Wi-fi cellphone plans will probably be getting dearer for some Canadians this 12 months.
Rogers Communications Inc. will improve the price of a few of its plans within the coming weeks, the corporate confirmed to CBC Information on Wednesday.
In the meantime, Bell is reportedly growing a few of its present wi-fi cellphone plan costs in February, in line with a report by Canadian tech information outlet MobileSyrup.
The Rogers worth hike will influence some prospects’ wi-fi cellphone plans and web plans, together with prospects of its subsidiary Fido, a spokesperson for the telecom big advised CBC Information.
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Whereas a Rogers spokesperson mentioned many shoppers will see a worth hike underneath $7, the will increase may very well be as excessive as $9 per thirty days, relying on the buyer’s plan or bundle with their provider. The hikes apply solely to prospects who are usually not on contract.
Prospects who’ve been notified by Rogers will begin seeing the brand new worth utilized to payments issued after Jan. 17.
“We’re dedicated to delivering cellular and residential providers with the best customary of high quality and reliability to deliver our prospects the most effective community expertise,” a Rogers spokesperson mentioned in a press release.
“This contains elevated capability to make sure dependable and constant service for our prospects, increasing into extra communities from coast to coast, and improving our customer support instruments.”
The spokesperson additionally pointed to measures the corporate has not too long ago taken to make its 5G providers extra inexpensive. These included introducing a $25 5G plan that’s aimed toward low-income prospects, and offering Rogers 4G wi-fi prospects with 5G community entry at no further price.
Bell didn’t reply to a request for remark by deadline.
CEO pledged decrease costs
The will increase come following Rogers’ merger final 12 months with Shaw Communications. The long-brewing deal, first introduced in March 2021, was topic to quite a lot of regulatory hurdles as opponents expressed considerations about decreased competitors.
When the deal was made official in April 2023, Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri pledged in an interview that costs would go down for purchasers.
“What we need to ensure we get proper is all of the issues for our prospects, and specifically, affordability,” Staffieri mentioned on the time.
“One of many key pluses of that is that competitors goes up, particularly within the west, and costs are going to return down.”
On the similar time, Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne introduced almost two dozen “enforceable” circumstances hooked up to the deal’s approval, together with lowering prices for purchasers.
CBC Information has reached out to the minister’s workplace for remark.