While the excitement of relocating to a new province could mean a fresh start, a new opportunity to explore more, or simply something you’ve been looking forward to doing for a while, we’re here to tell you the things to know before you move to another province.
The move entails a bunch of things one may or may not be necessarily prepared for such as different culture, a different job, new friends, new house which means new neighbors too and perhaps a brand new lifestyle too, right?
But those things come a little after you’ve finally made up your mind about moving to another province. So if you’re looking to start packing those boxes and making a huge list of things to keep in mind before you move to another province, then kudos! It’s a big step for sure.
We’d like to assume that you probably already know the regular stuff and have a checklist ready. We would still suggest you grab a pen and paper or create notes on your phone because we’re going to discuss a telecom checklist.
Because who even thinks about changing their phone plan, or the price of a new mobile package in a new region, if or not you need to end your contract with the current service provider, etc?
Only folks who make it to the end of this blog.
So without making this a long and drab guide, we’re going to jump into answering some commonly asked questions as well as telecom tips to keep in mind before you move to another province.
Moving to Another Province Checklist
Honestly, we know you’re mega stoked and can barely wait to explore another province. But let’s not overlook the finer details when planning the move.
And to avoid that from happening, we’ve put together a “moving to another province checklist” that’ll answer some very common questions or misconceptions people may have when it comes to their mobile and internet plans.
Can I Keep my Provider?
The simple answer would be – it depends.
While it’s not impossible, there are some factors you should consider before finalizing an option.
- The first and foremost thing to check is the availability of your phone or internet provider’s services in the new province.
- Sometimes it’s possible that your current phone service provider does not have coverage in the province you’re moving to. Be mindful of that!
- Which brings us to step three, where Planhub will come in handy if you’re looking to find internet options in the new province.
We recommend that you re-evaluate your internet requirements using our free internet comparison tool that compares plans from all over Canada and shows you the ones that are best suited to your needs.
How Do I Select a Provider?
When we tell you we can help you find a new service provider in a matter of seconds, we really vouch for it.
So how does it work?
Well, follow the steps below after you select “internet” and hit search on Planhub.
- First, select the province, choose the number of people who are going to be using the internet, the number of devices that’ll be connected, how many people are going to be working from home, select an option for what video quality you will be using for watching TV and streaming videos, and whether you engage in online gaming, and if you download large files.
- Quick tip – You can always go back to re-edit a step rather than going through the whole questionnaire again.
- You will then be asked to enter your postal code.
Let’s say you’re moving from Toronto to Calgary. Here’s what the results could look like for a postal code from Calgary.
Note: This is only an example. The search results will vary depending on individual needs.
Are Broadband Rates Different in Every Province?
Good question, and yes they are.
Broadband rates differ from one province to another for various reasons.
The Big 5 ISPs in Canada – Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron and Telus charge some of the highest prices because of lack of competition.
The price of broadband could be cheaper in Western provinces such as Alberta and British Columbia, as compared to the Atlantic provinces such as Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. While users living in Quebec and Ontario are more likely to pay per gigabyte of data, customers in the Atlantic have access to more unlimited plans.
But why so?
Because the cost of setting up a network in every region is provided by two to three major service providers. Therefore, prices will differ depending on how much an ISP is willing to shell out from their profits to attract new clients.
So to give you an example, Bell is a competitor of Rogers in Ontario, and of Videotron in Quebec.
Also Read Videotron Expanding to Western Canada
Will my Cell Phone Plan Work?
Well, it really just depends on what cell phone plan you have.
- If you have Canada-wide minutes, then you’re good to go. But let’s say you have province-wide minutes, then you might want to switch to Canada-wide minutes. Same applies to your data as well.
- For instance, you’re moving from Toronto to Calgary, and have an Ontario specific data plan. You will now have to change your plan to Canada wide coverage in order to continue using data.
- You’re rest-assured to find a match within seconds at Planhub if you’re considering changing your phone plan.
- Planhub features top mobile plans from over 50,000 plans from all Canadian carriers.
