Fido retention plan negotiation tutorials/primers

[thirstyears]

PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD RELATED TO NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES, INFORMATION ON FIDO"S CURRENT RETENTION PLANS/OFFERS, AND PEARLS OF WISDOM WHICH YOU WISH TO SHARE, AS RELATED TO NEGOTIATING WITH FIDO.

KEEP POSTS RELATING YOUR PERSONAL PLANS/VICTORIES, AND ANY RELATED QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS, ON THE FIDO LOYALTY THREAD, which is here: http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...ty-and-winback!! Thanks! Also, if you wish to say thanks, please do so in the Fido loyalty thread, so as to keep this forum clutter free and information dense! (Makes for easier reading/less scrolling for those who follow!)

STRATEGIES FOR NEGOTIATING A FIDO RETENTION PLAN:

The intended purpose of retentions is to prevent customers from switching to another carrier. If they think you are serious about leaving, they can create some pretty incredible plans. If you’re just asking for 'this or that' from them, without bringing up what the competition is offering, then you’re not likely to get much of a deal. Do not assume that simply quoting the details of an exceptional retention plan you saw on this forum will get you the same; you're likely going to have to negotiate, & negotiate well, to get a really good deal! To do that, THEY MUST BELIEVE YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT CHANGING CARRIERS. If you can show Fido that a competitor’s plan makes financial sense & is a better deal for you in the long run, even with any Early Cancellation Fees you will be paying, you are likely to be offered a favorable retention plan (though, it might take a few calls before you get an agent who is helpful).

New customers: can negotiate retention plans after 3 months when on month2month/no contract (NOT prepaid); or do a Transfer of Responsibility, which is to take over another persons plan/account. As of May 2010, all Fido plans are transferable, subject to the new account holder passing a credit check (http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...29-May-10-2010); Look for plans on www.craigslist.org / www.kijiji.ca
Existing customers: can negotiate anytime; but it is easier when you are in the last 6 months of your agreement, or no longer under a contract (this is when you qualify for a hardware upgrade)
If your current retention agreement is ending: your credits may NOT automatically renew; however, you should be able to renegotiate a competitive plan if you can show a competitor's plan is superior to your plan without those credits.

Some factors which may influence the retention plan(s) you are offered are: your payment history; whether you are currently under a contract (& if so, how far into it); how long you’ve been a customer; how much your monthly bill is; if you have more than one phone line; your negotiation skills; the strength of the competitor’s offer that you are using as leverage; the individual agent you deal with; & whether you're willing to agree to a contract.

Tip: if you are getting/using a smart-phone, 3rd party apps/services might allow you to choose smaller plans/options from Fido
e.g.: "Skype unlimited US & Canada" is $3/mo. and can be used for outgoing local/anytime minutes as well as outgoing LD calls over wifi connections (3G uses 0.5-1MB data/min); there are apps for texting/instant messaging between smart-phones (whatsapp, textplus, textnow, etc); Google Voice can be used for VM/VVM (if you have a Fido plan with US LD and call forwarding); etc

Do your research:
-Be clear on what you really need & want;
-Check your records/determine your actual usage (day/night/in/outbound/texts/data/etc.), or estimate what it will be;
-Search the competition for plans that suit your needs: (resources in post #2, that follows; http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...2#post14073652 )
-Once you find a competitor's offer that meets your needs at an advantageous price, BE ABLE TO RECITE ALL THE DETAILS/FEATURES OF THAT PLAN;
-Get familiar with Fido's common retention plans/options/credits: (see post #3; http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...0#post14073660 ) ;
-Be prepared & organized when you call Fido, & politely ask for what you want (armed with all of this information).

Use the competition as leverage: (This is what really helped me get a good deal)
-EVERY DETAIL OF A COMPETITOR'S PLAN, WHICH IS SUPERIOR TO FIDO’S, IS POINT YOU CAN USE FOR LEVERAGE: whether that’s for what’s included in the base plan; lower priced or better value add-ons; or in the finer print, such as charges for: LD, texting/Int’l texting, MMS, data or roaming rates; a free handset; a porting credit; etc
-Use a competitor's plan that is a good fit to your actual needs; i.e. don't use Wind/Mobilicity if you barely use any daytime minutes, or if you would often be out of their coverage area/zones
-The better the offer you use as a comparable, the better your leverage
-If you have access to a Bell, Rogers, or Telus Corporate plan, & can list off their features, those can be excellent plans to use as a comparable to negotiate a good plan
-Be aware, if something sounds too good to be true, they may ask you to fax a copy of the offer, or an invoice, to them

Use roaming rates as leverage: (see post #4; http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...4#post14073664)

Preparing for the call:
-List all the features you need/want; list ALL the details of the competitor's plan (you will use these for leverage); don't forget data, LD, roaming rates, & a new phone -if of interest to you (These notes will ensure you don't forget anything while negotiating!);
-Have rebuttals ready for the downside of the competitor’s plan you are using for leverage. eg: “XYZ is only in a few cities” -> ‘I don’t travel much, so that’s not really an issue’; “XYZ doesn’t have a good selection of phones” -> ‘a good plan is more important to me than a handset’; etc
-Have an idea of how much you think is reasonable to pay for the features you want; be prepared to tell them, & even explain your position.
-Have pen & paper to take notes

Pointers:
-Have reasonable expectations. Your measures of success should be to achieve: (i) better value than you currently have, (ii) a competitively priced plan. Truly great plans aren't negotiated in one call; they are the result of multiple negotiations over many months/years. A series of small victories will eventually create a great plan (each subsequent improvement (generally) being more difficult)
-Just because you saw a great deal posted on this forum, doesn’t mean you'll be able to duplicate it. Everyone's negotiation skill & situation is different. You are trying to get the best deal YOU can get. Referring to someone else' retention plan is a bad strategy, which will trigger resistance from agents; the only comparisons should be with a competitors plan
-Don't call too frequently. Initially, a few calls over a week or two is probably OK; but calling too often can get your account flagged. It's better to explain to an agent WHY you are NOT accepting their offer (& what you would accept); rather than to just say you'll think about it
-DON'T USE THE DIRECT LINE to call in to negotiate (see next point)
-Don't mention the internet, RFD, HoFo, or use ‘retention’ language (i.e. mention a ‘value pack’; NOT a ‘retention value pack’). If agents know you are onto this information, they can be more difficult because they can see through your Brilliant Story, they'll assume you won't cancel, & you’ll lose leverage
-Don't necessarily take the first offer; it could be a test to see how little you will settle for. Then again, don't dismiss an offer, which is a significant improvement over your current plan, just because it's not your 'ideal' plan/price
-Anytime Fido announces (on your bill) a change to the terms of your plan, this is a golden opportunity to negotiate a better deal, or get out of your contract. I believe you have 30 days to tell them "you want to cancel; unless they compensate you with such n such"

If you want a new phone: It's usually best to NEGOTIATE A VOICE PLAN, BEFORE DISCUSSING A PHONE. If they know you want an iPhone, they may not be as willing to offer so many credits; plus you'll lose leverage with Wind, as an iPhone doesn't work on their network. If you are after your first smartphone, being prepared and knowing all the plans and options you want ahead of time, helps to steer the agent towards the right plans in your negotiations; you can then either substitute VPs (for one with data), or add a data plan, after getting the rest of your plan right and then asking for a smartphone.

