Telus to Debut $30 Connection Fee on April 12, Eliminate $20 SIM Card Fee

Telus has a couple changes upcoming next month, set to affect users activating and renewing their wireless lines. The company will debut a new $30 connection fee, starting April 12, while also at the same time eliminating their $20 SIM card fee.

While customers will no longer have to pay for a Telus SIM card, the $30 connection fee will apply. However, there is a way for customers to avoid the fee altogether—they just need to activate or renew their plans online.

When we reached out to Telus for comment on why this was changing, a spokesperson explained to iPhone in Canada in an email, “The way we provide service to our customers continues to evolve and so too does the way we charge for our services.”

The company reiterated customers who activate in-store or over the phone will continue to have “immediate access to exclusive TELUS benefits including TELUS Learning Centre sessions, TELUS’ Device Checkup App introduction, MyAccount set up, first bill explanation and device set-up assistance.”

Rogers currently charges $9.99 for a SIM card, while Bell offers SIM cards for $0, but they come with a “one-time connection charge” of $25. No word if Rogers will follow suit and eliminate their SIM card charge, too.

When it comes to fees for activating or renewing, Bell charges a one-time “connection charge” of $15, applied to a customer’s first invoice. Rogers charges a $25 connection fee per device, but it is waived if customers buy a plan online.

Ever since the CRTC Wireless Code forced wireless companies to unlock smartphones for free, a once steady stream of revenue has since disappeared for the ‘Big 3’. Some have argued these connection fees are there to make up for missed revenue.

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