Review: Koodo Mobile In Calgary

Everything You Need To Know About Koodo Mobile In Calgary

Koodo Mobile is a Canadian cell phone company that offers service in Calgary, Alberta and throughout the rest of Canada. Koodo is a Telus company, though they try to separate themselves from the big companies as a more hip and fun alternative. Koodo Mobile uses the Telus network for their services, they’re active on social media, they have referral bonuses, they offer competitive pricing, and the occasional deal, but what else is there to them? What else do they offer? What makes Koodo Mobile worth switching to? Let’s find out.

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What Is Koodo Mobile’s Tab?

If you’re looking to purchase a new device, Koodo Mobile offers something called a “tab” to help you manage the cost of it. You pay an upfront cost for the new device plus a monthly fee for 24 months (2 years). There are three sizes of tab: basic, mid and plus. The bigger the tab you choose, the less you’ll need to pay upfront for the phone. Also, to be eligible to use Koodo Mobile tab credit, you’ll need to pass a credit check.

How it works

• Upfront phone cost + Tab
• Tab Basic: up to $10/mo, for 24 months
• Tab mid: up to $15/mo, for 24 months
• Tab Plus: up to $52/mo, for 24 months

In some cases the upfront cost is $0 and the monthly tab fee is only a few dollars but it really depends on the device and their current promotions. You can also pay off the remainder of your tab all at once, after 90 days have passed since you started with it. More info: Everything you need to know about the tab.

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Koodo Mobile Network Coverage

Koodo Mobile actually uses the Telus network, so service is fast and coverage is reliable and available in most places in Canada. The Telus network is modern and they offer 5G LTE speeds in Calgary and Edmonton. The coverage in Calgary is really strong pretty much everywhere and I personally have experienced no ‘dead zones’. I’ve used the Telus network extensively and have never once had a dropped call or problem connecting to the network.

Coverage does become spotty once you get into the mountains, but it’s the same for all providers. Generally coverage around the TransCanada Highway coverage is good but there are parts with zero signal (always prepare ahead for that!). You can check the Telus coverage map to see where it extends to.

If you’re thinking about switching to Koodo Mobile in Calgary and are concerned about network coverage: If I had to give their network reliability/speed/coverage a rating, 9.5/10. It’s solid and their strongest selling point.

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Koodo Mobile Network Speeds

 

 

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Koodo Mobile Plans

Koodo Mobile offers a variety of plans ranging from basic talk & text with no data, to full 20+ GB LTE data packages. All of their plans come with unlimited talk and unlimited text. Also, the plans available depend on what their current promotions are and where you live, so make sure you set your province to Alberta when viewing their website. Their plans change constantly as they try to remain competitive,

• As of January 2021 you’d be paying around $45 for 4 GB LTE or $75 for 20 GB LTE of data

Note: their billing is pro-rated, so you’ll be paying for your first two months on your first bill — don’t be surprised!

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Koodo Mobile Roaming Plans and Long Distance

Roaming can be super expensive! It can cost you thousands of dollars if you use too much data while traveling, which you might not even find out about until you get home. Koodo Mobile actually has really decent pricing on their U.S. and international packages, but you’ll need to plan ahead to get the most out of them.

They have what’s called “Easy Roam”, where you simply just use your regular cell phone package while abroad. So if you get 10GB/mo, unlimited calling to Canada/U.S., that’s what you’ll have to use – if you pay the daily fee. $7 per day in the U.S. and $10 per day elsewhere.

Here’s a screenshot of their roaming rates as of February 2018.

 

To see the full list of countries eligible to work with Koodo’s Easy Roam package, click here. There’s also several countries which aren’t included, make sure to check those out. A few examples would be Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Nepal, Uganda, Falkin Islands, etc. Also, cruise ships are not included.

In addition to Easy Roam, they also have regular long distance rates, packages, and addons you would expect from a phone provider.

