Earlier this week, the federal government released its Budget 2024, which aims to lower junk fees on cellphone bills when customers are trying to switch carriers.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s account on X continues to post random tidbits from the proposed budget, and yesterday’s latest ended up getting slammed with angry replies.
“We’ve cut the cost of cell phone plans in half since 2019 — in part by increasing competition,” proclaimed the Prime Minister on X.
“Next, we’re going after the junk fees on your phone bill, so you can do things like cancel your plan or switch to a cheaper one with no added charges. #Budget2024,” added Trudeau.
We’ve cut the cost of cell phone plans in half since 2019 — in part by increasing competition.
Next, we’re going after the junk fees on your phone bill, so you can do things like cancel your plan or switch to a cheaper one with no added charges. #Budget2024— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 18, 2024
This post has seen 1.6 million views and so far has been “ratioed”, meaning there are far more replies than reposts and likes. This means there are usually more negative replies to the post as people are sounding off.
“No you haven’t. My cell phone plan went from $50 to $120 in that span. There is no competition. The big 3 meet yearly and ensure they all price similarly which is why it doesn’t matter if you go to Shaw, Bell or Telus and in fact you approved the merger between Shaw and Rogers to eliminate even more competition,” claimed user DJ Phoenix in response.
“With all due respect PM, this is not true. Most on cell plans try to negotiate a better deal, usually when they upgrade but there’s rarely, if ever, a better deal. Canada is/was recognized as a telecommunications pioneer and we shouldn’t be paying some of the highest prices,” said @moeman61.
“My cell phone bill has went up. Stop lying,” replied Jayde.
“Of all the Trudeau promises that didn’t happen, this didn’t happen the most,” said user @NotaliaMateo.
Another user Kirk Lubimov held a poll asking if the cost of cell phone bills have been cut in half since 2019. With over 14,000 votes, 93.9% voted “no”.
The angry replies to the post by Trudeau continue on and on.
Now, while some cell phone plans are down a lot (just look at flanker brands and also Freedom Mobile), that’s due to how StatsCan measures them. While StatsCan can see the prices of plans on carriers’ website, they don’t know customers are spending exactly every month. They don’t have access to the data that shows the average change in a cell phone bill.
While Rogers, Telus and Bell increase data for free for some customers, this move is seen as a price drop by StatsCan. Just take a look at average revenue per user (ARPU) metrics from the ‘Big 3’ earnings reports. They haven’t dropped significantly.
“With the internet, we have a lot of information, but we don’t have all the information that we would like,” said StatsCan to the Globe and Mail back in February. So again, the federal government is making bold claims but over the past decade, ARPU hasn’t changed drastically.
Has your cell phone bill dropped by 50% since 2019, like the Prime Minister has claimed?
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The person who is claiming their bill went from $50 to $120 clearly doesn’t shop around. I’m paying $28/month for 40 GB Canada + US coverage. In 2019, I was paying $45/month for only 10 GB and the same coverage. Almost 50% less for 4x more data.
There’s no reason to be paying $120/month these days.
people might be paying 120 month if they have a phone subsidy built in
If that’s the case, it shouldn’t be factored in to the cost of the plan. That’s just how they chose to pay for their phone.
^—–this
And America might be great again if Trump is re-elected #unhinged
Wow you got an awesome plan!
I was paying 77$ per month for 15GB of data with Telus, but now that my 2-year contract is finished I got 60GB for 40$ per month. This is 0.66$ per GB, compared to the 5.13$ I was paying before, that’s over seven time cheaper per GB!
It’s still a bummer that we still need to pay 5$/month for Visual Voicemail though, this should be included.
Get an iPhone, keep your phone on 24/7. That’s your visual voicemail right there.
And you have fallen to the trap, as intended by Robelus’ marketing team. Virtually nobody will use that much data. But it sure feels good and gives you something to brag about….similarly to the misleading claim the plans have dropped 50%.
I’d agree with you, except you’re forgetting that we’re still paying the big three. So really it’s a stop gap solution.
Not everyone can afford new or even used phones outright, especially now. Why should the big three get to charge outlandish prices when someone decides to finance a device through a carier? They should get access to every plan, not just the most 3 expensive ones.
That being said if someone already has an old device, the savings of switching to a cheaper carier in 2 years will probably amount to a new phone outright, so there’s that.
I can get a new phone with 0% financing through my carrier if I wanted to (they use Affirm) and still keep my plan. There are other options besides the big 3.
Fizz user I see…
I bet just like in 2019, you’re still not breaking the 10GB mark with your data usage.
And your ‘shopping around’ comment? It’s a real gem of dismissiveness, superiority complex, and condescension. Because, you know, those “unicorn plans’ and ‘YMMV special offers’ are obviously temporary and limited.
A unicorn plan? My plan is still available to subscribers and has been for at least several weeks. It’s not a special offer.
@moeman61…”with all due respect”?!..The PM is a poor excuse of a human being and deserves zero respect.
Our Prime Minister got us through COVID. It’s a shame that you’ve been manipulated into believing he’s some kind of devil. The fact is he’s not good, but he’s also not bad. He’s perfectly average and he did a good job at the start of COVID when lesser politicians would’ve fumbled us into a huge recession.
