dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
| New HSE/LD bundle (sort of)
With all the recent discussion about the incompatibility with the HSE/LD bundle and some of the services and bundles bell offers (for example, the new Digital Bundles, and MSN 9 service), Bell has announced today that they will now be offering a new long distance package, available to those who choose one of the Digital Bundle packages from Bell. The new package requires you have a Digital Bundle, and for $5 (including the $2.95 network charge), offers you 1000 minutes per month of anytime calling in Canada and US. If you go over your 1000 minutes, additional minutes are 5 cents each. It starts June 22. It will be interesting to see what the competition has to say about this. Let the games begin.
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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bylo
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Waterloo, ON
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Well, I went over to bell.ca to investigate. I was greeted by this:
Important Notice
Browser support: To fully experience bell.ca beyond this page, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, 6.0, or higher, or Netscape 7 is now required. » Free upgrade
There's no way to get past that even if one is willing to accept a less than "full experience." Doh!
Now before you tell me to upgrade, realize that I'm already on Mozilla 1.6, which uses the same technology as Netscape 7 but is a more recent release. It also lets me avoid Netscape's AOL bloat. [AOL being Sympatico/MSN's arch-rival, sports fans.] Double Doh!
As for the bundle, I assume by "Digital Bundle" that one needs HSE plus one or more of Mobility or ExpressVu before one can add the LD part of the bundle. I have only HSE and POTS 
So, since I ditched the LD bundle to get Home Networking Bell has lost $12.95/month ($10 LD plus $2.95 Network Charge) and my LD, which now comes from Yak, costs me 5 cents a minute with no minimum and no network charge.
Speaking as a consumer, I'm happy. Speaking as a Bell shareholder, I'm totally pissed off (at Michael Sabia and his cast of marketing idiots.) |
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HiVolt
30
Premium
join:2000-12-28
Toronto, ON
clubs: | reply to dirtyjeffer
2 year contract required? No thanks. |
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DaJatt
@sympatico.ca | reply to dirtyjeffer
Greetings,
0.05/min? Thats it? I pay that for my Toll free # and 0.03/min for my own calls and no, it ain't VoIP. Billed by the second w/ 30sec minimum. |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to HiVolt
said by HiVolt  :
2 year contract required? No thanks.
when people get expressvu, they sign a two year contract to get the lowest hardware price and free install...when people buy cell phones, they also do two year contracts for lowest handset price and promo offers...doing a bundle and getting the LD is basically no risk for these customers, as they are already committing to a two year term...the only different one is sympatico as most people are monthly or at most a one year, but it doesn't seem to really matter...most customers plan on staying for a couple of years anyway.
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to bylo
said by bylo :
As for the bundle, I assume by "Digital Bundle" that one needs HSE plus one or more of Mobility or ExpressVu before one can add the LD part of the bundle. I have only HSE and POTS
yes, you need to have Bell as your LD provider and you need two of their three "other" services (ExpressVu, Sympatico DSL and Bell Mobility Wireless).
quote:
So, since I ditched the LD bundle to get Home Networking Bell has lost $12.95/month ($10 LD plus $2.95 Network Charge) and my LD, which now comes from Yak, costs me 5 cents a minute with no minimum and no network charge.
but now you don't need to ditch things...all you need to have is a Digital Bundle...you save $5 off each of the three "other" services you have, and you get 1000 minutes of canada/us LD for $5...i know you don't have a second or third service, but if you ever wanted to, it is certainly a worthwhile deal.
quote:
Speaking as a consumer, I'm happy. Speaking as a Bell shareholder, I'm totally pissed off (at Michael Sabia and his cast of marketing idiots.)
not really, bell has been losing more and more people to alternate LD carriers over the years...this new offer will promote growth in their key areas (TV, Internet and Wireless), retain LD revenue and keep the traffic on their network...$5 in bell's pocket is better than $10 in a competitors...this is a great opportunity (if you are a shareholder) as it will keep people from not signing up for bundles because of the price of LD that bell has...this will generate additional revenue in bell's multiple segments and will strengthen their position as canada's leading choice for ICE (Information, Communication and Entertainment).
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to DaJatt
said by DaJatt:
Greetings,
0.05/min? Thats it? I pay that for my Toll free # and 0.03/min for my own calls and no, it ain't VoIP. Billed by the second w/ 30sec minimum.
5 cents/minute is the rate if you go over your bundle of minutes...your 1000 minute bundle is only $5 (including the $2.95 monthly network charge)...so even if you factor the whole $5 amount, your first 1000 minutes only cost you 0.5 cent/minute.
