this post was submitted on 21 May 2024
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[–] AlternateRoute@lemmy.ca 17 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That looks like a cell tower list not a list of alternatives.

Mobile network operators (MNOs)

Nearly everything is owned by Bell, Telus, Rogers and if you travel roam they end up being your national roaming option with most of the other options.

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca -5 points 7 months ago

An orange is not an orange according to your comment.

What do you mean it’s not a list of alternatives when it shows towers owned by different operators pinned on the map. Vidéotron has a lot of towers and so does Sasktel.

Yes, when you travel outside your area the other operators do pay fees to the big three but it is still less overall than what you would pay directly as the other telecoms have more bargaining power thus bringing down the costs for everyone.

[–] Ralimba@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Also the flanker brands owned by the big 3 are:

Rogers: Fido, Chatr.

Telus: Koodo Mobile, Public Mobile.

Bell: Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile.

[–] MisterD@lemmy.ca 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (3 children)
[–] Crankpork@beehaw.org 10 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Videotron, who own Freedom/Wind now.

[–] bionicjoey@lemmy.ca 6 points 7 months ago

Freedom user here, my service got a lot better when Videotron took over Freedom from Shaw. Not saying Shaw did a bad job, but Freedom has always had a reputation among some for poor service coverage (which I've personally rarely seen anyway) and after the switch, it became even better.

[–] Ralimba@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 7 months ago

Vidéotron.

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)
[–] MisterD@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Oh shit! You are right. Changed the J to a F

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 months ago

Autocorrect ratting you out.

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 10 points 7 months ago

The big 3 have too much market share at 86%!

[–] Ralimba@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

We should all switch over to an alternative to have more innovation and to lower prices in the long run.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca -4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Would be nice but Freedom coverage sucked asss the last time I used it maybe teo years ago. Haven’t heard of any major improvements so no thanks.

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 5 points 7 months ago

Freedom mobile has much more tower coverage now and when you’re outside of their area they switch you to rogers or bell. So you not losing anything by switching to them. Also they’re building out the new towers quickly nowadays. You can try out Freedom or Fizz. They got good plans.

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Let’s foster some competition folks!

[–] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world -1 points 7 months ago (1 children)
[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

-By writing to your mla/mpp demanding a crown corporation telecom

-Vote out the Saskatchewan Party

-Tell your mp to strengthen the CRTC and to support the smaller telecom players

-Switch to a smaller telecom brand such as Sasktel, Vidéotron, Fizz, Freedom Mobile, Lüm Mobile.

[–] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

How old are you btw? I mean that, we've been trying and demanding that for decades. But it got us nowhere. That's why I'm past asking for stuff, I just had hoped the younger generation wouldn't go through the same loop and just realize that the system doesn't work. I had hoped the younger would just jump to revolution. I can't lead it but I know how to build stuff! Pires, BBQs that can cook a billionaire sized pig, these contraptions that they used to use in France, forget the name.

Anyways I'm ready when young people are

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 5 points 7 months ago

Also when you click on the "All Others" on the drop down menu it shows the alternatives brands that have their own towers.

[–] folkrav@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Fizz often have promos where you accumulate rewards such as monthly rebates after certain milestones. It’s currently costing me $28/mo (+tx) for 20GB after some small rebate. And they do data carry over for a couple of months, so I basically always have 40+GB in bank. I tend to buy my phones upfront when I get a good deal, and keep them until they stop doing the job, or when I don’t or want to change it for whatever reason, I resell/hand down/donate them. Phone plans just keep getting cheaper for me, which is a nice change of pace from most expenses in my life these days… But you have to stop the loop of financing with the Big 3 and getting two year plans, and either financing yourself or ideally saving and paying cash, or some mix of both…

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 3 points 7 months ago

Boycott the big 3 by switching to the smaller telecom companies: Sasktel, Freedom, Fizz, Videotron, CityWest, Eastlink, Ecotel, Execulink, Ice, Nexicom, Sogetel, TBayTel

[–] nik282000@lemmy.ca 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Boy, so as long as I never leave the GTA I'll be set.

[–] CeeBee@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago

I have 50GB will Freedom Mobile on Freedom's network or their "Nationwide" network, which is either Bell or Rogers. And the usual Unlimited calling and texting.

All for $35 /mo

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Freedom Mobile works outside of cities too, you will just have to be on a partner network is all.

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Been with them since they were wind mobile. I use my service all over Canada and in the USA. I have little to complain about and I don't pay much.

[–] bionicjoey@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago

Same here. They've been great. And they never shaft me with hidden fees. I pay the exact same thing every month while my dad needs to call Rogers a couple times a year, threaten to switch to Bell, and spend literally an entire day on the phone just to keep his prices from going up.

[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Wow you have been with them since the rough days haha!

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 3 points 7 months ago

Yeah, a while haha. They were separate from the big 3 and after one of them pissed me off I was done with the monopoly 🤣. They've only gotten better and better. Right now they even have the 35/mo plan with north America coverage.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Which means you aren’t avoiding the big 3

[–] PuddingFeeling907@lemmy.ca 3 points 7 months ago

Though they’re negotiating with the big 3 with bargaining power to lower service use fees and will use the profits to build their own towers which will eventually have the same level of coverage all across Canada and consumers will have lower fees. You have to look at the long term here.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

Lol Saskatchewan and sasktel. Will have to open in desktop, it's not mobile friendly.

I use public Mobile, but it's owned by Telus.

Teksavvy for Internet.

[–] PuddingFeeling907@lemmy.world 7 points 7 months ago

I would blame the Saskatchewan Party for that as they trying to ruin the crown corporation by using expensive contractors to do shoddy jobs and then have the customers complain thus the public turning against Sasktel so that the big 3 can swoop and buy all the towers in the province to screw over everyone with price gauging.

[–] dogsnest@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

oxiois almost half what Teksavvy charges (Hamilton, 120 down - 10 up $49 vs Teksavvy's $90, albeit they're on limited sale now)

Koodo offers internet in Ontario with similar pricing to oxio.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Last time I looked teksavvy didn't have good prices for higher speeds, but they have good prices for lower speeds.