Tag: Bell

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Crave launches $9.99 mobile-only plan, includes most content

Bell has launched a new, lower-cost tier for Crave that is exclusively available for mobile devices.

Appropriately titled Crave Mobile, this plan costs $9.99 and offers all of the content offered in Crave’s base tier and HBO + Movies tier. Starz content remains a separate $5.99 add-on. This means that Crave Mobile includes Crave originals like Letterkenny, standard Crave titles like Star Trek: Picard and Warner Bros./HBO titles as Succession, Euphoria, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Tenet.

Meanwhile, Crave has renamed Crave + Movies + HBO to ‘Crave Total,’ although the price and its exact catalogue and features remain the same. That plan is priced at $19.99/month, making Crave Mobile a more affordable way of accessing all of that content.

The trade-off is that only a single device is supported and streaming functionality is locked to the Crave mobile app or a web browser. Casting is not available, nor is the ability to download content. Finally, the Crave website notes that streaming resolution with Crave Mobile is “good,” while Crave Total resolution is “best.” We’ve reached out to Bell to confirm the exact resolution for Crave Mobile and will update this story once a response has been received.

For now, the only way to sign up for Crave Mobile is through Crave.ca, although Bell says it will also be offered in the future through “participating wireless carriers.” You can also sign up for a 12-month membership there for $99.90.

In other Crave news, Bell just revealed what’s coming to the service in November — read more on that here.

Source: Bell

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Court rejects Telus’ motion in spectrum auction case with Bell vs. Quebecor

The Federal Court has rejected a request from Telus that would have temporarily blocked Quebecor from receiving the wireless spectrum it purchased in Western Canada this past summer.

According to a press release, Telus’ motion for an interlocutory injunction — a court order to prevent a party from doing certain acts so long as a court case is ongoing — was not granted.

As a result, the Quebec-based telecom will be awarded the spectrum it bought, without having to wait until the case levied against it by Telus and Bell is resolved.

This news is the latest chapter in an ongoing legal battle initiated by Telus and Bell against Quebecor.

On August 26th, Bell — later joined by Telus — filed an application with the Federal Court of Appeal.

In the application, both parties argued that Quebecor should not have been legally allowed to make certain purchases at the government’s wildly lucrative summer 3500 MHz spectrum auction.

Specifically, the two telecom giants took issue with Quebecor’s decision to buy wireless spectrum in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia — i.e. regions where Vidéotron, which is owned by Quebecor, does not currently offer internet services.

In a statement celebrating the legal win, Quebecor dismissed the argument that it shouldn’t be allowed to purchase spectrum licenses in Western Canada as “anti-competitive”, and referred to Telus and Bell as “members of the oligopoly.”

Source: Quebecor

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Big Three offer less for more with new $80/20GB base plans

Rogers, Bell and Telus have once again switched up their plan prices, offering slightly better and slightly worse deals across the board.

The last time we wrote about plans from those three carriers was June, when they were still offering $80/mo plans with 30GB of data. Now, that base $80 plan comes with just 20GB, but for those willing to pay more, the carriers are offering more data for less.

We’ve listed out the new prices below and noted where things have changed. The focus here will be on the monthly cost and data (monthly cost/GB) since all these plans include things like calling, messaging, voicemail and other features. Additionally, all of the below plans are “unlimited,” which means that the data amount (i.e., 20GB) is how much you can use at typical network speed. Any data beyond the listed amount will be throttled to a speed of up to 512Kbps.

Rogers

  • $80/20GB (Rogers notes that this is a “limited time offer” and is normally a 15GB plan) — previously $80/30GB
  • $90/40GB (Rogers notes that this is a “limited time offer” and is normally a 25GB plan) — previously $90/35GB
  • $110/50GB – previously $125/50GB
  • $175/100GB – unchanged

Plans available here.

Bell

  • $80/20GB — previously $80/30GB
  • $85/40GB — previously $85/35GB
  • $95/60GB — did not previously exist, closest option was $125/50GB
  • $175/100GB — unchanged, but now marked ‘Promo’

Plans available here.

Telus

  • $80/20GB — previously $80/30GB
  • $85/40GB (Listed as a “limited time offer”) — previously $85/35GB
  • $95/60GB (Listed as a “limited time offer”) — did not previously exist, closest was $125/50GB

Plans available here.

It’s also worth noting that Telus appears to have scrapped its ‘Peace of Mind’ and ‘Peace of Mind Connect’ plan buckets. The ‘Connect’ plans included data access for additional devices, such as smartwatches, but beyond that the two plan tiers were identical. The old $80/30GB plan was the only Peace of Mind option.

Now, all three Telus plans include “Shareable data for connected devices,” although a bit of fine print on the website notes that “each SIM-enabled smartwatch or tablet requires a $10/month charge per device to access the shareable high-speed data bucket on your unlimited data plan.”

