SEE ARTICLE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM

Here we go again. Rogers Wireless sub-brand Fido has gone through a few different identity transformations over the years and the plans get revamped every now and then. If you take a look at the page with the current mobile plans, you’ll see that they changed things again. What does this mean in terms of Fido hardware upgrades if you already have an existing grandfathered Standard, Smart or Max plan?

Let’s start with how Fido’s plans are being organized now. Gone are the old standard, smart and max plan categories. Now, you’ve got three other broad-reaching categories. At the top are the Fido Pulse plans with data, talk and text, as well as Spotify Premium and Fido Roam. Below that are almost the same plans, but without the Pulse niceties. And then you’ve got Talk & Text plans bringing up the rear.

But then under each of these categories, you’ll find further options for each individual plan. The Pulse Plans are priced if you bring your own phone (BYOP) by default, but you can tack on a $10, $15 or $35 premium per month if you want a hardware upgrade. It’s not so much a hardware subsidy as much as it is a finance plan with a little bonus. If you take the $15 add-on, for example, you can save up to $500 on your phone. Compare that to the $360 you would have spent on that add-on over the course of a 24-month contract.

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If you already have an older smart plan, you probably qualify for a Fido hardware upgrade at the +$15 level. This is according to the Fido Twitter account after I asked them this exact question. Of course, the specifics of each individual plan can vary widely, so you will need to check with how your old plan aligns with the new structure. My guess is that if you have an older Max plan, you probably qualify at the +$35 level, but I can’t be certain.

As much as Fido would like you to switch to a current in-market plan under the new structure, ideally within the Pulse category, many existing customers will probably save money by keeping their grandfathered plans. Your mileage, as with so many other things, will vary.

UPDATE: So, apparently the Fido rep misspoke (or mis-tweeted, I guess) about how this upgrade thing will work. If you have an old standard or smart plan, you only qualify at the Plus10 (+$10) level for a hardware upgrade. If you have an old max plan, then you qualify at the Plus15 (+$15) level. I guess none of the old plans qualify at the new Plus35 (+$35) level.

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