Fonus Mobile in Canada: A Full Review
Fonus Mobile is a Virtual Mobile Network Operator (MVNO) that offers unlimited cellular data plans. Using the AT&T network, the California-based provider, founded in 2019, provides unlimited calls and texts to over 50 countries worldwide.
This prepaid operator’s website offers a single plan that gives subscribers unlimited data access for $30 USD, avoiding roaming charges in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. However, it is important to note that all calls and texts must be made directly through the Fonus platform.
Furthermore, Fonus provides 5G network access to its US customers. Despite the term “unlimited data,” users can use up to 20GB on the fastest regional network. After reaching this limit, Fonus mobile adjusts download speeds to 3G. Learn more about Fonus in our in-depth article.
What is a Virtual Mobile Network Operator (MVNO)?
MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. It is a wireless service provider that does not have its own network infrastructure. In other words, MVNOs must collaborate with mobile network providers to gain access to their infrastructure. Typically, these agreements allow companies like Fonus to gain access to the mobile network at relatively low cost. This practice explains how Fonus is able to offer unlimited data plans for only $30. To gain a better understanding of MVNOs, read our article “MVNO in Canada: The Guide.“
How to sign up for Fonus?
Fonus Mobile’s registration process is straightforward. The entire process can be completed directly through their website. Users must first purchase a Fonus SIM card, which costs $15 USD.
Users in the United States and Canada can get this SIM card for free. When you purchase the SIM card, you will be required to pay for the first month of service. The Fonus SIM card should arrive three to six days after the transaction is completed.
After receiving your Fonus Mobile SIM card, you must activate it on the Fonus platform. You must enter your SIM card number, email address, and postal code. After that, you must enter a credit card for automatic payment to complete your profile.
Once your account is fully set up, you can ask Fonus to transfer your current phone number. It is critical not to cancel your previous plans until the transfer is complete. This process usually takes 48 to 72 hours, but if any information is missing, it can take up to 5 days.
Fonus Mobile Review
Users appear to have vastly different feelings and experiences with Fonus Mobile. Many people distrust the company because it lacks transparency with its customers. Fonus Mobile advertises unlimited data, but users are switched to a 3G network after 20GB of usage.
Customer service
Many users experienced difficulties when attempting to cancel their services. Customers can terminate their subscription in two ways: directly through their customer portal, under the settings section, or by contacting Fonus customer service.
Unfortunately, when several customers attempted to cancel their subscriptions over the phone, they encountered problems. In conversations with agents, some customers who requested the termination of their line were told to call back two days before the end of their plan. This instruction exposed them to ongoing charges for several months because they failed to make the follow-up call.
Finally, canceling a phone plan should be a simple process.
If you intend to use the Fonus service, we strongly advise you to remain vigilant and check for any charges after canceling your plan on a regular basis. This situation also casts doubt on Fonus’s status as a prepaid service. A prepaid plan typically requires an upfront payment, with automatic disconnection at the plan’s expiration, necessitating the purchase of a new plan to regain access.
If Fonus automatically charges credit cards on a monthly basis, it suggests a conventional contract without the anticipated prepaid features, enabling cancellation at any time without penalties.
Data Network
Many users experienced unexpected service interruptions as a result of Fonus’ inability to deploy its own network. In one instance, a customer used 50GB of AT&T data, resulting in the permanent disconnection of their SIM card by the provider. To justify the termination, the provider cited a violation of the service conditions. Such situations should never occur because Fonus provides unlimited data usage to its customers.
The network used by Canadian users is also unclear. On its website, Fonus claims to use Telus, Bell, and Rogers networks for its Canadian customers. However, Telus has stated that it has no agreement with Fonus and has never communicated with the California-based company.
Fonus App
According to numerous online reviews, the Android app appears to have a lot of bugs. The Fonus app frequently terminates calls, and the only way to resume receiving calls is to close and reopen the app. This also applies to SMS received through the app. Furthermore, the call history appears to be extremely inconsistent, with the caller’s number not appearing unless they left a message for the Fonus client.
Fonus’ legitimacy
Before choosing Fonus Mobile as your data provider, it’s crucial to remember that Simon Tian, the company’s founder, has raised doubts. Before establishing Fonus, this Canadian entrepreneur was involved with the Neptune Suite project. To support its project, the company used crowdfunding but never delivered the final product. While various factors can contribute to a business’s failure, the lack of information and transparency from Neptune Suite was deemed unacceptable. Despite many customers having positive experiences with Fonus, others have expressed concerns and found the company highly suspicious.
Fonus FAQs
We’re here to answer your questions about Fonus Mobile. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section below for answers to common questions about Fonus Mobile.
What Network does Fonus use in Canada?
Fonus Mobile claims that its Canadian customers will be connected to the Bell, Rogers, and Telus networks. While network selection is usually automatic, some devices allow users to manually select the network they want to use.
Will I have access to 5G everywhere?
No, the 5G network is only available to users in the United States via Fonus. If you are in Canada or Mexico, your first 20GB of usage will most likely be on a 4G network.
Can I cancel my Fonus at any time?
