Canadians have struggled with outrageous phone plans for longer than our American neighbours. With our phones glued to us every second of every day, it’s easy to go over our data limit while swiping through social media or checking our emails regularly. Hopefully, we are seeing the beginning of the end of data overage fees since Rogers finally took a leap and now offers unlimited data plans for phones. Big companies such as Telus and Bell have also jumped on the unlimited train to compete with Rogers.
These three providers offer unlimited data, but at different speeds. Canadians will get maximum speed data until a certain amount of GB, usually between 10GB – 50GB. After they surpass their allotted GBs, the transmission speed will be reduced, but Canadians will still be able to use data for simple browsing, messaging, and social media. The good thing is that there are no additional charges or overage fees now!
Alternative phone providers such as Freedom and Chatr have had unlimited data for some time now, but they usually offer slower speeds. If you’re looking for a cheaper plan, these providers are worth looking at!
Core Providers
These prices are the cheapest available for each company and are for Bring Your Own Device plans. If you’re interested in more GBs or buying a phone check out their websites for different plan options:
Alternative Providers
Cheaper plans are available with these two companies but with fewer GBs. Take a look here for more inexpensive options:
GBs
Full Speed
Calling/Messaging
Network Coverages
Other Fees
Included
Freedom
$60
PER Month
10 GB + Bonus 2 GB at max speed
Reduced speed to 256 Kbps after 10 GB
(Bonus GB limited time offer)
10 GB on Freedom Network
1 GB on Freedom Nationwide
~ 100 Mbps LTE
Unlimited calls to Canada
Unlimited messaging
Freedom Network = found in major cities and towns in Ontario, BC, and Alberta
Freedom Nationwide = the rest of Canada
$10 for SIM Card
Voicemail, Caller ID
chatr
$50
PER MONTH
6 GB + Bonus 2 GB at 3G speed
Reduced speed to 64 Kbps after 6 GB
(Bonus GB limited time offer)
~ 3G Speeds
Unlimited Canada/US Talk
Unlimited messaging to Canada, US, International
Chatr Nationwide = one network, available in major cities and towns across Canada
$10 for SIM Card
Voicemail, Caller ID
Interestingly, all Rogers brands, including Fido and Chatr, have removed overage fees with the launch of their Data Overage Protection initiative. Customers will receive a notification when they have used 90% of their data. Once customers reach 100%, their data will be paused to prevent them from incurring charges. If customers wish to use data, they can buy 1 GB for $15. This way customers can use data without worrying if they are going over their limit.
Unlimited data plans are high in demand now and Canadian phone providers are trying to match that demand. It’s great to finally see some progress in the Canadian marketplace, but we are still way behind in terms of catching up with the amazing offers below the border.
Whether you want to prioritize connection speed, money, or GBs, each plan offers something a little different. The choice is yours!
