One of the first things we wanted to sort out upon arriving in Canada was getting new mobile connections. We searched online for options but couldn’t find anything pocket-friendly. All the major service providers seemed to offer similar packages, so we decided to visit a mobile shop hoping the staff could help us find a good deal.
We found a mobile shop in the nearby supermarket and asked the staff for the best available offer, mentioning that my husband was a student. He offered us what he claimed to be a discounted package for newcomers from Fido, the service provider. It seemed cheaper than what we had seen online, so we went for it.
We opted for a postpaid connection with 3GB of data, costing us $50.97 per month per connection. The first month, we were charged $91.22, including a connection fee, which we found outrageous. However, at that point, we didn’t have anyone to suggest a better or cheaper option, so we stuck with Fido.
After 9 months, we discovered “Public Mobile” through one of our new friends. Public Mobile offers prepaid connections, and we opted for the 1GB package, costing only $25 a month. Given our access to Wi-Fi at home, work, and our frequent hangout spots, we deemed 1 GB sufficient for any urgent needs. We wished we had known about Public Mobile earlier, as it could have saved us some money.
However, it took us another year before we found our current mobile connection with Shaw. We now pay only $33.60 for both connections. Our Wi-Fi connection is also with Shaw, and we got an amazing package including 3GB of data for only $16.80 per connection. Shaw also offers a feature called “ShawPasspoint,” allowing us to connect to Shaw Wi-Fi hotspots.
[Note: As of April 4, 2023, Shaw was amalgamated with Rogers, resulting in changes to its ownership and operations.]
While there are other major service providers such as Telus, Bell, and Rogers, Shaw, now part of Rogers, was the only service provider that covered our area. Depending on your location, other providers like Telus may offer great deals. Access to affordable mobile connectivity in Canada is crucial for newcomers to stay connected without overspending.
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