Mexican navy ship hits Brooklyn Bridge, killing 2
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
5 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Back-to-school cellphone plans offer choice, discounts as students leave the nest
Published Aug 21, 2025 • 4 minute read A person uses a cellphone in Ottawa, Monday, July 18, 2022. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS A life-changing milestone awaits hundreds of thousands of first-year students preparing to head off to university and college in the coming weeks. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account It's a moment teary-eyed parents will also remember as they drop off their kids at campus dorms, making sure to offer some last-minute advice: Study hard, eat healthy and don't forget to call mom and dad. But the independence that comes with post-secondary life could mean making such phone calls on their own dime from now on. With back-to-school sales in full swing across Canada's cellphone providers, experts say now is the ideal time to capitalize on a promotion that sets you up for the school year. 'There's a few dates that are important when you want to save on your cellphone plan and internet plan,' said Nadir Marcos, founder of pointing to well-known shopping bonanzas such as Boxing Day and Black Friday. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But he said back-to-school is also 'a big one.' 'Back-to-school is really a good period to shop,' he said. 'What people don't know and don't realize is that prices are very dynamic. They change on a daily basis.' Marcos, whose website helps shoppers compare offers across dozens of providers, said there are 'very aggressive' deals out there targeted toward students. While those include promotions from the Big Three cellphone companies, he said he often recommends students opt for plans offered by 'flankers' — the discount brands owned by the major carriers — which are even cheaper. 'Of course with these brands you don't have customer service that is by phone. But these days … I think that will not be a problem for students,' he said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Marcos said those brands, including Rogers' Fido, Bell's Virgin Plus and Telus' Koodo Mobile, are 'pretty much' aligned on pricing. 'What they also offer is flexibility, so you can change your plan on their portal on their site,' said Marcos. 'If you're tight on your budget or you want to change your expenses, you can always do so without having to pick up the phone and talk.' But while having your very own phone plan for the first time may feel empowering, staying on the family plan and contributing your share of the bill may be the more economical option. 'If you're currently on a plan that has other family members on it and you might be getting a bit of a discounted pricing, I would just suggest staying on that shared plan because it's probably going to be cheaper than going on your own,' said Mohammed Halabi, director and founder of a company that helps customers negotiate with telecom providers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'With that being said, there are some decent rates for stand-alone plans out there as well.' For those going away for school, Halabi said he recommends choosing a premium brand because of the superior network coverage they offer. He said the last thing you want is to be out of service range when trying to make a call, especially when travelling between home and school. 'Depending on where you are, it does justify the cost increase,' he said. The Big Three providers offer similar back-to-school promotions each year, Halabi said. This week, Rogers was offering a 60-gigabyte plan for $60 per month on its website, which includes a discount for setting up autopay, while a near-identical offer was available from Telus. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bell's 'back to school ready' promotion included a package of 100 gigabytes for $55 per month when you bring your own phone and bundle with internet. A mobile-only version of the plan was available for $70 per month. Halabi said his advice for young customers is to be aware of the 'areas where bill shock can come from,' such as international calls, roaming charges and extreme data overages. But these days, he said most plans offer so much data that the majority of customers don't end up using the full monthly allotment. 'Just ensure that you understand the plan that you're getting and that it suits how you're using your phone,' he said. 'I always advise, whether it's business or personal customers, to choose a service that properly meets your needs versus trying to meet the needs of the plan.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Marcos said the main risk of overspending doesn't usually come from selecting the wrong plan, but rather from purchasing the accompanying hardware. He said cellphones have grown more expensive even though the latest models 'tend to change less and less.' The biggest mistake a student can make, he said, is purchasing an expensive new device that must be returned to the provider at end-of-term. If you break the phone, you'll owe more money later on. 'There are some really good devices that are almost brand new and they cost much less. And most of these flanker brands, they offer the possibility of buying a used device that is in good condition,' said Marcos. 'You can always get out of the contract and if it's bring-your-own-device there's no strings attached really. You can leave at any time.' Columnists Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Toronto Maple Leafs
CTV News
8 hours ago
- CTV News
Powerball jackpot climbs to estimated US$700 million
A customer purchases a Powerball lottery ticket at the Brew Market & Cafe on October 10, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (via CNN Newsource) After there was no winner in Wednesday night's drawing, Powerball's jackpot has climbed to an estimated US$700 million (more than C$972 million). The new figure, which bests its earlier $643 million jackpot, is one of the largest prizes in the history of Powerball. The last jackpot was already the largest of 2025 as the lottery has gone without a winner since May 31. ADVERTISEMENT Preliminary data from the Multi-State Lottery Association, which helps facilitate the Powerball lottery, shows Powerball sales are 40 per cent higher than they were at this point last year. 'As the jackpot increases, we expect ticket sales to increase,' the association said. While the size of the jackpot and the ticket sales have risen, the odds of winning the top prize have not. The chances of winnings the jackpot stand at about 1 in 292 million. If someone wins in the next drawing, they'll get to choose between the jackpot amount, which is paid out in 30 annual payments, or a one-time cash option of approximately $316.3 million. The next drawing is set for 10:59 p.m. Saturday. The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history was $2.04 billion and won by a lone ticket in Altadena, California, on Nov. 7, 2022. By Gordon Ebanks, CNN
CTV News
19 hours ago
- CTV News
Part of Delta Air Lines 737's wing breaks off during flight
A still from a video taken aboard a Delta flight, on August 19, shows a flap dangling behind a wing of the plane. (Shanila Arif via CNN Newsource) The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a flap on a Boeing 737's wing partially broke off before landing in Texas on Tuesday. Delta Air Lines Flight 1893 was flying from Orlando International to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport when passengers noticed something had partially broken away from the back of the wing. ADVERTISEMENT 'We felt it was bad turbulence. The plane was shaking,' passenger Shanila Arif told CNN. 'The lady in front of us opened the window and told us it is broken. I opened the window and got scared.' Video recorded by Arif showed the flap dangling behind the wing, as the plane flew at hundreds of miles an hour thousands of feet in the air. She worried if the piece completely broke off it could hit the tail of the aircraft and cause a crash. After landing 'it was observed that a portion of the left wing's flap was not in place,' Delta Air Lines said in a statement. 'The aircraft has been taken out of service for maintenance.' Flaps are surfaces on the back of the wing designed to be extended for takeoff and landing. 'We apologize to our customers for their experience as nothing is more important than the safety of our people and customers,' the airline said. There were 62 passengers and six crew members onboard the plane. No one was injured. Delta pledged to fully cooperate with the FAA investigation.