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Here are the changes to Canadian mobile rate plans this week [October 21 – October 27]

With over 13 wireless carriers in Canada, it can be difficult to keep track of the latest promotions and cell phone rate plan changes. 

MobileSyrup will compile the latest weekly rate plan deals every week. You can also check out our guide on plans across Canada to find the right plan for you.  You can compare from 47,842 options and 13 carriers in Canada to find the best option.

It’s worth noting that rate plans are always subject to change and that we’ll do our best to keep this list updated as accurately as possible.

Canadian carrier rate plan changes this week

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • $55 Promo plan with 15GB data (QC). For new activations only.
  • Promo on Unlimited Share 20 for $80 with new activations and upgrades only; the Canada-US version is $100/mo. (main regions)
  • Get six months of Crave + Movies + HBO1 on us with new smartphones on Bell SmartPay.
  • $50 Promo plan with 8GB data (QC). For new activations only.

Ongoing deals:

  • Save $50 when you buy online.
  • Save $15/mo. for every family member you add to your account.
  • Get 20% off any Samsung smartwatch with Bell SmartPay
  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones with SmartPay or SmartPay + Device Return Option
  • Unlimited and Connect Everything share plans are $15/mo. cheaper in MB, QC & SK compared to main regions
  • 100MB bonus data on $25 Prepaid plans or 500MB bonus data on $30+ Prepaid plans with allowance or auto-allowance top-up
  • Get up to 500 MB bonus data/mo. when you sign up for Automatic Monthly or Automatic Monthly/Low Balance Top-Up option on eligible plans.
  • Save $40 on the intelliARMOR UV Shield+ portable sanitize
  • Get three months of Apple Fitness+ free when you buy an Apple Watch
  • Up to $700 trade-in credit with any smartphone purchase or min. $100 trade-in credit with eligible phone trade-in and purchase of a new one 

Browse Bell cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones with 24-mo. Fido Payment Program and Talk, Text and Data plan.

Ongoing deals:

  • Get a Samsung Galaxy device and get up to 4 months of YouTube Premium
  • Trade-in select devices and get a minimum credit of $100
  • One Month Free Service when you invite your friends and they join Fido.
  • Get Extra $5 Credit Per Month on ZTE Grand X View 4
  • Fido Contest: Enter daily for a chance to win 1 YEAR of FREE Fido service

Browse Fido cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Get 10 GB bonus per year in Canada with Basic 3GB or 8GB Mobile BYOD plan

Ongoing deals:

  • $5 to $75 discount when you BYO phone on select Videotron plans
  • Get a discount on QUB musicque with all the plans
  • Take advantage of the monthly discount with multiline $5 to $15 per line each month (depends on the number of lines)
  • Up to $500 trade-in credit on any smartphone purchase
  • Club illico mobile included on All-Inclusive Mobile plans

Browse Videotron cell phone plan

Noticeable price changes:

Ongoing deals:

  • $50 referral credit for both when referring a friend after they join on a postpaid plan.
  • Get six months of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade when you get an iPhone and three months when you get a certified pre-owned iPhone.
  • Shop online and save the $50 connection fee
  • Bonus 500MB data per month with Automatic Top-Up on the $30+ talk, text & data prepaid plans – both Canada-wide and Province-wide calling plans (all regions)

Browse Koodo cell phone plans 

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Promo on Infinite Plan 50GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $95/mo (MB/SK/QC)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 40GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $75/mo (MB/SK/QC)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 40GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $90 (main regions)
  • Get the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G for $30.00/mo
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 50GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $110/mo (main regions)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 20GB (15GB + 5GB Data Bonus) + 6 months of Apple Music for $80 (main regions)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 15GB + 5GB + 6 months of Apple Music for $65 (was 80) (MB/SK/QC)

Ongoing deals:

  • Save up to $650 on iPhone 12 when you trade in your iPhone XR, iPhone XS or iPhone 8
  • Save $15/mo on every additional line you add to your Rogers Infinite plan.
  • Promo on Talk text Unlimited Canada Wide minutes for $30 (was $35)
  • $50/mo for 10GB of non-shareable data with any phone on financing or when you bring your own phone.
  • Get two lines for $60/mo per line for 30 GB of data max speed (QC)
  • $40/mo for 3GB of non-shareable data with any phone on financing or when you bring your own phone
  • Get two lines for $72.50/mo per line for 40 GB of data max speed (main regions)
  • Sign up for Disney+ through Rogers and get six months on select Rogers Infinite plans
  • On a $75 mo/ or higher plan, enjoy access to Disney+ on us for six months
  • Activate or upgrade to a $90/mo or higher Rogers Infinite plan and get a free tablet like the ZTE Grand X View 4 or the Huawei T5 (main regions)
  • Six months of Apple Music on the Rogers Infinite 25 and above Plans
  • $15/mo. off on all Infinite plans in MB, QC & SK compared to other regions
  • Activate or upgrade to a $75/mo or higher Rogers Infinite plan and get a free tablet like the ZTE Grand X View 4 or the Huawei T5 (QC)
  • Three months FREE of Google One cloud storage on select Android phones and all Apple iPhones
  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones with Financing or Financing with Upfront Edge
  • $50 referral credit for both after they activate

