Rogers and Bell previously increased their minimum monthly plan requirements for an iPhone subsidy to $80 per month, dating back to the fall of 2014. TELUS was the lone holdout with a $70 monthly minimum for a premium smartphone upgrade like the iPhone–until now.
The company recently increased their monthly minimum price for a premium smartphone contract like the iPhone by $10 to $80 per month, matching Rogers and Bell.
We reached out to TELUS for clarification on this increase, and a spokesperson responded via email to explain “This modest wireless rate plan increase reflects increasing costs for network components resulting from a weaker Canadian dollar, as well as the annual multi-billion-dollar investments required to keep up with the growing demand for wireless data.”
Again, this change will only apply for new contracts and renewals, as existing customers are not affected.
Recently, TELUS, Rogers and Bell simultaneously increased wireless plans by $5 per month, while also decreasing the BYOD benefits, citing the lower Canadian dollar as the reason for the price hikes.
With iPhone 7 and iPhone 5se on the horizon, it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any cheaper to own an iPhone, especially if a hardware price update comes to reflect the lower Loonie.
Thanks Bruce F.!
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I guess it was only inevitable..
Guess the days of buying out my plan every year and signing a new contract to keep my 6gb plan are gone. It would be really handy if apple would bring its iPhone upgrade program to Canada….
Jesus. Makes me glad I bought my iPhone 6s upfront and went with Koodo. Managed to get the $49/2GB plan… gonna cling to that for as long as humanly possible.
I remember when a new iPhone was $199 on contract and the plan was $60/mo… Those days are long gone now.
That was also when we were locked into cellphone contracts for 3 years instead of 2.
Incidentally, iPhones in Canada started at $149 at the time. I remember thinking I wouldn’t mind the bump to $199 if contracts went from 3 to 2 years. Of course they took that limitation and immediately ran the price up to $249.
Just ordered an iPhone 6s last week. Full price of course. Like you, not getting rid of my grandfathered plan from 2011.
“Modest increase”. Talk about condescending.
Are there any nasty words that haven’t already been said about the 3 leeches?
I bought my iPhone 6 64GB outright and was with Rogers on a grandfathered plan with 6GB data and limited minutes. Used to pay ~$60/month, then that crept up to $74, then $91. Ditched them for Fido (I know, same parent) on Black Friday for their 3GB plan with unlimited everything else for $57. Guess I’ll be on the iPhone 6 for a while since it’s getting insanely costly for people to have the latest-greatest.
So I guess it’s just a matter of hours/days that we’ll be getting the same memo from the other Pig 2? Christ I wish there was a way to bring these assholes to their knees!
hahahah i just got a text message from telus: “TELUS Exclusive: XXXX, you’re being rewarded for your loyalty with an upgrade offer. We’ll give you $100 off select premium smartphones when you upgrade on a 2 year term with a new shareable data plan. Redeem easily online by visiting “… i believe the timing of this message is too coincidental.
Those messages go out depending on your contract renewal date. It is purely coincidence that the rate changes happen just as your contract is about to expire.
my contract expired in 2012.
Keep it up Telus; especially in Alberta where unemployment is up.