Carriers are beginning to offer more and more options and plans – probably to confuse us – and also more offerings to try and lure us away from our existing carrier. Carriers are also rounding up the wagons to prevent paying subsidies for our devices and are encouraging us to pay full price and stretch the payments out over a two-year contract. Some, in the U.S. like T-Mobile, will tell you that you DO NOT have to sign a two-year agreement, and while that is technically so, like all things ‘technical,’ there is always a catch – if you leave before your two years are up and have not paid-off your device, the entire balance is due at that time. So in essence, you are stuck with them for two years, contract or not. Another option that is starting to grow is BYOD – Bring Your Own Device – to our network and we will unlock it for you ($35 fee) and you will get a new SIM card and use it on our network.
In Canada, there can be a lot of jumping to another carrier – and a lot of $35 unlocking charges…enter your friendly neighborhood Koodo, TELUS’ discount provider. They are the first carrier in Canada to offer to unlock your smartphone for FREE with a activation in a SIM-only plan. Most carriers have been offering discounts if you bring your existing device to their carrier – generally 10-percent off your monthly bill, but Koodo is sweetening the deal even more in an effort to attract new subscribers to their network by saving you that extra $35 unlocking fee. If you look at the picture below, you will see that Koodo is also offering a SIM Only Promo Plan for $45 – you receive 200 anytime minutes, and 800MB of data…not bad for $45. You also receive Unlimited Evenings and Weekends, Unlimited Text and Picture Messaging, Voicemail, Call Waiting and Conference Calling.
There is no indication if this free unlocking is a permanent offer or a special to lure people away from rivals Virgin Mobile and Fido – but it does help remove any cost barriers from interfering with your switch to Koodo. Many times relatives or friends will upgrade their device from one carrier and pass their used device to someone that uses another carrier – in order for that device to work on your network, it needs to be unlocked and your carrier’s SIM card inserted into the device…check it out at your local Koodo’s store.