New Fido hardware upgrade policies-This affects you!!!

[FidoCustomer]

It would be nice if Fido would alert your customers to changes in your HUP policy on the fido.ca website. A prominent main page placement would work best. For those readers that are unaware of the new eligibility requirements:

• You may not upgrade, with subsidy, until the last 6 months of your contract. For those with 3 year contracts, that means waiting 30 months between upgrades.
• You MUST pay an additional $25 to be allowed to buy any phone from Fido. Whether you pay a subsidized price or buy it outright, the price stated is no longer the price you will pay. Add $25 to any price Fido gives you in order to determine the actual price.
• To upgrade to a smartphone  you must have a voice plan equal to or exceeding $25
• To upgrade to a smartphone, excluding BB, you must have a data plan
• To be allowed to add a data plan, your voice plan must equal or exceed $25
• To upgrade to a smartphone, excluding BB, your voice and data together must equal or exceed $50
• If you have a data plan and have a voice plan >= $25, if you down grade your voice plan you will be charged a DECF ($100-$200)
• If you renew/HUP prior to the end of you contract, the 3 years will be added to your existing contract instead of restarting at renewal (as it would with Rogers, Bell, Telus, every other carrier in the world)

This really puts Fido in a class all by themselves.

If you were previously eligible for a hardware upgrade but are not under these new rules, it is now too late. The new policy is in effect, as of Dec 1, 2010.

[tupput]

It is so obvious Fido no longer cares about their customers or their churn.  Have 3  accounts with Fido.  Contract expired November of this year on one of the phones and December on another.   I had heard about these new rules that took effect prior to Dec. 1, so Nov. 30, I attempted to negotiate a renewal with rep claiming to be with retentions (I have my doubt about this as she did nothing to save) but was not offered anything in the way of credits.  Wanted a blackberry for my youngest, didn't want an iphone as these are data hogs.  Attempted to add the flex data to a blackberry but was told only applies to iphones or acer liquid.  Cmon, even Rogers has 2 different retention data plans for iphone or blackberry.  These phones were totally not what I wanted.  Told the rep I wanted the blackberrry, with caller id, and text messaging for max 30.00.  This is not being unreasonable as I successfully negotiated an iphone for my oldest boys account for 32.50.  She offered a total of 37.50 with voicemail.  She totally ignored everything I said.  So I cancelled the plan and am looking at competitors services.  When my other account ends, I sure won't be renewing.  

[Paolo]

I do not have a problem with waiting for the contract to expire <6 months. some people do, really shouldn't be signing contracts in the first place if they want a loop hole or way out, they should wait, and if they want the phone before the end of their term, they should pay full price for the phone, its only fair for everyone else.

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I am NOT a Fido employee, my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of this website and its affiliates.

[lindam]

So let me get this straight....

My contract is up next April.  I've been kicking around the idea of a new phone because I (thought) could get one for $0 if I renew for 2 years.  What YOU are telling me is that although I only want a phone for talking and texting, I will have to pay $25 regardless of the phone and regardless of whether or not the offer states it's $0 for the phone with a 2 year renewal??

[FidoCustomer]

lindam: yes. It is basically a way to allow them to show lower advertised prices for their phones and charge you more.

If others list a phone as $100 on sale from $200, Fido can now list their at $75. They still get their $100, but they look cheaper.

That type of sales and marketing is illegal in some places. Soon they might make all of their phones 'free' and introduce a "Flex Fee" that coincidentally matches their old subsidized prices.

[FidoCustomer]

Fair enough. Really, Fido, Rogers, Bell and Telus should simply get together again and agree to roll out mandatory 5-10 year contracts with $500 upgrade fees. Nothing stopping them and if they act together again, then you won't really have a choice.

Oh wait, we do have choices now. It is nice to see some new competitors that actually compete.

[lindam]

Hmm..interesting.  That could be a deciding factor when it comes time to renew the 2 contracts I have with Fido.  

I have to admit, I have been looking around and for what I have, I don't see anything comparable....yet. I don't want a data plan..I just want to be able to do a bit of talking and texting...why is it so darn difficult to find something affordable?

[FidoCustomer]

There are still some good things about Fido and they should be on your list to consider. But, the new players like Wind and Mobilicity (and Videotron and Public) should also be considered.

It is sort of funny that in the face of new competition, they almost seem to be trying to push customer to them.

[gero43]

I learned this the hard way.. I negotiated a plan before Dec 1, I called to accept it on Dec 3..they told me they couldn't give me the Iphone 4 because my plan wasn't over $50. I had asked 3 times before if the offer had an expiry date, they said no, it was a retentions offer.

Now I complained to customer service, retentions, manager and office of the president because it is such a dreadful customer service not to let us know what are the policy changes that will take place and then screw us over. The office of the president should call me today within 3 hours from what they stated. I wouldn't be surprise they just don't call me.

[pablo85]

I went on support chat today and the agent made mention of the new $25 fee but said he or the agents around him didn't know how it was applied because it was so new.  They obviously hid it from current customers too since their agents didn't even know about it.

This fee only affects their existing loyal customers.  For strangers, they get the deal on the phones (not really a deal, just the advertised price).

My legal opinion is that they cannot add this fee retroactively for anyone in an existing contract because iit violates the terms on their fido dollars (which are expressly for existing customers on phone upgrades which is the group that these new fees apply to).  My agreement says I can use fido dollars on a 1 to 1 with real dollars against a phone upgrade.  This is no longer true.  If I had even been informed in advance I would have purchased a phone last week.

Unfortunately there is nobody you can contact that can discuss this issue.  All they can do is mouth the Fido lawyers words. 

My approach will be to not pay my next bill and move to a new carrier because Fido has breached the contract, not me.  They can try their collection process but I won't pay.  I think a class action is the only way to make them listen.