Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums banner

Who has the best deals on landline telephone service in Canada?

46K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  ExDilbert 
#1 · (Edited)
I am curious about which telephone provider offers the best deal in Canada. Obviously the best deal depends on who you are talking to because everyonehas different needs.

I am going to be writing an article on telephony prices across Canada and I would really like members to contribute so we come up with what we think are some of the best deals in Canada in landline telephony.

To help out, I am hoping that members can post the following information for the following vendors that often get discussed.

  • Bell
  • Telus
  • MTS
  • Sasktel
  • Primus
  • TekSavvy
  • Rogers
  • Shaw
  • Videotron
  • Cogeco
Please note this POTS or Cable telephony service only. Please don't add Broadband telephony providers such Vonage or Primus Talkbroadband.

For each company please provide the following information:

  • Company
  • City
  • Type of Service
  • Installation and Setup Charges
  • Basic Montlhy Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee and 911 fee
  • Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
  • Basic plus all the features (do not include unlisted type charges)
  • Long Distance per minute
  • LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
  • Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
  • Other Notable Charges
  • Notes


THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION THREAD.

Please just post details

To discuss what is posted in this thread post here
 
See less See more
#2 · (Edited)
Company:
Teksavvy

City:
Within the Bell Service area

Type of Service
POTS

Installation and Setup Charges:
$25 for existing or new phone lines

Basic Monthly Price
$21.35

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$27.35

Basic plus all the features
$75.35

Long Distance per minute
Without a LD plan, LD calls are $0.10/minute within North America.

LD Plan
Unlimited Long Distance in North America for $19.95/mo. (*Excludes Alaska, Hawaii, and Territories)

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$95.30

Other Notable Charges
$60 - Move Fee
$25 - For any account changes during first month

Notes
Does not appear to require a contract
 
#3 · (Edited)
Company:
Primus

City:
Within the Bell Service area

Type of Service
POTS

Installation and Setup Charges:
$0 for existing phone line:

Basic Monthly Price
$35.35 ($29.95 + .40 cents for 911 + $5 for network access)

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$35.35

Basic plus all the features
$49.95

Long Distance per minute
5 cents if not on plan

LD Plan
Various plans from 5 cents a minute up to $24.95 per month

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$49.95

Other Notable Charges
$60 - Cancelation fee in 1st 12 months if you signed up for special offer

Notes
Does not appear to require a contract but you must sign up for 12 months if you want to get the special 6 month discount offer
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Company:
Compton Communications

City:
Port Perry and Uxbridge, ON ;)

Type of Service
Cable Telephony

Installation and Setup Charges:
$0

Basic Monthly Price
$20.14-$25.14 ($19.95-$24.95 + 19 cents for 911 - price depends on other services bundled)

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$20.14 - $25.14 (basic line includes call display, voicemail and call waiting)

Basic plus all the features
$32.14-$37.14

Long Distance per minute
6 cents if not on plan

LD Plan
Various plans from 6 cents a minute up to $19.95 per month

Other Notable Charges
No other fees, no contracts

Notes
Just wanted to keep the thread rolling :)
 
#5 · (Edited)
Company:
Yak

City:
Within the Bell Service area Niagara region

Type of Service:
Phone landline

Installation and Setup Charges:
$0

Basic Montlhy Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee:
$34.95 includes everything but VISUAL call waiting (I think)
(from the web)
• Call Display
• Caller ID
• Call Forwarding
• Call Waiting
• Full Voicemail
• Keep your current number

Long Distance per minute:
Seperate Yak Plan rates online

LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD

Other Notable Charges:
none

Notes:
Free unlisted number, same number, and no contract. So far so good, keep you posted!
 
#6 ·
Company
Videotron

City
Most but not all of Quebec

Type of Service
Cable

Installation and Setup Charges
$99.95 if install only telephone. Free if any other Videotron service already or installed at same time.

