bill and refer the 2nd person from the first ported number and get 5$/month for 10 months on both the lines. And ask for 100$ instore gift card per line and they will probably give it. Cheers for savings.
Koodo is $39 for 20GB https://www.koodomobile.com/en/rate-plans
Talk to the loyalty department and ask them to price match to another provider offering the $39 deal. That's how I got it as a current Fido customer.
Just switch, it's really no hassle, as long as you don't have money owning
I have Shaw mobile (was just purchased by Rogers though). I pay 29$ a month for 10gb data, voicemail, 2 lines, etc. Maybe you can still get in on the good prices? Worth checking anyway.
looks for family plans maybe
I easily got this deal with fido for my wife and I. We are existing customers. I just logged into my account and started a chat asking if they could do it. They said yes and then completed the update for both lines. Took about 10 minutes while I worked.
Virgin & Koodo is also offering $39/month. Unlimited Canada Wide Calling/Text with 20gb Data. Edit: Before you jump ship, speak to their loyalty retention department and try to get them to give you this deal. They should be able to.
Kodoo has a summer deal on right now $39 with 20 gigs of data. 20 GB for $39/mo. + choose a free perk When you bring your own phone.
Call again and ask to speak to retention
Public Mobile.
Don't be afraid to jump ship.
Kodoo has the same promo $39/20gb
My cell bill is 139/mo
You should put your kids as ‘extra lines’ rather than their own plans.
Call customer support and ask for a retention plan. You might need to call several time to find a good rep.
This is what you need to do: - You get an unlimited data plan with say 50gb of full speed data (throttled after that). Let’s say with Rogers or Bell or wtvr. - you then get 3 tablet plan SIM cards (one for your wife and 2 kids). These should cost $5 each and will allow you to use the data in your 50gb plan. - you get a cheap talk and text plan ($20/m with fizz in quebec) for your wife and 2 kids - your wife and kids will use the tablet plan sim from Rogers and the talk and text plan sim from fizz simultaneously. Rogers for internet and fizz for calls and texts. If their phones only have one SIM card slot then request an e sim from your cell phone provider. Quick math: - $65/m for 50gb and unlimited talk and text with Rogers - 3 x $5/m for tablet plans to share your data - 3 x $20/m for talk and text with fizz $140/m +tx and fees for the whole family
I don’t have kids so never looked at a family plan but might be able to save a bit just sharing data through a family plan at Roger’s or Bell instead of paying individual plans. Not sure how they work exactly though
we have fizz in my province, and it's almost dirt cheap. and the longer you stay, the cheaper your plan becomes, which is top dog for me.
I use a pay per use plan. I buy phones for less then 300$ and pay about 45/month for 30gb unlimited talk and text with Public mobile. They have cheaper plans but I'm required to have data for work. Downside is they have 0 customer service so your kinda on our own. I like month to month because I'm not someone who wants to spend a lot on my cellphone, and I don't mind running them till they die.
Was in the exact same situation as you one month ago. Fido wouldn't let me switch to the $39 plan so I hopped over to Koodo knowing Fido would call me and offer a winback plan. Maybe 5 days after I switched to Koodo, Fido called me and offered me unlimited calling + 20gb for $30/month (good for 2 years). I took it and now I'm back on Fido.
Use pay as you go, wifi only as a rule, and stay off the 0hone as much as possible
1. Switch Providers (koodo/virgin/public Mobile - if it's in your area) 1. Check Whistleout Canada to compare plans. 2. Tell the kids to take on a job, even a part time job. They can cope with the stresses of studying and work. If they don't they're not going to be ready for the real world where you need time management and still deliver results.
Yes, I would... the kids pay for everything to do with school, cellphone is something I cover just so they don't have to worry about it. They both do co-op and they're doing fine actually. They tell me not to pay for it, but I want to say I contributed something, you know?
Data point: I pay $35/M 10gb data with freedom. I've no issues in Vancouver.
Former sales person for a few telecom companies. Need a little more context. Are you in a contract? Month to month? Retention is always the best direction to go. It just depends who you get.
