depending on which credit card you put the payments under, you might be eligible for extra device coverage. I know the tangerine card has mobile insurance coverage
- SCORE+17
- dracolnyte
- Deal Addict
- Feb 15, 2012
- 3955 posts
- 3700 upvotes
- Toronto
- hachi8
- Sr. Member
- Aug 12, 2011
- 571 posts
- 403 upvotes
- Toronto
The $35 plans have the same 2 year pricing limit... And I wouldn't be on RFD if I wasn't on the lookout for better options after 2 years anyway. The point was also to get a flagship at a low cost while getting reasonable plan.
- Doyvidlah
- Newbie
- Sep 26, 2015
- 68 posts
- 44 upvotes
- Winnipeg, MB
I bought the Pixel 6 Pro through Fido at Bestbuy. $35/month for the phone and $200 gift card. Do you know if Fido would allow me to pay off the "majority" (but not all) of my phone via a one time payment, in order to reduce my monthly phone bill? As an extreme, could I pay $34*24=$816 in my first bill, and then have my monthly "phone cost" reduce to $1/month? This way I'm still locked in for 24 months (what Fido wants) but I'm not paying the full retail value of the phone of ~$1100 and im reducing my monthly cell phone bill.
- pkphilip
- Deal Addict
-
- Jan 23, 2004
- 3059 posts
- 2467 upvotes
- GVRD
I saw the pictures and those have impact points on them. Glass doesn’t crack on its own without some exterior forces. I mean chances are there are one off of course, but not a defect.
My 6 slid off my desk many times and I have a good case, it survived. The camera bump is not a good thing when it is placed on an non flat surface
Thanks for Telus, Koodo introduced $50 minimum for their mid tied plan eligible for anything substantial. Fido then followed with $50/12GB competitive offer. These plans used to be around $40-$45
It makes no sense to pay off since you cannot pay off the subsidies early. Fido doesn’t “lock” you, it’s their subsidy does. You can choose to pay off 816 but the 284 (1100-816, paid by Fido) is still divided into 24 payments.Doyvidlah wrote: ↑I bought the Pixel 6 Pro through Fido at Bestbuy. $35/month for the phone and $200 gift card. Do you know if Fido would allow me to pay off the "majority" (but not all) of my phone via a one time payment, in order to reduce my monthly phone bill? As an extreme, could I pay $34*24=$816 in my first bill, and then have my monthly "phone cost" reduce to $1/month? This way I'm still locked in for 24 months (what Fido wants) but I'm not paying the full retail value of the phone of ~$1100 and im reducing my monthly cell phone bill.
Since it’s zero costs finance, I would just leave it.
Clarification: Your monthly payment is blended into the following components: (monthly service fee + Fido payment program) - (bill credits + phone subsidies). You can call in have Fido bill you YOUR PORTION of the Fido Payment Program balance, because there has to be a balance for the subsidy to reduce for the next 23 months.
This is very important because they generally will assume you want to pay off the FULL BALANCE, and you lose Fido's device subsidy completely. This action is not reversible so please ensure you are paying the correct amount. This is not governed by wireless code so the Big 3 are making prepayment very convoluted.
- Doyvidlah
- Newbie
- Sep 26, 2015
- 68 posts
- 44 upvotes
- Winnipeg, MB
Thanks for the clarification! I will just leave it.pkphilip wrote: ↑ I saw the pictures and those have impact points on them. Glass doesn’t crack on its own without some exterior forces. I mean chances are there are one off of course, but not a defect.
My 6 slid off my desk many times and I have a good case, it survived. The camera bump is not a good thing when it is placed on an non flat surface
Thanks for Telus, Koodo introduced $50 minimum for their mid tied plan eligible for anything substantial. Fido then followed with $50/12GB competitive offer. These plans used to be around $40-$45
It makes no sense to pay off since you cannot pay off the subsidies early. Fido doesn’t “lock” you, it’s their subsidy does. You can choose to pay off 816 but the 284 (1100-816, paid by Fido) is still divided into 24 payments.
Since it’s zero costs finance, I would just leave it.
Clarification: Your monthly payment is blended into the following components: (monthly service fee + Fido payment program) - (bill credits + phone subsidies). You can call in have Fido bill you YOUR PORTION of the Fido Payment Program balance, because there has to be a balance for the subsidy to reduce for the next 23 months.
This is very important because they generally will assume you want to pay off the FULL BALANCE, and you lose Fido's device subsidy completely. This action is not reversible so please ensure you are paying the correct amount. This is not governed by wireless code so the Big 3 are making prepayment very convoluted.
- dux
- Deal Addict
-
- Jan 7, 2003
- 2923 posts
- 850 upvotes
- Ottawa
I just got back from The Mobile Shop and got a Pixel 6 Pro for $25 a month and buyback of $240. To total cost of phone is $840.