Basic Montlhy Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee and 911 fee
$16.95 to $22.95 depending on cable TV and/or Internet subscription. includes cable modem

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
First feature $4, $2 for each additional, Five features for $10

Basic plus all the features (do not include unlisted type charges)

Long Distance per minute
7 cents if no plan or excess over plan. Calling card - 15 cents

LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
100 minutes - $2.95 or 1000 minutes $9.95 to $19.95 (depending on cable TV and/or Internet subscription) FREE LD between Videotron telephony subscribers

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$44.90 to $60.90 (1000 minutes LD)

Other Notable Charges
Second line $9.95 plus installation

Notes
A 12-month commitment to the basic line is required. Penalties apply in case of breach of commitment. Free voice mail by email if you subscribe to five feature pak and Internet service.
 
#7 ·
Company
Rogers Cable

City
SW Ontario / Atlantic Canada

Type of Service
Cable telephony

Installation and Setup Charges
None

Basic Montlhy Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee and 911 fee
$36.36

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$40.31

Basic plus all the features (do not include unlisted type charges)
$80.31
Long Distance per minute

LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
$19.95 per month

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$100.26

Other Notable Charges

Notes
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
Company
Shaw

City
BC, Alberta

Type of Service
Digital Phone

Installation and Setup Charges
$0

Basic Montlhy Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee and 911 fee
$34.95

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$34.95

Basic plus all the features (do not include unlisted type charges)
$34.95

Long Distance per minute
4 cents

LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
$65

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$65

Other Notable Charges
Notes
Home Phone Lite $29.95 if bundled with other shaw services
Home Phone $55 if bundled with other shaw services
 
#9 ·
FOLKS please post in the format from post #1. Do not put bundling prices in the basic unless that is bundling.

IN addition, do not put promotional prices or discounts under price but under notes.

Thanks
 
#10 ·
Company
Telus

City
Calgary Alberta

Type of Service
POTS

Installation and Setup Charges
? - not on website

Basic Monthly Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee and 911 fee
$23.88

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$38.78

Basic plus all the features (do not include unlisted type charges)
$44.83

Long Distance per minute
7 cents

LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
$23.95

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$68.78

Other Notable Charges

Notes
 
#11 ·
Company:
Access Communications

City:
Regina, Saskatchewan (Expanding to other cities/towns in sask)

Type of Service
Cable phone service

Installation and Setup Charges:
None for install. Will hook up any number of pre-wired jacks for free.
Running a new jack is 50 bucks.

Basic Monthly Price
34.95,

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
Call waiting, Call display, Voicemail all included.

Basic plus all the features
Do not know

Long Distance per minute
Without a LD plan, LD calls are $0.07/min in NA

LD Plan
Unlimited long distance in NA $19.99 a month.


Other Notable Charges
No move fee if you call ahead 7 business days
Activating features that affect switches (ie long distance blocks) are 10 bucks. Normal feature changes have no cost.

Notes
No contract, Provider is MTS Allstream.
 
#12 ·
Company
Eastlink

City
Various locations in NB, NS, PE

Type of Service
Cable

Installation and Setup Charges
None unless new line and/or jacks are needed

Basic Monthly Price for local service including obligatory fees such as Network access fee and 911 fee
$20 (+ unspecified 911 fee)

Basic plus Call Display and Voicemail
$29.90

Basic plus all the features (do not include unlisted type charges)
$32.95

Long Distance per minute
$0.05 (Canada/US anytime plan)

LD Plan for North America (Canada and U.S. excluding Alaska, territories and Hawaii)
$30

Bundle - Local Calling + all the features + LD
$62.95

Other Notable Charges
Notes
 
#16 ·
The new pricing scheme for Bell is to offer low prices for basic packages and gouge on extras. For example, a basic long distance plan for that phone will cost about $15/mo extra, compared to free from some competitors. Call display will cost $8/mo, compared to free from others. Want anything but basic mandatory channels and Canadian networks on the TV? Add from $10 to $40 for just standard specialty channels. That internet is the basic plan as well. The low cap will almost guarantee an extra charge, up to $60/mo, for watching videos or streaming music. Then, after a few months, those basic plan prices will magically go up to inflated, regular Bell prices. Buyer beware.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top