When you call: MAKE SURE YOU ARE DEALING WITH RETENTIONS, not a regular CSR, & BE POLITE:
-Follow your instincts, if your gut tells you a call isn't going well with an agent, keep the call short.
-Tell them what the competition is offering, which you find appealing as far as plans & features, & ask if they can offer you something similar (feature by feature; working through your notes/list);
-Let them know if/where a plan or feature they offer you might be excessive or insufficient to your needs;
-Don't be afraid to steer them in the direction of a plan/feature/bundle you know they offer, if it suits your needs better than what they have suggested; (it's probably best NOT to sound too informed, so steer them by restating your needs and asking leading questions)
-Ask if there is anything else they can offer in the way of credits/features/bonuses that would entice you to sign an agreement today;

If you feel you have NOT been offered a competitive plan, explain why you feel the offer is not competitive, what you feel would be reasonable & you would accept.
Unless you have a genuine dispute, it is generally NOT advisable to ask to speak to a supervisor. Trying to negotiate a better deal with a supervisor often backfires; if they make a note on your account (say to remove a previously offered credit or offer), NO AGENT will go against those instructions!

If negotiations aren't going well with an agent: thank them & tell them you want to think about it (don't just hang up!); then call back later/another day & try again with another agent

If you are offered a deal you aren't sure about: ask the agent to note the offer in the system & read the note back to you (to ensure they CLEARLY noted all details of the offer); then ask for a reference #, note the time of the call, the agent's name, & THANK THEM (Note: if Fido changes policies (that your offer doesn't meet) &/or a feature of your pending offer is taken off market b4 you accept it, the offer will be void)

If you are offered a deal you agree to accept: THANK THE AGENT! Get a reference number, note the time of the call & the name of the agent. Call back after about half an hour, speak to a regular CSR & ask them to review the changes to your account; ensure the plan, & everything they offered, was correctly applied. If it is not correct, ask that a supervisor review the recording of the call, & give them the reference details of that call

For myself, I used Wind's $35 plan as a comparable, I told the agent that it was excessive to my needs, as I didn't need an unlimited plan, but that other features of the plan really appealed to me (province wide Long Distance, great US roaming rates for voice & text, etc). I told the agent about each of those features, & asked what Fido could do for me that might be comparable. It took me just under 40 minutes to negotiate my plan, as I methodically worked through my notes, point by point. I ended up with a plan that more than meets my needs, with pretty much everything I asked for & wanted (except better US roaming rates, for which they gave me a credit in lieu of), at a price better than I expected!

To reach the Fido Retention Dept.:
-Call 611 & tell the CSR you’ve been shopping around & realize you are paying too much for your plan. If you present an offer from another carrier that beats any of Fido’s published plans, you should be transferred to retentions (usually you will be transferred, but retention agents sometimes answer 611 calls, & this will get them into 'retentions mode')
-On subsequent calls, you can tell the CSR you wish to discuss a 'previously noted offer' (if you have one)

Wishing you success!

[thirstyears]

Searching the competition for good comparables to use as leverage in your negotiations:

Only you know will know what constitutes a good deal for YOU, as everyone has different needs. You have to be clear on what you really need and want. Only when you are clear on this, will you be able to find good plans to use for comparison and leverage.

Check your records by looking at your last few invoices to know what your actual usage is and verify your needs (day/night/in/outbound/texts/data/LD/etc.). If you have a plan that includes special options like F2F or F2F/R how much do you need it?

Usually the best offer you can find in the market that will meet your needs will be similar to what Fido will offer you. Do not lie about the price another provider can give you; the agents have access to all the plans on the market, they will call your bluff and your deal will be gone. If you use a corporate plan, Fido has no way to confirm them, and if it sounds too good to be true, they won't try very hard to retain you.

New carriers have brought renewed competition to the market with some smaller, generous, and unlimited plan offerings; which may include features that have traditionally cost additional money with established carriers. That's not to say that you will necessarily find YOUR best comparable plan with them. All companies periodically change their offerings, specials come and go, and the market is ever-changing. With newcomers having now entered the market, there's a wider choice of plans than ever.

Yes, there are some great plans out there, with seemingly unlimited everything, -which might seem appealing. Be realistic and ask yourself: ‘could I get by on a smaller cheaper plan?’ Having an unlimited plan might be comforting; but excessive and a waste of money if you don't really need it. You can always present a competitors plan as a comparable to begin negotiations; mentioning you like many of the features included with that plan, then make it clear that this plan is actually excessive to your needs; that you are hoping to get something of SIMILAR VALUE; though, perhaps a bit smaller and cheaper; but with many of those features, if that is the case. Or, if you find something that suits your needs near perfectly at a great price, then use that.

Here is a list of some of the competing carriers’ websites, to help you in your search. Happy Hunting!

Newcomers:
http://mobilicity.ca/plans/ (Currently: Toronto; Coming soon: Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Vancouver)
http://www.publicmobile.ca/portal/co...lan/plan.xhtml (Currently Toronto, Montreal; Coming soon: the Windsor to Quebec City Corridor)
http://shop.windmobile.ca/ProductCatalog/VoicePlans/ (Currently: Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto/GTA, & Vancouver)
http://www.videotron.com/service/mob...o?lang=ENGLISH (Quebec Only)

Big 3:
http://www.bell.ca/shopping/PrsShpWls_Landing.page
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless_plan_landing
http://www.telusmobility.com

Big 3 discount brands:
http://www.chatrwireless.com/web/cha...bel=PlanBrowse (Rogers) If you are considering switching to Chatr or Wind and you see them as equal, go with Wind to support true competition!
http://www.koodomobile.com/en/on/index.shtml (Telus)
http://www.solomobile.ca/Home.aspx (Bell) If you are considering switching to Solo or Wind and you see them as equal, go with Wind to support true competition!
http://www.virginmobile.ca (Bell)

These sites are supposed to compare plans between some of the different carriers; though personally, I didn’t find them very useful. Maybe you’ll have better luck!:
http://www.cellphones.ca/cell-plans/
http://www.comparecellular.com/plans-and-services/

PS: if you have suggestions for other resources that I might add to this list, private message me and I'll update this list. Cheers!

