Maskatel Reviews and Plans

Groupe Maskatel LP is a regional telecommunications company providing internet access with speeds of up to 1 gigabit of data per second, as well as digital television and phone services for residential and business clients.

Maskatel also operates a community cable channel, ZoneTV, broadcasting 24 hours a day for clients in Saint-Hyacinthe, Drummondville, and surrounding areas.

Maskatel is headquartered in Saint-Hyacinthe,  a small city in southwestern Quebec east of Montreal on the Yamaska River.  Maskatel acquired four telecommunications companies in order to expand its service territory in several areas in Quebec. These companies were: Compagnie de Téléphone Upton inc., Compagnie de Téléphone de St-Victor, Compagnie de Téléphone de St-Ephrem, and Télécommunications Xittel. With these strategic and complementary acquisitions, Maskatel is currently undergoing a period of great growth.

Let us now review Maskatel Home Phone Plans. We'll see how these plans compare to the competition!

Maskatel has two Home Plans plans. The main characteristics and costs are as follows.

• Basic Package @ $26.96 per month. Long Distance to Canada and the US at $0.02
• Unlimited Package @ $36.95 per month. Incl. Canada and the USA

We can't call any of these plans as good. The Unlimited Package which comes with unlimited usage, mind you for North America, FREE Number Transfer, and the ATA Adapter is included. So you are all set to go. For a similar plan VoIP, Much is a lot cheaper at $9.45 a month, or VoIPly at $8.45 per month.

In terms of features, Maskatel doesn't include much both plans include up-to 8 features - some providers have more than 30 features!. What Maskatel plan provides, common to both plans is;

• Voicemail
• Caller ID
• Call waiting
• Visual call waiting
• Speed dial
• Three-way calling
• Call transfer

You may be able to obtain some discounts by combining the Internet and TV or Internet and Phone packages from Maskatel. In both cases, the discount comes to be around $10 per month. If you combine or bundle the Home Phone, Home Internet and Home TV then the discount is $20 per month.

If you bundle with a TV package you may be able to get an extra feature, the Visual Caller ID on your TV.

There is also the downside that there is no online signup anywhere, you have to book an appointment, or call Maskatel or via email. It seems preposterous not having an online service ordering process. Everything else Maskatel has to make it very easy to become the obvious choice.

As to why they have chosen to have a rather slower new customer acquisition method is a mystery. Maybe a side effect of the many acquisitions, which rather than to integrate systems better have potential customers interact with Maskatel Sales Representatives. Typically having an online ordering process adds transparency and simplicity. Having to interact with a Sales representative usually means being exposed to upselling tactics.  

In all we do not like Maskatel Home Phone plans,  monthly pricing is some of the most expensive we have seen, and certainly give a minus on the ordering process.

Features

Call Blocking
Conference Calling
BYOD:
Smartphone App:
Call Forwarding
Call Hold
Caller ID Name:
Enhanced VoiceMail:

Call Blocking
Conference Calling
Fax Capabilities
Fax to Email
Call Forwarding
Call Hold
Call Transfer
Music Hold
Caller ID Name:
Call Waiting:
Web Management:
Do Not Disturb:
Multiple Users:
Area Code Selection:
Extra Number:
Toll Free Numbers:
BYOD:
Desktop App:
Smartphone App:
Enhanced VoiceMail:
VoiceMail to Email:

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