Fido was first launched in 1996 as Microcell Solutions Inc. However, since 2004, Fido has become a subsidiary of Rogers Wireless Inc, with more than 1.3 million subscribers right now in Canada.
If you are thinking of joining Fido, then it’s essential to make a fully informed decision. In this article, we reviewed Fido mobile plans and gave answers to FAQs that may help guide your decision.
Fido at a Glance
Fido offers cell phone plans with good value and coverage. Before Rogers acquired Fido in 2004, they were known as Microcell. Fido is a mid-carrier network with competitors like Koodoo and Virgin Mobile.
Fido is a budget-friendly alternative to Rogers, and they have a wide range of cheap mid plans. They offer unique and different services to stay above their competitors. Some of the differentiation tactics of Fido include providing unlimited minutes in some areas, offering loyalty reward programs, data overage protection, etc.
Fido Plans
If you are considering joining Fido, you are probably asking, “what is the best Fido plan?” The truth is one cannot point at the best Fido plan because the best plan depends on your preference and personal usage. Fido offers 3 primary types of Fido plans are;
– Talk, Text, and Data plans for users who need all 3 parts
– Talk and Text only plans
– Data and Text only plans
Talk Data and Text Plans
1. Fido $45 Plan
Data: 5GB + 2GB bonus data
Calls: Unlimited Canada Wide Minutes
Text: Unlimited
2. Fido $50 Plan
Data: 4GB + 6GB bonus data
Calls: Unlimited Canada Wide Minutes
Text: Unlimited
3. Fido $55 Plan
Data: 6GB + 6GB bonus data
Calls: Unlimited Canada Wide Minutes
Text: Unlimited
4. Fido $60 Plan
Data: 8GB + 6GB Bonus data
Calls: Unlimited Canada Wide Minutes
Text: Unlimited
5. Fido $75 Plan
Data: 10GB + 6GB bonus data
Calls: Unlimited Canada Wide Minutes
Text: Unlimited
Fido Data and Text Only Plans
6. Fido $15 Plan
Data: 250MB
Talk: Pay as you Go
Text: Unlimited
7. Fido $25 Plan
Data: 500 Mb
Talk: Pay as you Go
Text: Unlimited
8. Fido $30 Plan
Data: 1GB
Talk: Pay as you Go
Text: Unlimited
Fido Talk and Text Plan
9. Fido $25 Plan
Talk: 100 Canada-wide minutes
Text: Unlimited
10. Fido $30 Plan
Tak: 250 Minutes Canada Wide
Text: Unlimited
11. Fido $30 Plan
Data: 1Gb
Talk: Pay as you Go
Text: Unlimited
Fido Talk and Text Plans
12. Fido $10.75 Plan
Talk: 50 Minutes Canada-Wide
Text: 50 nationwide
13. Fido $25 Plan
Talk: Unlimited Canada-Wide minutes
Text: Unlimited
FAQs
Who is the Parent Company of Fido?
Rogers owns Fido but unlike other network carriers like Virgin and Koodo mobile who share networks with their parent companies, Fido remains a separate entity. Fido doesn’t exclusively work on the Rogers network because it has its own network. Therefore, it’s like a combination of both, it leverages its network as well as Rogers network, and it’s currently the 4th largest network in Canada.
How Good Is Fido Mobile Network?
Fido provides LTE and HSPA access to users/ Since not all the Fido cell towers offer all type of frequencies, pones need to have any of the following frequencies to use Fido;
– HSPA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz frequencies
– LTE: 1700/2100 MHz (AWS)
– LTE Advanced: 2600 MHz and 700 MHz
In rural areas where LTE fails, the network will drop to 3G or EDGE.
What About Fido Mobile Coverage?
Since Fido can run on the combined network of Fido and Rogers, they have a wide coverage covering more than 97% of Canadians and has over 300 roaming partners in more than 200 countries.
Fido coverage area is divided into;
- Fido Network
This coverage is the core service area, and it covers the major cities with a large population. Everyone in these cities has access to the Fido network.
- Extended Coverage
Fido extends to some rural and small populated areas. However, while it works for some in this extended service area, some can’t access it. People in areas with extended coverage have the carrier name; Fido-EXT. Users on Fido-EXT need data roaming services for data to work. However, the extended coverage is for postpaid only as Prepaid and Zone plans can’t work in extended coverage areas.
