Well times seem to be changing in the world of entertainment and communication and the CRTC wants Canadians to know that if they don’t like their cable TV deal, or their phone and internet services…they should shop around because there are lots of choices out there.
Here are a list of a few options you may want to consider if you are trying to whittle down the bills that come in every month…
TV and Internet
There are a growing number of smaller providers offering Canadians TV, internet and home phone services at amazing prices if you can take a bit of time to investigate! A company called TekSavvy offers internet and home phone deals. But there are other small companies offering competitive rates including for TV packages. For example, Zazeen, VMedia, and CIK Telecom offer the skinny basic TV package for well below $25. All you need is internet service (and note that only VMedia serves all provinces).
You can also find internet deals from the big providers’ discount brands. Bell’s Virgin and Rogers’ Fido brands are both offering deals for unlimited high-speed home internet. For help finding the cheapest plans for all telco services in your area, check out price comparison website: CompareMyRates.
Also keep in mind that bundling packages has long been considered a cost saver, but now with all the options out there, you might find better prices by shopping around and taking the best offer for each individual service.
Re-Thinking Cell Phone Service
Do you find your cell phone plan’s talk minutes are never enough every month? Why not consider something like Fongo and TextNow which both have apps that offer free cellphone service using Wi-Fi or your mobile phone’s data connection.
Simply download either app to your cellphone at no charge and sign up. You’ll immediately get a phone number, voicemail and countrywide calling — for free.
TextNow also offers free unlimited texting in North America while Fongo charges $1.99 a month. Both apps also have low-cost long-distance deals.
Home Phone Service
Although lots of us are ditching the landline for cellular phones only, some of us still can’t say goodbye. No worries, consider a VOIP (voice over internet protocol) system for your home phone. It lets you to make calls using the internet.
Companies like TekSavvy offer the system for a monthly fee, typically much lower than the cost of a traditional landline. But you can get an even better deal by purchasing a device like MagicJack or Ooma. You connect it to your home phone and your internet router, and get VOIP service plus features like voicemail for around $4 or less a month.
Netflix
Share your password for savings! This tip may sound off but it’s not! Last month, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said that sharing your password for the streaming service is ok because there’s so much legitimate password sharing going on. “So there’s no bright line,” on the issue adding its just something Netflix has to live with.
However, that doesn’t mean you can now share your service with everyone. A standard $9.99 Netflix plan allows watching on only two screens at the same time. An $11.99 premium plan allows for the maximum of four screens playing at the same time.
Other Options
Besides Netflix, other streaming options include: Bell CraveTV and Rogers Sportsnet Now. Cineplex also offers a huge selection of movies that Canadians can download to rent or own.To get the main Canadian networks for free, try an indoor or outdoor antenna. Indoor ones may pick up fewer channels, but they’re easy to set up and can cost as little as $20.
Before you do fork out bucks on gadgets it is recommended to check out a handy resource site like TVFool, which helps you figure out which over the air channels are accessible in your area. But it is good to know that many Canadian networks — including specialty channels like Bravo, HGTV and The Comedy Network — have content available for free online.
And if you don’t enjoy watching shows on your laptop, there are simple ways to transfer the content onto your TV…buy an HDMI cable and hook it up.
For a full list of recommendations by the CRTC to save money on your bills CLICK HERE.
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