Should I switch to Fido from Rogers now?

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nospam - 22 Nov 2004 07:25 GMT

Hi,
I am currently a Rogers customer. Their roaming charges and long
distance prices in the US (although currently I don't do a lot, about a
month a year) piss me off. but costs me about $100 more in long
distance/roaming.

I was planning sometime ago to switch to fido with a contract for a
V400 (their only quad phone, $150 with contract) on their $25 unlimited
incoming promotion... I even asked a friend to refer me to them
(reward is $20 for him and $20 for me).

After the merger: should I drop this or will rogers honor Fido
contracts without lowering service quality over the next 2 years?
Would they force a plan change after the end of the contract?

Would they do things like "you cannot add new phones, features or
whatever without upgrading to a new more expensive plan"?

I have to make my decision before the end of the week as I am
traveling again on 29th.

I am currently Enjoying 6pm-8am weeknights/weekends with my 3 years
old plan (starter $25). Wouldn't like to miss it.

Thanks.

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JF Mezei - 22 Nov 2004 08:17 GMT

> After the merger: should I drop this or will rogers honor Fido
> contracts without lowering service quality over the next 2 years?
> Would they force a plan change after the end of the contract?

If current Fido packages would significantly reduce your monthly costs, then
go for it. You'll have 2 years of service at those rates.

Worse case scenario, when Fido's network starts to be cannabalised, you pay $5
more per month you have ability to roam onto Rogers. (Rogers will eventually
transfer spectrum over to its own network, and will eventually start to
rationalise antennas).

Rogers will honour your contract to its end, but may start to lure you with
different offers during your contract. WIthin one year, I suspect that
contracts will be renewed as Rogers contracts. So when your contract end, it
isn't a given that it will be renewed as a Fido contract with your current
Fido rates.

Rogers didn't spend 1.4 billion bucks to just buy Microcell and keep it
totally separate. And there wasn't so much lobbying to remove spectrum caps
last summer if Rogers really inteneded to keep Microcel totally seperate forever.

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Pavel - 27 Nov 2004 23:49 GMT

: Worse case scenario, when Fido's network starts to be cannabalised, you pay $5
: more per month you have ability to roam onto Rogers. (Rogers will eventually
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
: totally separate. And there wasn't so much lobbying to remove spectrum caps
: last summer if Rogers really inteneded to keep Microcel totally seperate forever.

Agreed, use economics to decide to stay or leave Rogers. The best
time to switch is right now (Xmas time) as that's when the most deals
are to be had on price plans and phones.

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JF Mezei - 28 Nov 2004 03:22 GMT

> Agreed, use economics to decide to stay or leave Rogers. The best
> time to switch is right now (Xmas time) as that's when the most deals
> are to be had on price plans and phones.

As long as the plan you have with Fido gives you a better deal than what you
could get with competitors, there is no reason to leave Fido.

When Rogers starts to mess with our packages, then you start to look around.

Fido won't last forever, but lets enjoy it until it ends. It still has better
rates than others.

I read somewhere that Rogers will add a $6.95 access fee to CityFido. Can
anyone confirm this ?

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Pavel - 29 Nov 2004 05:47 GMT

: I read somewhere that Rogers will add a $6.95 access fee to CityFido. Can
: anyone confirm this ?

I read the same thing. I cant recal where though. It's going to
happen. No date has been announced. It's safe to say sometime in the
new year, but Rogers will be waiving the $50 admin fee. Big deal cuz
that amounts to an additional $34 a year for the City Fido customer
and $84 for subsequent years. I guess they think they are doing Fido
customers a favor. Dont be surprised when there is no City Fido at
all.

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- 29 Nov 2004 15:36 GMT

> : I read somewhere that Rogers will add a $6.95 access fee to
> CityFido. Can
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> customers a favor. Dont be surprised when there is no City Fido at
> all.

City Fido will stay, just modified to fit into the Rogers Wireless family of
offers..

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