You can also check the Fido interactive Coverage Map to confirm if the network covers your area.
The best coverage areas include Alberta, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and so on.
Can I Make Long Distance Calls?
Fido offers great value rates for long-distance calls made from Canada to the US or other international countries.
Customers pay $0.55 per minute on calls.
Also, Fido offers Long-distance add-ons like
– US Long Distance Add-On:
Provides unlimited minutes to all calls to the US from Canada at $15 per month.
– International Long Distance
Rate depends on the country you’re calling.
Exclusive Offers on Fido
1. +5 Hours of Data
This offer is available on Fido Pulse plans, and it lets users turn off their data meter for 5 hours a month, one hour at a time, and 5 times per month. Most of the plans are Fido Pulse, and this offer makes it easy to use data when you need it the most without deducting it from your data amount. Many people activate this offer when they need an hour to some important stuff or streaming that needs data or close to their billing cycle and have used the data for the month.
2. Fido XTRA
Fido offers exclusive features every Thursday since 2018 on the Fido app. Users enjoy unique perks like discounts on clothing, restaurants, entertainment, and Fido services or plans.
3. Spotify Access
Fido Pulse Plans include 6 months of premium Spotify access.
4. Data Overage Protection
Fido doesn’t offer unlimited data plans, but they don’t charge users for exceeding their limit because it’s impossible to exceed the limit with the data overage protection. Once you reach your data limit on Fido, your internet automatically turns off, unlike some plans that charged unexpected overage fees by allowing users to exceed their limit without sending warnings.
5. Fido Roam
Roaming services are available on Fido network for as low as $7 per day in the United States and $12 in international countries. Also, Fido offers Pay per use rates for those who need roaming services occasionally.
6. Fido Phones
Fido has a very wide selection of mobile phones in Canada. From affordable devices to the latest mobile phones from Apple, HUAWEI, Samsung, and so on. They also offer great discounts on their phones with a 2 year financing period. yOU CAN combine Financing plans with postpaid phone plans starting at $45 per month. Alternatively, you can bring your own device as long as your phone is carrier-unlocked.
7. Device Protection
Device protection is an insurance policy, and only Fido offers such service in Canada. Depending on the type of insurance you pay for, you get replacements and repairs at no cost.
Where To Buy Fido Mobile?
You can purchase a Fido device or sim by heading to a Fido store or Fido website.
Is Tethering Allowed?
Tethering is allowed on all data plans as long as your device supports tethering.
Do They Unlock Phones?
Fido devices are automatically unlocked. BYO devices can also unlock on request.
Is Fido Better Than Virgin?
Fido gets compared to Virgin mobile a lot because they offer almost the same plans. Virgin Mobile uses the Bells Network while Fido works on Roger. Meanwhile, Bells Network has a broader coverage of over 99%, so Virgin has just a bit of upper hand when it comes to coverage as Fido’s coverage is 97%. 97 and 99 percents are really impressive, so It comes down to which network works best in your area and which plans you prefer.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
– Fido offers unique and interesting packages to reward its customers. One of the most popular exclusive offers on Fido is the 5 hours of extra data on postpaid plans monthly
– Wide range of network plans to suit different individual needs
– Offers Bring Your Own Device plans
– According to the Fido website, the Fido network combined with Rogers network covers about 96% of Canadians.
– Offers Data Overage Protection. You don’t have to worry about going about your limit and paying bulky charges like in some network carriers. Once you use up your data, the internet stops working.
– Offers Fido Xtra, a reward program that comes with exclusive features like discounts on Fido’s services, or other things like clothing, entertainments, and more
– No long-term contracts or credit checks
– You can track your bill payments and data use on Fido My Account App
– No Cancellation Fee. So you can cancel anytime at no cost as long as you are on a prepaid plan.
Cons:
– LTE isn’t available everywhere. Some places only get 3G Coverage
– Fido is short on new phone launches
– No bundling services
Overall, Fido is an excellent network carrier with great value plans, coverage, and network. You will also qualify for discounts and special offers when you sign up.
