By now, you’ve probably heard about the recent price hikes to the promo $60/10GB BYOD holiday plan by Rogers, Bell and Telus and their flanker brands.
Rogers, Fido, Bell and Virgin Mobile all increased the price by $5 to $65 per month for 10GB of data.
Telus had their own price increase, but at a higher $10 per month, to $70 per month for 10GB of data. Their flanker brand Koodo has not followed suit with a price increase, telling iPhone in Canada in February at the time, they had “no plans” to do so.
Now, CBC News is out with a report detailing consumer blowback to $60/10GB price increases from the Big 3. The overall consensus? Customers are not happy about the changes, saying they believed the prices would stay the same.
Many spent hours and hours in line trying to sign up for the $60/10GB plan during December of 2017. Some weren’t even successful due to overwhelming demand and line ups.
Ravind Nanubhai of Brampton, Ontario, told CBC News, “I spent quite a number of my hours in the day trying to get this deal and now I feel just sort of duped.”
“It’s such a customer-B.S. move,” said Steve Mann of Vancouver, a Fido customer, adding, “These are fantastically profitable companies and you’re telling me you have to impose an eight per cent increase?”
According to consumer advocacy group spokesperson, Laura Tribe from OpenMedia, she said: “To have that taken away feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth.”
CBC News received comment from Canada’s major wireless players, who tried to explain the price increases.
Bell said “In a highly competitive marketplace we occasionally adjust prices on these types of no fixed term plans,” according to a spokesperson.
Rogers said they periodically review and adjust plans “to reflect ongoing network and service investments,” with a spokesperson saying after the price increase, at $65/10GB, the plan still offers “great value.”
Telus told the CBC, “We do not take the decision to increase the cost of services lightly.” The company told customers about the price increases via letters in the mail, noting the increases would fund network changes and bring improvements “dramatically.”
How do you feel about recent price increases to the $60/10GB holiday plan by the Big 3? Koodo customers, consider yourselves lucky (for now).