[thirstyears]

COMMON PLANS, ADD-ONS, & CREDITS AVAILABLE THROUGH FIDO's RETENTION (CxR) DEPARTMENT (regular CSRs & stores do not have access to these offers)

NOTE: All information here has been gathered from RFD or HoFo forums, or PM'ed to me. Customers report receiving conflicting information from different agents, so it can be difficult to know what information is truly accurate! There's no guarantee any of this information is accurate, or up to date. Plans, options, and offers do change. If you can correct inaccurate information, or have new/updated/additional or otherwise useful information, please Private Message me.

Please understand it is at an agent's discretion whether to OFFER any given plan or option. A good way to negotiate your plan is to come across as a loyal customer who is serious about changing carriers; present a good plan from a competitor; & ask that Fido offer you something of SIMILAR VALUE, that will meet your needs. If you can state your needs in such a way that they closely (but not exactly) resemble the plans and options you find appealing here, hopefully the agent will put together a plan similar to what you have in mind, at a competitive price. It's better to gently steer an agent towards what you're looking for, rather than sounding too informed about all these options.

Retention Voice Plans:
-Many of these plans require you to be CURRENTLY on contract; or agree to a new contract, if currently M2M. If you do not wish to renew an agreement, negotiate & apply your voice plan BEFORE your current agreement expires!
-All have the expanded Fido/Rogers network, call waiting, 3-way calling, and no SAF
-All are non-zoned, except those listed as zoned
-Plans with unlimited E+W@7 are sometimes offered/negotiated with E+W@5pm with a contract renewal
-Note: F2F=local Fido2Fido; F2F/R=local Fido2Fido/Rogers/RogersHome; [M2M]=this plan is available when currently M2M, without a renewal; *=Supervisor's permission req'd to allow/make exception (getting rare)

$10 Plan: $0.35/min; [$12 when M2M]; (offered if out of country for extended periods/alternative to paying ECFs & closing an account)
$15 Plan: 50 Anytime minutes; choice of: CID or VM; [M2M];
$17.50 Plan: 200 Daytime; Unlimited E+W 5pm-8am (includes a $7 credit)
$20 Plan: 200 Daytime; Unlimited E+W 7pm-8am; 1000 F2F
$25 Plan -with unlimited incoming: 200 Daytime; 1000 E+W 7pm-8am; Unlimited Incoming; Caller ID
$25 Plan -with unlimited E+W & F2F: 200 Daytime; Unlimited E+W 7pm-8am; F2F; 2500 SMS (texts); VM; [M2M]
$35 Plan: 250 Daytime; Unlimited E+W @7pm; Unlimited incoming; CID; 100 Cdn LD
$40 Plan: 700 Daytime; Unlimited E+W 7pm-8am; F2F/R

'Zoned' plans -using current CityFido zones; (restricted to your home city, otherwise subject to $0.25/min airtime (plus applicable LD charges) when outside your 'zone')
$35: 4000 outgoing minutes; Unlimited Incoming; F2F/R; 50 Cdn/US SMS; CID; [M2M]
$45: 4000 outgoing minutes; Unlimited: Incoming + Cdn LD + F2F/R + Cdn/US SMS; CID & VM; [M2M]
$35 RETAIL CityFido : Unlimited local calling & Cdn/Int'l SMS (can use in any CityFido zone, otherwise airtime is $0.25/min); add unlimited Cdn LD for $10/mo.; no 'plan credits' allowed;[M2M]

'Non-zoned' Unlimited plans (using regular LCAs, not the larger CityFido zones); no 'plan credits' allowed on any unlimited voice plan
$35: Unlimited local calling;[M2M]
$45: Unlimited local calling & Cdn/US SMS;(add unlimited Cdn LD for $10; add unlimited US LD for $10);[M2M]
$40 RETAIL: Unlimited local calling & Cdn/Int'l SMS; (mention Koodo or Virgin talk&text to be offered this); ($10 unlimited LD options NOT allowed);[M2M]

"Koodo competitive offers" Technically these are not retention offers, as any agent can offer them. To be eligible for these plans, one needs to mention Koodo and the fact that their plans have unlimited incoming. (Quoting the competition, as I've been saying)
$30: 150/unlimited E+W@7/unlimited incoming + 50 txt canada & international
$40: 300/unlimited E+W@7/unlimited incoming + unlim txt can & inter + MMS + 100 MB mobile browsing [non-smartphone]
$40: 300/unlimited E+W@7/unlimited incoming + unlim txt can & inter + MMS + unlim BB social networking [can't take an agreement on this data option]

Value Packs: (sometimes discounted via a 'plan credit'*)
$10 -VP (Voice Mail, CID, 2500 Cdn SMS); WhoCalled is an additional $3
$10 -VP for iPhone (Visual-VM, CID, WC); (sometimes offered with a renewal gift of: 100SMS, or $5 for 2500SMS)
$30 -VP for smartphones/Blackberries (VVM, CID, WC, Unlimited Cdn SMS+MMS, 500Mb Data); 3yr data contract req'd
Retail Value Packs with text messaging: http://www.fido.ca/web/content/optio...epacks_classic
Retail Value Packs without text messaging: http://www.fido.ca/web/content/options/valuepacks

Additional minutes, Long Distance, & other features: (most have an associated full or partial 'feature credit'; see credits below)
-Additional minutes (anytime/local): $10 for 200; {ask for 50 bonus minutes}
-F2F/R (local): $10; (Retail F2F is local+LongDistance calls & texts between Fido subscribers: $10)
-Unlimited Incoming calls: $10
-Unlimited happy hour 5pm-7pm: $6 (retail) (sometimes offered for free/negotiated with a $6 credit)
-Canadian LD: $10 for 1000min.; $20 unlimited (retail)
-Can/USA LD: $5 for 35min.; $10 for 100min.; $30 unlimited (retail)
-International LD: $5 for preferred international rates (up to 90% off; including $0.05/min for Canada + US)
-Canadian SMS (retail): $10 unlimited; $5 for 200; (sometimes as a renewal gift: 100-free, or $5-2500)
-International SMS: $10 unlimited; (retail: $10 for 250; $7 for 50; $4 for 25 )
-MMS: $5 for 100 Picture and Video Messages (retail)
-CID or VM: $7 (retail) (sometimes offered/negotiated as a free bonus feature for 6 or 12 months)
-More retail options are listed here: http://www.fido.ca/web/page/portal/Fido/FidoOptions

