Rogers, Telus and Bell to Cut Roaming Fees—What You Need to Know

After a recent push from the CRTC saying it was “taking action”, Canada’s ‘Big 3’ telcos—Rogers, Telus, and Bell—are planning new ways to cut international roaming costs, aiming to give Canadian travellers more flexible options by 2025.

Bell announced it will offer “tailored” options next year to lower roaming charges based on how much data travellers use and how long they’re abroad. Bell’s assistant general counsel Philippe Gauvin said these new options should fully address CRTC concerns, promising flexibility and affordability for travelers in a competitive market, reports Global News, citing the written responses from the ‘Big 3’ last week.

Rogers and Telus also responded to the CRTC, pledging to offer more roaming choices next year. Rogers’ VP of regulatory telecom, Howard Slawner, mentioned that their future plans will “respond to consumer demand” for cheaper and more flexible options.

Telus pointed to new monthly international passes it introduced, offering access to data, texts, and calls across the U.S., Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. We saw how the company’s flanker brand, Koodo, recently launched new cheaper travel passes.

The CRTC recently demanded action from Rogers, Telus and Bell, citing high and “inflexible” rates for Canadians who travel. While our telecom incumbents defended their current fees, saying they’re competitive globally, the CRTC noted the need for more affordable options, especially for extended trips.

Currently, Rogers charges $12 per day for U.S. roaming and $15 internationally, while Telus’ and Bell’s rates are around $13 for the U.S. and $16 elsewhere (prices went up last year). These daily rates add up when you’re travelling. While there’s a max of 10 days per billing statement–people don’t align their travel dates with their cellphone bill. So that means most customers can end up paying more than 10 days max.

Telus warned that further CRTC regulation might mean passing extra costs to customers on other services, warning that capping roaming fees could raise revenue pressures. Despite this, the companies are optimistic about bundling options to address pricing.

Rogers highlighted that its bundled monthly plans, which include international roaming to select countries (U.S. and Mexico), have gained traction since launching in 2018.

While carriers in the U.S. and Mexico include free roaming to Canada, our ‘Big 3’ don’t offer that unless you’re paying more for a North American plan. Freedom Mobile does have a $35/50GB plan that includes roaming to the U.S. and Mexico. But so far we have yet to see a flanker brand from Rogers, Telus or Bell match this. Maybe something will happen for Black Friday deals?

If you’re travelling broad, it’s cheaper to get an eSIM provider such as Airalo or NordVPN’s Saily to buy data for cheaper prices than roaming with your provider. You can also use an app such as TextNow for free voice and regular texting, then use the eSIM data for iMessage voice/audio and FaceTime calls.