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Introduction Overall, Bell offers better support services than some of the other service providers, however you the customer tends to pay a higher per monthly fee to use their network. If you want superior quality and customer service over any other service provider and have no qualms over a few extra bucks a month then Bell is the way to go. If, however, you do worry about paying a few bucks more per month for service, a few cents more for long distance, and paying a premium to roam outside of Bell territory then you might want to consider a plan with another service provider.
Plans The least expensive plan that Bell offers includes 100 minutes, unlimited evenings and weekends, call waiting, call forwarding, and conference calling. Long distance within Canada and to the US is $0.30/min. This plan does not include a detailed monthly bill, but for a few bucks more you have have a detailed monthly statement mailed to you (all higher priced plans include a statement). Bell varies their plans slightly between western and eastern Canada and generally there are more plans available to eastern Canadian subscribers. There are also several other plans available, some of which are outlined in the table below. See Bell's website if you are looking for higher-priced plans, including plans that include airtime anywhere in North America. Note that most plans include 'free' extras, such as Caller ID, for the first couple of months and after that time you will need to cancel these features if you do not wish to pay their monthly fees.
Note that Bell Mobility now includes the monthly system access fee ($6.95/month) and 9-11 access fee ($0.25-0.50/month) in its 'All-in-one' plans, therefore their rates appear higher than other providers, so if you are comparing similar plans between providers then make sure to deduct at least $7.20/month from the Bell fees on these plans.
Pre-Paid Plans Bell also offers a pre-paid cellular plan for casual users called 'Solo'. You buy a Solo phone or you may activate an old analog or CDMA Bell Mobility phone. Refill Solo cards are available from various dealers, over the phone, or through Bell Mobility's website. See the pre-paid comparison charts for more information.
Summary Bell Mobility targets their cellular products to a wide array of users: casual users that need nothing more than a few minutes a month on a pre-paid plan up to power users doing a majority of their roaming in the US. Bell's policy on returning handsets is left primarily up to the dealer to decide if they are willing to take back the handset -- therefore make sure to ask about the return policy before buying a Bell Mobility phone (and get the policy in writing if this is important). Note that Bell also offers rebates on selected phone purchases when you sign a contract -- if you decide to cancel before the end of the contract then Bell charges an early cancellation fee of $99. Monthly packages start at $30/month (including the monthly system access and 9-11 access fees). Pre-paid packages start at about $10 per month for casual users. |
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