Renewal Gifts/Signing Bonuses:
When renewing/entering an agreement, agents can offer signing bonuses. Which gift(s) you might be offered can be at an agent's discretion as well as other factors. If you’re offered gift(s) you won’t use/aren’t interested in, ask what else they might offer. Again, best not to sound too informed about these gifts; but that's not to say you can't mention some of the features offered as gifts, as features you'll NEED as you negotiate your plan (& that you're willing to sign an agreement)
-Common ones: Early Eves (5pm), extra 50 min., or 100sms for length of agreement; 3mo.unlimited local calling; 50min.Cdn.LD for 3mo.; CID or VM for 6 or 12mo.; Fido$ (on early renewal): 2yr=$30, 3yr=$50
-Less common: 2500sms for $5; F2F/R for $5

Retention data options:
>"Fido will not offer a Retention data option to a customer unless this customer is thinking of renewing and getting a smartphone with 3Y term OR if a Customer wants to remove existing Data option." -FidoSeniorAgent HoFo 2010/05/28
>Where a data contract is required (6GB, $30VP, & HUP), the base plan must be >= $25

-Flex Data option (NOT available with BB); fee based on actual usage each month: $10 <100MB; $15 100-150MB; $20 150-500 MB; $25 500-1GB; $25 plus $0.05/MB for anything over 1GB to a max of $500/month; (US roaming @ ~$31/MB)
-$15 150MB for smartphones or 50MB for Blackberry; (overage@ $0.03/MB)
-$40 3GB (NOT available with BB). Can be standalone for data sticks, or added to a voice plan
-$30 6GB for smartphones/BB; 3yr data contract req'd; NO DATA CREDITS/DISCOUNTS ALLOWED
-the $30 VP for smartphones/BB includes 500Mb; 3yr data contract req'd

Monthly credits: (recurring monthly credits (often for the term of your agreement) to lower your monthly bill and make your plan more competitive)
-'Plan Credits' (not tied to any feature): $5, $7, & $10; only on plans>=$25*; maximum one plan credit per account*; NO PLAN CREDITS on any of the unlimited voice plans (no exceptions)
-'Feature Credits': tied to a particular feature
-'Data Credits': $5 credit possible on $15/$25 data plans; up to $10 credit possible on data plans>=$30 (except 6GB)

General observations/guidelines for credits:
-CREDITS CANNOT EXCEED THE VALUE OF YOUR BASE PLAN. Also a high ratio or large amount of credits may come under scrutiny of auditors, and may be adjusted
-All the plans and options available through retentions are good value on their own, even without credits! When you can present a strong offer from a competitor, Fido will add credits to your plan in order to keep it competitive
-the stronger a competitor's offer, which you can present and use for leverage, the more credits CxR may extend in order to create a competitive plan
-the larger the plan ($) and more add-ons you have the more credits you might qualify for
-credits are easier to get when agreeing to a contract (freedom has a price)
-when not agreeing to a contract, credits are for a shorter term (often 6 or 12 months), after which you will have to call back and renegotiate for them
-If you have two $10 add-ons (excluding data, which have their own credits) it seems pretty common to get a $10 credit to cover one of them
-$10 is good/$15 is very good/$20+ is pretty exceptional (and rare) as far as credits on the smaller base plans with add-ons; more have been reported on the $80 plan with add-ons. (rumored max is $32 on plans >$90)
-occasionally CxR will give a one time credit to cover the cost (or portion) of an option for the term of your agreement, if they cannot offer more monthly credits
-sometimes (with certain promotions) Fido offers bonus Fido$ when signing an agreement, and purchasing a new phone. (it never hurts to ask for some)
-If you are considering removing a option, ask CxR if you will be able to keep ALL of your credits. Removing an option may reduce the amount of credits you qualify for
-at times credits may be more easily obtained, while at others they may be more difficult to obtain; plus some agents might be more willing to offer them than others. Read the last dozen, or more, pages of this forum to see what others have been able to negotiate recently
-if you accepted an offer, then call in after a month or so to get a totally different package, CxR can remove all previous credits; you are essentially renegotiating your plan from scratch

If you feel you have NOT been offered a competitive plan, then tell the agent and explain why you feel the offer is not competitive; by doing this, I have never needed to ask for a credit.

If you want a new phone: Fido may be less generous with credits if they know you want a $$$ phone, so NEGOTIATE YOUR PLAN FIRST. Research plans & options, steer them towards the right plan, then talk hardware upgrade last

To get subsidized pricing on a phone: you generally have to sign a contract & your plan cost $25/month or more

To get a full subsidy on the latest smartphones requires: 3 year contract for voice & data (subject to ECF & DECF); base plan >= $25; base plan+data plan-credits >= $50(iPhone/Acer) or $40(BB) (add on features don't count)

[thirstyears]

Ranting to Fido about their Roaming Rates might get you a better deal... and maybe even eventually get us some better roaming rates/plans.

One point I'm hoping more people raise with Fido is their exorbitant US and International roaming rates. We are paying $1.49/min for voice and a ridiculous $0.75 for a text while in the US. Wind charges only $0.25/min and $0.15 for text when in the US.

As far as data roaming goes, if enough people start asking for something like Rogers "ONE RATE" data plan which allows one to use their data plan in both the US and Canada for an extra $10 monthly fee, we might actually get it too. That is a far better deal than anything we are currently offered. FYI: Fido's US Data Roaming rates are $6/MB if you subscribe to a data plan; $30/MB pay-per-use; or can be as low as $1/MB is you subscribe to a US Data Roaming monthly subscription for $10/month (supposedly there's a 3 month minimum). Bell's US roaming rate is $6/MB; Wind is $4/MB; and Telus is $3/MB. Bell and Telus have US data subscriptions similar to Fido's: $10/month gets you a rate of $1/MB (Telus' is a one time fee good for 30 days).

In all sincerity, my desire from all you folks reading here, is to raise these points with Fido when negotiating your plans; tell them how the competition has superior roaming rates & plans, and ask for something similar If they are unable to offer anything comparable, ask if they might provide some type of compensation! With enough complaints, hopefully Fido will respond and remedy these ridiculous rates, and offer us some decent roaming rates/plans!

I managed to get an additional $5 monthly credit in lieu of any similar comparable plans*, so it certainly won't hurt your negotiations to raise these issues! I’d actually prefer decent roaming rates than this small monthly credit which will get burnt up with just one quick phone call while roaming!