Browse Rogers cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Enjoy 20GB of data for only $52/mo. when you Bring Your Own Device to the TELUS Exclusive Partner Program.
  • Promo on Peace of Mind with 40GB for $85/mo; the Can-US version is $105/mo. (main regions)
  • Promo on Peace of Mind with 40GB for $75/mo; the Can-US version is $95 (MB/SK/QC)

Ongoing deals:

  • Get up to 6 months of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade when you buy an iPhone or three months with a certified pre-owned.
  • Save up to $710 with a Certified Pre‑owned phone
  • Get three months of Apple TV free when you buy an iPhone
  • Save up to $564 on iPhone with Bring-it-Back
  • Save $100 when you shop Mobility online with a $50 bill credit and a $50 connection fee waiver.
  • Get bonus 500MB data when you sign-up for Auto Top-up on $30+ prepaid talk, text & data plans
  • Get bonus 100MB data when you sign-up for Auto Top-up on a $25 prepaid talk & text plan
  • Use the promo code SMSPECIAL to save $5 per month on every additional line
  • Promo plan: $65 Simple Share 15GB (QC)
  • Get three months of Apple Fitness free when you buy Apple Watch
  • $10 to $15/mo. off on Peace of Mind, Peace of Mind Connect and Simple Share plans in MB, QC & SK compared to main regions
  • $50 referral credit for both after they activate on a postpaid plan (all regions)

Browse Telus cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • $1 Loyalty Pays every 30 days after the first years. $2 after the second year, and so on.
  • $20 Helping Other every 30 days by earning points in the Community
  • 500MB bonus with Autopay on all Talk, Text & Data plans except $15 plan, which comes with 250MB bonus (all regions)
  • $2 off every month with AutoPay Reward
  • FREE SIM card when buying Certified Pre-Owned phones
  • $1 off every 30 days for every friend you referred as long as they stay active and a one time $10 credit for your friend 

Browse Public Mobile cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

Ongoing deals:

  • 500MB bonus with Autopay on all Talk, Text & Data plans and the Data plan
  • 250MB bonus with Autopay on all Talk & Text Plan

Browse Chatr cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

Ongoing deals:

  • Get up to a $200 bonus credit when you get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
  • 500MB Bonus Data on the $30+ Prepaid plans OR 250MB on the $25 Prepaid Plan with AutoPay option (for Canada-wide)
  • 500MB Bonus Data on the $28 Prepaid plan with PPU OR 100MB Bonus Data on the $15 prepaid plan with PPU with AutoPay option
  • Get up to $700 off a hot new device when you trade in your old one.
  • Two months FREE of YouTube Premium with the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, A32 5G, S20 Fe 5G, A11, Note 20 Ultra 5G, Note 20 5G
  • Four months FREE of YouTube Premium with the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, S21+ 5G and S21 Ultra 5G

Browse Virgin Mobile cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Add a line with 8GB data for $35/mo
  • Get Talk, Text and 1.5GB of Fast LTE Data for $24/mo.

Ongoing deals:

  • Freedom plans: Get 7GB bonus data on the $45 plan
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 15GB bonus data on the $85 plan
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 7GB bonus data on the $50/$60 plans
  • Freedom plans: Get 6GB bonus data on the $40 plan
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 9GB bonus data on the $65 plan
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 10GB bonus data on the $75 plan
  • Freedom plans: Get 2GB bonus data on the $35 plan
  • Add a line with 4GB data for $30/mo
  • Refer a friend and get a $25 service credit for each referral. Save up to $250 a year
  • Freedom plans: Get 10GB bonus data on the $50 plans
  • Get three months of Apple TV+ included when buying an Apple iPhone (except iPhone 12 series)
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 10 GB bonus date on the $85/$115 Canada/US plans
  • Prepaid Freedom Talk + Text – 12 Month plan for $99/year
  • Get $5/mo. on BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans
  • Get up to 15GB of Bonus Data when you sign up on select plans.
  • Get one month of Visual Voicemail for Free
  • Save the $10 connection fee when you order and activate a Prepaid SIM Card online
  • $5/mo. digital discount on all plans

Noticeable price changes:

