Back in July, Rogers and Fido hiked its one-time connection fee to $70, a $10 increase from $60.
Now, Telus and Koodo have followed suit, increasing their connection fee to $70 as well, similarly up from $60.
Recently, Telus and Koodo updated their websites to indicate the connection fee increase.
Telus says, “A one-time connection fee of $70 applies to in-store and call center upgrades and activations, connection fee is subject to change without notice.”
Koodo’s website reads, “Save the $70 connection fee when you shop online.”
Again, these connection fees are charged if you need help from a human being in-store, or you’re activating or upgrading. They will say that activating online will see the fee get waived. So remember that part. The connection fee increase comes ahead of Black Friday and Boxing Day, when some of the best wireless deals come to life.
Inflation doesn’t just affect rent and groceries folks, it also applies to wireless carrier connection fees it seems. When our kids are activating new phones or making upgrades in the future, these connection fees might be hundreds of dollars by then.
As of writing, Bell and Virgin Plus are still charging $60 for their connection fee, but expect this to change shortly to match their fellow rivals, just like last year’s price increase from $5o to $60.
We’ve reached out to Telus for comment and will update this story accordingly.
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This is very disappointing! It was expensive before and now it’s more expensive. If you try to activate a service on Telus’ website or app you go around in circles and end up having g to talk to an associate and you have to argue hard to get the activation fee dropped.
John, calling this "disappointing"? Is that the best you can do? If so, that's a ridiculously gross understatement. Losing a race might be disappointing, but this rate increase is nothing short of a blatant rip-off. Your attitude is the epitome of the unhinged generation—fully aware that you’re being scammed but only willing to label it as disappointing rather than confront a deliberate act of exploitation head-on.
Freedom still charges only $45 for their connection fee. Still fairly expensive, but cheap in comparison to the others. They often waive it too. They're offering to waive it at the moment if you activate online for example, and the plans have good rates too.
They're not going to sit idly by. They will increase their activation (BS) fee too.
I don’t see hem doing that while they still have their price freeze promise 🙂
I’m still waiting for them to do it. On the other hand, they’re offering to waive it at the moment for those who sign up online.
Only in Canada…"pay us for the privilege of taking your money monthly".
I remember when it was 20 bucks and the store would wave it if you were a regular customer… Not like there getting enough money from the plans right? They just keep giving more data to justify price increase like dude i never use more then 5 gigs on average i use 2 gigs and the rest is unlimited wifi… But sure 90 bucks a month for 60gb and phone you need to return at the end of two years when it use to be 60 bucks and a phone i keep and the price wouldn't change till i changed the plan. Now its oh price protection for term then we jack the prices willy nilly till you sign another contract…
Consumer morons and halfwits are being conditioned to be the perfect consumer. More is better, right? Even if you don't use it. But I like to think I "might", one day so they convince themselves this is a great deal.
In all fairness though, 2 GB a month is extremely low whereas in other countries, the average minimum is typically quadruple that despite having "unlimited" wi-fi. Applications and websites these days consumer a lot of data. However, like confirmation bias, survivorship is the norm now too.
Interesting, I hooked up with PC Mobile which runs on Bell network, and didn't have a connection fee.
Hooked up with $34/50GB Canada/USA and 5G plan.