Several more Canadian telecom companies have announced the waiving of various charges for calls and texts to Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and Afghanistan. We previously shared Rogers had waived charges but here’s some more info on Telus, Bell and Quebecor as well.
Bell, as of October 12, has waived home phone and post-paid long-distance mobility charges, as well as SMS fees, for calls from Canada to Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank from October 7 to October 31, 2023. The company is also waiving similar charges to Afghanistan from October 7 to October 17, 2023. No action is required by Bell customers for these waivers to take effect.
Telus has also shown support by waiving all long-distance and text message fees in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, in addition to roaming charges. The company has activated a Text-to-Donate feature through the Telus Friendly Future Foundation (texting DONATE to 41010), directing funds to Canadian registered charities providing humanitarian support in the affected regions. Telus is also offering a free 24/7 health community crisis hotline.
Quebecor’s Freedom Mobile and Videotron announced on October 12 that it is waiving long-distance and SMS charges to Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip from October 7 to October 31, 2023. Roaming charges for customers in those regions will also be waived. Charges will be automatically cancelled or reimbursed in an upcoming billing cycle, requiring no action from customers.
