Telus Review - Is it Any Good in 2022?

Considered a ‘Big 3’ telecom alongside Bell and Rogers, Telus takes the cake when it comes to network coverage, reliability, and speed. Its claim to fame is its PureFibre network and flagship Telus PureFibre 1.5 Gigabit plan, which offers blazing fast fiber-optic speeds for less than $125 per month. Other plans do not come close to delivering the same value, quality of new subscriber incentives, and variety of internet plans and TV bundles.

How does Telus compare to other popular Canadian ISPs?

Telus’ key differentiator versus Bell and Rogers is its speed. Telus offers the only 100% fibre network in Western Canada, flanked by being named Canada’s fastest ISP two years in a row by PCMag Speed Index and top marks with JD Power and Associates.

Keep reading to learn more about Telus’ internet offerings for 2022, and its advantages over competing telecoms like Bell Canada, Rogers, Teksavvy, and more.

Telus Pros and Cons

Here’s a summary of what we consider the best and worst parts of a Telus internet plan:

Pros:

• Only 100% fibre network in Western Canada
• Owners of Canada’s largest cell network (99% coverage)
• Plans reach speeds up to 2500 Mbps
• Excellent incentives (e.g., Free Apple Airpods Pros, 55” 4K HDR TVs, and bill credits on select plans)
• Significant savings on internet and TV bundles
• Discounted internet available through the Internet for Good program
• Strong customer care grade on JD Power and Associates
• Gamers love the Telus PureFibre 1.5 Gigabit plan
• Awesome value with Telus PureFibre Internet 75 + Optik TV + SmartHome Security bundle ($108 per month)

Cons:

• Not the cheapest plans
• Only available in western Canada
• Many plans charge data overages

Telus: Internet Plans and Pricing

One of Telus’ biggest draws is its variety of plans. It offers capped data plans and unlimited fiber plans ranging from 150 Mbps to 1.5 Gbps.

Here are all of Telus’ internet plans:

• 100GB Monthly Data Plan – 25/25 Mbps – 100GB – $75/$75
• PureFibre Internet 75/75 – 75/75 Mbps – Unlimited data – $85/$100
• 500GB Monthly Data Plan – 25/25 Mbps – 500GB – $90/$90
• PureFibre Internet 300/300 – 300/300 Mbps – Unlimited data $95/$120
• PureFibre Gigabit Internet – 940/940 Mbps – Unlimited data – $99/$135
• PureFibre 1.5 Gigabit Internet – 1500/940 Mbps – Unlimited data – $119/$155
• PureFibre X – 2500/2500 Mbps – unlimited data – $175 per month

All plans come with a ZTE MF279 Smart Hub modem rental for $10 per month and assess a $50 upfront activation fee (100GB/500GB monthly data plan only) and a $100 upfront activation fee for all PureFibre plans.

What about DSL?

Although DSL has long gone by the wayside, Telus does offer the Internet 25 plan for $75 per month. It’s good for 25 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload speeds with unlimited monthly data. Consider this a viable option for areas lacking fiber coverage and for no more than two to three people in a household with four or fewer devices.

Note: For only $10 more a month, the PureFibre Internet 75/75 plan is a much better deal.

Telus: Internet Coverage

Telus’ internet infrastructure is mainly concentrated in Western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan). It is one of the largest ISPs in the country. Its main draw is PureFibre, its fiber network that tops out with an ultra-fast 1.5 Gigabit Internet plan.

Here is a list of all regions with PureFibre availability:

Alberta

• Airdrie
• Blackfalds
• Black Diamond
• Bonnyville
• Calgary
• Coaldale
• Didsbury
• Drayton Valley
• Drumheller
• Edmonton
• Edson
• Hinton
• Innisfail
• Lloydminster
• Okotoks
• Peace River
• Ponoka
• Priddis
• St. Paul
• Stettler
• Taber
• Turner Valley
• Vegreville
• Wainwright
• Westlock
• Wetaskiwin