Wishing you great success with your negotiations! :-)

PS: for all of you who might suggest i use a US SIM/pay-as-you go phone in the US, I do**. My principal point being: if enough people complain, then Fido's policies might actually change, and then there wouldn't be the incentive, there currently is, to get a US SIM/prepaid phone for short trips to the US.

* To get this $5 monthly credit I asked if Fido had any data plans similar to Roger's One Rate plan, or voice and text rates similar to Wind's (and quoted the rates). The agent searched on his computer for a bit, then came back and said unfortunately no. I then told the agent that I usually bought a prepaid phone/airtime when i traveled to the US for a week or more, as Fido's rates were so expensive. I then told the agent I was very tempted by Wind's $35 plan generally, but I saw great benefit with their plan as their US roaming rates were so reasonable -it would eliminate my need to purchase US prepaid phones/airtime. That is when the agent offered me the monthly credit in lieu of any comparable options from Fido. :-)

** I usually get a Net10 phone for $30 (which includes $30 airtime), if I'm headed down for a week or more. With the International Neighbors feature (a Canadian tel #, which you can call fwd your Fido# to; or give to friends and family), $0.10/min, and $0.05/text (unfortunately no texting to Canada), I haven't found anything that beats Net10. http://www.auristechnology.com/net10ild/

[thirstyears]

MORE INFO, AND POINTS TO CONSIDER, if you're not overwhelmed already!

Again, before you call:
-Do your research; take a look at your last few invoices and verify your needs (day/night/in/outbound/texts/data/LD/etc.).
-Then take a look at the different plans that are possible and determine what would fit your usage best. (Do not think about credits here, just find the plans and option at their “real” value). Now, decide what you want to pay for it and be realistic with yourself.
-Take time to look at the websites from other providers to find out how much it would cost to have a plan/option that suits your needs. Usually the best offer you can find in the market, that will meet your needs, will be similar to what Fido will offer you.

DEALING WITH AGENTS
-BE HONEST & KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. It's best not to sound too informed; just be matter-of-fact with how you feel that you are paying too much for your services; what you've found with a competitor, what you need/want; & then ASK WHAT THE AGENT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE A PLAN THAT WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS AT A MORE COMPETITIVE PRICE
-There’s no need to play hard-ball, be loud, or argumentative; don't give attitude, ultimatums, or come across as demanding; doing so will get agents into a defensive mode, & they will resist you
-As with most situations in life, how you deal with others usually determines how they deal with you. Push too hard and agents will push back. Let them do their job, they are good at it, & they will find solutions for you. This is where a humble yet assertive demeanor; (re)stating your needs & asking leading questions to gently steer the agents towards the right options (without letting on that you know of these retention options), can be very helpful
-You want the agent to be your ally, NOT your adversary. NEVER ASK "Why can't I have {such n such}" (they will gladly tell you why you can't!). ASK "WHAT CAN THEY DO {to solve your problem/improve your plan/help you}". Stay calm, polite & respectful to the agent, as you explain your situation & present your case. These are people with feelings, & things will go better for the two of you if there are good feelings between you.
-If you’re not getting a good vibe from the agent, keep the call short, & try again later
-If you currently have an agreement, show that you do have an option to go elsewhere that would be financially wise, despite your ECFs
-There may be times you’ll come across a super deal, which an agent may not be able to match directly, but it can be used to plant the seed of wanting a significant plan improvement &/or bill reduction
-If you ask more than they're willing to offer, agents can simply proceed with your request, & cancel your account; in which case you would have pay the ECF. Do not let them cancel your account; but rather tell the agent you're going to call the competitor to get more information, & that you'll check back with Fido one last time to find out what their best offer is, before making a decision to proceed with porting
-If you’re not impressed with Fido’s best counter offer to some super deal you’ve found, don’t get mad at the agent(s); but rather carefully consider whether a move to a competitor really might be a better option; or if paying a bit more for Fido’s services might be worth it. Price is not the only thing to consider: things like size & reliability of the network; availability of data; perks such as Fido$ (usable towards handsets/new services) & subsidized handsets; as well as the availability/compatibility of a preferred handset (iPhones don’t work on Wind/Mobilicity) are things to give thought to. There’s nothing that says you have to stay with Fido.

TO REACH THE RETENTION DEPT. AT FIDO:
-Call 611 & tell the CSR you’ve been shopping around & realize you are paying too much for your plan. If you present an offer from another carrier that beats any of Fido’s published plans, you should be transferred to retentions (usually you will be transferred, but retention agents sometimes answer 611 calls, & this will get them into 'retentions mode')
-On subsequent calls, you can tell the CSR you wish to discuss a 'previously noted offer' (if you have one)

CALLING DIRECT: (NOT recommended)
-1-888-481-3436,#,7,3 & the hidden menu (611,7,3), are Fido’s internal (non-published) numbers reserved for RETAILERS to contact the 'CANCELLATION DEPT.' quickly; THEY ARE NOT INTENDED FOR CUSTOMER USE
-If you use either, AGENTS WILL KNOW IT. They will also assume you are well informed, so be prepared and use a straight to the point direct approach. Credits can be more difficult to get, than when transferred via 611 agents
-There is a risk you’ll get an unfriendly agent who may flag, or actually proceed to cancel, your account. If you're too impatient to follow proper protocol, you do so at your own risk!

NOTES ON YOUR ACCOUNT
-Every time an agent opens an account, they have to write notes as per why they accessed it and what happened. At retentions, the rep also needs to enter the offer(s) that were made.
-This means that when calling retention, you're better off telling the agent why you're not taking their offer(s), and what you are looking for before you will accept. As long as you keep the offer as pending, you can always call back to ask for changes on it and they will help you.

BAD NOTES
-Calling too frequently to bargain/discuss the same issue; or if an agent considers you hostile/rude/harassing; can cause your account to get BAD NOTES that other agents will see on subsequent calls, which won’t help your negotiations.
-You want to clear those 'bad notes' by making several calls to 611 to discuss random things such as: additional feature(s) & price(s); an explanation of a billing charge; network problems; confirm your billing cycle; your HUP eligibility date; questions regarding coverage/roaming/etc; or to thank them. Be polite & easy going; keep the calls short..
-By calling 5 or 6 times you will eventually get mundane 'good notes' to push those bad notes down, eventually off the initial screen view, so they won’t be so apparent.
-Again, don't call too often; it will likely take weeks/months to fix this.

