A Fido customer took to Reddit after noticing the carrier’s temporary suspension fee appears to have doubled in a matter of months.
According to the post, temporarily suspending service used to run about $7 per month plus tax as recently as three months ago. Now, while planning a trip abroad, the customer says the fee has jumped, and they’re asking whether the charge is the same for everyone or varies by user.
Based on the screenshots shared, here’s how Fido’s temporary suspension works. You pick a start and end date, with the start date falling within the next 30 days and the suspension lasting at least 30 days. You can suspend your phone service multiple times, up to a maximum of 185 total days per calendar year. It’s basically cheaper to pay the suspension fee than to keep paying your monthly plan.
During the suspension period, Fido now charges a monthly Temporary Suspension Fee of $15.00 plus taxes. You do get a credit equal to your regular monthly charges, though that credit doesn’t include any existing discounts you might have.
If you’re financing a device, those monthly charges keep going and you’re on the hook for them for the rest of your Fido Payment Program term. If you have device protection, you can’t make claims while your service is suspended. Some features also get temporarily removed from your account and reapply within about 7 days once service resumes.
The CRTC has been trying hard to control big telecoms from charging junk fees, and they have been successful in axing the $80 connection fee. But ‘Big 3′ carriers have responded by adding new device purchase fees and SIM card fees.
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