British Columbia

• Abbotsford
• Belcarra
• Burnaby
• Cariboo
• Castlegar
• Central Saanich
• Chemainus
• Chilliwack
• Comox
• Coquitlam
• Courtenay
• Creston
• Cumberland
• Dawson Creek
• Delta
• Duncan
• Fernie
• Fort St. John
• Forest Grove
• Fraser Canyon
• Gibsons
• Grand Forks
• Hope
• Hudson’s Hope
• Kamloops
• Kelowna
• Keremeos
• Kimberley
• Kitimat
• Lake Country
• Langley City
• Lantzville
• Little Qualicum River Village
• Lumby
• Maple Ridge
• Merritt
• Mission
• Moricetown
• Moyie Lake
• Nanaimo
• Nelson
• North Saanich
• North Vancouver
• Oak Bay
• Okanagan Falls
• Oliver
• Osoyoos
• Peachland
• Pemberton
• Pender Harbour
• Penticton
• Pitt Meadows
• Port Alberni
• Port Coquitlam
• Port Hardy
• Port McNeill
• Port Moody
• Powell River
• Prince George
• Queensborough
• Quesnel
• Revelstoke
• Richmond
• Rolla
• Saanich
• Salmon Arm
• Sechelt
• Smithers
• Sooke
• Spences Bridge
• Spider Lake
• Summerland
• Surrey
• Terrace
• Tofino
• Ucluelet
• Vancouver
• Victoria
• Vernon
• Westshore
• White Rock
• Williams Lake

To check availability in your area, visit the Telus availability page.

Unlike many other carriers, Telus has no data overage fees, excellent bundling opportunities, and a strong rural network offering download speeds up to 25 Mbps and a 1 TB monthly data cap.

Telus: Customer Service

There are many ways to contact Telus customer service.

Its main contact uses a phone number (1-866-558-2273) (from Canada) and a support website – telus.com/support

Its support website is very intuitive, using a search field to lead you to various support options. For example, searching for ‘bill’ will pull up all relevant support pages, such as Payment Options for overdue Fees and My Telus Bill Analyzer, which links you to your billing history and online statements.

If you ever become extra fired up over a support issue, there is always a Twitter account – @TELUSsupport

Lastly, Telus even offers a virtual assistant, TELUS Assist, a 24/7 helpline that does not need a pre-scheduled phone call or online chat. Rather than a page, it uses a purple TELUS Assist icon on the bottom right on select pages, equally good on desktop and mobile.

What about canceling Telus service?

Canceling Telus service is pretty straightforward. All plans come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, which means canceling service within 30 days sees all fees waived. If you decide to cancel any service within 30 days, subscribers must return all equipment (including freebies).

A 30-day satisfaction guarantee offers peace of mind in the event you are not satisfied with your service. Telus reps usually answer very promptly with guidance on next steps in returning equipment and closing out your account if needed.

Telus: Perks

When it comes to perks and incentives, Telus is one of the more generous ISPs.

Telus regularly holds promotions. All new subscribers to Optik TV and Internet 75 are awarded a 55-inch 4K HDR TV valued at $549.99.

Another strong perk is a free $400 Telus prepaid Visa when locking into a two-year Optik TV and Internet plan.

A third incentive is a free Apple Airpods Pro *(valued at $329) when ordering Gigabit Internet (a 2-year term agreement is required). Not enough? Telus will even throw in a $50 bill credit when ordering online.

Even installation is a strong point. Unlike many ISPs, which only offer self-install or professional installation, Telus one-ups them with a third, virtual install.

During a virtual install, a technician will perform all necessary wiring work outside your house before dropping off all equipment at your door and video calling you through the process of installation. Telus also offers virtual installs for its SmartHome Security plan. Not a bad service in the age of Covid and social distancing.

Lastly, new subscribers can save on a $50 activation fee and a $100 credit on select TV and internet bundles (e.g., Pik TV).

Talk to me about Telus’ unlimited data.

Telus’ unlimited data policy on all plans is simple. Everyone with a two-year term gets unlimited data. Otherwise, no-term plans are subject to an extra $20 a month fee, which is pretty generous.

We highly recommend unlimited data, even with moderate web usage. However, usage./consumption can easily be underestimated. For example, video conferencing takes up roughly 200MB per hour. Conduct enough of those each month, and you may come close to your data cap on lesser plans.

As an aside, here are estimated data usage by activity:

• 700 MB HD movies—up to 7 GB per hour
• Audio/video conferencing —~200 MB per hour
• Call of Duty marathon session—25-200 MB per hour
• Listening to Spotify—up to 100 MB per hour

What do publications think of Telus?

Telus has a solid reputation. Long considered Canada’s largest network, it has achieved numerous accolades, such as the “Highest Wireless Network Quality Performance in Ontario and the East” distinction by JD Power and Associates, a leading research firm.

Our favorite accolades come from the Fastest ISPs 2021: Canada report by PCMag, where Telus beats many ISPs in internet speeds across different provinces.

