Author Topic: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)  (Read 1376 times)

TheStrenuousLife

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Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« on: August 12, 2019, 11:32:02 AM »
Hello all,

Just wanted to let my fellow Canadians know about the importance of negotiating with your telecom companies and not taking the first offer.  I was on a promotional Fido Internet plan with 50% off for 12 months that worked out to $36.72 a month for 75 Mbps download, 10 Mbps upload, and unlimited usage.

My promotional plan was about to expire and the price would have gone up to $73.45.  So I took a quick look around at competing offers and noted that I could get the same package from another company for $67.80 a month. 

A quick 15 min phone call to Fido later letting them know that I was planning to leave for their competitor that day unless they made me an offer led to my promotional offer being extend for another 12 months, thus saving me approximately $36.72 each month in Internet bills, or $440.64 a year.

The Mustachian lesson: always negotiate with service providers! 
« Last Edit: August 12, 2019, 11:51:50 AM by TheStrenuousLife »

WhiteTrashCash

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Re: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2019, 10:24:23 PM »
Great job saving yourself some money there. Good negotiation.

By the way, is it normal in Canada to have multiple options for internet service? Where I live here in the US, I have one option for broadband service or I can try getting internet service from a string tied between two soup cans.

beee

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Re: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2019, 07:45:34 AM »
I do call my internet/phone provider every year and extend their promos for another 12 months.
Big savings for 20 min phone call.

Do the same with your bank (if you pay for checking account), insurance and all utility providers.

By the way, is it normal in Canada to have multiple options for internet service?

Depends on whether you're in a big city or rural area.

Dogastrophe

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Re: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2019, 07:51:51 AM »

By the way, is it normal in Canada to have multiple options for internet service?

Depends on whether you're in a big city or rural area.

Also depends on if you are in house or apartment / condo.

Currently in my area I have 2 choices for my internet (I'm in a condo) - both are very expensive.  Difference in price between two providers is around $2/month


Suelavie

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Re: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2019, 02:23:06 PM »
Yes, good!

I am in the same boat (floating in Canada :-)

The thing is, I got tired (more irritated, I guess) to call the Internet provider (Videotron) to ask for a rebate regularly.  January 2019, I got a 40$ "Satisfaction credit", but 3 months later, it was gone.  Why don't they just offer us a good rate?  I finally decided to switch to a small and relatively new provider (Transat Telecom); I received a good recommendation from a colleague who is happy with them since more than 14 months).  From 65$ to 35$ for (illimited!!) Internet and from 26$ to 10$ for the home phone line. They guarantee they won't change the rate (it's in the contract) They don't offer mobile service for cell phone unfortunately, but I  am confident I will find a good rate for this too.  So a saving of 552$/year.   
« Last Edit: August 14, 2019, 02:25:46 PM by Suelavie »

HenryDavid

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Re: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2019, 12:49:14 AM »
Gotta call those people every year. Boring but worth the $.
Insurance companies, same deal. It creeps up. Have you noticed?

If it weren’t for my wife’s business, we would just use free public library wifi down the street. Check email and news, download a movie, go home. In fact, maybe she could be convinced . . . .

beee

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Re: Just saved $440 on Internet a year! (Canada)
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2019, 03:24:54 PM »
...both are very expensive.  Difference in price between two providers is around $2/month

That's "optimum cockbag level" of prices:

First honest cable company
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ilMx7k7mso
« Last Edit: August 22, 2019, 03:26:56 PM by beee »

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!