Tech Blog

[#1]

If you're like the average person, you likely signed up for a cellphone plan when you got your current cellphone and you likely haven't checked things out since.  But you could be missing out on some great deals.  I periodically check my carrier's website (in my case Telus Mobility) to find out if I could get any better deals than what I currently have.  In some cases, I just check randomly, in other cases, I check in response to something that I saw.

Here are two recent examples.  I used to have a great Student plan for my old Motorola Razr ($40/month + System Access Fee + 911 Fee + taxes, and I got unlimited nationwide calling and text to 8 people, plus a few other perks).  When I got my BlackBerry Storm just over a year and a half ago, I added a $25 unlimited data plan.  At the time, I thought that was great and I was getting a good deal.  Well, as it turned out, since I don't stream audio or video, I only use ~150-250MB of data per month and I couldn't use the plan to tether my computer to my BlackBerry, so the unlimited data plan wasn't as good of value anymore.  Then Telus decided to increase the price of the unlimited data plan by $5, which made the unlimited data plan even less appealing.  While other users got angry and started saying they were going to switch carriers, I decided to check out their Clear Choice plans.  For $65/month, I got unlimited nationwide calling to 5 people, 1GB of data (that I could also use for tethering), and I didn't pay the System Access Fee or the 911 Fee (it was included in the price of the plan).  So I lost a few people on my calling list and my evening calling went from 6PM to 9PM (no biggie at that time), but I gained the ability to tether, and I was paying less overall per month.  Great!

Well, I was happy with that, but then I discovered last week that Telus was offering a new Student plan.  For $55/month, I now get exactly the same as what I had with my Clear Choice 65 plan, plus I get an additional 5 "Faves" (so I can now call 10 numbers across the country as often as I want), unlimited texting, and nights at 6PM again.  So all in all, sounds great to me.  For students with a smartphone, this plan is Telus' best value to date.  And I figured, I'd might as well take advantage of my last days as a student to get on this plan.

But here's the catch.  You typically have to sign up for a new contract in order to get this plan, or you need to have been with the company for quite some time so that they will offer it to you.  Some people don't care about carrier loyalty and just run from carrier to carrier to get what they think are the best deals.  I've been with Telus Mobility for the past 11 years (my first cellphone was on Telus), and because I've been with them this long, they are often willing to do things to keep me.  As a result, allowing me to switch to the new plan mid-contract was no problem.

So, what are the lessons here?

• Don't wait until the end of your contract to look into new plans.  Most carriers allow you to switch plans mid-contract.
• Make sure you check your carrier's plans from time to time.  You might find something that suits your needs better and costs less in the long run.
• If you're a student, make sure you look into the student deals.  This time of year is a great time of year to re-evaluate your wants/needs for students.
• Holidays are also a great time to look around for good plans.  Again, even if you are mid-contract, if you've been with a carrier for some time, you can likely transfer to those new plans.
• And talk to your carrier.  If you've been with them for a while, they will do a lot more to keep happy than you might think.  For example, they may be willing to add-on free caller ID or give you bonus minutes.

More often than not, you can save yourself money or get more bang for your buck by doing a little research from time to time.  And that's always a good thing!

[#2]

Unless things changed, I think Telus offers 2 plan changes per year. What I do is go for North American plan prior to a trip to the States. Then switch to back to a more local attractive plan when I return home. The money I save using Google Maps & public transit instead of taxi's and airport shuttles pay for itself, while I have full Blackberry mail access abroad. To save long distance charges for friends trying to reach me in the visiting city. Texting is a cost effective way to start a conversation.

[#3]

Dr. Krypto (congrats!) ... it all comes down to "you don't know until you ask". I'm still shopping/wanting an iPhone 4. My wife has a great plan on Fido, now while the cost of me switching to Fido before the end of my contract might not be cheap, the cost savings might make up for it.

Of course it will also make for a tasty bargaining chip against Telus if the math doesn't quite work out...

[#4]

Thanks Tris!  And absolutely go for it.  My boyfriend is considering terminating his Rogers contract early to switch to Telus.  In his case, he has a $35 plan and typically pays more than I do (for a non-smartphone), so its all about managing your plan to best suit your needs (and then work within that plan after).