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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MacGyver
Bell Sucks
Premium,ExMod 2003-05
join:2001-10-14
Orleans, ON
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to dirtyjeffer
Wow, what an awesome deal. I subcribe to ExpressVu, dump my current long distance plan (800 min in Canada eve's and weekends) at $20 + 2.95, and switch to 1000 minutes in Canada and US anytime for $5. If that is the case, then the ExpressVu almost pays for itself!
Have I got that right? |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| said by MacGyver :
Wow, what an awesome deal. I subcribe to ExpressVu, dump my current long distance plan (800 min in Canada eve's and weekends) at $20 + 2.95, and switch to 1000 minutes in Canada and US anytime for $5. If that is the case, then the ExpressVu almost pays for itself!
Have I got that right?
yes, high speed and a basic expressvu package are $75/month for both services...add $5 and you get the 1000 minute canada/usa LD plan, for a total of $80, all billed on your bell home phone bill.
i assume you pay $45 for internet and by the looks of it $23 for LD, for a total of $68...so if you wanted, you can add expressvu for only an extra $12 and get a better LD package than you have now...a basic expressvu system is $99 installed...we are going to get VERY busy soon.
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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MacGyver
Bell Sucks
Premium,ExMod 2003-05
join:2001-10-14
Orleans, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| I really like the fact that the $5 long distance is ANYTIME and covers the USA as well. On our phone bill this month we made a 30 minute call starting at 17:59 and it cost us $12! If we would have waited one minute it would have cost nothing. And right now we're using Yak for USA calls since it's cheaper that way, so we wouldn't have to do that anymore.
Now the only question is if the line of sight to the satellite clears the unit next door. |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| said by MacGyver :
Now the only question is if the line of sight to the satellite clears the unit next door.
bah...nothing a back hoe can't take care of.;)
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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DaJatt
@sympatico.ca | reply to dirtyjeffer
Greetings,
The problem is though, our LD use within US & Canada isn't that much, at most it would be about 2 hrs. Most of our usage is to England and Australia. |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| said by DaJatt:
Greetings,
The problem is though, our LD use within US & Canada isn't that much, at most it would be about 2 hrs. Most of our usage is to England and Australia.
oh...i don't know what the overseas rates are for this package yet, but i doubt it will be as "competitive" as the canada/usa rates...it won't be for everyone, but if you do the majority of your calling in canada/usa and stay under 1000 minutes per month (which a large majority of their customers do), it is a great deal.
--
"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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BigSensFan
Premium
join:2003-07-16
Whitby, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| I already signed up (I did it this afternoon when I saw DJ's original post). I currently have unlimited evenings & weekends with London Telecom for 19.95 + 2.95 + tax. I will drop that now
WOO HOO
dale
--
"He is no fool to give what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose" Jim Elliot - Missionary to the Aucas, Martyr January 8, 1956 |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| said by BigSensFan :
I already signed up (I did it this afternoon when I saw DJ's original post). I currently have unlimited evenings & weekends with London Telecom for 19.95 + 2.95 + tax. I will drop that now
WOO HOO
dale
i think that is Bell's point...not only are they rewarding their existing customers with a great rate, they are getting a little extra money ($5) every month instead of getting nothing and London Telecom getting $23...i also find it interesting that LT charges the "network charge" considering they are just a reseller...what "network" do they maintain? or what rural landline infrastructure do they invest in?
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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bylo
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Waterloo, ON | reply to dirtyjeffer
Bell to launch plan for cheap long-distance »www.globeandmail.com/servlet/sto···usiness/ |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to DaJatt
said by DaJatt:
Greetings,
The problem is though, our LD use within US & Canada isn't that much, at most it would be about 2 hrs. Most of our usage is to England and Australia.
i found out a little more info on the overseas rates for this plan...apparently, overseas rates are based on the rates given in the overseas winback offer...the only thing is, we don't sell that package, so i won't be able to find out the rates until probably launch date (june 22)...if it is the same as the regular overseas package, australia is 19 cents/minute and england is 14 cents/minute.
i will let you know.
--
"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to DaJatt
said by DaJatt:
Greetings,
The problem is though, our LD use within US & Canada isn't that much, at most it would be about 2 hrs. Most of our usage is to England and Australia.
ok, they finally updated their price sheet for us...the UK is 7 cents/minute any time and australia is 9 cents/minute any time.
--
"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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shaner
Premium
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB | Got my voicemail, eh? |
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dirtyjeffer
Lest We Forget
Premium
join:2002-02-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| said by shaner :
Got my voicemail, eh?
yes...its about time they added that info...the original echo said that the rates were in there...but they weren't...the rates given are part of the overseas winback rate guide...which can't be found anywhere, until now.
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"The only thing more greedy than a corporation, are its customers." |
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