Also got 350,000 PC points (~$350) and a 20GB plan for $50 a month on Rogers
Also got 350,000 PC points (~$350) and a 20GB plan for $50 a month on Rogers
- chiihuey
- Newbie
- Nov 25, 2006
- 99 posts
- 27 upvotes
Which store did u go to I just went to rms today and they wont budge apart from 35 per mth and and 15gb for 50.
- dracolnyte
- Deal Addict
- Feb 15, 2012
- 3955 posts
- 3700 upvotes
- Toronto
240 buyback is equivalent to $10 per month ($240/24 months = $10, $35 - 10 = $25). only difference is the extra 5GB, but since he's in ottawa, they some times get quebec plan deals.
- chiihuey
- Newbie
- Nov 25, 2006
- 99 posts
- 27 upvotes
Here the store in Richmondhill is 35 per mth plus 240 buyback.dracolnyte wrote: ↑ 240 buyback is equivalent to $10 per month ($240/24 months = $10, $35 - 10 = $25). only difference is the extra 5GB, but since he's in ottawa, they some times get quebec plan deals.
- dracolnyte
- Deal Addict
- Feb 15, 2012
- 3955 posts
- 3700 upvotes
- Toronto
- Kwonie
- Deal Addict
-
- Feb 10, 2012
- 2756 posts
- 562 upvotes
- Ottawa
Thanks! Got one with my $50/20GB+5GB EPP plan and 400K PC points with phone trade in.
- dealcraft
- Newbie
- Sep 6, 2019
- 8 posts
- 1 upvote
Love this deal. But it seems they're running out of stock. One TM's outlet I visited mentioned they only have Pixel 6 and not the Pro version. Even their website mentions the same.
- ktkn
- Deal Addict
- Nov 29, 2006
- 1862 posts
- 1225 upvotes
Never say never. My old Sony Xperia had the back glass crack on its own and it was a known issue at that time... can't remember exactly, but something to do with poor heat dissipation or some other heat type of issue.
If phones can explode, glass cracking is hardly "unthinkable"...
- Lord Denning
- Deal Addict
- Aug 17, 2003
- 1198 posts
- 654 upvotes
- Toronto
FYI: those with costco mastercards. we are being moved to CIBC - which includes free extended warranty for cellphones ala applecare.
- StatsGuy
- Deal Fanatic
- Dec 20, 2018
- 6352 posts
- 5407 upvotes
or just realize telecom is capital intensive business and nowhere in the world has more than a few big companies. Also, the big3 pay tens of billions every few years to the gov't/citizens to buy spectrum in auction. there's nothing preventing entrants, it's just a capital intensive business, expensive to build up and hard to sign up new customerspkphilip wrote: ↑ Not bad deal if one is willing to do the long game and rinse and repeat once 2 years pass.
Fido is by far the best in terms of benefit the customers. If you look at the deals of the past, it's almost always Fido in the headline. If you walk by a mall lately, Fido always has line up; Telus and Bell not so much. I sell Rogers and Telus brands of cellular products, Telus is almost the leader of increasing or introducing fees (SIM fee, activation fee, shipping fee) before everyone else would follow. During promotional times, I activate more Fido phones than anything else, next is Public Mobile.
To think one is better in social responsibility, all of them (Bell, Rogers, Telus) are operating more or less the same manner, they will do everything (within legal limits) to increase their profit and stock price. What they do for the community is really subsidizing those charitable programs from the pockets of their customers.
Without being too OT, the root of our oligopoly problem is systematically due to our lack of oversight. Our government is just not willing to stand up against the unions and the big corp like our financial and telecom industries. We are paying through the roof to fatten up someone else's pocket and those people likely become the regulators like the CRTC when they retire.
we've had clearnet, fido, freedom and endless others...the gov't didnt' stop them..even gave them spectrum at fraction of the cost (Basically taxpayers subsidizing the new entrants) but it just doesn't make economic sense
unless we do a state owned company (definitey not in favour of that), our market supports no more than the big 3 and some other regional ones and wireless prices keep falling so that's great and we get tens of billions from the telcos. I mean back in 2008/2009, it was $50 for 6gb and local...now i pay $50 for 20gb ultd and way faster and canada wide etc
- pkphilip
- Deal Addict
-
- Jan 23, 2004
- 3059 posts
- 2467 upvotes
- GVRD
You are suggesting that our high monthly costs is due to the telecom industry is expensive to operate? Our government has been providing subsidies to telecom companies in millions in hope to bring every community up to speed and service. During COVID, they received more subsidies and they have done little to nothing to their customers unless you "beg" (same goes to the bank). On the other hand, their profits are up year after year. They have expenses for sure, but they are also the one dictate the pricing knowing they corner the market.StatsGuy wrote: ↑ or just realize telecom is capital intensive business and nowhere in the world has more than a few big companies. Also, the big3 pay tens of billions every few years to the gov't/citizens to buy spectrum in auction. there's nothing preventing entrants, it's just a capital intensive business, expensive to build up and hard to sign up new customers
we've had clearnet, fido, freedom and endless others...the gov't didnt' stop them..even gave them spectrum at fraction of the cost (Basically taxpayers subsidizing the new entrants) but it just doesn't make economic sense
unless we do a state owned company (definitey not in favour of that), our market supports no more than the big 3 and some other regional ones and wireless prices keep falling so that's great and we get tens of billions from the telcos. I mean back in 2008/2009, it was $50 for 6gb and local...now i pay $50 for 20gb ultd and way faster and canada wide etc
Keep in mind Canada is STILL the most expensive across countries in many many reports, even against EU countries.
