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Bell to remove System Access Fees November 20th?
In what seems to be the latest trend in Canada, Bell will follow the others and will be introducing a new set of monthly rate plans that removes the dreaded $6.95 System Access Fee.
The rumour has this taking place in a couple days on November 20th and details are still a bit unclear. According to a Bell internal document it states “Effective November 20th, 2009 Bell Mobility will be launching new pricing for all existing postpaid plans & will no longer be charging the $6.95 system access fee. Review the job aid for more details.”
This news comes out after Rogers recently removed their System Access Fees and introduced the “Government Regulatory Recovery Fee” (GRRF). Also TELUS followed up with ditching their SAF and 911 fees and welcomed in the “Clear Choice” rate plans.
Bell is the last carrier standing with the SAF and there are still questions around how this move will effect current customer monthly rate plans… and if the 911 monthly fee has also been removed. We’ve reached out to our friends for further insight.
Via: TMN
Discussion
30 comments for “Bell to remove System Access Fees November 20th?”
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Finally. This was long overdue for all Canadian carriers. Hopefully they actually drop it instead of making another made up fee like Rogers
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I know my bill shows 8.95, as does the image above.
I welcome the change!
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They’ll just move it around so that you end up paying the same. Why would they give up revenue?
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Ya, I wish. I guess Telus has started a trend. Telus has way better plans as of right now too. Bell lowered the system access fee to 6.95 a little while ago if you went paperless with your bill everymonth. But it was still 8.95 if it came in the mail. It’s great to see real compitition for a change. If they don’t, I would seriously considering swithching to a different company.
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My corporate plan waives the SAF, so that’s not going to make a difference to me. However, waiving the SAF and adding another fees means that I will end up paying more!!! This is so stupid. Just get rid of the SAF and don’t add other fees!!!
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MacD Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Who said they were introducing a new fee in place of the SAF? I made no mention of that, as it isn’t known at this point (But it is presumed that there will not be a new fee in place of the SAF)
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FINALLY!!!
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From everything I’ve seen of Bell, they will likely drop the fee, but miraculously, all their plans will increase in price by $8.95!
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Lets hope the don’t just rename it like Rogers and Telus did.
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Randy Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Rogers yes, but TELUS actually did drop the fee outright.
They increased equivalent plans by $5 but at least gave some value for that by including free Voice Mail to all plans.
Rogers dropped the “SAF” but added a new, even more ridiculous “GRRF”! As well, increased plans by $5! …so, after Rogers DROPPED the SAF, their customers’ monthly bill actually INCREASED! Insanity.
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Larry Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
TELUS raised their prices too.
I mean do you really expect any company in any industry to just drop revenue and decrease price. Bell had these plans years ago with no SAF but charged $5 more within the plan – the all in one plan. But then they stopped and went back to SAF. Either way your bottom line won’t change, regardless of carrier.
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If they ditch the SAF and don’t change the original prices, I will be very very surprised indeed.
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you all are dumb…
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I imagine this dropping of fees is to head off WIND’s expected marketing campaign when (not if) the government gives them the nod.
Until WIND arrives however I cannot see any of the cartel lowering their rates in any meaningful fashion; what would be the business incentive to do so?
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i aswell would say they will ajust costs of ans making them similer to old plans paying SAF & 911.. Even with tha removal we should all kno they will make you change your current plan to a new (Less Atractive) Plan if you would like to no longer pay tha fee.. and for us with plans they no longer offer may not be tha best option to change…
lets see if they pull a fido and remove yoir option for renewing your contact if you Dont pay SAF & 911 fees
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Tha big 3’s business incentive for dropping fee’s and trying to make plans, networks and phones apear to be a good or better deals,.. IS TO SUCKER AS MANY PEOPLE INTO LOCKING THERE LIVES ASWAY FOR RIDICULOUS THREE YEAR CONTRACTS ON VOICE AND DATA!! AND CHARGE EXTERM FEES IF YOU BRAKE THERE UNJUST CONTRACTS!
Witch by the way, all providers have been doing varry well in getting new customers, and locking people into long term contracts.. and even more of a jump to tha big 3’s customer base with every bit of info on new providers launching.. lol
sad really
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Maha Vailo Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 2:15 am
How is offering better pricing to customers even remotely “sad”? Then again, your ability to spell lends to your analytical capabilities.
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IslandNative Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
How do you figure this is “better pricing”?
