Oh, 100% it'll be on a 2 year contract. Still, 800-1000 off is a big deal, unless you have a killer BYOP plan where it doesnt make sense.
People overvalue their BYOP plans tbh. My wife was on a $40-4gig BYOP package, am now paying $60, and effectively got her X for $480. Yes, I'm locked in for two years...but I can just pay the remaining subsidy ($20/mo) to walk away any time.
(For clarity, all phones in Canada are unlocked now from day 1. Some companies you have to ask, but there should be no charge and they MUST do it.)
I'm going to have to agree to disagree here. I have zero interest in being locked into a term contract, and if I was, I'd be considering the "phone credit" (Koodo's version of a term contract w/ device) as part of the price I was paying. With Koodo, they have the tab which is visible ($10/$15/$20 /mo depending on tier), but then they also have a "phone credit" which doesn't require paying down, but (like the tab) would have to be paid down (on a 24 mo pro-rated basis) if you decide to leave, replace your phone, and/or change plans.
(My current Koodo plan is $45 for 8GB)