Says new pricing meets government’s 25% price reduction target
MONTREAL — Bell Canada today announced it is lowering the monthly pricing for mobile data plans from its flanker brand Virgin Plus, as of Oct. 5.
Bell says these lower prices will achieve the federal government’s target of having the cost of wireless plans reduced by 25% from the beginning of 2020 to early 2022, a target set by the government in March 2020.
As of Oct. 5, 2021, Virgin Plus’s monthly prices for its wireless plans will be $37.50 for 2 GB of data, $41.25 for 4 GB, and $45 for 6 GB.
Based on a backgrounder published by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) in March 2020, these new prices from Virgin Plus align exactly with the federal government’s 25% price reduction target.
At the time ISED announced the mandatory price reduction, it was using winter 2020 advertised prices of $50 for 2 GB, $55 for 4 GB and $60 for 6 GB as benchmark prices to which the 25% reduction was to be applied.
“Our goal at Bell is to advance how all Canadians connect, and these latest mobile data price reductions build on the actions we’re taking every day to make our world-leading networks and services even better,” said Mirko Bibic, president and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, in a press release.
“By continuing to make more lower-priced options available, and in this case ahead of a timeline set by the Government of Canada, Bell is continuing to deliver unparalleled value to Canadians while also supporting important public policy objectives.”
ISED has been tracking wireless pricing from the big three carriers (Bell, Telus and Rogers) on a quarterly basis – the most recent pricing data for April, May and June 2021 can be found here.
In its most recent report, the federal government said the majority of data plans in the 2 GB to 6 GB range had decreased in price by 9% to 25% compared to the benchmark prices set in early 2020.