CREDITS:
-If you present a good offer from a competitor, you need NOT ask for, or mention credits; the agent should add them to the plan they are building for you, in order to present a competitive offer. If you feel the offer isn't competitively priced, simply tell the agent you're not happy with the price and could they improve it by either X amount of dollars, or to bring the total amount down to such n such (without ever mentioning the word credit!).
-Credits are an area which some people end up having issues/frustration/confusion with. It’s been indicated there’s a policy that credits cannot exceed the cost of your base plan; it’s not so much a rule, but the way Fido’s system works. The system will limit your credits to the value of your base plan. If a CxR gives a $20 credit on the $17.50 plan, only $17.50 in credits will be applied by the system. Also, it doesn't matter if they are data credits, voice credits, or a free feature; they're all counted the same way.
-As a Fido rep explained, here's where some apparent contradictions (AND PROBLEMS) arise: “from a technical point of view it is possible to give more credit than the base plan, but the agent would have to add every single one of them manually; document the reason for every single credit, and why he is giving the credit on top of those already applied. Any ''one time'' credit that we give can be checked by the audit team and if something isn't properly documented, or has no notes whatsoever, then we have to answer the what-why-how, which means you can get in deep trouble”. It seems the audit team can remove credits they deem inappropriate. So even if a CxR does give you more credits than your base plan, they can be removed by revenue assurance auditors; so it's probably best just to accept the fact that credits cannot exceed the value of your voice plan, rather than fighting for and getting frustrated over an extra credit an agent tells you won't stick. If an agent OFFERS you an extra credit and it goes through, that's a whole other thing ...consider yourself lucky (and hope they stick)!
-For those on the $17.50 plan, you are very restricted in the amount of credits you can receive, because the plan has a built in line-charge of 5pm early eves for $7, with an adjoining credit for $7, which is part and parcel of that plan. So the maximum you can receive is an additional $10 credit on that plan. To receive more credits you’ll need to change to a larger base plan.

LOWERING THE PRICE OF A NEGOTIATED PLAN
-You can always take off extra features to lower your plan if you don't need them. But be careful, if it was a feature that the agent gave with a discount, by taking off the feature you would also loose the associated discount. Therefore, when getting a deal, if the agent is applying discount, ask for the discount to be associated with option that you know you need and will keep. (Supposedly an agent will very rarely give the credit on the line in general when they can apply the same discount on an option)
-If you always accept offers and then call back a few days later to get something extra, that's another story. The more you call to get, for example an extra $5 off, the less likely you are to get it; so let a couple of months pass before calling back.

CHANGING PLANS/OFFERS
-you can always have retention offer, simply mention that your need has/will be changing and ask for an offer that would fit your new needs.
-If you are on a contract you can still threaten to cancel to get a better deal. Though honestly, I'd simply go with a "I've seen a better option elsewhere" scheme.

Thanks also go to mrp, fg, and ceredon.

[thirstyears]

This spot reserved for another future article

[thirstyears]

Glossary and some useful reference information: (much of this is thanks to RogersWatch @ WordPress)

Agreement – A contract with Fido, in which you agree to subscribe to Fido’s services (voice and/or data) for a stated Commitment Period (usually 24 or 36 months)

BB – BlackBerry

BBM – BlackBerry Messenger – a chat-type program, used exclusively on BlackBerry devices; very popular with BlackBerry users

BES – BlackBerry Enterprise Server – BlackBerry service that uses Rogers’ cellular network, but has the data handling done by a (usually corporate) BES server

BIS – BlackBerry Internet Service – refers to BB service that one contracts directly from Rogers; used by consumers

CC- Conference Calling – also known as 3-way calling (using this feature uses your minutes twice as fast)

CID – Caller ID (name and number display)

CF – Call Forwarding (add-on: $3 for 2500 minutes); also short for CityFido

CityFido – a retail voice plan (available in select cities) with a larger allotment of minutes, and (generally) a larger local calling area (called your “CityFido Zone”). Whenever you are outside your CityFido zone (your home city), you are subject to your physical location’s LCA, out-of-zone airtime charges of $0.25/min, in addition to applicable LD charges. More info on this page: http://www.fido.ca/cityfido (click on your city to see its CityFido zone coverage map).

Complaints / Conflict Resolution Process - http://www.fido.ca/web/page/portal/F...ke_A_Complaint

Contract – see Agreement

CP – Commitment Period – defined in the ToS as “a committed period of time”; it means your Agreement/Contract’s term or duration.

CW – Call Waiting (included with all plans; using this feature uses your minutes twice as fast)

CSR – Customer Service Representative – any front-line, low-level rep at Fido

Cx – Customer

CxR – Customer RELATIONS (also known as Retentions or Loyalty) – the good reps/dep’t who can give deeper discounts & much cheaper plans; contrast with CxS

CxS – Customer SERVICE (reps, and dep’t) – the wimpy reps/dep’t who have limited plans & credits they can give out; contrast with CxR

DM – Desktop Manager – the software from RIM, for BB‘s, that lets the user backup the data on their BB onto their PC as well as install & remove applications from their BB. DM version 5 has built-in tethering support! Download DM from here: http://blackberry.com/desktop

DT – Day Time, as in daytime minutes in a voice plan

DECF – Data Early Cancellation Fee (note: for data service) – (except for Quebec) The DECF is the greater of (i) $100 or (ii) $10 per month remaining in the Data Term, to a maximum of $200 (plus applicable taxes), and applies in addition to the ECF for termination of your Fido Agreement. If you have subscribed to your data option before July 19, 2009 and you continue or renew on the same option on a 2- or 3-year term, the DECF will be the greater of (i) $25 or (ii) $5 per month remaining in the Data Term, to a maximum of $100 (plus applicable taxes), and applies in addition to the ECF for termination of your Fido Agreement. If you subscribe to a plan combining both voice and data services, both the ECF and DECF apply.

DTMF – Dual-Tone, Multi-Frequency [tones] – more commonly known as ‘touch-tones’ (that one hears when pressing buttons on a regular telephone)

ECF – Early Cancellation Fee (note: for voice service) – (except for Quebec) The ECF is the greater of (i) $100 or (ii) $10 per month remaining in the Fido Agreement, to a maximum of $300 (plus applicable taxes), and applies for each deactivated phone number. If you have subscribed to your monthly plan before February 1, 2007 and you continue or renew on the same monthly plan on a 2- or 3-year term, the ECF will be equal to $20 times the number of months remaining in the term, to a maximum of $200 (plus applicable taxes). If you have subscribed to your monthly plan on or after February 1, 2007 but before July 19, 2009 and you continue or renew on the same monthly plan on a 2- or 3-year term, the ECF will be the greater of (i) $100 or (ii) $20 per month remaining in the term, to a maximum of $400 (plus applicable taxes).

