Even a high-end phone such as the iPhone can become useless if the carrier’s coverage is poor in the area where you live. (Believe me, I know. I have experienced this myself.) So, in this case, what’s the logical step to take? Switch to a carrier with better coverage, of course. That’s exactly what a Montreal woman did; she ended up with a hefty $585 cancellation fee from Fido. CBC Montreal investigated the matter.
Maureen Deery had an iPhone 5s, but she can’t use her right arm due to nerve damage. These two facts strongly relate to each other: She needs her phone to get in touch with doctors and other people who treat her.
Unfortunately, she renewed her contract with Fido in April, and despite getting an iPhone 5s, she couldn’t really use it, because of poor Fido coverage. Signal strength showed, at most, two bars out of five, which resulted in unsent messages and other frustrating experiences. Interestingly, she says she had no such issues with her previous device, an iPhone 4s.
Fido, she says, tried to fix the matter remotely, but the problems persisted even after she got a replacement unit from Apple.
So, in the end, she decided to cancel the contract in mid-June. Fido agreed, but said this would cost her $585 because of her subsidy on the phone.
Deery contacted CBC, which started an investigation that brought results: She was told in writing that her old phone would be unlocked and her contract cancelled without any fees. A happy ending!