Does Telus offer enhanced online security features?

Yes, Telus runs an “all-in-one” protection program called Telus Online Security, backed by NortonLifeLock. It’s all about identity protection for up to three devices and comes with several features for peace of mind, including NortonTM 360 with LifeLock Basic Plus, dark web monitoring, an annual credit score report by One-Bureau, and $25,000 in identity theft reimbursement coverage.

Like internet plans, Telus Online Security offers three plans: Standard ($10 per month), Complete ($15 per month), and Ultimate ($20 per month).

The biggest difference between plans is the number of devices connected to Device Security and Secure VPN and identify theft reimbursement coverage amounts.

Here is a breakdown of each Telus Online Security plan:

• Standard allows Device Security and Secure VPN on up to three devices with up to $25,000 identity theft reimbursement coverage.
• Complete allows Device Security and Secure VPN on up to 10 devices with up to $100,000 identity theft reimbursement coverage.
• Ultimate allows Device Security and Secure VPN on up to 20 devices with up to $1 million in identity theft reimbursement coverage.

Telus Online Security is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS.

To activate a Telus Online Security plan, visit the Telus online security page here.

Telus: Installation

Telus offers three installation options: self-install, virtual install, and in-person install.

With self-install, all equipment is packaged and sent to you for any product except Optik TV and internet. Virtual installs allow technicians to drop off equipment at your door, followed by a video chat to go over the installation.

Lastly, in-person installs are self-explanatory. If an in-person install is not possible for whatever reason (e.g., person is not home), Telus may encourage you to perform a virtual install instead.

We appreciate Telus’ installation options, as each serves a subset of customers who may be more tech-savvy or need extra guidance.

Telus: Bundling

One of Telus’ biggest draws is its bundling. Bundling TV, internet, phone, and/or security systems offer excellent savings.

We highly recommend the Telus PureFibre Internet 75 + Optik TV + SmartHome Security bundle. For less than $110 per month, subscribers can enjoy 75 Mbps upload/download speeds, over 125 local/regional channels, and an automated home security system.

The only downfall of Telus TV bundles is that all subscribers are automatically locked into a two-year contract with early termination fees. However, early termination fees decrease for every month you keep your plan active.

For a complete breakdown of all Telus TV bundles, move on to the following section.

Telus: TV Bundles

All Telus TV products revolve around its two flagship offerings: Optik TV and Pik TV.

Optik TV combines live TV and streaming services on a single plan. However, it is very different from competing services with its flex policy. Users can swap, add or remove channels every 30 days.

On the flip side, Pik TV is a cheaper and simpler live and on-demand streaming service with 23 basic channels and the choice of five premium channels. Like Optik TV, subscribers can change channels every 30 days and work several a-la-carte options to add or remove channels on the fly. All you need is the Pik TV app and a compatible device to play it on.

Optik TV

Optik TV comes with three TV and internet bundles: Essentials, Premium, and Ultimate.

• Essentials cost $115 per month for 36 channels and PureFibre Internet 75 (Up to 75 Mbps upload/download) for the first two years, then $140 per month
• Premium costs $162 per month for four theme packs (Prime Time, Living, TSN & Beyond, Sportsnet & Beyond) and PureFibre Gigabit Internet (Up to 940 Mbps upload/download) for the first two years, then $213 per month
• Ultimate costs $177 for seven theme packs and one premium option (e.g., Netflix, Crave, TLC, and Food Network) and PureFibre Gigabit Internet (Up to 940 Mbps upload/download)

Pik TV

Pik TV is good for TV and internet bundles: Basics + Crave, Basics + Pik 5, and Basics + STARZ. Like Optik TV, all require two-year term agreements.

• Basics + Crave costs $105 per month for 23 live TV channels and Internet 75 (Up to 75 Mbps upload/download)
• Basics + Pik 5 costs $95 per month for 23 live TV channels, five channels of your choice, and PureFibre Internet 75 (Up to 75 Mbps upload/download)
• Basics + STARZ costs $95 per month for 23 live TV channels, access to its on-demand library, and PureFibre Internet 75

Do I recommend Telus?

We wholeheartedly recommend Telus over competitors Bell Canada, Shaw, Rogers, and value-oriented upstarts like Teksavvy.

Arguably its biggest selling point is its speed. Its PureFibre X offering is a 100% fibre network rated Canada’s fastest ISP 2 years in a row (PCMag Speed Index national average) and earned top marks with third-party testing.

