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iPhone 5s in Canada

H

haiggy

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 20, 2003
1,328
76
Ontario, Canada
My fellow Canadians,

What plans are you planning on going with for the iPhone 5s?
All these new 2 year contracts have outrageous prices. Anyone find or know of a good deal? I'm in Ontario.

Also, speaking with my current provider Telus, they will be getting the phone on the 22nd (Sunday wtf?)

I currently have a 3 year contract with them ending in a few days and apparently the 5c is only available for preorders now with a new share plan suggesting that if you want the new 5s you must take on a different more expensive, featureless "share" plan.

What's everyone's thoughts on what they are going to do?
 
I'm considering getting it unlocked, as I did with my 4. But for some reason it's $70 more than in the US. Our dollars are at parity. Wtf.


Having no contract is great. Rogers kept calling me to offer better and better plans.

I'm currently at 250 + unlimited nights and weekends starting 6pm. All the iPhone trimmings. 6GB of data. For $60.
 
Ryan1524 said:
I'm considering getting it unlocked, as I did with my 4. But for some reason it's $70 more than in the US. Our dollars are at parity. Wtf.


Having no contract is great. Rogers kept calling me to offer better and better plans.

I'm currently at 250 + unlimited nights and weekends starting 6pm. All the iPhone trimmings. 6GB of data. For $60.
Click to expand...

How the heck did you get that deal? Was that from when they first offered the iPhone? Lol
 
If you do a little bit of research, you'll see that your best bet is to buy unlocked and pickup a monthly plan from your favorite carrier. The two year plan prices should only be considered if you are cash strapped.
 
scarred said:
If you do a little bit of research, you'll see that your best bet is to buy unlocked and pickup a monthly plan from your favorite carrier. The two year plan prices should only be considered if you are cash strapped.
Click to expand...

Is it though?

Unlocked iPhone 5s 32GB = $819
Standard $75/mo 500 MB Data Plan = $65/mo (Most carriers give you a savings of $10/mo if you bring your own device)
Total Cost after 2 years = $2379 + tax

Unlocked iPhone 5s 32GB = $819
My Current Plan = $55/mo
Total Cost after 2 years = $2139 + tax

On Contract iPhone 5s 32GB = $299
Standard $75/mo 500 MB Data Plan = $75/mo
Total Cost after 2 years = $2099 + tax

My current plan would be slightly more although I would have twice as much data (1 GB vs 500 MB).

Is there a cheaper way to get more data?
Am I missing something here?
 
Here is my present plan:

Fab 10 Promo 60 6GB Share 36M
200 shareable minutes
Unlimited nights (6 p.m. - 7 a.m.) and weekends (6 p.m. Friday - 7 a.m. Monday)
Unl. nationwide member talking
National Fab 10 - Text & Talk
Text Messaging - Unlimited Package
Unlimited Picture and Video Messaging
Basic Long Distance Rate
Email & Internet 6GB Share
Mobile TV included - $5 value
Conference Calling & Call Waiting
Bundle 12 (caller I'd, voice mail)
Call forwarding

All this for $63.67 tax included.

I called Bell to see what my options were if I wanted to uograde. Two options:

(A) get a subsidize iphone 5s from them at $229.95 on a two year term. Going with this option, I lose my present plan. I have to pick one of the new plans. A plan similar to what I have now will cost me $110 plus tax (this plan has actually less features than my present plan). So, total cost over two years is: phone cost + activation fees + plan cost = $3 283.20.

(B) buy the phone outright, keep my plan (my plan is grand fathered if I don't get a new phone under contract). So, total cost for this option is: cost of phone + plan cost = $2 340.55.

Now, let's say in two years from now I want to upgrade again. With option A, it will cost me $300 tax included. With option B, it will cost me $812.47 tax included.

So, option A will cost me $942.65 more in the first two years. HOWEVER, if I upgrade each two years, I save $512.47 each time compare to option B. If I take a 10 year period, I save $1 107.23 in total. That's the premium you pay over ten years for option B which gives me three benefits:

1- no contract
2- Fab 10, mobile TV, call forwarding
3- buy your unlocked phone directly from Apple ($75 to unlock a Bell phone, better resale value)

My choice: option B
 
Carlanga said:
You guys have it just as bad and maybe worse than us here in the us.
Click to expand...

Move to Saskatchewan. Unlimited data (thought throttled when you exceed 10GB per month) and texts for $65 per month. Thanks to our provincial phone company, SaskTel.

And Telus offers better (more) data plans here to compete with SaskTel.
 
Do the math, it's cheaper now to keep your old smartphone plan and simply buy unlocked. The equivalent plan from what I have from Telus now on their 2 year plans is well over $100/month instead of $55.
 
Everyone in Canada complained about 3 year contracts and now that the carriers were forced to change to 2 year contracts, they were able to raise the prices.

My current plan is $65/month but if I were to sign up for a new one with the same stuff it would be $120. :cool:

Since you're already on Rogers and not a new customer, I would call their retention department and try to either keep your plan and sign a contract for another 2 years or try to negotiate a better plan. I'm very curious as to whether they'd force existing customers onto the new plan. I may have to buy my next phone outright if it means I could at least keep my current plan.
 
haiggy said:
.....
I currently have a 3 year contract with them ending in a few days and apparently the 5c is only available for preorders now with a new share plan suggesting that if you want the new 5s you must take on a different more expensive, featureless "share" plan. ...
Click to expand...