Yes, Fonus is a prepaid service, which means there is no contract. You can contact the customer service or cancel directly from your user account.
Can I hotspot with Fonus mobile data?
At the moment, hot-spotting is not allowed with their data plan. Fonus data can only be accessed by the phone containing the Fonus SIM card.
How do I contact Fonus?
Clients who require assistance with their account or want more information on how to use the service can contact Fonus via a variety of channels. They offer chat boxes on their website, as well as Telegram chats for customer service representatives!
Is Fonus Mobile a Good Alternative?
If you are planning a trip to the United States or Mexico, Fonus Mobile is an excellent choice. It simplifies communication with your contacts no matter where you are, eliminating the stress of searching for information while traveling between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It is also a good option for Canadians looking to reduce their telecommunications costs. Choosing a data-only plan allows you to avoid paying for extra services included in more traditional plans.
It is important to note that this company has not been registered with the CRTC. In other words, Fonus Mobile is subject to different regulations than other Canadian telecommunications service providers.
Alternatives to Fonus?
You may find alternatives to Fonus by using PlanHub to compare more than a hundred cell phone plans. Similar choices are provided by other companies, who offer a range of programs to accommodate various needs and price ranges. PlanHub allows you to compare options and choose the plan that best meets your needs in terms of cost, features, and coverage.
When determining the optimal alternative, a number of criteria should be examined. First, validate that the network covers your location. Next, consider plan details such as the number of phone minutes, mobile data allowance, and included services. Finally, compare prices to determine the best value.
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I tried Fonus recently. I trusted their advertising of unlimited data and low price. After 20g at 4g rates, it was supposed to revert to 3g rates, “unlimited”. They lied. Today data was not available, wasted time thinking phone problem. Soon after received an email with a warning I was using too much data? How is this possible with unlimited data? After 20g, I revert to unlimited at 3g. That was the deal. I argued on chat, pointing out the above. They said by using so much data (about 40g) I had violated the AT&T fair use policy. I had no agreement with AT&T. I asked them to return my money since I did not receive the service they sold me. Had the service for less than 2 weeks. Then they suddenly disconnected my chat session, minutes later received an email that my account was cancelled. Just like that. In my opinion it is a scam. They are just parasites trying to skim a little price margin piggybacking on real telecom systems. It is a bate and switch scam. Looks like a future class action case.
Hope my experience helps others avoid the mistake I made. Thanks for your research, wish I had found it before I went with them.
Thanks for the comment, we hope it’ll help others. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience.
If you used more than 40GB in less than two weeks, that means you were on track to use more than 80GB per month
In my experience, that kind of usage will get you banned with nearly any carrier providing a similarly-priced phone plan. A friend of mine was using similar amounts of data on Rogers and got banned as well
You can’t expect a $30 per month service to replace the internet at your home, that’s just not possible and shouldn’t be expected
Yes the plan may be advertised as ‘unlimited’, but there are fair usage policies that come with every ‘unlimited’ plan on the market
Just activated first line of two last night. So far so good. With a savings of almost a 100 bucks a month per line over Telus, I’ll give it a shot.
Just wondering how it’s working out after this amount of time?
We are wanting it to travel to Mexico so if anyone has info on that part it would be appreciated
I have been using the service for over 4 months now. It works great in the US and Canada. Couldn’t be happier with the pricing
I have been using fonus for the last 3 years and I am very happy with it,customer service is excellent and anybody willing to use fonus will not regret it.
We are very happy with fonus since we can make free long distance calls overseas.
As for data usage, I normally use 20G per month and never had any issue .
I think it’s reliable service and did as advertised.
Don’t get greedy to use 100GB a month if they say 20 GB use that limit good for those saying it’s a scam these cheap people Bells $100 monthly plan nice lesson for them
I have been using Fonus for quite some time and it has served me well. Any dealings I’ve had with customer service have been polite, quick and efficient. When Rogers dropped the other day, the sim simply switched to Bell on its own. Works great on a cellular iPad as well!!
It works with « cellular » ? I’m planning to buy an Apple Watch and switch for Fonus. It works even if your cellphone is more than 50 meters away ?
Hey I’ve been using fonus for a while now, and have had zero issues with it. It’s really been great for me.
The Fair usage policy exist with any carrier you’ll find. This isn’t an home internet replacement, it’s for your mobile device..
I’ve had really good experience with the customer support and just like J.Coles said, when Rogers went down the other day, you just switched right to the other carrier available, not many carriers can say that :).
Been using Fonus as well since 2019. I used it in dual sim phone (OP6T) as well as my Android Tablet (Huawei T5). Works great and (being android) I was able to switch between carriers. Data speeds are same as if I would have with Canadian Carrier and US Carrier. Free calls and messages from the Fonus App. No issues.
Long time Fonus user here. I have no issues with it and am happy with service. Not a heavy data user so I never exceed 20 G in a month.
I have been using the Fonus SIM card for a while now without any major issues. I use it mainly for data. A few weeks ago i used it in USA and it worked like a charm. A friend of mine uses it as a daily driver and hasn’t complained about it.