• $3/mo – International Long Distance Saver add-on.
  • This monthly fee gives you access to cheaper long distance rates per minute.  The rates you pay per minute are drastically reduced.
    • Without this addon, calls to the U.S. are $0.50/min.
    • With this addon, calls to the U.S. are $0.05/min.
• $10/mo – U.S. 1000 Minutes
  • 1000 anytime minutes (note: some restrictions on which numbers you can call)
• $15/mo – China & Hong Kong 1000 Minuutes
  • 1000 anytime minutes.
• $20/mo – U.K. 1000 Minutes
  • 1000 anytime minutes (note: some restrictions on which numbers you can call)
• $20/mo – France 1000 Minutes
  • 1000 anytime minutes (note: some restrictions on which numbers you can call)
• $20/mo – India 1000 Minutes
  • 1000 anytime minutes. (2¢/min applies when 1000 minutes are exceeded)

Without an addon, or a package that includes roaming/long distance, it’s a small fortune. Set this stuff up ahead of time! Unless you’re just going to buy a local sim card once you reach your destination.

Here are the rates for the U.S. without any kind of addon or discounted rate:

Voice rate (per minute)	$1.50
Data	$5/20 MB
Outgoing SMS	$5/100 outgoing texts

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Device Protection

Do you drop your phone a lot? Koodo Mobile offers extended warranties and Apple Care+ at various amounts per month, depending on the model.

• $9/mo – Android
  • Replacement devices shipped next business day.
  • Covers liquid damage.
  • Service fee of $25 – $315 per replacement (depending on device).
• $7-$14/mo – iPhone Apple Care+
  • Cost depends on device. Newer models cost more. Duh.
  • Express replacement service by Apple
  • Coverage includes 2 incidents of accidental damage. $129 services fee each time. Plus taxes yay!

In order to sign up for device protection, you’ll need to visit an actual Koodo Mobile store in Calgary (or any other authorized Koodo Mobile dealer). There they can give you all of the details on prices and such.

Refer-a-friend

Koodo Mobile also has a refer a friend program, with details that are pretty typical for these programs. If you sign someone up using your referral, you’ll each get some kind of bill credit. At this moment in time it’s $50 to you and $50 to your friend that signs up.

Existing Koodo customers can go to https://referafriend.koodomobile.com and create a unique referral link, which can be shared to Facebook and someone can just sign up using that. Note: the person signing up will be able to see the full name of the person inviting the referral. Play carefully!

Wireless Home Phone

Another option Koodo Mobile has is a landline that uses their network. It’s basically a little wireless modem that you plug a traditional home phone + a SIM card into, and it’ll provide you with service at home. This would be a good option for someone that lives way out in the boonies but still has access to the Telus network – and for some reason wants a landline. I mean, if you have access to the Telus network, why not just use your cell phone? I dunno. Different strokes.

$5/mo for unlimited Canada-wide calling is pretty good, however if you’re going to get something like this, a Magic Jack is only $40/year. Koodo’s wireless home phone service would work out to be $60 for the first year. After that the price goes to $20/mo. That’s $240/year for a home phone. Ouch!

Magic Jack also comes with the first year of service included. It’s not exactly the same thing, it requires regular high speed home internet (It’s a VOIP phone, it works over the internet), but it’s pretty close. Depends what you need I guess!

Click here to see all of the information regarding Koodo Mobile’s wireless home phone service.

Cell Phone Accessories

Amazon is probably the best place to pick up accessories for your phone, be it Android or iOS. Memory Express is pretty good too, keep an eye on their daily deals and annual sales. Hard to beat the Amazon warranty though.

Should you switch to Koodo Mobile?

Yes, if a good promotion comes along. The Telus network is fast and solid, and their prices aren’t too crazy with the right promotion. I have never had a regret using Koodo Mobile. The only reason I switched away in the first place was to save some money.

See my other mobile phone provider blog posts here:

• https://crackmacs.ca/readthings/lifestyle/freedom-mobile-in-calgary/
• https://crackmacs.ca/readthings/lifestyle/mobilicity-in-calgary/
• https://crackmacs.ca/readthings/lifestyle/public-mobile-in-calgary/