Questions re: Switching to CityFido from Telus Mobility (vancouver)

[juddc]

Hi All,

My gf is considering switching to CityFido from Telus mobility. She's looking for feedback from anyone else who has made the switch recently, and what the experience has been like.

Thanks!
j

[TELUSMobilityGuy]

1. Does she really need unlimited airtime? Which, by the way, in the service agreement, is capped at 5000 minutes. I mean, unlmited sounds cool... but there is likely a plan on TELUS Mobility that will give her all the airtime she needs for about the same price... and even if slightly more, she'll be getting better service for her money.

2. Look at the coverage area. There is no comparison.

3. Consider how much it will cost when you go out of the coverage area, if you are able to use the phone at all. If she wants bigger coverage on Fido, she'll have to spend extra and have one phone to choose from... but, oops, CityFido users can't have analog roaming... besides, who would want it? It's analog!

4. Does she want a 778 phone number? Does she even want to change her number at all? My bet is no.

5. Get a Fido and try making a bunch of calls - see how many of them will go through. Try again during peak hours, the ratio is even less.

Bottom line, more people in Vancouver are on TELUS Mobility than on any other network for a reason, and the number is growing!

I know I'm going to get in trouble with the Fido forum people for posting this, but it's true... I have seen so many people try out Fido only to come back to TM for these very reasons.

[TELUSMobilityGuy]

Here are some links to the Fido forum with comments from people who are now on CityFido. This will give you a sense of the quality of service IN the City... this is merely one of the points I made above:

1. GVA - All circuits busy (approx. 5:30-6:15PM Mon-Fri)
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...rcuits+%2Bbusy

2. CityFido "All Circuits are busy"
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...rcuits+%2Bbusy

3. My Fido experience (bad phone number, no incoming calls!)
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...rcuits+%2Bbusy

4. all circuits are busy!
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...rcuits+%2Bbusy

Not only the above, but Fido, in the GVA, simply does not have nearly as many repeaters/sites as TELUS Mobility. In buildings, through tunnels, in underground parking lots downtown, all over the place, you are going to see night and day difference in the quality of service.

TELUS has been building their network for almost 20 years. Fido, not even half of that. TELUS' budget for network buildouts and enhancements, quarterly, is about 1500% of what Fido's is. All TELUS phones are built to access 3 overlaid networks (1X 1900, 800, and analog) in the GVA, so even in areas where one is weaker, the your phone will automatically use one of the other two available to it. In Fido you get one network, or nothing at all.

TMG

[juddc]

Actually she's considering the switch for a number of reasons:

1. Roaming charges - She was on the EastCoast (USA) over the holidays and came back to an extra charge of over $30.00 for roaming charges!! This was for ONE five minute call and a few unsuccessful attempts at getting in vm.

2. Voicmail problems - As she is grandfathered with an old Clearnet plan, she should have a vm capacity of 10 messages. Over the past month or so, vm messages haven't been received and saved messages have disappeared.

3. Daytime calling - currently paying an extra $25 a month for the luxury of weeknight and weekend calling (after 7:00) for a total bill of over $65.00. With CityFido, I pay $45.00 a month and don't have to watch the clock.

Thoughts?

[Fritz Z24]

What package your girlfriend have right now?

[juddc]

It's an old Clearnet plan with a top up for weekday evening and weekend calling.

- 300 weekday mins and Unlimited calls after 7:00 pm and on weekends. Includes 10 voicemail messages and all the regular bells (ie. call forwarding, call display etc).

[gundagordy]

Originally posted by TELUSMobilityGuy
1. Does she really need unlimited airtime? Which, by the way, in the service agreement, is capped at 5000 minutes. I mean, unlmited sounds cool... but there is likely a plan on TELUS Mobility that will give her all the airtime she needs for about the same price... and even if slightly more, she'll be getting better service for her money.

The minutes are NOT capped on CityFido. Juddc, tell your gf she can talk all she wants with CityFido

[juddc]

I'm with Fido myself so it's good to know there isn't actually a cap on mins, thanks!

There are so many conflicting opinions on providers it's hard to sort through. It seems from some older posts there may have been some coverage issues during peak hours when CityFido first went live (calls not connecting). Anyone had any problems with this lately?

Thanks,

j

[ijcy]

Originally posted by juddc
I'm with Fido myself so it's good to know there isn't actually a cap on mins, thanks!

There are so many conflicting opinions on providers it's hard to sort through. It seems from some older posts there may have been some coverage issues during peak hours when CityFido first went live (calls not connecting). Anyone had any problems with this lately?

Thanks,

j

yes there is a 5000 minute cap!!!

[juddc]

Hi All,

Just want to get this post back on track. Anyone with REAL experience made the switch? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

[Xirc]

Originally posted by juddc
Hi All,

Just want to get this post back on track. Anyone with REAL experience made the switch? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

You could always try asking in the Fido forum. After all, if they're now a Fido user then they might be hanging out over there

[juddc]

Originally posted by Xirc
You could always try asking in the Fido forum. After all, if they're now a Fido user then they might be hanging out over there

The thread is there as well

[Fritz Z24]

Originally posted by ijcy
yes there is a 5000 minute cap!!!

Yes indeed. 83 hours night and week ends during a monthly cycle is the soft cap...

You need to understand then Microcell wants to give a chance to everybody using the network to have a clear and fast communication.

but even with that 40$ for almost no limit is a excellent deal...

[szw]

The 5000min cap is for FIDO plans only NOT CityFido, it is separate.

I've only talked to a couple people who have cityfido recently but both say they have never had any problems making or receiving calls. I'm not in vancouver so I've never tried it there.

[TELUSMobilityGuy]

Originally posted by juddc
Actually she's considering the switch for a number of reasons:

1. Roaming charges - She was on the EastCoast (USA) over the holidays and came back to an extra charge of over $30.00 for roaming charges!! This was for ONE five minute call and a few unsuccessful attempts at getting in vm.

2. Voicmail problems - As she is grandfathered with an old Clearnet plan, she should have a vm capacity of 10 messages. Over the past month or so, vm messages haven't been received and saved messages have disappeared.

3. Daytime calling - currently paying an extra $25 a month for the luxury of weeknight and weekend calling (after 7:00) for a total bill of over $65.00. With CityFido, I pay $45.00 a month and don't have to watch the clock.

Thoughts?

1. Roaming in US on TELUS PCS is $0.95/min for local calls, extra $0.50/min for long distance calls. All in Canadian dollars.

On TELUS Mike, it's $0.20/min for local calls, extra $0.50/min for long distance calls. Again, Canadian dollars.

On CityFido, calls outside GVA (even when you visit Whistler, Victoria) will all rack up significant charges. In the US, all roaming charges will be in US dollars PLUS the out-of-city roaming charge or $0.20/min. Coverage limited.

If this was one holiday, don't switch providers over it. IF she goes there once a month, different story. Paying a few dollars less once a year on holidays vs. paying a few dollars more to receive better service for the other 99% of the year... which makes more sense?

2. That shouldn't be happening. Has she logged a ticket? Have network assistance look into it - if there's a problem, they'll fix it. That's what they're there for.

3. Why doesn't she consider Talk 40 Plus (300min + EW after 6pm) for $45/month. There are other options, as well... but none will be as cheap as $40 "unlimited."