WIND Mobile Pricing Plans

Wow. These rates are excellent, especially the $20 LD plan. I'm going to break out the calculator and see how feasible it is to pay the contract cancellation fee at Rogers and buy into the Wind Shout + Infinite Mobile + North America LD deal.

Yes please!!

$35 unlimited internet with tethering is an amazing deal, hopefully it brings Bell and Rogers data plans down. For those who don't know tethering allows you to connect your phone with your router/computer to use it as your home internet service provider, so you can get rid of your old one.

I just wish the $35 plan had unlimited text. Although for $10 more you get it plus Canada wide calling... it'd be nice to not have to worry about roaming or long distance charges or when evenings and weekends begin.

It would be interesting to see what happens when Google Voice comes to Canada. With that you wouldn't need a voice plan and could use the unlimited data plan to send and receive your calls.

you're kidding me, right? those are very different plans.

No I'm not. To get something close to what I have now I'd be spending $15 more with Wind.

It depends on if you make a lot of weekday or long distance calls. If you do Wind's $35 plan blows that plan away with 24/7 free calling in all of Ontario versus 150 minutes out / 50 local minutes in. No more long distance or roaming charges.

How much memory is included in a Data Max Pack? The most I've ever seen Rogers offer is 4 gig. Most plans are only 500 meg.

I'll give you the prices are close, but Unlimited Ontario and Unlimited Data give you much more value for the price, and it seems like that's what Wind is going for versus Ultra Cheap Plans.

I wish they more selection for data plans. With Bell I get unlimited on-phone internet (tethering not allowed) for $15 per month which also includes voice mail. I use transit to get to work and I'm always reading the news on my HTC cell phone. It looks like I would be paying a lot more through WIND to get that option. In fact I mostly use my phone for surfing the net, much more than for talking.

These plans seems great for talking, but not so great for surfing the net on a smartphone.

*sigh* This is disappointing. This is nearly the exact same shit that Rogers, Bell and Telus are offering. Yay! Another customer-gouging company in our marketplace!

Once companies have access to the Canadian wireless marketplace, they realise how closed the market is, and how easy it is to gouge customers here. So, in an attempt to make as much money as possible, they do.

I'm still waiting for a company to offer rock-bottom prices to completely screw over Rogers, Bell and Telus. I don't forsee it anytime in the near future though.

Sadface.

You can get unlimited Canada wide calling with Rogers/Bell/Telus for $45 bucks? Without a contract? My ass.

North American LD for $20, not even traditional hard line service can't really give you that price. If the quality of the line is solid, there's gonna be a big problem for Red & Blue.

I can't seem to find what they (or if they) charge for a system access fee, 911 fee etc. Also, if their call control (caller ID, missed call alerts, call waiting, call hold, call forwarding and conference calling) is included in the plan that could add up to additional monthly savings regardless of the plan.

Here's another thought on the voice plans. Mobile is going to charge $0.10/min for LD on the $15 plan. Whereas, their sister company, YAK, charges $0.05/ min North America for both land and cell lines. And, if Mobile charges roaming whenever you are out of you home-base, THANKS-BUT-NO-THANKS.

I spoke with a Wind representative in Calgary and the indications were that they would not charge fees for system access and 911. As you mentioned, there is nothing posted so what is fact and what is fiction.

I was hoping for so much, this is disappointing. I realize that Wind only got approval last Friday, however, they have known all along what they need to charge in accordance with their Business Plan. They have been playing us while allowing us to provide input and building up hype. GIVE ME A BREAK .....Wind is NO better than the other big 3.

Wind's FAQ: "...at this time you must buy a WIND phone to access service at WIND Mobile Canada. That may change in the future though, so stay tuned."

Staying tuned...

For the non tech savvy this is not something easily worked around due to the different frequencies Wind acquired through the wireless auction that enabled it to enter the market.

Buying a new phone might not be something you were looking forward to but it's unavoidable, and not just a cash grab (like 3 year contracts and locked mobiles).

I just want a plan that has unlimited texting and good long distance plans. And voicemail is extra? Please.

I was so excited to see an "alternative" but this is nothing but.

Yes, while most people don't know the difference between GSM and AWS networks, it's kind of an unfortunate move(albeit likely a necessary one for WIND to break into the market) to only have avilability on the AWS band. That means no iPhone(until Apple makes one that supports this very unpopular frequency), and many other widely used devices that use the much more common HSPA are left in the dark as well.

T-Mobile is the only other carrier in North America that uses AWS for their 3G network... and while they are known for their great customer service, it's still a big reason why they lag way behind AT&T/Verizon numbers-wise.

I'm hoping if WIND has strong Support ethics and maintains good coverage in the city, they can at least make Rogers/Telus/Bell take notice of their pricing plans and create a positive shift.

I have no idea why they'd only offer 50 texts? That's ridiculous, why not just make them unlimited? It puts zero strain on the networks...I'm not too impressed by these plans, I'm already doing better with fido. I was hoping to see some real change. Wind definitely has better data plans than the big three but for my actual phone use talk/text (not long distance) wind is failing here...
-colour me disappointed

Thanks louc! I just found that out too after browsing reddit, the wind website seems to down (link if you click on my handle/name) It actually doesn't seem to bad in the end... I'm glad now I finished my contract with Fido in November...
-colour me not so disappointed now

dinamyteTO you can get unlimited text for an extra 5 dollars.

what happens if the union lawsuit succeeds in establishing that the fact that the Harper's cabinet isn't legally allowed to overrule the CRTC decision re: letting these guys do business in Canada?

