Primus

Notable Features

Family Plans: Share your monthly allotment of data, texts and minutes with up to three lines for added savings.

Canada-Wide Calling: All plans include Canada-wide calling, so you don't have to worry about complicated zones or added fees. Many also include unlimited evening and weekend calling to make keeping in touch affordable.

Flat-Rate Roaming Packs: Enjoy a set number of minutes, texts, and data in destinations around the world with affordable roaming packages.

Awards and Recognitions

• Primus currently has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau with 5 complaints closed in the past 3 years.

How's the Network Coverage and Speed?

Primus uses the Rogers network to deliver 3G and 4G LTE service across the country.

You can check coverage and network types in your area at the Primus support page.

The Rogers network ranked third for download speeds in both the 4G and 3G network categories in Tutela's 2018 "Mobile Experience Report", tests showed an average speed of 16.12Mbits/sec for 4G downloads and 3.92Mbits/sec for 3G downloads. Uploads speeds averaged 7.73Mbits/sec across both 4G and 3G networks.

The 2016 PC Magazine study “Fastest Mobile Networks in Canada” ranked Rogers' network second on the national level with an average LTE download speed of 43.20Mbits/sec. The average national upload speed was 21.80Mbits/sec.

Additional data from OpenSignal shows an average 4G LTE download speed for 16.9Mb/sec and an average 3G download speed of 2.2Mb/sec. 4G upload speeds measured at 7.5Mb/sec with 3G coming at 0.7Mb/sec.

Do They Charge Roaming Fees?

For the majority of Primus plans--those labeled “Canada-wide”--you’ll enjoy calling from anywhere in Canada with no worries of roaming fees.

Outside of Canada, fees vary. Primus offers a range of flat-rate travel add-ons to help keep bills manageable. 

Options include:

• US Roaming: $20 to $90 for up to 250 minutes, unlimited texting, and 600MB of data.
• EU Roaming: $40 to $100 for up to 100 minutes, 150 texts, and 100MB of data.
• Asia, Caribbean, Latin America and Oceania Roaming: $45 to $125 for up to 100 minutes, 150 texts, and 50MB of data.
• Africa Roaming: $50 to $200 for up to 100 minutes, 150 texts, and 25MB of data.

For additional information on roaming fees and PAYG rates for other destinations, consult their Travel Packs page.

What About Long Distance Fees?

For most Primus plans, calls anywhere in Canada are included at no additional charge.

If you're calling outside the country, rates vary depending on your destination.

If you frequently call the US, there is an unlimited U.S. and Canadian calling add-on for $30 per month.

To find out more about long distance fees and add-ons, check their Long Distance Rate Calculator.

Does Primus Offer Wi-Fi Calling?

No. Primus does not currently support native Wi-Fi calling or offer an app to provide Wi-Fi calling to unsupported phones.

How About Voice over LTE (VoLTE)?

No.

Can I Tether My Mobile?

Yes. Tethering is allowed on Primus using your monthly allotment of data. Data used outside your allotment is billed at standard per-use rates.

Be aware that tethering with a PC, game console or another device might cause increased data consumption. Any data used by those devices while tethered counts against your data bucket. Always tether with caution.

Do They Offer Data Rollover?

No. 

What Add-ons or Bundles are Available?

All Primus plans include standard voicemail and caller ID. Add-ons make it easy to add extra features to your account. 

Popular add-ons include:

• Account Calling: For $2 per line, per month you can unlock unlimited calling to and from any number on your account. This is great for keeping the family in touch without running through your monthly minute allotment.
• Unlimited Incoming Local Calls: For $12 per month, you can enjoy unlimited local incoming calls.
• Data Top-Ups: Running low on data? You can add between 50MB and 1GB of data to your line or shared data pool. Prices run between $5 and $30.

For a full list of add-on options, consult their Add-Ons page.

Do They Offer Bring Your Own Device/Sim-Only Plans?

Yes! Most carrier-unlocked GSM, UMTS, HSPA and LTE devices will work with Primus.

You'll also enjoy a 10% discount on standard plan rates.

Primus recommends calling customer care to start the process. You can find out more at their Bring Your Own Phone page.

Do They Require a Credit Check?

Yes, Primus requires credit verification for all new lines of service. At the time of writing, this is a "hard" credit check. This means the check will likely appear on your credit report.

Items needed include 1 of the following:

• Canadian Driver's Licence
• Canadian SIN Card or Letter
• Canadian Credit Card

Plus 1 of the following:

• Valid Canadian Driver’s License (Not applicable if used as one of the items above)
• Valid Canadian or Foreign Passport
• Work Visa
• Department of Defense ID
• Permanent Resident Card
• Native Indian Status Card
• CNIB Card
• Valid, Government-Issued Provincial/Territorial Photo ID
• Possession and Acquisition License (PAL)

One of the items provide must include your date of birth or a third item containing the information must be supplied.

NOTE: Credit checks from carriers that pull your credit bureau report may impact your credit score. If you're not sure the best options for your credit profile, we suggest contacting the carrier directly before attempting to obtain service.

For more information on credit check requirements and how they might affect your account, consult their Service Agreement Terms and Conditions.

What About Activation and SIM Fees?

Primus charges a one-time $25 activation fee for every new line of service.

If you bring your own phone or tablet, Primus offers free SIM kits and waives the activation fee.

For more information, consult their Service Charges and Bring Your Own Phone pages.

Do They Charge an Early Termination Fee?

If you have a term contract or received a subsidy on your phone, you might have to pay an early termination fee to end service.

According to their Service Charges page, the early cancellation fee is:

Equal to the device subsidy multiplied by the number of months remaining in your contract term divided by the total number of months of your term (plus applicable taxes).

Contacting their customer support team is the best option for finding out specifics for particular plans, contracts or devices.

Can I Port My Number To or From Primus?

Primus adheres to all Local Number Portability requirements. This means that you should be able to port your number to or from Primus as long as a few conditions are met.

• The account with the number must be active and in good standing.
• Primus must offer service in the area where the number is based.
• Number portability must be available in the area where the number is based.
• The number must not be assigned to a pager.

In most cases, the process takes up to 72 hours to complete.

For more information about porting numbers to or from this carrier, refer to their support page.

Will They Unlock My Phone?

Yes! According to CRTC Wireless Code regulations effective December 2017, they must unlock your phone free of charge upon request. If you received a subsidy on your phone, you must wait 90 days before unlocking your phone.

Contact Primus by phone, email or chat to start the unlocking process.

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For additional questions about Primus pricing, features, and coverage, be sure to check our Primus Q&A Forum. It’s filled with questions and answers from people like you looking to get the most out of their mobile service!

If you spot any errors or missing information, please let us know! It's appreciated and will help make this page better for everyone.