  • TCL 20 Pro 5g 256 GB, TCL 20s 128 GB are now available
  • ZTE Z557 8 GB, ZTE Cymbal 2 4 GB are now available
  • Alcatel 1B 16 GB is now available
  • Samsung Galaxy A12 32 GB, Galaxy A51 64 GB, Galaxy A71 128 GB, Galaxy Note20 Ultra 128 GB, Galaxy S20+ 128 GB/512 GB, Galaxy S20 Fe 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S20 Ultra 128 GB, Galaxy S21 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21+ 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5g 128 GB, Galaxy A32 5g 64 GB, Galaxy A52 5g 128 GB, Galaxy A8 32 GB are now available
  • Huawei Mate 20 Pro 128 GB, Huawei P20 128 GB, Huawei P20 Pro 128 GB are now available
  • Apple iPhone 12 256 GB/64 GB, iPhone 12 mini 64 GB/128 GB, iPhone 12 Pro 128 GB/256 GB, iPhone 12 Pro Max 128 GB/512 GB/256 GB, iPhone SE 128 GB, iPhone Xs 512 GB are now available
  • LG G8X ThinQ 128 GB, LG Q70 64 GB are now available
  • Motorola Moto E 32 GB is now available
  • Sonim XP8 64 GB, Xp3 8 GB are now available

New deals:

  • Bring your Google Pixel and save $600

Ongoing deals:

  • Save up to $200 when you purchase a new iPhone and Apple Watch.
  • Sign up for a noSTRINGS Prepaid Talk, Text & Data or Unlimited plan and save $10/mo. for eight months.
  • Get three months of Apple Fitness+ free when you buy an Apple Watch.
  • Save $10/mo. for 24 months.
  • Switch and save $10/mo. for 24 months when you sign up for wireless service on any unlimited or shareMORE plan. Plus, save an extra $20/mo. if you bring your own device. Conditions apply.

Noticeable price changes:

  • Samsung Galaxy A12 32 GB, Galaxy S20 Fe 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21+ 5g 128 GB, Galaxy Z Flip3 5g 128 GB/256 GB, Galaxy A32 5g 64 GB, Galaxy A52 5g 128 GB are now available
  • Apple iPhone 12 64 GB, iPhone 12 mini 64 GB, iPhone 12 Pro Max 128 GB, iPhone 13 256 GB/128 GB, iPhone 13 Mini 256 GB/128 GB, iPhone SE 64 GB, iPhone XR 64 GB are now available
  • Motorola Moto G Power 64 GB, One 5g Ace 128 GB are now available

Ongoing deals:

  • $25 credit offer each when referring someone
  • Up to 50% off selected phones.
  • Various phone discounts on select smartphones with Full Retail Price

Browse Fizz cell phone plans 

Noticeable price changes:

  • ZTE Blade A3 L 8 GB, ZTE Cymbal 2 32 GB are now available
  • Motorola Edge 256 GB, Moto G Power 64 GB, One 5g Ace 128 GB are now available
  • Samsung Galaxy A12 32 GB, Galaxy Note20 Ultra 128 GB, Galaxy S20 Fe 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21+ 5g 128 GB, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5g 128 GB, Galaxy Z Flip3 5g 128 GB, Galaxy Z Fold3 5g 256 GB, Galaxy A32 5g 64 GB, Galaxy A52 5g 128 GB are now available
  • Apple iPhone 11 64 GB, iPhone 12 64 GB, iPhone 12 mini 64 GB, iPhone 12 Pro 128 GB/512 GB/256 GB, iPhone 12 Pro Max 128 GB/256 GB, iPhone 13 256 GB/128 GB/512 GB, iPhone 13 Mini 256 GB/512 GB/128 GB, iPhone 13 Pro 512 GB/256 GB/128 GB, iPhone 13 Pro Max 128 GB/256 GB, iPhone SE 64 GB are now available

Ongoing deals:

  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones

Browse Shaw cell phone plan

Ongoing deals:

  • MaxWest Nitro 5P with $74.99 and $50 top-up voucher + FREE SIM
  • Data plans start at $35 for 2GB

Browse cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • Additional 50 Canada-wide minutes on $10 plan, 100MB Bonus Data on $15 plan
  • 2GB Bonus data per month for six months on the $25+ plans (and an additional 1 GB of data with Auto-Allowance)
  • 20,000 PC Optimum points with new PC Mobile SIM card activation

Browse cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • $50 referral credit each when referring a friend after they activate
  • 500MB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $24, 4.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $33, 11.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $43 plans for QC
  • 250MB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $15, 1GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $25, 3GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $35, 5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $40, 10.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $50, 15.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $70 ( main regions )
 

Browse cell phone plans

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Bell and TSN’s 5G View expands to cover Raptors’ home games

Back in March, Montreal-based national carrier Bell and TSN debuted a new 5G immersive experience for viewing Montréal Canadiens games. Now 5G view is also available for coverage of Toronto Raptors’ home games.

The new 5G View feature, available on the TSN app for iOS and Android, allows fans to select how they view different angles of the game on their smartphones. During a live game, viewers can rewind, rewatch a play, and zoom in at any moment. The new feature debuts its NBA journey with the Raptors’ season opener against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, Oct. 20th at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

To use the new feature, you need to be a TSN subscriber on the Bell 5G network and have a 5G device from Bell.