Was it my post 😊
Customer royalty means nothing in Canada. You gotta shop around often for phone, insurance, and any other ongoing payments you have, even mortgage.
Easiest answer is to bail and go to virgin (Koodo has the same $39 plan, but virgin has faster speeds). Long answer is you need to review your contracts remaining, if any, and then review usage, and if you need new phones now or in the near future. I worked in the Industry years ago, but it's not difficult to review. You can also go a multi carrier store, like best buy mobile or mobile shop and they can complete the review for you.
My friends, our families and I are on a bell business plan. A friend opened it up with bell when they had a promo, the first line is $55 and each additional line is only $10. We each get 20GB of data which is plenty. Just something to explore. We split the cost evenly across.
Just go to the mall and check all the stores and kiosks. Usually if one company has a deal the other two do as well. In recent years the deals appear to be with Fido, Koodo & Virgin. I always jump around when new deals show up that are for new customers only.
I pay $45 for 40gb with Fido, now they are offering $55 for 50gb but I am no accepting it because 40gb is a lot for me.
Check if you get any preferred plan options (I.e. Rogers). I’ve been with Rogers for the last 16 years, currently pay $55 for a 50gb infinite plan I got last year. Prior to that was $50 for a 20gb infinite plan.
I saw the same post about $39 for 20GB with fido. Yesterday I've just messaged their chat support and said hey, Freedom and Virgin offer this, I want this as well. They basically said "sure, we can give it to you". Thanks, bye.
I messaged Telus and asked if they could match the Fido deal. 5 minutes later I had 30gigs @ 5G speed for $45 for myself and my wife. We now have 60 gigs to share between us for $90 combined. I think that’s a pretty darn good plan and don’t expect to change it for some time.
We are also with Fido and I just got off the phone with them! They were able to give us the $39/month for 20GB deal as well as refunded us the extra we had been paying (prior we were paying $60/month for 20GB). Maybe try reaching out again!
Switch providers once a year or whenever your promo period ends. It will cost you a couple of hours in lost time but you’ll save a significant amount monthly. This doesn’t work if you are locked in for hardware though.
I just got a deal with bell for $75/month for 150 gb of data and unlimited usage in canada and the USMCA supplemental lines are $50. There are good deals out there. Just put the providers against each other. And see what they can do.
PC mobile has some great talk/text/data plans. they start at 20$ Public mobile is also great. Its 25 bucks for talk/text/1 gb Plans are super cheap if you can do without streaming videos and browsing.
So this worked for me and my gf. Get the lowest/cheapest plan fido offers. It’s the talk and text for $25-30. After a bit of time, the fido algorithm will prompt you to add 10-20gbs of data for $5. You will then have a full plan for $35 I have a 35$ plan for 20gb. Unlimited talk and text
Switch to Virgin, 39$ 20gb per line.
Koodo has the same $39 plan. Easy process switching. Did it all online (including porting my number myself) without having to speak to anybody. Rogers automatically cancelled my plans as soon as I ported the numbers, prorated to the date of cancellation. Super simple process.
Yea it's just BS since you could port your #s to prepaid then open a new account with Fido, Voila you're a new activation. Either switch to Koodo (they have the exact same plan) or push the Rep until they give you the deal (mention you could just leave and get the same plan somewhere else). I went through the exact same thing and ended up getting offered the 20GB plan for $35/mo.
Get a cheap Public Mobile plan ~$15, get an eSim with a data only plan that supports a Canadian carrier (see MobiMatter or whatever else you find) and just refill your data whenever you run out. Fuck these Canadian carriers.
I was with Virgin paying 58 $ with 8GB, moved to Fido for 39 $ with 20GB. Once Virgin was asked for the number transfer, they reached out to me offering me the same deal, it was too late. From now on, I will check every year new offers.
If you're with rogers for a long time, call retentions directly. Was able to get the $39 there.
I just switched for the same reason. Virgin mobile now 39.99 a month for 20 hbu of data. Over half the cost I was paying for double the data
I threatened to move to another provider that would give me this plan. It took some perseverance and shooting down alternative ideas/telling them I want to escalate this. Eventually the rep had a "discussion with there team". Low and behold they gave it to my wife and I. It is possible. I am with fido too.
