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Bell and Virgin Plus’ $70 Connection Fee: What Changed Since 2024

The $70 Bell and Virgin Plus connection fee was reported in 2024. CRTC rules effective June 12, 2026 prohibit covered plan activation and modification fees, while Bell’s separate $40 device-handling charge remains under scrutiny in the reviewed record.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Bell and Virgin Plus were reported to be charging a one-time $70 wireless connection fee in October 2024, but that is not the current regulatory picture. Since June 12, 2026, CRTC rules prohibit fees incurred to activate or modify eligible cellphone and Internet plans, subject to limited exceptions. Bell’s separately listed $40 device-handling charge has since drawn CRTC scrutiny, but the reviewed record does not establish a final ruling.

What Bell and Virgin Plus charged in October 2024

On October 8, 2024, MobileSyrup reported that Bell and its flanker brand Virgin Plus had joined Rogers and TELUS in charging a one-time $70 wireless connection fee. The report said it appeared in the carriers’ online plan fine print and applied when customers activated new service or upgraded phones. MobileSyrup also said the fee was often waived for online purchases, so it did not necessarily apply to every transaction. MobileSyrup’s October 2024 report

That $70 figure describes the fee reported at that time; it should not be read as a statement of Bell or Virgin Plus’s present policy or as proof that every customer paid it.

Are cellphone activation fees banned in Canada?

Yes, for covered customers and services. On March 12, 2026, the CRTC issued Telecom Regulatory Policy 2026-43, which prohibits fees incurred for activating a new retail telecommunications plan or modifying an existing one. The protections took effect June 12, 2026. They apply to individual and small-business mobile customers; home Internet coverage applies to individual customers of providers subject to the Internet Code. CRTC Telecom Regulatory Policy 2026-43

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The policy has defined exceptions: reasonable fees for physical installation at a customer’s premises, and charges for additional products or services the customer explicitly chooses to buy. Those exceptions do not turn an ordinary plan activation or modification fee into a permitted charge.

The CRTC’s announcement said the decision removes extra fees to activate, change, or cancel Internet and cellphone plans. Chairperson and CEO Vicky Eatrides said: “We are taking action to give Canadians more control over their Internet and cellphone services. Today’s decision removes extra fees to activate, change or cancel a plan. This means that consumers can switch to a better deal without having to pay extra just to get the service that works best for them.” CRTC announcement, March 12, 2026

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How Bell’s $40 device-handling charge differs

Bell’s support page, accessed October 8, 2026, lists a $40 device-handling charge applied to the next bill and says one-time fees can change. Its displayed mobility fee table does not list the former $70 connection fee. This is a snapshot of the page, not a guarantee that every offer, sales channel, or customer account has identical charges. Bell’s service charges and fees

The $40 charge is distinct from the historical $70 connection fee. In a May 6, 2026 letter, CRTC staff questioned the handling charge for customers buying a device with wireless service, reasoning that a phone is required for wireless service and that the charge might count as a prohibited activation fee. The letter records staff’s concern and request for resolution; it is not a final Commission decision. CRTC staff letter to Bell, May 6, 2026

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The CRTC later opened a compliance proceeding involving specified charges by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS under the new policy and the Telecommunications Act. The reviewed notice describes a show-cause inquiry and revised procedural deadlines; it does not establish that Bell violated the rules or that a penalty was imposed. CRTC proceeding notice

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What to check if a carrier adds a fee

  • Ask what the charge is for: activating or changing a plan is different from a reasonable physical installation or an optional product or service you chose.
  • Check whether the charge is one-time or recurring and where it appears in the carrier’s written terms or bill.
  • If you believe a covered activation or modification fee was charged after June 12, 2026, raise it with the provider and refer to the CRTC’s policy and effective date.

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