Canadian telecom starts charging for hotspot usage

Rogers-owned Fido has re-tooled some of its mobile data plans to remove hotspot usage unless you pay for it.

For instance, the main deal the carrier is promoting right now is a 60 GB plan for $44 per month (after the $10 autopay discount), but it doesn't include hotspot usage. This is something included by default in most other plans from competing carriers, so it's odd to see here. It is enough for us to warn shoppers away from Fido for the time being.

That said, we've seen this from other carriers in the past, but they usually include hotspot access again after this plan has been on the market for a while. Currently, Fido is charging an extra $5 per month if you want to add hotspot usage. Existing Fido customers will be able to use their hotspots without issue — this is only for new subscribers.

If you're looking for a solid plan, there are good options from Koodo, Freedom, and Public Mobile right now. Plus, the latter two brands often include free data to use in the U.S. or Mexico, making them great for frequent North American travellers.