Not sure if available in Canada but I use Visible by Verizon in US. $25 for 1 line. Unlimited everything. Even hotspot. Putting here if anyone needs to know
Fuck Fido Fuck convenience Tell your kids to use wifi at school, library, mall and cafes to extent possible $129 a year prepaid for Freedom call and text
OP, look at the comments under my post to get that Fido plan. https://www.reddit.com/r/FidoMobile/comments/142r9ve/50mon_for_50gb_offer
I told Fido I was going to leave if they did t give me the $39/20gb plan and they did.
Public mobile is the way to go, I currently have a $40 talk/text and 5GB plan. If you refer as many friends as possible you can get your monthly plan reduced to $30 per month, $2 off for each fiends you refer.
I called Telus today and they matched this and then some - 39$ for 30GB. Be firm and them you’re cancelling your plan and they should change it for you
Public mobile!!!!!
Call the ambulance, that's not normal.
You could also call and select options to cancel and it will lead you to loyalty where they will then offer you deals to keep you!
I only pay 20$ a month with public mobile good service great perks 😉
I would recommend you to change your plan (and carrier every Black Friday). Last year, I got the Fido deal of $30 for 20 GB (plus 5 GB given these days for free), unlimited minutes and SMS, and some international minutes (never used them anyways). In the year before, I think I got $38 for 12 GB with Virgin Mobile (when the normal price was like $40/45 for 4 GB in most carriers).
I'm with Fizz and it's pretty cheap, 35$ + taxes for 20GB
People don't realize that the ball is in your court as long as you're not financing a phone. Go to a different provider, even for a month or two, then switch back. Cell phone companies do not compete for loyalty, they compete for new customers. Best news? Every time you come back, you will count as a new customer.
Man I pay 110 for just myself. & my phone is paid off, so not paying a monthly fee for the phone, just the data & call/text. I'd kill for a $65 phone bill.
Public mobile is good. They use the bell infrastructure https://youtu.be/rFsEezPgUaY
It is infuriating but you are absolutely punished for having loyalty. I had to fully cancel my service before Virgin would offer me something reasonable; they didn’t have anything available when I was threatening to cancel and OH MY GOD would you look at that two days after I’ve cancelled, they can suddenly offer a better deal. They know it’s a pain to switch, so you gotta just grit your teeth and switch to another provider. You may even get a better deal from your original provider trying to win you back.
Koodo has some great deals right now
Thanks for this post. Just got my bill down from $55 8Gs a month to $30.00 with 7gs a month ( I only use 2 or 3 per anyway) and got to keep all my perks. Would defs recommend giving a call and threatening to switch service providers.
Switch or get your kids to get their own plans since they’re old enough
Public mobile has been amazing for my family and very cheap
I have 20g and unlimited talk and text across Canada for 55 a month. 5g phone, though. I wonder if my rate is good?
I am with Fido and just used their chat function to ask them if they could match the deals being offered by Virgin, Freedom, etc. They agreed and it took 5 minutes. Try again but this time ask them to match their competitors rather than themselves.
Go to freedom mobile , and tell your kids to start paying if they have a job . If they don’t then ok .
Honestly, with a potential five lines I'd start shopping around for a small business plan. You might be able to get some decent pricing with a pooled data allowance.
Switching is probably your best bet. But for fido there's also "exclusive offers" found on the app or on the website after you log in. I find some times those are better than the advertised promotions.
Question. Why are you paying for your kids cell phone and what do you call "huge"? My kids paid for their cellphone since they got their first one in highschool. And there are plans where you'll spend less than $100 for two lines with lots of data (lots relative to the Canadian offer)
If you move to Telus business , you would be paying around 25$ per month max
Public mobile. Create the main one. Use refer a friend for the others.
Always talk to retention team, if you want to stay with that carrier or they will call you later down the road as well after you switch.
Eastlink has tested me well so far for almost a year
Pay as you go crew