Big Surprise! Bell drops Solo access fee!
p2pnet news view | Mobiles:- Here’s a surprise: shortly after Rogers dumps its wildly unpopular $7 monthly system access fee for Fido’s postpaid customers, Bell Canada decides to do the same for its Solo mobiles.
The same applies to its 911 charge. (What!? You mean it charged for that too?!)
BUT —- there are buts.
Anyone who wants to take advantage of Bell’s generous offer has to sign a new two-year contract AND, the offer is good until the end of the year, which falls in what, seven weeks or so?
Bell’s system access fee for Solo goes from $4 for prepaid subscribers to $7 for those on postpaid plans, or who get a monthly bill.
Everyone pays 50 cents for a 911 call.
Telus, ‘”‘was the first major carrier to discontinue the charges with its Koodo brand, which it launched in March,” continues the CBC.
“Bell’s move comes two days after Toronto-based Rogers, one of its main rivals in the wireless market, dropped both charges on its Fido brand. Customers opting to go with Fido, however, do not have to sign on to a term contract to avoid the fees,” it says.
“That left Bell as the only major cellphone company still charging the fees on its discount brand. All three companies still charge the fees on their core brands.
“Bell also announced new pricing plans starting at $15 a month, also matching Fido and Koodo,” says the story, adding:
“Bell, Rogers and Telus are now under pressure from consumer groups to explain why they are still charging the system access fee on their core customers but not their discount-brand subscribers. All three companies say the charge is for ongoing maintenance and investment in their networks, yet their discount services use the same networks as their main brands.”
All three, as well as regional providers Aliant, MTS Allstream and SaskTel, are also trying to defend themselves in class-actions over the system access fee and the 911 charge, says the CBC.
“The access fee lawsuit received certification last year and is seeking the return of nearly $20 billion, while the 911 case was lodged in June,” it states, adding:
“Both lawsuits claim the cellphone providers misrepresented to customers what the charges were for.”
wildly unpopular – Fido rep responds to ‘How low can you go?’, November 6, 2008
CBC – Bell sacks cellphone system access fee on Solo phones, November 6, 2008
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November 7th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I have Virgin Mobile pay as I go and I never paid system access fee (Ever!), No 911, …. Got to shop around, there are other companies out there other than the big 3!