Bell has officially confirmed the end of the commercialization of home internet and television services under its Virgin Plus brand in Ontario, effective January 14, 2026. This decision, first announced last fall, marks the end of a competitively priced offering in the province.
Existing subscribers in Ontario will not be affected and will be able to keep their current plan, pricing, and equipment without any changes. Going forward, the Virgin Plus brand will refocus exclusively on wireless services in the region. In Quebec, Virgin Plus home internet service will remain available.
A strategy aligned with industry trends
This move reflects a broader trend toward streamlining secondary brands. Bell is following a path similar to that of Rogers, which quietly discontinued the home internet offering of its subsidiary Fido in 2024, redirecting customers to its main service plans.
By contrast, Telus has taken a different approach by expanding its home internet services under its mainstream brand Koodo, following the acquisition of several smaller providers.
A shift toward core brands
For new customers in Ontario, affordable residential options are disappearing. Virgin Plus plans previously started at $59 per month for 50 Mbps service. Under Bell’s main brand, entry-level plans now begin at $65 per month for symmetrical 50 Mbps speeds, with higher-priced options generally dominating the lineup.
This simplification allows Bell to focus its marketing efforts and customer support on its core brands, Bell and Virgin Mobile, while repositioning Virgin Plus around its historical core business: mobile services.
This shift comes amid a changing regulatory landscape, as Bell has recently announced plans to expand its internet services in Western Canada by using Telus’s network. A notable reversal in a sector where operators typically compete fiercely over access to their respective infrastructures.