“We are excited to bring this exciting new game experience to Raptors fans across Canada,” said Nauby Jacob, Bell Media’s senior vice president, product platforms. “With TSN 5G View, fans can experience the game and control what they see from every possible angle, directly from their 5G mobile device.”

The new feature is not limited to live broadcasts. You can experience the same immersive capabilities, including getting close-ups, rewinding or rewatching a play, 360-degree views and much more during showcased highlights during and after the game.

It’s worth noting that TSN will continue to offer the 5G view coverage of Montréal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs’ home games.

You can access the 5G view on the TSN app if you have TSN/RDS included with your TV subscription. If not, you’ll need a TSN Direct subscription to access 5G View, which costs $7.99 per day or $19.99 per month. You can also get an annual subscription for $199.90.

Image credit: TSN

Source: TSN

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Ookla Q3 report names Telus Canada’s fastest mobile operator

Telus has kept its crown as Canada’s fastest mobile operator, according to a slew of new statistics in Ookla’s Q3 Canada Market Report for 2021.

For context, Ookla is the owner and operator of Speedtest.net, a free web service that analyzes your Internet’s performance.

According to data gathered from its speed-tracking tool, Ookla says Telus was the fastest mobile operator in Canada during Q3 2021, with a ‘Speed Score’ of 81.93.

Shaw came out on top as the country’s fastest fixed broadband provider, while the title of fastest 5G went to Bell for its median 5G download speed of 183.39 Mbps, narrowly beating Telus’ 176.38 Mbps.

Meanwhile, Vidéotron kept it steady for yet another fiscal quarter, earning the title of Canada’s most consistent mobile operator in Q3 with a score of 87.4 percent

In terms of geography, Ookla found that Newfoundland and Labrador are Canada’s fastest regions for both fixed broadband and mobile, clocking in a median download speed of 124.22 Mbps

Calgary was named the city with the highest population with the best median fixed broadband download speed (134.33 Mbps), while Halifax won the mobile download speed category (113.10 Mbps).

Finally, the report claims that while Samsung devices earned the fastest combined performance scores in Q3 with a median download speed of 64.14 Mbps, edging out Apple’s 58.12 Mbps, the iPhone 13 Pro Max was the fastest popular device overall with a median download speed of 164.63 Mbps.

Past Ookla reports from 2021 found that Canada is no longer among the top 10 fastest countries for internet speeds, that 5G speeds in Ottawa are middling compared to other capital cities, that Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park boasts the fastest download speeds amoung Canada’s national parks, and that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service performs best in Saskatchewan.

Source: Ookla

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Telus reminds BB10 BlackBerry users that network connectivity ends Jan. 4, 2022

Telus has reminded the roughly ten remaining Canadian BB10 BlackBerry users (I’m confident this is an accurate number) that the former Canadian smartphone giant will be “turning these devices down” on January 4th, 2022.

This means that whether you’re using a BB10 device with Telus, Rogers, Bell or any other Canadian carrier, your device will no longer be able to connect to the network and won’t support voice, data, SMS or 911 services.

Strangely, Telus’ tweet mentions January 22, 2022, as the shutdown date, while its landing page regarding BB10 devices cites January 4th, 2022. On BlackBerry’s website, the company mentions January 4th as BB10’s death day.

Back in 2017, BlackBerry committed to offering two more years of support for BB10 devices and two years of network access to other BBOS devices.

Telus says that Blackberry is “now taking steps to decommission or terminate infrastructure” related to devices running BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier, BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.1 and earlier. The carrier has a complete list of devices affected by the network shut down.

The last BlackBerry 10 device to release was the Leap back in April 2015. However, popular BB10 smartphones phones like the Classic, the Z10 and Q10 also run the operating system. The last BlackBerry device to release in Canada was the Android-powered Key2 through the company’s branding and manufacturing partnership with TCL.

The most important thing to take away here is that your uncle, who insists BlackBerry is a Canadian company that makes stellar devices, will probably need to buy a modern smartphone manufactured in the last five years.

Source: @TELUSsupport

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Virgin Plus adds new in-store SIM transfer process to protect against fraud

Bell flanker brand Virgin Plus rolled out a new process for SIM transfers, according to details obtained by MobileSyrup.

According to a reader tip, Virgin Plus started rolling out the change on October 5th. Existing customers who complete a standalone transfer to a new SIM card in-store will receive a text message to approve the transfer.

Further, Virgin customers will only have 90 minutes to approve and authenticate the transfer before the change can complete.

Virgin reportedly intends for the change to add extra protection against potential fraud, identity theft and SIM swapping scams. Sales representatives have been directed to tell customers about the new authorization process.

MobileSyrup reached out to Virgin Plus for more detail about the change but did not receive a response in time for publication. We will update this space with any additional information we receive.