It blows past Shaw’s fastest internet plan (100/1500 Mbps) with punishing 2500/2500 Mbps (PureFibre X) speeds.

Outside of speeds, Telus’ really excels with its TV bundles. For example, the Telus PureFibre Internet 75 + Optik TV + SmartHome Security bundle offers some of the best value in the business – all for less than $110 per month.

In short, a 100% fibre optic internet connection, wi-fi 6, a PCMag awarded for Fastest ISP (2021), and 9x faster upload speeds than Shaw really separates Telus from the rest of the pack.

Telus FAQ

Talk to me about Telus’ PureFibre network.

PureFibre is Telus’ fiber offering, which has invested billions of dollars in expanding fiber infrastructure to more homes through 2023.

It promises substantially faster speeds of up to 2,500 Mbps download and upload (PureFibre X) with a more reliable connection. Online materials really put the pedal to the metal in comparison to Shaw’s fibre infrastructure, which uses shared copper/coax for ‘last mile’ internet delivery to homes, versus Telus’s 100% fiber-optic network.

What is Telus PureFibre’s primary service area?

Telus’ PureFibre network is mainly concentrated in British Columbia and Alberta, with plans to expand throughout the entire country throughout the next decade.

What Telus internet plan do you recommend for gamers?

Hands down, go for the Telus PureFibre 1.5 Gigabit plan. Telus’ highest speed plan virtually assures rapid-fire sniper shots without missing your target due to no latency. It only takes a blip with your internet connection to derail your multiplayer game.

What does Telus’ cancellation policy look like?

Telus has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, which means users who cancel their service within 30 days of receiving equipment will get their money back.

With 24/7 live technical support to help you with service heavily during the first month, remaining past the first should be no issue.

What are some downsides to Telus?

One downside for Telus is its higher than average monthly fees. For example, its lowest speed plan, a 100GB monthly data plan (25/25 Mbps), costs $75 per month. Other providers charge a fraction of that for the same speed.

Additionally, subscribers should expect a price hike after two years. For example, the PureFibre Internet 300/300 starts at $95 per month for two years and $120 per month after two years.

Another downside is higher than average activation fees.

Higher fees are easily offset by Telus’ expansive coverage and the highest internet speeds possible, blowing away competitors like Shaw by a wide margin.

For comparison, Shaw’s fastest internet plans top out at 1500/100 Mbps versus Telus’ 2500/2500 Mbps.

Does Telus offer discounted internet for those with low income?

Yes. Telus is part of the Internet for Good program, which offers internet to underserved areas. Eligible participants include seniors, low-income families, and the disabled. Non-profit organizations could also request assistance using an online form.

To learn more about the Internet for Good program, visit the Telus connecting Canada page.

Apart from Internet for Good, Telus is also a part of the Mobility for Good and Tech for Good program, which donates thousands of pre-used phones a year and technology assistance to needy populations, including foster care youth and people with disabilities.

What are cheaper alternatives to Telus?

For discounted ISPs, alternatives to Telus include TYeksavvy, Fido, and Virgin Mobile. Teksavvy is heavy on internet consumer advocacy, leading the charge in recent years regarding abolishing data caps and setting a low monthly rate for plans topping 1Gbps download speeds. However, it is a wholesale carrier, so reliability is lower than Telus.

Fido and Virgin Mobile operate similarly, relying on the Rogers and Bell Fibe networks to deliver service. However, Fido lacks fiber options (speeds up to 150 Mbps), something Telus excels at.

What are your thoughts on Bell and Rogers?

Alongside Telus, Bell and Rogers form part of the big three ISPs in Canada. In our view, Bell beats Rogers in terms of speed. However, Rogers has Bell wins in incentives (SmartStream, free 1-year subscription to Disney+), and customer service.

In any case, both offer high speeds but do not come close to Telus’ fastest plan, Purefibre X (2500/2500 Mbps)

Is it easy to sign up for Telus internet plans?

Yes, signing up for Telus plans is very intuitive. The Telus internet sign-up page is reasonable. Simply fill in your address, review a list of all available internet plans, and complete an application before getting approved and assigned a My Telus account to set up autopay and view all of your billing and usage details.

When considering unlimited data plans, what should I pay attention to?

In evaluating any unlimited data plans, pay attention to your monthly payment, connection speeds, and any extra fees that can apply, such as installation, activation, and equipment fees.

One good thing about Telus is that they are fully transparent on all applicable fees, despite being higher than average.