Starting Monday, Rogers is set to increase Internet prices as expected, while Bell will do the same starting next month.
According to CBC News, the following price changes are coming…
Rogers Price Increases on March 12
Bell Price Increases on April 1
Telus meanwhile told CBC News it has no plans to increase Internet prices; but back in January, the company axed its bundle discount of $3 per service.
All three companies said the price increases for Internet are required, as they are needed to generate capital to upgrade their networks due to increasing demand for services.
Hey @TekSavvyBuzz , @Rogers just informed me that my monthly internet bill is going up by $8 a month!! Are you guys planning anything like that? I'm out of reasons to stick with them and I'm tired of price gouging.
— VeganOstomy (@VeganOstomy) February 26, 2018
Rogers spokesperson Michelle Kelly told CBC News in an email, “We’re continually investing to deliver great value and fast, reliable internet for our customers now and in the future as demand continues to grow.”
Earlier this week, Rogers announced its Connected for Success program, which offers low-cost Internet to social housing, surpassed 200 housing partners, as SHIP (Services and Housing in the Province) in the Peel region joined. The company also says it is increasing data caps for the program from 30GB per month to 100GB per month, available to over 150,000 eligible households.
According to Desjardins Securities analyst Maher Yaghi, in a research note (via The Globe and Mail), he explains “This was likely due to the internet being increasingly seen as a necessity for a large portion of the population,” adding “We also believe this is a symptom of TV’s diminished attractiveness to consumers.”
In 2017, Rogers earned more revenue from Internet services compared to cable TV for the first time, as customers continue to ‘cut the cord’. Bell’s 2017 Q4 saw Internet subscribers jump 47% year over year, while new IPTV sign ups slowed, and satellite customers continue to slowly cancel services.
As Canadians change the majority of their viewing habits to streaming online, they will continue to ditch cable TV. Subsequently, companies will continue to increase Internet prices to make up for television losses. But some Canadians are taking matters into their own hands by signing up for pirated live TV services, to avoid increasing prices of Internet and cable TV.
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Hmmm… Increased demand, increased profits, yet need to increase rates to afford new upgrades to network to create value. Damn I am bad a math cuz I can’t figure this out.
Only 2 words needed to describe this, Shareholders and profit…Bottom line.
Collusion might be more apt.
Price hikes drive customers away. But that won’t happen if your “competition” agrees to do also hike prices at the same time. Its the only fool proof way for you to arbitrarily raise prices with no risk of customers fleeing to competitors
I stand corrected ” Collusion” is more the truth. But the end result is the same “Happy shareholders and more profit! Kudos to you!
Too bad that there isn’t a government entity that stands up for consumers when big businesses blatantly take advantage of their monopoly thereby creating the most expensive cellular service blockade of any other country in the world. Wouldn’t that be something special? Or does something like that exist?
It’s supposed to be our Competition Bureau. They even acknowledged twice last year that these companies “coordinate” to keep prices artificially high. That’s a nice way of saying work together to fix prices. Then they walked away and did nothing. They completely ignored the reason they exist.
Going after these companies is just not a priority for the current government.
After reading about the increase, we immediately called TekSavvy, will be switched over by the 19th. Buh-bye Rogers!
Although I applaud you for the change, I’ve been with Teksavvy for three years, they use Rogers cable lines so if they want to they can increase us too.
Not really. They have to submit increased tariffs to the CRTC and justify the new costs. They cannot just increase it if they want. Wholesale rates are regulated. Rogers and the other incumbents don’t have the power to just jack up wholesale prices.
They’ll just say what they’re saying now that they need additional funding to expand and upgrade their network.
I don’t understand why switch to teksavvy? I am paying $79 for 1gbps internet with Rogers. Tek savvy is the same price for 250mbps… Even if high why would I switch to get less?
You’re lucky, we were paying $99.99 for only 150Mbps and now with the increase, we would’ve been paying $107.99. We gave them the chance to offer us a better deal and the only offer they gave us was a 6 month deal, then after we would’ve been paying more. TekSavvy, we’re paying $79 for 250Mbps…we’re quite happy.
Telus axed the bundle discount in January… yet I’m still receiving it??
and starting April Novus is making upload speed match the download speed, up internet 50 to 75mbps for both up and down. All this. For free. where else can I get fibre optic internet 35/35 for 30 dollars a month?
Pathetic. As if we’re not paying a premium for phone/internet services just because we’re living in Canada.
What other company uses Bells fiber connection?
Acanac does – I’m on their 25/10 plan.
I’m moving soon and I’ll be sure to find a new provider for Internet and home phone. CanNet or Carry Telecom for Internet. And maybe Koodo for home phone.
Why would you raise Internet rates? Internet is not a luxury, it’s an essential utility–and it should be packaged as such. It is time for city and provincial officials to make a move on this.
It is federal jurisdiction under the protection of the crtc
I hope that holds up for a long time.