There were choices, and history told us that Clearnet was bought by Telus, Fido is bought by Rogers, Wind turned into Freedom and bought by Shaw. Now the choices are still under the same umbrella of the Big 3 and few regional providers. Wind owner had to back-out in 2011 because of foreign ownership complained from Roger, Bell and Telus (coincident??)
Have a look at DotMobile and OpenMedia, these guys are fighting for fair and affordable telecommunication and they are constantly getting road blocks from various regulatory. DotMobile basically says the Big 3 just doesn't want MVNO in Canada in their recent blog. Competitions are nil in Canada, have a look at our neighbour, the big telco are constantly competing with their MVNO. Even their roaming charges are much lower than what we are paying locally, there are threads on T-Mobile and AT&T Mex/US/Can plans in here that many are using like 28GB for $30 or something like that.
The Big 3 also undercut their wholesale rate, and that's another issue TekSavvy is dealing with.
All I can say is, the Telco are profit driven and they are so big that they have huge influences on our institutional system and even remove competitions.
- lorax1284
- Deal Addict
-
- Jan 26, 2007
- 2924 posts
- 1055 upvotes
I'd buy that if the big 3 didn't report record profits every time for their mobile units.StatsGuy wrote: ↑unless we do a state owned company (definitey not in favour of that), our market supports no more than the big 3 and some other regional ones and wireless prices keep falling so that's great and we get tens of billions from the telcos. I mean back in 2008/2009, it was $50 for 6gb and local...now i pay $50 for 20gb ultd and way faster and canada wide etc
Show me a mobile provider that's not profitable and I'll show you a new company trying to get a foothold that the oligarchy and the lame CRTC does nothing to help.
Here are some figures from Roger's 2020 annual report, downloaded from
https://www.annualreports.com/Company/r ... ations-inc
Wireless
Adjusted EBITDA margin 2020 47.7% 2019 47.0% 0.7 pts
Ok, so their margin on their Wireless offerings went UP in 2020 from 47% to 47.7%
so, cry me a river. These three incumbent carriers have laid their networks in a triopoly in which "collusion is not allowed" is an outright joke like gas stations on opposite corners "compete". New carriers need HUGE government subsidies to even get into the game, these incumbents are riding a tidal wave of historical privilege and the CRTC has to do more to make the market really competitive because surprise surprise the CRTC is packed with ex telecomm industry execs. The CRTC should be somewhat adversarial to the telecomm companies, because the CRTC is supposed to work for the GOOD of all Canadians, not just making the profits of the telecomms "appear" to be justified.
There is no god. But it still feels good to be kind to people, animals, and the environment, so keep doing that.
- StatsGuy
- Deal Fanatic
- Dec 20, 2018
- 6352 posts
- 5407 upvotes
So? We gave basically free spectrum to wind and forced big3 to let them roam on their network at cost. This is like saying hydro one makes money, let's get another distributor inlorax1284 wrote: ↑ I'd buy that if the big 3 didn't report record profits every time for their mobile units.
Show me a mobile provider that's not profitable and I'll show you a new company trying to get a foothold that the oligarchy and the lame CRTC does nothing to help.
Here are some figures from Roger's 2020 annual report, downloaded from
https://www.annualreports.com/Company/r ... ations-inc
Wireless
Adjusted EBITDA margin 2020 47.7% 2019 47.0% 0.7 pts
Ok, so their margin on their Wireless offerings went UP in 2020 from 47% to 47.7%
so, cry me a river. These three incumbent carriers have laid their networks in a triopoly in which "collusion is not allowed" is an outright joke like gas stations on opposite corners "compete". New carriers need HUGE government subsidies to even get into the game, these incumbents are riding a tidal wave of historical privilege and the CRTC has to do more to make the market really competitive because surprise surprise the CRTC is packed with ex telecomm industry execs. The CRTC should be somewhat adversarial to the telecomm companies, because the CRTC is supposed to work for the GOOD of all Canadians, not just making the profits of the telecomms "appear" to be justified.
