I’ve been a Telus cell phone user for nearly 5 years now for one reason: I happened to sign onto a really great plan when I first got a phone that no provider can top currently (Talk North America 30). If I leave Telus I lose the best plan for me.
Today I decided to look into getting a Treo 650 to replace my current phone. I want the phone so that I can replace my current Palm OS device and phone with just one device, and I told the first sales person I talked to as much. I was hoping to sign a three year contract and be able to get it for $99, as was advertised. I was told that I would need to add a feature bundle for $25 extra each month in order to get the phone. I would not use that additional service, so I told the two sales people as much. I asked about the possibility of buying the phone at the price it is offered without a contract, an overpriced $449.99, and not signing a contract that would nearly double my bill each month for three years. I was told that there is no way I could be sold or use the phone without sinking a ton of money into unnecessary charges each month. I said thanks and left the store.
I’ve done some of my own research into the phone and alternatives and I’m quite convinced that I was offered a terrible deal, especially considering I would be providing well over $1500 in revenue over three years with my current plan. For just $399.00 I could buy a much nicer device directly from Palm (it would only lack the phone hardware and have better features otherwise) or a Palm Treo itself for considerably less than Telus was offering it. This is a very discouraging situation for me because Telus is not only failing to meet my expectations as a long-time customer, but using pricing and refusal of service policies that are neither welcoming nor fair to customers.
I’ll be looking into other service providers in the next couple weeks to see if there are any plans that can measure up to my expectations. I’m hoping this isn’t simply an ugly side of the telecommunications industry that I’ll have to put up with. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
10 comments on “Apollo vs. Telus”
I hate telus, so much.
After today I don’t like them much. Sadly, the others seem no better.
I agree. I’m currently with Rogers, and my two year plan just ended and they actually mailed me an anniversary card that offers me a free year subscription to a magazine of my choice or an ear thingy for my phone. I like the plan that I have, and I really don’t mind Rogers; just sometimes they say I haven’t paid my bill when infact I have. That ticks me off because their letters just seem so rude to me, maybe I’m a wimp haha.
I have had good service with Telus, actually, aside from this recent unpleasantness. I’m going to miss the plan I have a lot if I have to give it up.
I don’t understand why you can’t just purchase the phone from somewhere other then telus, and then just get it switched on to your number? That’s what I did with my phone, I bought a sony ericsson for an amount I’m too ashamed to admit and I just went to Rogers and got the little doohickey thing changed over to my new phone. I don’t see how they can say that you bought that from somewhere else so we have to charge you more kind of thing?
I don’t get that either. They said I would have to go with the extra plan to use the phone.
Even if I bought it from them directly they wouldn’t let me use the phone without the extra fees.
My old phone didn’t have a camera, and my new one does. So I get charged like 5 cents every time I send a photo. So I could see how they mean they have to charge you something extra if that phone has a newer feature then your previous. But you said that it was something that you wouldn’t even use, so I’m still confused. They didn’t offer you any explanations? Have you tried FAQs online, or phoning a 800 number or something? Maybe they weren’t sure what they were talking about?!
My phone has very similar features. Wireless web and such are usable on my current phone already and I’m charged when I use that. I don’t use the web options often, so there is no reason for me to include that in a plan. They expected me to pay $25 / month for a data plan, when I wouldn’t use the web options enough to warrant that.
I want the Treo because it is a Palm device and I already have a lot of ebooks and such on my current one I would want to transfer over.
Well, that’s very frusterating. If it were me, I’d probably have alot of foul words to say to them. Why do simple actions have to be so complicated hey. Good luck, Apollo.
I’ll be going to another store to see if I can work something out. Simple things get complicated when commissions and money in general are involved, I think.
Thanks