Ultimately, the change should prove beneficial for customers. SIM swap and number port fraud are unfortunately prevalent in Canada. For those unfamiliar with the term, it refers to when malicious actors initiate a SIM transfer to steal a victim’s phone number and connect it to a SIM card they control. Once the transfer is complete, the malicious actor can use the phone number to receive two-factor authentication (2FA) codes or access the victim’s online accounts. You can read more about SIM swapping here.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) recently released some information about phone number fraud, documenting over 24,000 potential cases between August 2019 and May 2020.

Before the CRTC release, Canadian carriers refused to share data on phone number fraud or efforts to prevent it. Some carriers claimed doing so would help fraudsters, while others said releasing the information would help competitors.

Ultimately, it’s good to see carriers taking steps to better protect customers against SIM swapping and phone number fraud. Hopefully, other carriers start stepping up their protection measures too.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Here are the changes to Canadian mobile rate plans this week [October 7 – October 13]

With over 13 wireless carriers in Canada, it can be difficult to keep track of the latest promotions and cell phone rate plan changes. 

MobileSyrup will compile the latest weekly rate plan deals every week. You can also check out our guide on plans across Canada to find the right plan for you.  You can compare from 47,842 options and 13 carriers in Canada to find the best option.

It’s worth noting that rate plans are always subject to change and that we’ll do our best to keep this list updated as accurately as possible.

Canadian carrier rate plan changes this week

Ongoing deals:

  • Save $15/mo. for every family member you add to your account.
  • Get our unlimited talk and text plan for just $30/mo.
  • $55 Promo plan with 20GB data (QC). For new activations only.
  • Promo on Unlimited Share 30 for $80 with new activations and upgrades only; the Canada-US version is $100/mo. (main regions)
  • Save $100 when you bring your own phone or buy a new one online.
  • Get 20% off any Samsung smartwatch with Bell SmartPay
  • $50 Promo plan with 10GB data (QC). For new activations only.
  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones with SmartPay or SmartPay + Device Return Option
  • Unlimited and Connect Everything share plans are $15/mo. cheaper in MB, QC & SK compared to main regions
  • 100MB bonus data on $25 Prepaid plans or 500MB bonus data on $30+ Prepaid plans with allowance or auto-allowance top-up
  • Get up to 500 MB bonus data/mo. when you sign up for Automatic Monthly or Automatic Monthly/Low Balance Top-Up option on eligible plans.
  • Six months of Crave subscription included with new phone activation or when you upgrade with Bell SmartPay on an eligible 2-year Connect Everything or Unlimited Data plan.($85+ / month for main region – $70+ / month for QC)
  • Save $40 on the intelliARMOR UV Shield+ portable sanitize
  • Get three months of Apple Fitness+ free when you buy an Apple Watch
  • Up to $700 trade-in credit with any smartphone purchase or min. $100 trade-in credit with eligible phone trade-in and purchase of a new one

Browse Bell cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Fido Contest: Get 1 of 400 Indigo e-gift cards of $100 with Fixo XTRA (Only on the Fido app).
  • Get a Samsung Galaxy device and get up to 4 months of YouTube Premium
  • Trade-in select devices and get a minimum credit of $100

Ongoing deals:

  • One Month Free Service when you invite your friends and they join Fido.
  • Get Extra $5 Credit Per Month on ZTE Grand X View 4
  • Save $100 when you buy online
  • Refer a friend, and you’ll both get one $50/month
  • Fido Contest: Enter daily for a chance to win 1 YEAR of FREE Fido service
  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones with 24-mo. Fido Payment Program and Talk, Text and Data plan

Browse Fido cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • $5 to $75 discount when you BYO phone on select Videotron plans
  • Get a discount on QUB musicque with all the plans
  • Take advantage of the monthly discount with multiline $5 to $15 per line each month (depends on the number of lines)
  • Up to $500 trade-in credit on any smartphone purchase
  • Club illico mobile included on All-Inclusive Mobile plans
  • Get 10 GB bonus data per year in Canada with the Basic 3GB or 10 GB Mobile BYOD plan

Browse Videotron cell phone plan

New deals:

  • $50 referral credit for both when referring a friend after they join on a postpaid plan.

Ongoing deals:

  • Get the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ when you get the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, Galaxy A52 5G, Galaxy A32 5G (ONLINE ONLY).
  • Get six months of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade when you get an iPhone and three months when you get a certified pre-owned iPhone.
  • Save an extra $100 when you shop online today. Conditions apply.
  • $25 referral credit for both when referring a friend after they join on a postpaid plan.
  • Shop online and save the $50 connection fee
  • Bonus 500 MB data per month with Automatic Top-Up on the $30+ talk, text & data prepaid plans – both Canada-wide and Province-wide calling plans (all regions)

Browse Koodo cell phone plans 

Ongoing deals:

