Hello all,
So I made the leap. I took advantage of the Koodo offer of $40 for 6GB. I write this both to explain why I did it, describe the process and what I gained and lost by the move.
WHY:
I was truly unnerved by the announcement of the intended price increase less than two years after I originally signed on for the $120/12GB per quarter offer, especially given the explicit promise that the rate would never change. While PM walked back on it, the explanation of "While all good things must come to an end at some point – that point is not today" indicates that the rollback is only temporary. Regardless of how long before the inevitable rate increase does happen, trust is gone.
HOW:
In addition to multiple text messages, I received a personal phone call from a nearby Koodo store. I finally made the jump when the last text message upped the offer to 6GB per month for the same as I pay at PM for 4GB. I went over to that same Koodo store and the changeover took about a half hour. I walked out with a working Koodo SIM card, and my number transferred on the spot.
WHAT I GAINED:
- 2GB more per month
- Free Canada-wide calling (the PM plan was province-wide)
- International roaming capability (flat per-day or per-minute/MB)
- Real-time human voice support at the other end of 611
- A $100 credit
- I could swear that I have faster speed (my phone indicated HSPA+, on PM I never had the +)
- (what I perceive to be) a more stable brand
- The ability to buy new phones, slightly discounted and with about $500 of the cost split into no-interest payments over two years
WHAT I GAVE UP:
- Two remaining months of my last quarterly prepayment (offset by the $100 credit)
- My prepaid US-calling (about half of my $15 addon was unused).
- PM's LD rates are slightly cheaper but it has to be prepaid in blocks. (Koodo is PAYG for LD). And of course the rest of Canada isn't LD anymore.
$6/month discounts for referrals, autopay and loyalty (updated, see below)- This support forum
- Had to pay $17 upfront for the SIM card (but at least it was installed for me)
OTHER NOTES:
- I asked for the Chinese New Year calling discount. The clerk at the store couldn't activate it because it wasn't available on his setup screen. He said I might be able to get it by calling 311 soon, this is an unadvertised special and may in the end be unavalable with this promotional plan. (No matter, I have WhatsApp and WeChat
) - By the time I got home my PM self-serve account had been deactivated so I can't even use it to see prior bills or usage. My forum account, obviously, still works. But this is a nasty move by PM since I can't see past billing or usage.
So the deed is done. Frankly, I'm not a fan of this "fake" competition. Bell owns Virgin and Lucky, Rogers owns Fido and Chatr, and of course Telus owns Koodo and Public. i can't think of any other country that has so many brands with so few owners (and so little real competition). But that rant can wait for another day.
Anyway, I hope that anyone else considering the move finds this helpful.
UPDATE: Apparently Koodo has its own referral system, but it's not publicized much. It doesn't work the same way, a flat $100 account credit for both referrer and referree at the time of sign-up (must be done before activation), rather than recurring credit, up to $300/year. Here is my referral code, I have no idea if it works with the PM upgrade promotion.
@Canada407wrote:I'm kinda annoyed that because I'm on the 15 gigs for $180/90 days (Promo I got having issues with them), I am ineligible, I don't think I'd change but I still wish I atleast had the option seeing as the family I live with is with Koodo & lives by them. I think it should be for everyone on PM
Those days are long gone. 
