New Customer Phone Bill

[jstrukalo]

I am assisting my 91 year old Father-in-law with his move to his first seniors residence following 60 years in his house. The residence says they use Shaw for TV and other items. When I called SHAW/ROGERS to install his phone they quoted $43 per month with no added features (It was $50 with Voicemail and Call Waiting). I am a SHAW/ROGERS customer with TV, Internet and Phone. My most recent bill (Oct 1) for phone is $13 per month WITH 2 added features (Voicemail and Call waiting).Does anyone know why this 91yr old senior is getting ripped off like this?

[g-idk]

@jstrukalo , wow that is a crazy high amount for a basic phone with 2 extra features.  I'm totally assuming here but does the residence he moved into supply Rogers/Shaw tv as a bulk thing to everyone and you had to make a separate individual account with Rogers/Shaw for his phone service?  If this is the case then that's probably why they are charging an extreme full price.  When your on a 2 year value plan and have all your services (internet/tv/home phone) under 1 account you get a larger discount on your phone to bring it down to $13.00.  If I have assumed wrong please let me know.  

[jstrukalo]

That is totally the case. But the way I look at it he is paying Shaw for a bundle (TV and the phone) one way or another. In fact, !f Shaw/Rogers has a bulk deal for the entire building then that's a sweet deal and they should most definitely give a break on the phones. This is the definition of a rip off. I don't know yet what he is paying for just TV, but it would not surprise me if he were paying full extreme price for this as well as it is only TV. I trust someone at the new Shaw/Rogers has another look at this and makes the right decision for the right reasons. I wonder if this is a benefit? of the Shaw/Rogers merger. 

[mdk]

@jstrukalo wrote I wonder if this is a benefit? of the Shaw/Rogers merger. 

I doubt it.

Does your Father-in-law's "bulk" package include "all" TV channels, or just a "basic" line-up? If the latter, if he were to contact Rogers/Shaw, and use "pick-and-pay" to add one channel ($5 to $7 per month), then he would need a new contract. Similarly, if he gets "basic" Internet speed, then if he pays a small monthly amount to get faster Internet, then he again would need a new contract. The net effect is that his new contract will show 3 services (TV, Internet, Home Phone), and he should get a discount on this "bundle" of services, thus bringing-down his cost.  I think that it's worth asking Rogers/Shaw if this "scheme" will be cost-effective for him. Ask them about a bundle price of only two services (one add-on TV channel, and Home Phone).

OR, can you purchase a pre-owned iPhone for your Father-in-law, sign him up with some "low-cost" cell-phone reseller (7-11, Petro-Canada, Dollarama) for a "pay-as-you-go" plan (from $10/month) ?  He would still keep his telephone handset, to "buzz" in somebody at the front door of his building.  You should be able to "port" his telephone-number to the new provider.

If TV/Internet are supplied, then is there a need for signing a Two Year contract?  Would he get a "bundle discount" when subscribing on a month-by-month basis for 2 or 3 services?

I wonder what Rogers/Shaw will do if there is a Two-Year contract, and your Father-in-law "expires" before the contract expires.  Will they enforce any "cancellation fee"?  If his contract is inexpensive ($5/month for one extra TV channel, and $5 or $10 per month for faster Internet), then their cancellation fee ($30/month) would be higher than just paying the contract for the remaining months in the contract.