I’ve been using Telus mobility for a year now to get online on the road. I am polarized in my sentiments about this company.

The pros are strong: 1) coverage is fantastic, 2) speeds are equivalent to high speed once you get into the southern part of the country, 3) the service is reliable.

The cons are also strong: 1) their plans stop at 5GB/month ($65 + tax), 2) an extra GB is $51  (5 cents per MB).

I went over my allotment this past month and imagine it will be very hard not to all summer, and that’s without downloading anything that isn’t absolutely vital and not watching videos!

This morning, I called the Telus department and asked to be transferred to their retention department. There was absolutely nothing they could do for me in terms of reducing my monthly bill or giving me a discount on the per MB cost of going over my allotment.  It was pretty much “That’s what it is, feel free to go with someone else.” They have you over a barrel because the other providers have similar terms and prices.

However, Telus has a new device out called a Smart Hub. It’s a 4G router. This device has much better plan options, $70 plus tax for 10GB and $20 per GB over that. The catch, of course, is that without a contract the device costs $400. Moreover, the device has to be powered.

I can see that this Smart Hub is the best option in Canada for mobile internet right now. It’s still not a great option for me, but I am trolling Craigslist and Kijjijji for a contract takeover.

I’m going to reinvestigate my US options. Last year, I could go with Verizon wireless for about $150 a month and have coverage in both the US and Canada. If I do end up spending part of my year south of the border such an arrangement would make a lot more sense. I just pulled up the Verizon website and the options have increased so I’m going to have to start my research from scratch. Plus, I need to make sure they are the best choice, coverage-wise.

It’s so frustrating to have a fantastic mobile connection and be so limited in my bandwidth. I have some software updates to do and will need to pack up the office and go to a Starbucks or other wifi hotspot to do them. If Telus were more reasonable in their cost per extra GB, say $10 each, I’d just stick with them and gladly pay my overages every month.