What more do we do? Already gave billions in taxpayer dollars to new entrants like wind. Unless you want govt to say take half of customer from big 3 and force those customers to switch and stay with new entrants?
Telco is expensive to build, you know how big telcos make so much money? They spend tens of billions on infrastructure
I mean apple makes big money too with high margins and cell phones are expensive...so should govt get involved in hardware too?
- StatsGuy
- Deal Fanatic
- Dec 20, 2018
- 6352 posts
- 5407 upvotes
Your "competition" is not that at all, mvno aren't competition, they're not building anything.pkphilip wrote: ↑ You are suggesting that our high monthly costs is due to the telecom industry is expensive to operate? Our government has been providing subsidies to telecom companies in millions in hope to bring every community up to speed and service. During COVID, they received more subsidies and they have done little to nothing to their customers unless you "beg" (same goes to the bank). On the other hand, their profits are up year after year. They have expenses for sure, but they are also the one dictate the pricing knowing they corner the market.
Keep in mind Canada is STILL the most expensive across countries in many many reports, even against EU countries.
There were choices, and history told us that Clearnet was bought by Telus, Fido is bought by Rogers, Wind turned into Freedom and bought by Shaw. Now the choices are still under the same umbrella of the Big 3 and few regional providers. Wind owner had to back-out in 2011 because of foreign ownership complained from Roger, Bell and Telus (coincident??)
Have a look at DotMobile and OpenMedia, these guys are fighting for fair and affordable telecommunication and they are constantly getting road blocks from various regulatory. DotMobile basically says the Big 3 just doesn't want MVNO in Canada in their recent blog. Competitions are nil in Canada, have a look at our neighbour, the big telco are constantly competing with their MVNO. Even their roaming charges are much lower than what we are paying locally, there are threads on T-Mobile and AT&T Mex/US/Can plans in here that many are using like 28GB for $30 or something like that.
The Big 3 also undercut their wholesale rate, and that's another issue TekSavvy is dealing with.
All I can say is, the Telco are profit driven and they are so big that they have huge influences on our institutional system and even remove competitions.
Teksavvy is 100x worse than the big telcos and just a big scam and just all about talk but zero actual network building
Our prices are so much cheaper than the states
Zoomer is $38/mth for 6gig, free phone, $100 credit. I'm paying $50 for 20gb on Telus with $15/mth for pixel 6.
And then there's the garbage tier like freedom with their $35 for 15gb or whatever it is they're pedaling these days
As you pointed out, history has shown again and again we can support only 3-4 national players and this is evident even in US with 10x population or even in Asia etc..all new entrants just get bought out because we are in a free market. Why shouldn't new entrants make money for their owners? No different than big 3
We gave billions to wind in free spectrum and they just milked it and made business decision to sell themselves instead of spending money to build a network
As you say, Fido is like $40 for 12gb... That's like getting $28 USD on Verizon/at&t network. Try getting those prices in states
- lorax1284
- Deal Addict
-
- Jan 26, 2007
- 2924 posts
- 1055 upvotes
Well, you don't deny they gouge and abuse customers, I'll give you that.StatsGuy wrote: ↑As you pointed out, history has shown again and again we can support only 3-4 national players and this is evident even in US with 10x population or even in Asia etc..all new entrants just get bought out because we are in a free market. Why shouldn't new entrants make money for their owners? No different than big
Mr. Capitalism, you neglect to address the fact that the incumbents built out their networks at a time WITHOUT the same regulation, ripping off generations of Canadian consumers to get where they are, and today still continue to game the system against new entrants, there are anti-foreign ownership rules that I do agree with BUT also limit the POSSIBILITY of investment, so to foster ACTUAL competition, a different kind of regulation than is currently in place must be enacted.
You answer problems with questions, you don't provide answers, but I don't expect you to, I expect the CRTC to not be led by the nose to enact anti-consumer policies, but suggesting the corporations are acting in good faith and fairly and treat consumers respectively is the absolutely large load of bullcocky on RFD in some time. This is a pro-consumer site, not a pro multi-billion-dollar-corporations who construct their businesses and policies to confuse and gouge customers. These companies have the best computer systems ON THE PLANET and yet it's impossible to get things done.
And PLEASE, if you can, explain the ethics of "round up to the full minute" billing ("Oh but everything's unlimited!" No it's not, there are plenty of people on pay as you go plans) with ANYTHING other than "If you don't like it, don't have a modestly priced cell phone plan, be gouged to pay for capacity you don't need or use." When I read your posts, I can only assume you either are a relatively highly-placed telecomm executive, total-pro-unrestricted-capitalism zombie, have the bulk of your retirement portfolio in telecomm stocks, or something else. I'm not convinced.
There is no god. But it still feels good to be kind to people, animals, and the environment, so keep doing that.