Telus buyer's guide: Plans, phones, and more

Canadian mobile providers can usually guarantee you a few things no matter where you go. Nationwide service, a solid set of devices, and painfully high prices are all but guaranteed. Sometimes you need to find a little bit of Peace of Mind, however, and that’s when you turn to Telus as your next carrier. If you’re ready to make the switch, then stay right here. We have everything you need to know about Telus and its plans.

See also: These are the best Canadian phone plans

Throughout this page, we’ll take you through all of the plans, phones, and perks you need to know about before you switch. It might also help to learn about the competition and MVNOs before you lock into a new plan. We’ll touch on some competitors and hopefully help you make a decision.

Telus at a glance

While many premier Canadian mobile providers call the eastern provinces home, Telus reps the west coast. You’ll find its headquarters in Vancouver. However, its long and storied history began in 1983 in Edmonton, Alberta, as AGT Mobility. Although that makes it the first official mobile provider in all of Canada, Telus didn’t bring its services to the public until 1986, by which time Bell had beaten it to the punch. Bell and Telus share a network to some degree, each offering nationwide service for LTE and HSPA+.

The Telus network has since grown to cover nearly all of Alberta and about half of Saskatchewan. You can find its coverage throughout much of southern Canada. Additionally, Telus now offers pockets of 5G coverage in major cities across the country. Check out the interactive map right here.

Post-paid Telus plans

Unlimited

If you’re only looking to hook up one device, Unlimited is the way to go. Right now, the plans offer from 20GB of high-speed data for CA$65 per month up to 50GB in Canada and the US for CA$85 per month. After you hit that cap, you’ll have access to unlimited data, but not at the same fast speeds. You won’t be able to share your data with family and friends, but you can set up a wireless hotspot for those times you need it. The Unlimited plan also includes unlimited talk and text to keep you connected.

Unlimited is more than just a plan name when it comes to Telus. The reason behind the name — and why you can’t share data — is so you never have to worry about overages or hidden fees. You can use your phone plan and enjoy your data, and it’s easy enough to add more Gigs as needed. Telus will even give you between CA$5 and CA$15 off per month in a family discount.

Highlights:

• 20GB of personal data for CA$65 per month
• No overages, no hidden fees

Best for:

• Users who need a large amount of data and don’t want to share

Prepaid Telus Plans

Talk and Text

Telus offers some very affordable prepaid Talk and Text plans if you’re looking to save some money. However, you’ll have to be very careful with your usage. The CA$15 per month plan grants you just 100 minutes of local calling and unlimited text messages—everything you use beyond that basic bundle costs extra on a per-minute basis.

As you work to more expensive plans, you’ll get more access. CA$25 per month offers unlimited anytime minutes and unlimited calling on the weekends. You can even get a free 100MB of data from Telus when you sign up for an automatic Top-Up plan.

Highlights:

• Talk and text at a low rate
• Free data with a Top Up plan

Talk, Text, and Data

Telus also offers a Talk, Text, and Data version of its prepaid service just in case you already know you need data. You can choose from four tiers of service, and you’ll get between 500MB and 8GB of baked-in data. For a limited time, all four plans come with a bonus of 500MB, and you’re still paying no more than CA$55 per month, so the value is tough to top.

As for talk and text, you won’t have to worry about either one. Both are unlimited, and you can dial nationwide with no additional fees. You have to pay extra for preferred international rates, but you may not use that feature very often anyway.

Highlights:

• Up to 8.5GB of total data

Tablet and connected device plans

If you have just CA$10 per month, it’s never been easier to bring a tablet or smartwatch to Telus. The plan already includes unlimited data with a pool of high-speed access. You just have to connect your device of choice. Add a brand-new iPad or Galaxy Tab to your current plan and stream or create to your heart’s content. The process is essentially the same for smartwatches, as Telus views them all as connected devices.

Right now, Telus will also give you three months of Apple TV+ for free when you buy a new iPad from the network.

Which Telus plan is right for you?

The most important question you’re probably asking yourself is which plan is the right one. Well, it’s also the one question that we can’t answer. Your Telus experience comes down to your usage, but it’s up to you to decide between post-paid and prepaid services. We lean towards the Peace of Mind Connect plan on the post-paid side. If you have more than one device or want to share data with your family, you can get all of the access you need for as little as CA$85 per month.