- A “pay as you go” plan could be a great option if you don’t want to commit to a long-term contract.
- As a safety net, check with your service provider to make sure you know all your options in advance before you take the final step.
Check Out The Best Pay as You Go Plans
Also Read Best Phone Plans in Canada
Can I cancel my phone contract?
If you’re locked in an agreement with your phone provider and think it’s the end of the world, don’t panic because it’s not as fearsome as it sounds.
Let’s take a look at some alternatives you could possibly consider if you’re looking to cancel your phone contract.
- Number one is simply paying an early termination fee aka EFT to your phone provider.
- Find a new service provider willing to pay your cancellation fee. Companies either offer a prepaid credit card, or add a discount to your first bill. This could be a great way to switch to a new provider.
- If you’re in the “cooling-off” period, i.e, you’re fairly new into your contract, you are typically allowed to cancel your contract within a certain number of days.
Can I Keep my Old Number?
Take a sigh of relief because the answer is – yes.
But then again, it really just depends if your move is temporary or permanent.
Here are some things we highly recommend you take note of before you move to another province:
- If you’re shifting for long-term, then it’s a good idea to change your number to have a local area code.
- Suppose you decide to change your phone plan with a new provider, you will have to go through a process called port-forwarding.
- Make sure to not cancel your phone plan till you’ve successfully moved your number to your new carrier.
Also Read How To Port a Phone Number
Are There Different TV Services?
Just like different types of internet, there are different TV services available in different provinces in Canada.
Fibe TV Service
Fibe TV is a TV service provided by Bell and is combined together with Fibre TTN internet service. And for those of you wondering, it’s available only in certain parts of Ontario and Quebec.
Cable TV
While most of you would know what a cable TV is, but those who don’t – it’s just one of the oldest ways of watching TV. The services are transmitted via cable directly to homes and are available in most of the Canadian cities through services such as Rogers, Videotron, Cable Axion, Shaw, Eastlink and Cogeco.
IP TV
As an alternative to Cable TV, IP TV became a thing in the 90s. To simply put it, it is TV services delivered to your home through the internet via your phone line cables. While their TV packages are similar to Cable TV, it’s a more commonly used service in the Western part of Canada. So if you have plans to relocate to either Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba or British Columbia, you could consider IP TV service.
Satellite TV
Direct Broadcast Satellite aka Satellite TV aka DBS transmits a signal to the Television via a satellite receiver in close proximity to your home, which is directly broadcasted from a satellite orbiting the earth. There are two types of Satellite TV services available in Canada : Bell TV and Shaw Direct.
Canadian TV Box
In Canada, there are many TV set-top boxes that offer various plans and subscriptions. In case you didn’t know, Ebox is one such example where you can watch live TV as well as operate Android TV features.
Android TV & Apple TV
If it’s a tough pick between these two, then there are a few factors you must consider before you finalize an option. First thing would obviously be to check whether you’re an android phone user or ios user, and then things get simpler from there. But what if everyone in your house uses a mix of devices?
Apple TV is an all in one Apple device as opposed to the Android TV that can be built into the TV or you could get a set-top box, and hence is more of a TV platform that’s available on numerous devices made by different companies. Except with Apple, switching from one device to another is more seamless considering how well they’re integrated.
Change of Address
You know the thing that should be on top of the priority list but somehow gets ignored?
And it always just happens to be – “change of address.”
Legend has it, some of us have settled in a new province but have zero recollection of the services and subscriptions that require address change.
We get super caught up trying to change addresses on our credit cards, health card, driving license etc.
Funnily enough, it’s the telecom related services that we completely overlook sometimes.
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there and that’s why we’re here to remind you to keep these quick pointers in mind before you move to another province:
- Make sure to change your billing address with your phone provider.
- If you plan on transferring your internet service to a new address in a different city or province, here’s everything you need to know.
In the end, we hope this blog will come in handy and help you prepare for your next big move.
Do you have any other interesting tips that you would want us to know?
Or a “moving to another province” experience you would like to share?
Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to read them!
Until then, happy moving!