EIR – Equipment Identity Register – An international list of known-bad IMEI numbers; used by carriers to block stolen handsets from usability on a carrier’s network (and many others, internationally); Fido/Rogers implemented using the EIR in March of 2009.

EPP – Employee Pricing Plan (?) – lower-than-usual priced yet “in market” plans that are sometimes offered by Fido; usually some special, membership-qualifying conditions attached; EPP plans are limited in the discounts/credits they can receive.

EVM - Enhanced Voicemail; More storage, call return, group messaging, and the ability to record a personalized greeting compared to regular voicemail

Expanded Network - is access to the larger Fido/Rogers Network. Prior to Rogers’ take-over of Fido, Fido only offered services in major urban centres. Voice plans offered prior to November 4, 2008 are subject to roaming charges (or alternately a monthly subscription) when outside Fido’s traditional coverage areas when accessing/roaming on the larger Rogers’ network. Since November 4, 2008, all new plans (except zoned plans, like CityFido) include access to the expanded (Rogers) network.

F2F – a feature allowing unlimited Fido to Fido calls (through retentions this is for local calls only; the retail option ($10) is local + Long Distance calls & texts between Fido subscribers)

F2F/R – an add-on feature available through retentions ($10) allowing unlimited Fido to Fido/Rogers/RogersHome calls (local)

Fido Rewards/ Fido Dollars (Fido$) – 5% of the eligible fees for Fido services will be credited in Fido$, which you can use towards handset purchases or to apply towards your first month(s) use of a feature/Fido service. http://www.fido.ca/web/page/portal/Fido/FidoRewards

Fido Wi-Fi Calling – See:UNO

HH – HandHeld – a generic term referring to any small, handheld cellphone-sized computing device like a BlackBerry, iPhone, etc

HUP – Hardware Upgrade Program – cx can elect to receive a discounted or free phone from Fido when the cx has been with Fido for a qualifying period of time (usually in the last 6 months of a 24 month; or last 6 months of a 36 month, CP); always causes the CP of the cx to reset, sometimes ending 3 years from the end date of the current CP (this is known as contract stacking) rather than 3 years from the renewal date.

IMEI – International Mobile Equipment Identity – a type of unique serial number representing a physical, cellular phone

Killer Plan – sometimes referred to as EPP – a former retail plan currently available through retentions: $17.50/month for 200DT, Unlimited E+W@5, Per-Second Billing (limited in the discounts/credits it can receive).

LCA – Local Calling Area – the geographic areas: (i) encompassing your home city/town in which you can receive an incoming call; and (ii) determined by your current physical location, place an outgoing call to; without incurring LD charges. More info: http://www.fido.ca/web/Fido.portal?_...ookup&lang=en; (Note: CityFido plans have ‘CityFido zones’ which are different (usually larger) than local calling areas; see CityFido for more info)

LD – Long Distance –more info: http://www.fido.ca/web/content/faq/f...stance?lang=en

LNP – Local Number Portability – the ability to port your phone number to a different carrier

M2M – Month To Month – a customer who is not under Agreement/CP; sometimes written as MTM

MFC – Monthly Feature Credit – a recurring monthly credit tied to a particular feature (such as data, or early evenings); removing the feature automatically removes the credit

MMS – Multimedia Messaging Service - Picture and Video Messages

MPC – Monthly Plan Credit – a recurring generic (not tied to any particular feature) monthly credit to lower your monthly bill. Removing feature(s) from your plan may, or may not, remove your eligibility for a particular MPC; or affect your total allowable monthly credits.

MSF – Monthly Service Fee – the monthly fee you pay for your base plan (i.e. not including add-ons, taxes, etc)

Non-zoned – a plan which includes full access to the expanded Fido/Rogers cellular network, subject to applicable airtime and Long Distance charges. If you dial: * # 1 2 3 # [send], and receive a message saying: “no tariff area information available”, then you have a non-zoned plan.

OOTP – Office of the President – The third level of complaint resolution at Fido, after frontline CSRs and department managers.

OTA – Over The Air – refers, usually, to data that goes to a cellphone via the airwaves; contrast with data that goes to the cellphone over a USB cable

PIN – Personal Identification Number – usually used in the context of BlackBerry devices since each BlackBerry has a unique PIN and this PIN can be used to address messages from (only!) a BlackBerry device to another BlackBerry device via PIN-to-PIN messages, as well as BBM messages

PPU – Pay Per Use – the rates one would pay if they use a service but have not subscribed to a plan for that service (often very outrageous rates)

PSB – Per Second Billing – Billing is tallied by each second of usage (most carriers charge full minutes, for partial minutes used, on each call)

Renewal – an agreement/contract renewal

RNA – Ring No Answer

SP – Smart Phone – Android, BlackBerry, iPhone and other high-functioning phones (they can browse the web, play video, etc)

Stacking – The stacking of contracts/agreements is where your new contract starts upon the completion of your current contract. See: HUP

RA – Revenue Assurance – a department with Fido that removes any credits that auditors feel aren’t supposed to be on a cx’s account.

SAF – System Access Fee – name for the old $6.95/mo money-grab

Signing Gift/Bonus – a perk for renewing your agreement; often a free feature for a limited time (such as CID, VM, or unlimited local calling for 6 months), or a discounted feature for the duration of your CP (such as $5 for 2500SMS). Sometimes can be a monthly plan credit for the duration of your CP (such as $10 off CityFido).

SMS – Short Message Service – Text messages

TaC – Terms and Conditions

Tethering - allows you to share the mobile internet connection on your smartphone with your laptop. Data plans 1GB and larger allow tethering (not allowed with Flex data options).

TOR – Transfer of Responsibility – when an existing Fido cx transfers their account & plan to be ‘owned’ by someone else. This can be a good option for a new customer, who may not qualify for a retention plan. (As of May 2010, all Fido accounts can be transferred, subject to the new owner passing a credit check)

ToS – Terms of Service

UMA – Unlicensed Mobile Access – when your cellphone is connecting to Fido over (for e.g.) WiFi, instead of via Fido’s GSM or 3G towers. See: UNO

UMB – Unlimited Mobile Browsing – an add-on feature for NON smartphones ($10/mo, or part of ValuePacks) that Fido offers, that gives the cx unlimited social networking, mobile browsing and application use for the month” … NOT including tethering.