You should be able to re-sign your contract using the same conditions. If they say no, talk to them... because once you're off contract, you're free to leave (which they do not like one bit).

I'm with Fido in Ontario and they have been great. I have an old 6GB / $30 plan combined with a $35 text/talk plan that's pretty good. They no longer do the separate two plans. I've been able to change which T/T plan I've had even while on contract.

If your old plan is really good, try to get it renewed and get the upgrade. Otherwise, maybe check out the others.

Buying unlocked while you are off contract and then paying contract months plan rates doesn't make much sense. (Fido gives 10% off if you bring your own device). The "smart" plan $65 seems the best right now.

I'm only 1.25 years through my 3 year plan, and I've had this 4S for 1.75 years. Thank god they're changing to 2 year plans, although we still get royally screwed compared to the US. (as we do on everything)
 
Last edited:
haiggy said:
Is it though?

Unlocked iPhone 5s 32GB = $819
Standard $75/mo 500 MB Data Plan = $65/mo (Most carriers give you a savings of $10/mo if you bring your own device)
Total Cost after 2 years = $2379 + tax

Unlocked iPhone 5s 32GB = $819
My Current Plan = $55/mo
Total Cost after 2 years = $2139 + tax

On Contract iPhone 5s 32GB = $299
Standard $75/mo 500 MB Data Plan = $75/mo
Total Cost after 2 years = $2099 + tax
Click to expand...

On contract plans are more like 80 to 90 now (with the switch to 2 year contracts). Similar monthly plans are 50 to 60... and there are bonuses to bringing your own device as well.

Now, if you go with Wind, it is no contest. =) 33 bucks a month for unlimited if you are lucky enough to live in a city that has their service.
 
Honestly, the new plans are only $10 more then what I'm paying now for two iPhones and they offer more. If you want to keep your plan now you'll have to add features to make it a certain price. It sucks, phone prices are going up here which makes no sense.
 
Fido plans are actually pretty messed up right now:

The $65 plan has everything included and unlimited with 1gb of data
The $75 plan has everything that the $65 plan has but only 500mb data
The $85 plan is the same as the $65 plan with 1gb data

The only difference that I see is that overage fees are different.
 
sviato said:
Fido plans are actually pretty messed up right now:

The $65 plan has everything included and unlimited with 1gb of data
The $75 plan has everything that the $65 plan has but only 500mb data
The $85 plan is the same as the $65 plan with 1gb data

The only difference that I see is that overage fees are different.
Click to expand...

Wrong. You need to look at where the plans are located. If you look at Fido's website they have Standard, Smart and Max plans. Each phone is under a different category for plans. iPhone's must be under the Max plan because it's a high end smartphone but that's with signing a two-year contract. When you look at the phone it will state, $129 with 2-year Tab24 agreement on Max Plan.
 
I'm with Virgin Mobile right now with a pretty sweet plan:

$45
400 anytime minutes
myPeeps
Smartphone Data - 1 GB
Unlimited Incoming Calling
Unlimited evenings & wknd from 5PM
Canada-Wide Calling
Text & PIC to Can, US & Int'l
Unlimited Incoming Text
Call Display Included
Voice Mail 10 Included
Pay per use Voice - U.S. Roaming

And I'm on a supertab which I plan on having paid off by Jan-Feb. I'd really hate to lose my plan if I'm forced to sign a new 2yr agreement in order to get the 5S.
 
Already made a reservation for the iPhone 5S for friday at Virgin Mobile.

I'm going for a 45$ 2 years plan (in Québec) : Unlimited calling canada-wide, 1gb of data, Voicemail and Caller ID and 200$ rebate when buying the phone.

For the full subsidized price there is nothing under 70$, and even then you dont get much minutes or data. My 45$ plan is actually 85$ if you want the subsidized 199$ price on the phone. So basically you pay 40$ extra for 24 months, 960$, to get a 500$ rebate on your phone.
 
Ih8reno said:
Do the math, it's cheaper now to keep your old smartphone plan and simply buy unlocked. The equivalent plan from what I have from Telus now on their 2 year plans is well over $100/month instead of $55.
Click to expand...

If you upgrade every two years, the cost over a period of ten years, there's not much of a difference. Each case is unique. In my case, it's better to buy the phone outright.
 
My plan:

Government Plan
250 Weekday Minutes
250 Local Incoming Minutes
Unlimited Eve & Wknd Minutes
1Gb of Data

Included with My Plan
Van./Vic. Rate Following
Exact Pricing
250 Picture Messaging
Call Display w/Name Display
Basic Voicemail
250 Sent & Unltd Rcvd Text Msg
Billed Usage-Invoice Details
Network Features

$51.00/mth
Includes all monthly fees
 
I'm buying unlocked. Virgin wants me to switch to a 2-year plan if I want a new phone from them and there is NO way I am giving up the plan I have.

$50
Unlimited Canada-Wide Calling
Unlimited International Text & Picture Messaging
Voicemail & Call Display
10 Hours Mobile TV
6GB Data
 
I have an old month-to-month Virgin plan that isn't offered anymore.

400 mins
evenings @ 6pm + weekends
unl text,pic,vid messaging
unl incoming calls
everything canada wide
1gb data
caller id + voicemail

I only pay $40/month so I'll be buying the 5s outright so I don't have to change my plan.
 
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