I haven't a clue what the chances of that are. Does anyone have any idea what would happen to subscribers? Could the company be shut down?

i'd hope the real difference is in their customer service. that is where Rogers FAILS for my family.

hey, 40$ a month for unlimited province wide talk/text with caller id is an awesome price. Caller ID is usually 6+ dollars with the other carriers, plus you don't have to worry what time of day your calling (whose evenings start at 9?)... I have a 35$ plan with Rogers, and after system access fee's, caller ID and some texts it usually ends up costing 55-60$

The plans are set up with unlimited options so people won't be pissed when they see all the 'extra' costs on their bill... This isn't supposed to be a cheap company, but one that offers a lot of value for your money.

They are the only other new option when it comes to national cell service (Dave and public mobile won't be national)

I dropped by their new Queen's Quay Terminal store this afternoon and grilled a couple of the poor guys there about their service plans and pricing. WIND does do things a bit differently than the other carriers, so be sure you realize what you are comparing before you determine whether WIND has better plans or not.

First off, WIND does *not* do contracts. This alone is a huge deal for many people. On the down side, it means you're not going to get "free" phones, because they cannot subsidize phone costs by locking you in for three years at a time. On the up side, their handset pricing is still pretty good if you compare it to no-contract pricing at the Big Three. The Blackberry 9700 at Rogers is a whopping $600 without a contract. At WIND? $450. If you really want a cheap handset, then you'll probably be better staying with one of the Big Three and signing a term contract.

And, if you haven't figured this out already, no contract means no early termination fees. Given the hoopla down south over Verizon's recent doubling of their ETF for "advanced phones" (i.e., any phone worth having), I'm glad WIND is heading in the opposite direction.

Second, I was initially confused over the whole "Home Zone" thing. I thought it was my "home market" (i.e., Toronto). So anytime I was within the Toronto coverage zone, I would get the unlimited voice and data, etc. But as it turns out, you get that in *any* Home Zone, not just your own. So this really just means "Home Zone" == "On WIND's network", and "Away Zone" == "Roaming on Rogers' or T-Mobile's network". Obviously, the Home Zone is very small right now, but since I tend not to wander outside of the GTA, that's fine with me.

There are no 911 fees, system access fees, activation/setup fees, regulatory recovery fees, convenience fees, etc., etc. I'm considering the Always Shout + Infinite Mobile combo, which will be $45 + $35 = $80 + tax = $90.40 on my bill. And since that is effectively unmetered voice, SMS and data with tethering, I should never see any surprise charges. My current Work 35 plan with TELUS ends up actually costing me between $55 and $85 each month, and that's *only* for voice and SMS (no smartphone here yet).

I'm no longer on contract with TELUS now, but the only stopping me from switching is the handset selection. There are only four phones available at the moment, and none of them catch my eye. I'm going to wait until Jan/Feb of 2010 to see what announcements are made. The Motorola Droid/Milestone on TELUS is my current top pick, but there are a bunch of interesting Android 2.x phones on the horizon. As long as I don't lose or break my current phone, I can afford to wait it out.

I suspect many folks here are enjoying retention pricing with the Big Three or their subsidiaries. Keep that in mind when you are comparing plans with WIND's offering. The fact that some of the WIND plans can even compare (and in some cases beat) L&R plans from other carriers is already saying a lot. And if nothing else, WIND's entry into the Canadian market will force the other carriers to react somehow. I am not beholden to any of the Big Three, now that I can port my number with me to any carrier... they all suck in different ways. But you can be sure that WIND's existence will allow me to put additional pressure on TELUS to keep me as a customer if and when I do decide to buy a new phone and associated plan.

Unlimited data sounds good, but that's only in your "home region". I assume this means that as soon as I leave the city I'm paying roaming charges for data? I expect this when I go to the US (and I shut data off), but when traveling in Canada?? My 1GB is more than enough for my iPhone on Fido, and works across the country.

These plans are a nice replacement to a home phone, but not sure they are viable as a cell replacement.

These plans aren't as competitive as I would like.

My current Rogers plan is Unlimited incoming, 2500 text messages, Unlimited evenings and weekends after 7, 250 day time minutes, call display, voice mail. After taxes, I pay $28.

For those who are with Rogers, first try to negotiate a better rate plan with sales rep. That's what I did and I got a great deal.

That's a nice Axe you have. Looks like it needs grinding though.

What happened to your career with Globalive?

Folks remember this is only the begining..I'm sure the options will grow

It is indeed amusing to hear nothing but complaints about "Robbers" et al. colluding to gouge the Canadian wireless consumer all these years, and when there is now finally some viable competition, suddenly the Big Three have these unbeatable plans. You can't argue both sides of the coin, folks. Don't compare retention plans with off-the-shelf plans. DO, however, use WIND as leverage when your contract comes up elsehwere, and DO wait for the Big Three to offer more attractive options soon.

When I was living in Japan I was paying 10$ a month free texting and in coming calls free after 6pm evening and weekend. Come back to me when you can offer something like this otherwise using the internet and home phone to communicate is doing just fine for me.