You’re right. The 50 billion in spending this year certainly will, though.
We’ll barely be able to cover the interest next year.
No wait. They can raise taxes.
And increase spending to buy votes……again.
^—-shill bot
The testicularly challenged simp hid out at Rideau Hall and would only allow the vetted reporters
that were allowed onto the grounds to lob softball pre-screened
questions to him at his faux-press conferences out front in the
mornings. When things got heated, he managed to catch Covid. Hiding out
at home? Really? we ALL called BS on that lie. Slimy, condescending
pryk.
A lot of people believe bots and shills. Mental illness is a serious problem in the world.
I pay $99 a year for 50GB of Data and Nationwide Talk and Text for the whole year. If I need data outside of the Metro areas, its $25 a month for 5GB. Even if I paid that charge every month, I am still ahead for basic communications.
A unicorn plan doesn’t count.
I pay nothing. My employer pays everything.
The above plan you cite isn’t available anymore. But let’s break it down shall we. You’re paying $8.25 a month and have just a bit over 4 GB of data each month to use. After a year, which goes by very fast, you’ll be paying more for the equivalent plan or you can play musical chairs and find another provider.
It’s not a unicorn plan. I also don’t need to finance a phone to survive.
I believe Freedom Mobile still offers some variant of it, just a higher price now and lower Data allotment. My only gripe at the time was that it was cities only, but now its nationwide. https://forums.redflagdeals.com/freedom-mobile-99-prepaid-plan-last-year-upgraded-nationwide-2664019/
Looks like the current offer is:
$149/year
30GB/year 4G LTE
FREEDOM NATIONWIDE
Unlimited Talk & Text
My Plan
By The Year 50GB + Talk Text
$99/year
You pay: $99 /year
DATA (FREEDOM NATIONWIDE):
• 50GB/year
TALK (FREEDOM NATIONWIDE):
• Unlimited calls to Canada
• Unlimited incoming calls
TEXT (FREEDOM NATIONWIDE):
• Unlimited global text, picture, and video messaging
Lol do you actually need to use 50GB of data per year? Be honest.
In all fairness, the prices have lowered but 50% is a bit of a stretch especially if he’s referring to 1st tier carriers. We can thank his minister for making Rogers sell Freedom to Videotron as a condition of the purchase of Shaw to Rogers.
Adding competition helps but let’s see what happens with prices once Freedom builds out their network and gain a larger share of the market??/
Explain why the minimum plan price isn’t lower today than it was five years ago then. Getting more doesn’t mean you’re paying less. COSTS have not dropped.
Getting more exactly means that the cost has dropped. Lmao
Alright, got my Rogers cellphone bill down to $56 a month, now lets work on Internet plans. Currently paying $144 a month for gigabit “fibre” from Shaw-Rogers, I feel like this should be much, much lower, even for that speed. What do ya figure?
Bell charges 99$ for 1.5gbs
50%? Wow, Justin. You really are smoking more than just weed.
He’ll pretty much blurt out anything when Joly is on his pole.
Well its easy to pay 40 for 50gb US-Canada, in 2015 that was 200$
It’s easier to pay for unlimited like the rest of the world. Stop living in a bubble.
Which bubble would that be? Ive travelled the world lmao. The post says that Trudeau claims prices dropped by 50%, which is true.
LOL that’s funny.
How can you tell Trudough is lying?
“Uh, ooh, er, ah…..”
…or simply watch if he opens his mouth.
What’s truly mind-boggling is Kal and others unconditionally believe whatever anyone in a position of authority may say.
While consumers are often able to get more data, the plans themselves have not dropped. Simply put, the plans have not fallen 50%.
For the vast majority of people, they have a home internet and they’ll never need the amount of data that’s not lumped into the $35+ rate plans.
And since it’s the Prime Minister who has authority over the CRTC, we should know that without a shadow of a doubt, the Big Three have been successful in convincing/manipulating Mr Social Media plans have fallen.
What competition? The big 3 don’t even consider Freedom competition, when CAN-US plans are Nationwide with Freedom but when they supposedly match their plans it’s only in Quebec and sometimes if one is lucky parts of Ontario. It’s a joke really.
Trump says all you have to do is say something whether it is true or not and people will believe you. Another way Trudeau and Trump are a lot alike.
If Our Dear Leader says so, then it is so. No evidence to the contrary can be considered valid. We shall not question.
Well, if our leader wasn’t such a magnet for adoration from every corner, especially among females, the woke and LGBTQIA+ circles, perhaps there’d be room for a little scrutiny. But no, that’s just a fantasy.
Challenging our leaders these days is like trying to swim upstream with a lead weight tied to your ankle – strongly not recommended. Look at what Trump is doing with those who have.
It’s as if the general public has been handed a script labeled ‘Thou shalt not question’ to recite on repeat to our esteemed elected overlords.
The Pro Blaƈkface Faction of Discus seems to have found this post. No discourse. Just skim through the comments and downvote any that may make disparaging remarks about the Country Idiot (peoplekind!).
How much more proof do we need to know that our Prime Minister isn’t above lying to the public.
As far as I’m concerned, he and his finance “in debt forever” minister cannot vacate office fast enough.