  • Save up to $650 on iPhone 12 when you trade in your iPhone XR, iPhone XS or iPhone 8
  • Save $680 over 24 months on the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
  • Save $15/mo on every additional line you add to your Rogers Infinite plan.
  • Promo on Talk text Unlimited Canada Wide minutes for $30 (was $35)
  • $50/mo for 10GB of non-shareable data with any phone on financing or when you bring your own phone.
  • Get two lines for $60/mo per line for 30 GB of data max speed (QC)
  • $40/mo for 3GB of non-shareable data with any phone on financing or when you bring your own phone
  • Save $100 when you shop online
  • Get two lines for $72.50/mo per line for 40 GB of data max speed (main regions)
  • Sign up for Disney+ through Rogers and get six months on select Rogers Infinite plans
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 35GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $90 (main regions)
  • On a $75 mo/ or higher plan, enjoy access to Disney+ on us for six months
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 50GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $110/mo (MB/SK/QC)
  • Activate or upgrade to a $90/mo or higher Rogers Infinite plan and get a free tablet like the ZTE Grand X View 4 or the Huawei T5 (main regions)
  • Six months of Apple Music on the Rogers Infinite 25 and above Plans
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 50GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $125/mo (main regions)
  • $15/mo. off on all Infinite plans in MB, QC & SK compared to other regions
  • Activate or upgrade to a $75/mo or higher Rogers Infinite plan and get a free tablet like the ZTE Grand X View 4 or the Huawei T5 (QC)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 25GB + 6 months of Apple Music and + 6 months of Disney+ for $75/mo (MB/SK/QC)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 15GB + 6 months of Apple Music for $65 (was 80) (MB/SK/QC)
  • Promo on Infinite Plan 30GB (15GB + 15GB Data Bonus) + 6 months of Apple Music for $80 (main regions)
  • Three months FREE of Google One cloud storage on select Android phones and all Apple iPhones
  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones with Financing or Financing with Upfront Edge
  • $50 referral credit for both after they activate
  •  

Browse Rogers cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • Promo on Peace of Mind with 40GB for $95/mo; the Can-US version is $115/mo. (main regions)
  • Promo on Peace of Mind with 30GB for $85/mo; the Can-US version is $105/mo. (main regions)

Ongoing deals:

  • Get up to 6 months of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade when you buy an iPhone or three months with a certified pre-owned.
  • Save up to $710 with a Certified Pre‑owned phone
  • Get three months of Apple TV free when you buy an iPhone
  • Save up to $880 on Samsung devices with Bring-It-Back
  • Save up to $564 on iPhone with Bring-it-Back
  • Save $100 when you shop Mobility online with a $50 bill credit and a $50 connection fee waiver.
  • Get bonus 500MB data when you sign-up for Auto Top-up on $30+ prepaid talk, text & data plans
  • Get bonus 100MB data when you sign-up for Auto Top-up on a $25 prepaid talk & text plan
  • Promo on Peace of Mind Connect Plus get an additional 5GB for a total of 25GB for just $75; the Can-US version is $95 (MB/SK/QC)
  • Use the promo code SMSPECIAL to save $5 per month on every additional line
  • Promo plan: $65 Simple Share 15GB (QC)
  • Get three months of Apple Fitness free when you buy Apple Watch
  • $10 to $15/mo. off on Peace of Mind, Peace of Mind Connect and Simple Share plans in MB, QC & SK compared to main regions
  • Family savings: $7.50 – $15 off all lines on Peace of Mind and Simple Share Family plans (all regions)
  • Get Up to $990 trade-in credit with select smartphone purchase
  • $50 referral credit for both after they activate on a postpaid plan (all regions)

Browse Telus cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • $1 Loyalty Pays every 30 days after the first years. $2 after the second year, and so on.
  • $20 Helping Other every 30 days by earning points in the Community
  • 500MB bonus with Autopay on all Talk, Text & Data plans except $15 plan, which comes with 250MB bonus (all regions)
  • $2 off every month with AutoPay Reward
  • FREE SIM card when buying Certified Pre-Owned phones
  • $1 off every 30 days for every friend you referred as long as they stay active and a one time $10 credit for your friend 

Browse Public Mobile cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • 500MB bonus with Autopay on all Talk, Text & Data plans and the Data plan
  • 250MB bonus with Autopay on all Talk & Text Plan

Browse Chatr cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

Ongoing deals:

  • Get up to a $200 bonus credit when you get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
  • 500MB Bonus Data on the $30+ Prepaid plans OR 250MB on the $25 Prepaid Plan with AutoPay option (for Canada-wide)
  • 500MB Bonus Data on the $28 Prepaid plan with PPU OR 100MB Bonus Data on the $15 prepaid plan with PPU with AutoPay option
  • Get up to $700 off a hot new device when you trade in your old one.
  • Two months FREE of YouTube Premium with the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, A32 5G, S20 Fe 5G, A11, Note 20 Ultra 5G, Note 20 5G
  • Four months FREE of YouTube Premium with the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, S21+ 5G and S21 ultra 5G