UNO – renamed “Fido Wi-Fi Calling” - a retail add-on allowing you to make and receive unlimited local calls when you're at home (via WiFi), without using the minutes in your monthly plan (requires a compatible Fido handset). More info: http://www.fido.ca/web/content/monthly/fidouno?lang=en (Note: if you have a smartphone, the Skype app & subscription may be a better alternative)

VM – Voice Mail

VVM – Visual Voice Mail - lets you see a list of your messages and then choose which ones to listen to or delete, without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions.

VP – Value Pack – refers to a group of add-on features that are billed as one lump sum, e.g.: VM + CID + 2500 SMS for $10/mo., from the retention department

WC – Who Called - a service that sends you a text message with a list of phone numbers that have attempted to call you when your phone was turned off/unreachable. ($3/mo. add-on; included in some VPs)

Zoned – a plan with limited coverage area(s), which charges additional fees for accessing the cellular network, in addition to applicable LD charges, when outside your limited coverage area(s). All plans offered prior to November 4, 2008 are subject to roaming charges when outside Fido’s traditional urban coverage areas (using the expanded network of Rogers). Plans like CityFido/FullFido are subject to ‘out-of-zone’ airtime charges of $0.25/min. when leaving your ‘home zone’/home city. If you dial: * # 1 2 3 # [send], and receive a message (something to the effect of): “in-zone” or “out of zone”, then you have a zoned plan; if it reads: “no tariff area information available”, then you have a non-zoned plan.

[kevinhu]

This is the most powerful "tactic book" for negotiation with your service provider, not only just fido or wireless service provider, even others such like future shop etc.

Thank you for your hard working.

[psgill2873]

Wow thats a lot of info, This should become a sticky..

[daught]

Thanks, this is a great guide. I wonder about one thing. If I actually cancel my service with Fido, will they call me to offer a better deals? What if I call in to offer them a last chance? Could it backfire?

[Guest 311]

If you cancel it, you may get called and may not... nothing is a certainty. If you call in again while you're within your 30 days notice, chances are very high that you'll get the exact same offer as your first call with retention.

[thirstyears]

Here are details of some policies that have been modified recently or that comes up on regular basis.

the "new" HUP policy the changes came into effect as of December 1st. This affects every customer.

1- For all phone upgrade, there will be a 25$ admin fee applied automatically. It doesn't matter if you get the phone in a store or with the call center. Every customer will face those fees, and it won't be waived even at the retention level.
-That 25$ admin fee is there even if you purchase a phone without any agreement
-You will not be able to use your f$ to pay for this fee.

Exception:
-As said earlier, it won't be waived as a retention offer unless under really good reason situation. Meaning, it won't be easy, you better have some very very good argument. (keeping in mind that Rogers, Bell, Telus and other also have upgrade fees)
-Of course if you return the phone within the 15days/30min policy you will get the 25$ fee waived.

2- As it is currently, to be eligible to renew, your base plan has to be of at least 25$.

-To be able to have a data option with an agreement on it, the base plan needs to be of at least 25$. Any change to a lower plan will trigger DECF fee on the account automatically
-To be able to HUP and have the iphone or any android phones, the plan + data - credits needs to be of at least 50$.***
-To be able to HUP and have a BB, the plan + data - credits needs to be of at least 40$
-Going under the 50/40$ will trigger DECF (up to $200)
-On plan that are less than 25$, the only data option available will be those without term (no 30$vp nor the 6GB).
*** The calculation does not take into account value packs and add-ons

Exception:
-Grandfather clause;

A- If you currently have a base plan that is less than 25$ and a data option under agreement you can keep it,
B- You will be able to renew as long as it meets the basic requirement of 40/50$. (e.i. you have the 20$plan with the 30$ iphone vp=50$ you will be able to renew and get the iphone or acer) [you will still get the 25$ admin fee charged]
C- As soon as you change either the data option or the voice plan, you forfeit the grandfather clause. (you would not be able to go from a smartphone data option to the equivalent bb data option)

Credit rules
-At any time, the system will not give more credit (feature or voice/data) on the invoice than the value of the base plan (added features/VPs not counted).

Voice Credits
1- No voice credit can be applied on the unlimited price plan (35$ unlim, 45$ unlim with can/us txt , 35$ cityfido unlim, 40$ unlim comp. plan)
-Only credit on feature and on data can be added (There is no feature credit available on any VP)

2- No voice credit can be applied on basic retail plan.

Exception:
None, as of dec. 23 supervisor/team leaders can no longer authorize credit on the voice plan for the unlimited plans.

Data Credits
1- No data credit can be applied on the 30$ 6GB plan (retention or promotional)

2- No data credit can be applied on retention data option.

Exception :
agent can still "unofficially" give a 5$ discount on the 15$ BB 50 MB without much issue from TL.

Renewal Gifts

Every customer that makes a renewal (you need to currently have an agreement) are eligible for a gift. That is even if you do not speak to retention.

A- 6-3mths before the end of contract you can either have 30f$(2y)/50f$(3Y) or a choice of secondary gift (ei. 50 extra min, early nights, 100 txt). If you are given a secondary gift, you will not receive any f$.

B- 3-0mths before the end of contract, cx is not eligible to the f$ but can have a secondary gift.


As of March 8th 2011, Fido no longer charges ($35) setup fee for changing from grandfathered plans that had SAF (or from a retention plan where the cx never paid the setup fee) to a new retail base plan without SAF

thanks go to frenchguys, for this update

[icq2000b]

To reach Fido Retentions directly, call 611, then push 7 then push 3 from the menu.

[thirstyears]

Calling Direct is NOT recommended:
-The direct lines are Fido’s internal numbers reserved for RETAILERS to contact the 'CANCELLATION DEPT.' quickly; THEY ARE NOT INTENDED FOR CUSTOMER USE
-AGENTS KNOW WHEN YOU ARE CALLING DIRECTLY; they also know you found the # on a forum like this, & they assume you are well informed. If you are going to call direct, be prepared & use a straight to the point & direct approach (no BS/time wasting)
-Some agents may be less generous with credits, for those who call directly
-There is also a risk you’ll get an unfriendly agent who may flag, or actually proceed to cancel, your account. If you're too impatient to follow proper protocol, you do so at your own risk!

The recommended way to reach the Fido Retention Dept.(aka 'Customer Relations') is to call 611 and speak to an agent:
-Telling an agent something along the lines of: "I've been shopping around & realize I'm paying too much for my plan & I'd would like something more competitive", will usually do the trick (usually an agent will transfer you, but retention agents sometimes answer 611, & this will get them into 'retentions mode')
-Don't call until fully prepared!

[thirstyears]

updated HUP rules for Blackberries:
voice (base) plan must be >= $25
[voice plan + data plan - credits] >= $35 (previously $40)