Phone plans in Canada

If you aren’t in a phone contract, you should look at changing phone companies every year or so. Otherwise, you’ll just be getting screwed by Canadian phone companies that are not going to improve your plans.

It’s easy to switch phone companies, keep your existing phone number and it’s the only way to get a better deal.

How it works

All the big pre-paid companies are really backed by the major networks. Koodo and Public Mobile uses Telus networks. Fido uses Rogers. These companies are the ones that offer cheaper pre-paid plans and are the way to go if you don’t want to get tied into a contract.

Remember contracts are one-sided and designed to screw you anyway, for example: they can go up in price.

These companies:

• Use the major networks, so you get the same phone, internet coverage as the backing network.
• Can be serviced by the backing networks. For example: when I had Fido problems, I went to the Rogers store and got it fixed.

Phone companies are NOT like Netflix who (as of writing) have 3 plans that are clear, stay consistent and are easy to follow on one page and you can change between them as you need.

Phone companies are NOT like this:

• The create and remove plans continually.
• They choose who gets what plan when.

This is done to make it really hard to compare plans, make it possible to target particular users and to tie people into expensive plans.

My Story

Koodo (Telus)

I was on Koodo forever. It worked, it had enough data and I didn’t worry about it worked. In the summer I re-evaluated all my plans and subscriptions and found that I’d been on Koodo so long, I wasn’t even valid in their system anymore, it had been updated multiple times and they hadn’t updated my account (something something software developers).

That took a few weeks to resolve and then I was able to see the deal wasn’t that great and that better deals were available elsewhere.

The key point: In the many years with Koodo, they had never upgraded, updated or improved my account. They just left me on the same plan for all those years. That’s not a good way to retain customers.

Annoyed by their attitude I switched to Fido.

Fido (Rogers)

In September I switched to Fido. The result was more data and free UK calling for about $15 a month less. When you switch you can keep your phone number and use an eSIM to move over. The eSIM didn’t work first time, but the Rogers store fixed that.

After a couple of months my family in the UK told me it was easier to call on WhatsApp than a phone. So I didn’t need UK minutes anymore. No problem, I’ll switch to the cheaper plan that was advertised when I joined up.

That plan doesn’t exist. I can’t switch to it, even though my wife is on it. Fido won’t let me. I contacted customer support and they said “We think you are on a good plan and should be happy it.”.

I was not happy.

Public Mobile (Telus)

Over the holidays I switched to Public Mobile. This was done in 20 minutes while watching something on YouTube. The eSIM worked first time and the number transferred. My monthly rate went down another $15 or so a month.

I’m now getting more data than with Koodo or Fido, and paying 1/3 of what I was paying with Koodo in the summer.

Throughout the process, I’ve had one problem, resolved by the Rogers store in 5 minutes. I’ve kept my phone number and not had to change it. I will probably review my plan regularly. Apparently the best time to switch is August and September in the “back to school period”.

Summary: You should change companies, they are relying on you not switching to make more money.