Browse Virgin Mobile cell phone plans

Noticeable price changes:

Ongoing deals:

  • Add a line with 4GB data for $30/mo
  • Freedom plans: Get 8GB bonus data on the $40 plan
  • Freedom plans: Get 3GB bonus data on the $35 plan
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 10GB bonus data on the $60 plans
  • Refer a friend and get a $25 service credit for each referral. Save up to $250 a year
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 5GB bonus data on the $65 plan
  • Freedom plans: Get 10GB bonus data on the $50 plans
  • Get Talk, Text and 1.5GB of data for $19/mo. for 12 months
  • Get three months of Apple TV+ included when buying an Apple iPhone (except iPhone 12 series)
  • 2GB Bonus +$10/mo. off on $39 prepaid plans with a digital discount instead of $5/mo. off. Freedom Nationwide Talk+Text+4GB (2+2) for $29
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 10 GB bonus date on the $85/$115 Canada/US plans
  • Prepaid Freedom Talk + Text – 12 Month plan for $99/year
  • 2GB bonus data on the 2GB prepaid plan and $10 Off during12 Months
  • Get $5/mo. on BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans
  • Get up to 15GB of Bonus Data when you sign up on select plans.
  • BYOD Big Gig Unlimited plans: get 15GB bonus data on the $75/$85 plans
  • Get one month of Visual Voicemail for Free
  • Save the $10 connection fee when you order and activate a Prepaid SIM Card online
  • $5/mo. digital discount on all plans
  •  

New deals:

  • Sign up for a noSTRINGS Prepaid Talk, Text & Data or Unlimited plan and save $10/mo. for eight months.
  • Get three months of Apple Fitness+ free when you buy an Apple Watch.

Ongoing deals:

  • Save $10/mo. for 24 months.
  • Switch and save $10/mo. for 24 months when you sign up for wireless service on any unlimited or shareMORE plan. Plus, save an extra $20/mo. if you bring your own device. Conditions apply.

Browse SaskTel cell phone plan

Noticeable price changes:

New deals:

  • $25 credit offer each when referring someone

Ongoing deals:

  • Up to 50% off selected phones.
  • Various phone discounts on select smartphones with Full Retail Price

Browse Fizz cell phone plans 

Noticeable price changes:

Ongoing deals:

  • Various monthly phone credits on select smartphones

Browse Shaw cell phone plan

Ongoing deals:

  • MaxWest Nitro 5P with $74.99 and $50 top-up voucher + FREE SIM
  • Data plans start at $35 for 2GB

Browse cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • Additional 50 Canada-wide minutes on $10 plan, 100MB Bonus Data on $15 plan
  • 2GB Bonus data per month for six months on the $25+ plans (and an additional 1 GB of data with Auto-Allowance)
  • 20,000 PC Optimum points with new PC Mobile SIM card activation

Browse cell phone plans

Ongoing deals:

  • $50 referral credit each when referring a friend after they activate
  • 500MB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $24, 4.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $33, 11.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $43 plans for QC
  • 250MB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $15, 1GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $25, 3GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $35, 5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $40, 10.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $50, 15.5GB bonus with Automatic Top-Up on $70 ( main regions )
 

Browse cell phone plans

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Telus and Bell announce two new health tech projects

Image source: Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/silver-iphone-6-near-blue-and-silver-stethoscope-48603/

Two of Canada’s “Big Three” telecommunications companies have each announced a new initiative in their health technology and community outreach divisions.

First, Telus is working with REACH Niagara to create a mobile health clinic offering medical care to marginalized communities living in the southern Ontario region, such as people without housing and migrant agricultural workers in the Niagara Fruit Belt.

According to the press release, the clinic-on-wheels is equipped with “Telus Health’s electronic medical record (EMR) technology, TelusMobility services and Telus LTE Wi-Fi network technology.”

The mobile clinic is designed to provide at-risk and low-income folks living in Niagara with easy access to COVID-19 testing, harm reduction services, mental health care, reproductive health services, and other medical treatments.

The clinic is part of Telus’ Health for Good program, which funds and operates mobile clinics across the country through a $10 million investment from the telecom carrier.

You can find Telus Health for Good mobile clinics in Edmonton, Halifax, Mississauga-Peel, Montreal, Niagara, Ottawa, Surrey, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria and Waterloo.

Meanwhile, Bell’s mental illness awareness program, Bell Let’s Talk, is partnering with the Strongest Families Institute (SFI) to launch a mobile app.

SFI offers a selection of family education programs to coach children and adults on how to manage anxiety, pain and stress.

The mobile app, available for iOS and Android devices, will let families remotely access the SFI’s programs and other “e-mental health services,” as per the press release.

The 2021 edition of Bell Let’s Talk Day raised $7.9 million in donations to various mental health foundations and funds.

Image credit: Pexels

Source: Telus, Bell