If you’ve checked the websites of Koodo, Fido or Virgin Mobile over the past few weeks, you’ll have noticed a trio of compelling price plans only accessible by already having a device on hand.
All three carriers, flanker brands of Telus, Rogers and Bell respectively, are offering unlimited Canadian calling and voicemail/call display, along with 1GB, 2GB and 3GB of data for $45, $55 and $65.
This isn’t some flash-in-the-pan sale, but a strategy to retain customers before the June 3rd deadline that will see millions of Canadians free from their three-year contracts and remaining device balances.
The difference between the BYOD price and the on-contract price, $15 per month, is the maximum amount these low-cost carriers are willing to put towards phone subsidies; over 24 months, that adds up to $360. On the Big Three carriers, Rogers, Telus and Bell, the maximum savings for bringing your own phone is $480 over two years, but that number takes into account more expensive phones and plans.
Low-cost Android smartphones like the Nexus 5 and, more recently, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (coming to Canada later this summer), the Moto G and Moto E, along with the recently-announced $379 Asus ZenFone 2, have made it considerably easier to save money on monthly plans without sacrificing the quality of one’s experience.
Considering many users in our Community are looking for ways to save money on their monthly bills, buying your phone outright and signing up to one of these new BYOD plans may be the best way.
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