After AT&T shut down the 3G network, my phone would not work with AT&T and I was requested to buy a new phone exclusively from AT&T. I decided to abandon AT&T and look for another option. Given the fact that I need to use my phone in the US and Canada, I came to know about Fonus. I have looked into several articles about Fonus and read through lots of reviews before I decided to use this service. I purchased a SIM card and it was delivered to me in only 2 days. I installed the card and by following the instructions, I was able to activate my SIM card and select a new number of my preference. Since I started using Fonus, I had no problem and I am totally satisfied with its service. I am saving over $20USD by paying only $30USD for Fonus compared to AT&T and with better service!
What the fonus site is claiming to be. Is not what the actual product actually is. I have never witnessed “break neck speeds” as stated on their site. Google Play store identifies the app as unsafe and harmful. Using the portal is unsecure. Especially, when inputting your CC details. Data appears to have an extremely high latency. Which degrades the performance of VoIP usability.
CEO of Fonus is also the CEO of Neptune computers. The CEO stole a large sum of funds from their original customers back when Neptune computers was around. To sum up, Fonus product and CEO is terrible. I hope this never happens to anyone else.
I have been a Fonus customer for a quite while, almost since Fonus started. Fonus has been providing reliable and excellent service. Clearly remembered that when the Rogers service was down for the entire day last month (July 2020), Fonus still provided non-stop & reliable service…BIG THANKS to Fonus! For sure, I would highly recommend Fonus to everyone!!
I ordered a fonus SIM card and received it in the mail however I was charged twice on my visa. They showed me that I ordered two one minute apart but I only received one. Not happy. I don’t think I want to move forward with this company.
OK service for Canadians who travel, if I ignore the current 24 hour network outage that is occurring now. Can’t receive phone calls or text messages. They say its their VOIP provider’s update (inteliquent) that is causing the problem. Up till then, over the past month I have had ok service, with occasional dropped calls after 15 minutes. I would guess they are a small company. Their support services have been EXCELLENT when I use the chat service. Very responsive and knowledgeable.
Number unavailable for 2 days. All I get is it will be fixed soon. Two days is unacceptable. Crap service
A Scam company. I have used it for 1 year.
1-I highly suspect ( 99.9%) they sell customer information to scammers and random people would keep calling me to verify my personal info. That would happen once a month almost.
2- The service stopped for a month and customer representatives did not even acknowledge it and would give random suggestions. After I contacted them 10th time they accepted that their service was off and noone could call me for an entire month and they did not fix it and did not care.
3- It was impossible to port my number out. I tried 25 times almost and finally, they gave up and let me do it. Do you want proof ? Go to your account and look for your port out info and the page will give an error and you won’t be able to view the port out info. It’s all part of the ID and money theft plan. They won’t let you go.
4- I could not delete my account after I transferred my number and they were unresponsive to the emails. Proof? Try to go to your account and delete/cancel your account. You will see that the system won’t let you do it and will direct you to an error page.
5- To sum up. The reason this company exists is due to cartel and monopoly in mobile providers in Canada. They charge outrageous bills for mediocre services and that is why people sign up for this company. But this company provides Canadian citizens sensitive information to the hands of scammers.
6- This company must be sued and banned in Canada. It’s an illegal scam company with illegal operation practices.
AT YOUR OWN RISK!
I got in the same situation, they don’t want to return my money for 2 weeks when they suspended my account. I try to erase my billing information, I got errors. Is a scam.
You have chat with them , they are big crooks.
I’m having the same issue with porting out. can you help me with it.
I’ve been using them for about 18 months. Overall… It’s ok. We have two lines with them. 99% of the time we are on Rogers. My wife manually switched hers to bell but my Motorola won’t allow it. When Rogers went down, it flipped to bell and I didn’t even notice. Speed test shows great speed. Customer support is almost instant. The phone app is not great. Service has been a bit buggy in the past. The phone uses a VoIP app. Google shows the app as safe. But it’s in need of a major upgrade. The company is having growing pains for sure. But after 18 months of unlimited for about 42 to 47 cdn total a month, I’d hate to have to switch to virgin or another.
Before today I’d have said “So far, so good.”
I’ve had the service for about a month and find it useful and beneficial.
Setup instructions and assistance are sub-par, but eventually got it sorted.
The phone service is VOIP, which means apps like iMessage and WhatsApp do not function with the provided number.
Also, some banks have security policies that prevent text messages being sent to VOIP numbers.
As to the Canadian carriers, sitting and looking at my phone it indicates Rogers as the network here in Ontario,
Today I got a ‘service terminated due to a billing issue’.
In trying to re-enter CC info on both the website and App it failed, and threw generic error/retry messages.
Access to support required digging around their site – it’s not that obvious.
When I did reach someone (on FB chat) they explained that they were putting in a new payment system and it had gone FUBAR (my description, not theirs). Told me to put the phone in airplane mode for 2 minutes and then back – and it worked.
But the service model of no notification of an outage and/or fix-it instructions is sub-par.
So again, useful and beneficial, and for the $30 cost it satisfies enough of my needs that I will cancel my Virgin account that trends over $100/month.