PAYGO Rate Increase

[xxyyz]

We were grandfathered on a "By the Minute - All Day" plan.  Starting 2020/10/14, the rates increased.

Old rates  1st 5 minutes/day 0.35/minute, after that 0.15/minute, SMS 0.30/message

New rates  all calls 0.60/minute, SMS 0.60/message

That's an increase of 70%+ on the first 5 minutes, 300% on the other minutes, and 100% on SMS.

That's outrageous!

Anyone else seen this?

**Added Labels**

[Bplayer]

Yes, been aware of this since the announcement. They obviously do not want us on the plan, but it is still useful for my situation maybe until the end of COVID-19. Have to consider a full plan at that time, maybe with another carrier.

[57]

I got that notice via text to my phone on August 25.  I use my phone only for emergencies and suspend payments for a year (by paying $100 from my balance) whenever I have close to $200 in my account. I've done that 5 or 6 times.  This means that over the 11+ years that I've had PAYGo, I've averaged about $5/month.   Well worth it for me.  I've thought about switching to one of the new talk/text plans and using it more, but I really don't need to, so I'll probably stay with my grandfathered "Anytime" plan for a while yet.

I have my voicemail switched off and don't answer any calls from anyone not in my contacts list.  I realize this won't work for most people, but it does for me.

[xxyyz]

Thank you for the responses. At least we know we are not alone.

We don't use text messaging, so we received ZERO notice of this increase.
Since it is in our Rogers file that we don't use text messaging, and
since Rogers has our e-mail address, you would think they could have
e-mailed us.

We have used the $100.00 rollover many times, but at these rates, I
doubt we will ever get a high enough balance to do that again.

[OLDYELLR]

I've been on the grandfathered talk anytime plan for what must be the last 15-20 years. Lately I've been seeing charges of $0.60 for incoming texts when I was expecting $0.30. Have the rates doubled? What is the current rate for texts and talk minutes with my talk anytime plan? I can find nothing on the Rogers website only shows the latest plans they're selling.

[Bplayer]

Yes, the rate doubled 1 or 2 months ago. Get an addon of $3 per month for 30 texts, of $5 for 250 texts, etc.

[OLDYELLR]

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@Bplayer wrote:

Yes, the rate doubled 1 or 2 months ago. Get an addon of $3 per month for 30 texts, of $5 for 250 texts, etc.

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Since my total usage only amounts to $4-$5 a month, those addons would cost me more than they're worth. It just bothers me I never received a text from Rogers about the increase and had to read about it here. So my question still is, is there anywhere on the Rogers website that lists the rates for the legacy talk anytime plan?

[57]

I received the text August 25th as indicated in post 3 of this thread.  If your phone was turned off or out of range for several days, then the text may not have "reached" your phone because texts are only "saved" on Rogers' system for 2-3 days.  I don't know of any place where the rates for the legacy Anytime plan are listed.

You could check your phone for texts from Rogers around August 25th. For me the Rogers texts come from "4735".  I have received other messages from them since August, so you'd need to scroll up to see the one from August 25th (or thereabouts).

[OLDYELLR]

Thanks @57  Sometimes my phone could have been off for a week and I missed the text. All I have is one from Rogers on 08-03 about the government COVID app and one from 4735 on 06-30 that free LD calling across Canada is ending. I just don't see why Rogers won't put the rates and changes on their website.

[maryann99]

I’m a stay-home grandma, the cellphone is offed most of the time only turns on when I’m out. And I’m the customer for Rogers Pay as you go plan for over 14 years, but to keep the phone number active I have to top up $100 every year, so my accumulated balance is pretty high. After I noticed the pay-go rate had increased, I also noticed that I got texts from unknown person from time to time and those texts decrease my balance very soon especially now each one costs me $0.60 even I didn't open to read the text , it makes me wonder is it possible those are the tricks from Rogers?     

[57]

@maryann99 : I'm sure they're not Rogers tricks. Here are my comments.

1. Instead of purchasing $100 each year, if you have a high enough balance - say $200+, you can call Rogers PAYGo line (instructions below) and have them deduct $100 from your balance and suspend your payments for a year.   This will bring down your balance and you won't have to pay $100 for that year.

2. While you're talking to them, if the spam calls have added up to a significant sum, you can have these charges reversed. I would probably only worry about that if it were a significant sum and not just a few dollars.

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Account-Support/Can-t-purchase-data-pass/m-p/426891#M22822

Edit - also see my post 3 of this thread. I assume you're on a grandfathered talk anytime plan and not one of the new monthly plans.

[OLDYELLR]

@maryann99  As @57 mentioned, you can call the PayGo number to renew and ask to deduct the $100 from your balance if it's high. I've been doing that for years whenever mine was over $100. I don't know how high your balance is, but some years ago Rogers put out this message:

Rogers service msg: Starting at the end of 2018, our prepaid services will have a maximum allowed balance of $150. Any balance above $150 will no longer be available as of end of 2018. We will be in touch with more information on how you can use your balance soon, but in the meantime you can continue to use your balance as normal.

I'm not sure if that was actually enforced, but there was some panic over it.

[57]

Maximum balance was discussed in the following thread and Rogers never followed through with the maximum balance of $150 threat.  At first there was an extension, then no follow up at all.  This was probably because most people with high balances had reduced theirs, or switched plans and no further action was required.  There are very few people on PAYGo and of those few, even fewer have the Grandfathered Anytime plan.

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Pay-as-You-Go/New-Pay-As-You-Go-Maximum-Balance/td-p/413480/pa...

In my earlier post I stated that I used $100 of my balance to suspend payments when I have $200 in my balance.  Of course you can use that $100 with any balance over $100, but I like to have some money in my balance in case of emergencies, especially when travelling, which I should be able to do again soon.  😉

[g62]

Something like this should be coming through very soon (see prepaid):

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/mobile/occa.htm

[57]

This probably doesn't affect very many people. I'm still on the grandfathered Anytime plan and I got a text today stating that I will be charged $0.70 per minute or per text starting April 26.  It was $0.60.  I guess they're trying to entice people onto a different plan.  I rarely use my cellphone for calls or non-iMessage texts, so I don't need to switch just yet.

I'm still charged $10/mo, and the monthly balance accumulates.  I use $100 off my balance every couple of years to suspend payments for a year. This means my overall cost since 2009 has averaged roughly $5/mo.  I use my own purchased phone.

[g62]

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@g62 wrote:

Something like this should be coming through very soon (see prepaid):

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/mobile/occa.htm

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Well, I've waited for this to come through and have given up.  It seems Rogers will only comply with this CRTC directive through it's FIDO sub-brand where the prepaid 400 minutes and 400 texts for  $100 option is available.

For me, this is Rogers refusing to comply with the spirit of the directive, especially the part about it being promoted on their website and by their customer service reps (see 'promotion of plans' in link).  The customer service reps I spoke to were not aware of the directive or any such plans.

I will be switching over to the 'talk and text 100' plan from their competitor.

[57]

You may wish to lodge a complaint with the CCTS regarding Rogers' lack of promotion (website and CSRs) and not getting into the spirit of the legislation. Service Providers are required to report twice yearly on progress in this regard.

[fiona59]

Any idea of if and when this type of plan may happen?

I'm seriously thinking of getting a european phone package and using it in Canada.  It's super cheap and includes data.   Even the roaming cost is cheaper than rogers paygo