said by GDSE 
:First, for the hardware, is there any more difficulty with respect to the setup compared to Bell (eg. just plugging it in and setting up the router with the username, etc.)
That's all there is to it. I switched a couple of weeks ago. The DSL light went solid red and the Modem Login screen appeared. Put in my Teksavvy info and was online with TekSavvy in a matter of seconds.
said by GDSE :Second, I've been reading some of the threads and it seems that cancelling Sympatico might not be the most pleasant experience. Does anyone have any advice about the most painless and least disruptive way to switch-over?
Call Sympatico, give them 30 days notice and be sure to ask for a Confirmation Number. TekSavvy will need that to haul you over. About a week from your cancellation date, call TekSavvy and they'll get you setup with user id, password, etc.
As for the modem, Sympatico will send you a prepaid sticker to send it back, usually within one week. Put the modem, power adapter in a box and make sure the post office stamps the letter they send to prove you've returned it (Just in case).
said by GDSE :Lastly, are there any additional fees besides the monthly fee, and modem purchase fee?
If you want a Static IP, it'll cost an extra $4/month. You can buy a Speedstream 516 for $50. (Someone will have to post the link).
One last piece of advice, get the Sympatico rep's name and ID who gives you the cancellation number. If something goes wrong, email kevin.crull@bell.ca directly and he'll make sure you're taken care of.
You may also want to call Sympatico back after a couple of weeks to make sure they haven't accidentally charged an ETF.
It was so easy when I did it, I could kick myself for not doing it a year or two sooner.
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