The Talk, Text, and Data plans offer some serious value if you’d rather go prepaid. Right now, the bonus data is a significant selling point. For CA$5 more than the basic Talk and Text plan, you get more than triple the data, and you don’t even need a Top Up. If either prepaid or post-paid service does not convince you, the following few sections might help you narrow things down.

Telus vs the competition

If Telus hasn’t won you over at this point, you might want to take a look at some top competition. Telus is firmly planted as one of Canada’s Big Three, so it makes sense to consider the other two. In this case, that means Rogers and Bell are under the microscope. Check out the table below before you jump into either carrier:

Rogers Wireless

Up first for the big guns is Rogers Wireless. You’ll get an outstanding level of nationwide service, and Rogers adds a few extra goodies to the mix. You can tap into Canada’s largest 5G network, and you can even enjoy a free tablet with a two-year plan. Even better, Rogers Infinite is a worthy alternative to the Telus Simple Share plan. You can save an extra CA$15 per line every time you add a device.

Bell Mobility

If you want the pick of the litter when it comes to plans, go for Bell. You can grab multiple tiers of Unlimited Share service and pull from an impressive pile of data. There are even promotional plans on top of that. Depending on what you choose, you’ll either get unlimited access to Canada’s fastest 5G network or a nice pool of data to share between your accounts. Bell also offers a long list of connected device plans so you can connect your whole house to the internet.

Want Telus service on a budget?

One of the most significant drawbacks of Canada’s Big Three is cost. No matter which one you choose, it’ll ultimately cost you a pretty penny. If you’re not made of money — and none of us really are — then you might want to consider an MVNO. Luckily, the MVNO scene has exploded in Canada in recent years. There are some solid carriers to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites:

Koodo Mobile

If you want to stay as close to Telus as possible, Koodo is your number one option. It’s a wholly-owned subsidiary of the larger carrier, and it’s all-in on the Choose Happy mantra. From various affordable plans to the ability to pay into a Tab for your next device, Koodo is a perfect example of a millennial-focused carrier. You’ll get some excellent customer service, and Koodo relies on the same robust LTE network as Bell and Telus for your everyday signal. Koodo also gives you handy reminders when you get close to your data cap, or Shock-free data as the carrier calls it.

Highlights:

• Pay into the Tab for your next phone
• Shock-free data to keep your bill in check

See also: Koodo Mobile buyer’s guide

Public Mobile

Public Mobile is also part of the extended Telus umbrella, but it’s all about bringing power to the people. You can choose from several great plans, some for as little as CA$15 per month. Public Mobile also offers various discounts, all of which reward you for just being a good customer. You can save for referring a friend, staying loyal to the network, and even CA$20 off for helping out other users. Although it all sounds pretty great, you’re not going to find lightning-fast service on Public Mobile. Your data connection is limited to 3G speeds, and the caps are comparatively low.

Highlights:

• Referral and loyalty discounts
• Low prices but lower data speeds

Wundle Mobile

If you’re a fan of Verizon’s Visible network, then Wundle Mobile might be the carrier for you. It follows the same general idea of only offering one plan, though it’s far from the most affordable option around. Wundle’s plan is the most expensive of the MVNO options at CA$70 per month. On the bright side, you get unlimited talk, text, and data for your money, and that includes 5G speeds. You can roam for up to 15 days per month, and Wundle matches standard rates for long-distance dialing.

Just know that you won’t be able to purchase a new phone directly from Wundle.

Highlights:

• One plan, one price
• Unlimited talk, text, and data

What phones can you use?

As one of Canada’s Big Three, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Telus offers a solid list of phone options. You’ll find all of the major players — Google, Apple, and Samsung — though the previously available HUAWEI supply seems to have dried up. Telus even offers deals on various flagships, but you’ll find the steepest savings on Galaxy devices and iPhones. If you want a slightly cheaper device, you can also dig into a few select options from LG and Motorola while you’re at it.

See also: The best phone deals

In truth, the best way to save some money is by bringing your phone. Telus welcomes new converts to the network, but you’ll have to ensure that your phone covers the suitable bands. You’ll even get the three-size SIM card you need to activate your phone completely for free. The network primarily relies on LTE for service, though we’ve included the UMTS bands as well. Check out the table below for more information: