Richmond single mother remains concerned that other low-income families in B.C. might face the same struggle
A single mother, reliant on low-cost home internet service, is raising her voice after learning that her monthly bill was about to skyrocket.
Richmond resident Kayce Hopwood has had internet in her home for the past few years thanks to a federal government program with Canada’s telecom giants that provides low-income families with reduced internet costs.
But last week she was informed that Telus’ recent switch to a fibre-optic network in her apartment building meant she no longer was eligible for a discounted rate of $20 a month.
“When I called to book an appointment with a technician to be transferred onto the new network, I was told the cheapest our monthly bill can be is $80,” Hopwood said.
Her son, Logan, who is in Grade 3, relies on the internet for homework using a digital application provided by his school. He also loves to play online video games.
“He was devastated when he found out. He started to cry,” said Hopwood, who works part-time for the Richmond school district.
After Postmedia inquired about the price change, Hopwood said an executive from Telus called her, offering her internet service on the new network for the same cost she paid under the government assistance program.
“It gives me faster speeds but still at the same price, plus a $120 bill credit — I was literally crying,” she said after receiving the call.
Despite the positive turnaround, Hopwood remains concerned that other low-income families in B.C. might face the same struggle.
Since 2018, Ottawa has elped Canada’s major internet service providers connect around 190,000 low-income families and seniors across B.C. and Alberta with low-cost internet services under its Connecting Families program.
Participating internet providers, including Telus, Bell and Rogers, subsidize the full services cost for eligible customers. Entry-level plans cost $10 a month for 25 Mbps internet speed and $20 a month for 50 Mbps. Telus added a $35-a-month plan for 150 Mpbs.
“Without the discount we were getting from Telus’ participation in the program, we can’t afford internet,” Hopwood said. “The price of everything has gotten so expensive.”
Before receiving the call from Telus, Hopwood said she had followed up with the company by phone, asking various representatives to honour the government assistance program’s discounted rates.
“They told me there was nothing they could do.”
She said Telus told her that it was “not removing customers from the Connecting Families program or advising them to pay regular in-market rates for home internet.”
However, the company confirmed its new fibre optic network has a minimum speed of 250 Mbps, while service under Telus’ Connecting Families program plans offers internet speeds up to 150 Mbps.
“We are actively working with customers to find the best solution for them, including offering the 250 Mbps plan at a highly discounted rate,” Telus said in an email, noting that cases like Hopwood’s are “rare.”
When Telus first joined the government assistance program, CEO Darren Entwistle stated: “We are leading the way in connecting at-risk Canadians to the tools they need to be successful.”
“Across Canada, 40 per cent of low-income families lack affordable access to the internet, which puts kids at risk of falling behind in school,” Entwistle said at the time.
Telus’ website says that while its network upgrade is mandatory for customers, “there will be no changes in the cost of your existing services unless you choose to change or order additional services.”