According to the mobilesyrup article titled “Rogers internal doc of the new Gov’t Regulatory Recovery Fee”:
“So even though the $6.95 SAF is history and for some the 911 fees are gone, they are replaced by a $5 a month higher Monthly Service Fee, plus the “Government Regulatory Recovery Fee”. So depending on where you live it could be costing you a bit more on a monthly basis.”
I will refrain from attacking you with a meaningless jab and encourage you to join the debate in a constructive manner.
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Maha Vailo Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 1:12 am
Telus “clearly” offers better pricing. I didn’t mention that Rogers had better pricing. If Bell also goes the way Telus has, it will also be better pricing.
If you don’t think this is a step forward then I’m sure you’d be much happier living with the prices from a few years ago. If you don’t think it’s getting better, then it’s just Rogers that isn’t getting better (for some people anyway).
IslandNative Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
The only thing that is “clear” is that Telus (and now Bell) are great at marketing to people such as yourself.
You speak of “better pricing” yet fail to mention that Telus started charging 15 cents per INCOMING message for those who do not have a text messaging plan. This is on top of 15 cents for those sending outgoing messages. So how much better off are we now then we were a “few years ago”.
Telus, Rogers, and Bell will not offer “better pricing” until there is real and honest competition in the market place.
I do not “dread” the system access fee. It pisses me off.
Rogers and Telus “dropped” the system access fee and then in part raised prices. Bait and switch.
Bell will follow suit. In the Canadian market all three telcos move together.
We need competition in the Canadian market. Are you listening Tony Clement?
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Well Maha Vailo atleast i can read! i said it was sad that tha big3 still lock people into 3 year contracts on voice and data for afew $$ off a phone.. and if you think $80 to over $100 a month is a “good deal” for a half usable voice & data plan is good then you got issues or dont dont understand the value of a dollar..
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Maha Vailo Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 1:16 am
No, you have demonstrated the contrary actually. You at no prior point have pointed out those numbers you pulled out of thin air (where are you getting $80 to over $100 anyway?). Even in that case that you think it’s sad that the Big 3 have people sign 3 year contracts for not a few dollars, but rather HUNDREDS of dollars off a phone, then I think it’s you that doesn’t understand the value of a dollar. In any case, it’s YOUR CHOICE to sign the contract. If it’s just “afew $$ off”, you can just buy it outright and not sign a 3 year. Seriously.
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read between the lines.
all 3 carriers are ditching their SAF but raising all plans by 5 dollars.
essentially, all clients will save 2.70 per month but they make that up by charging 2.00 per month for paper bills if you dont recieve them via email.
either way, we the little people save marginally.
kb420
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I have been advised by a reliable source that NEWS of this will be official on morning of November 19th…
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what a sad joke, this dropping of saf and adding differently named fees is.
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lol am i really fighting on mobilesyrup? lmao.. whats with fool? ? hey “Maha Vailo” you chump ass puppet! you started by attacking my “thats sad” comment regarding 3year contracts, and forcing you to change your plan to benefit..and thinking its sad there removing SAF! now what? its that i used tha dollar sign
insted of saying “hunderds”? lol wow if you think i ment 1 or 2 dollars then thats allso sad (allthough if they could rope people into contracts with out give handset discounts on phone they would) – OH WAIT ! ! THEY DO ! ! lmao…. and yes i mentioned $80 to over $100 month for USABLE voice and data with out posting plans.. JUST LOOK AT THERE WEB SITE’S FOR PLAN AND OPTION INFO!! any half desent voice, data, voicemail, calldisplay & sms options combined .. with all providers will run you ruffly that amount.. so hey Maha Vailo BlowMe chump!! and it is your choice to sign terms.. but suckering people in to tha conacts (witch they do) is sad..its allso sad that canada is they only country forcing 3year term for a desent rebate.. AND charging tha Highest pricing for phones on contracts! ALLSO i have and do pay FULL PRICE iv have bought my last Seven phones no term full cost.. (High priced smartphone
to) wouldnt have it any other way! at least not untill canada’s telcomms can finally compare to other countries..
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Maha Vailo Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Man, has our education system failed us so much that you can’t even tell the difference between “witch” and “which”?
I’m just going to leave it as I mentioned before, “…your ability to spell lends to your analytical capabilities.”
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I just checked now on the Bell website. They sure as hell did remove the system access fee, but then they upped the price of all their plans by 5$ to make up for it.
What a joke.
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you know no matter what bell does they still suck, i was on bell their customer service was so shit, and their signal strength is so shit
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