Rogers and Fido have recently raised their connection fee to $70 per month, up from $60 in June 2023. This increase marks the second raise in just over a year, as the fee was previously raised from $45 to $50 in July 2021. It seems that summertime is the chosen period for these adjustments, likely in preparation for the busy fall season with events like Black Friday and Boxing Day.

The connection fee is applied when setting up a new device or related service. Both Rogers and Fido have updated their websites to reflect this price increase. According to the updated Rogers website, users can avoid the Setup Service Fee by utilizing self-serve options on rogers.com, though Live Chat and Customer Service may still incur the $70 fee for setup assistance in-store.

Currently, Telus and Bell charge $60 for their connection fees, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they follow suit with Rogers soon. Quebecor’s Freedom Mobile charges $45 for postpaid connections ($10 for prepaid users), while SaskTel’s fee stands at $50.

The rise in fees seems to be a push towards online activations to minimize the need for in-store assistance from employees. By encouraging customers to activate services independently online, companies can streamline operations and reduce costs associated with in-person setups.