# Cell phone conspiracy



## Fraser19 (Aug 23, 2013)

Wondering what you guys think of this.

Over the past two cell phone contracts I have had my cellphones started to fail two months before the contract expired. I find this odd that they keep failing right before I am able to leave my contract. I am wondering if this happens to anyone else?
I am now starting to think they have them set up to start failing right before the contract ends so they can offer you a deal for a new contract.

This time is was especially weird as I got a text from Bell saying "your contract is nearly up, we will take off $50 from your devise balance if you upgrade and renew now" This was a day before it started to fail.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

I don't know because I've never been on a contract. For your next phone I suggest you independently purchase your own, unlocked phone.

This gives you maximum flexibility.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Never had that happen to me, I've only had two contracts and both times it came with a free phone that never died.

As James said, you can always buy an unlocked phone and use that.


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## wendi1 (Oct 2, 2013)

I was reading that cell phones are overwhelmingly lost or dropped before the end of the contract - congratulations on yours lasting so long!

Seriously, though, I also recommend the unlocked phone - I have had mine for five years, and am sort of wishing it would would give up... not enough to drop it, though.


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## Fraser19 (Aug 23, 2013)

I have dropped a cellphone maybe 5 times in the last 8 years. I don't see it as just a phone. I see it as a $700 object that is easily broken. Therefore I am pretty careful with it.

Anyways this brings me to my next question, where do you guys get service without a contract. I need a phone and about 1.5G of data a month for work, I also send 1,500 - 2,500 texts a month. So those two things being covered is important to me. My cellphone bill is about 85/mo. But I don't really know where to look for a more reasonable plan or option that suits my needs. 
Pretty well every phone providers site I look at provides me with very little information.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Another vote for unlocked phones. You are powerless on a locked phone, and it is far more expensive over time than buying the phone upfront (far far cheaper if you buy a refurb or used etc)

Never heard of phones failing before contracts ending but it would be easy to do (carrier locked phones must have some kind of carrier embedded software obviously)


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

I've had my unlocked phone for 7 years now and it's still working good as new. I did have to buy a new battery last year.

I'm with Fido and don't have a contract, but I have a grandfathered plan that's no longer available: I pay $25.75/month including tax. That only gets me 50 minutes and 50 text messages a month, but I typically only make 1-2 calls per month and send or receive one text message every 2-3 years.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

You can still go on a contract plan (if it makes sense $ wise to do so) with an unlocked phone. Almost every carrier here in MB gives you 10% off their plans when you sign up with an unlocked phone. The options available depends on your area and carriers, which ones have you looked at?


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Fraser19 said:


> I need a phone and about 1.5G of data a month for work, I also send 1,500 - 2,500 texts a month. So those two things being covered is important to me. My cellphone bill is about 85/mo. But I don't really know where to look for a more reasonable plan or option that suits my needs.


My plan is 5G data (and it's actually faster than my home high speed) unlimited sms/mms, unlimited incoming roaming sms, unlimited Canada long distance, voicemail/call display/conference/waiting/forwarding and all the other bs some telcos charge for is free, additional data $10/GB, $30 for 150mb in US

That's $55 less 10% BYOD plus 0.40 plus tax. Obviously PAYG is far far cheaper on an unlocked phone but for heavy travelers/phone users.. I don't think you can beat this plan.



Fraser19 said:


> Pretty well every phone providers site I look at provides me with very little information.


Just a coincidence. The only way to sort through the mine field that is Canadian telcos and find a plan like mine is to go on the Canadian subforums of Howard forums..


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## CalgaryPotato (Mar 7, 2015)

I can't imagine any of the carriers in Canada do that. Knock on wood, but I've never had a cellphone die (of natural causes) before the plan expired. I can't imagine the lawsuit they would be risking doing something like that. 

Unlocked phones pay off well in two scenarios. 
#1 You replace your phone more often than every 2 years. Then you can get full value selling the old one.
#2 You are able to go with a much cheaper plan such as pay as you go or a lower usage plan. Or you're ok going with one of the discount carriers like Fido or Wind.

As far as I know you don't save anything from the big 3 going to them with our own unlocked phone except for avoiding the contract. I personally don't think that is worth buying the phone for full price up front for.


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

m3s said:


> Another vote for unlocked phones. You are powerless on a locked phone, and it is far more expensive over time than buying the phone upfront (far far cheaper if you buy a refurb or used etc)
> 
> Never heard of phones failing before contracts ending but it would be easy to do (carrier locked phones must have some kind of carrier embedded software obviously)


this (and other comments in the thread) is the crux of my question about apple who derive so much revenue and profit from their very expensive and subsidized iphone ... i see unlocked, outright purchase phones as the future ... like james i would never buy a phone on contract

i realize that he and i and others in the thread are in the minority at present but i absolutely think this will change as the retail price of good phones continue to drop


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

m3s said:


> My plan is 5G data (and it's actually faster than my home high speed) unlimited sms/mms, unlimited incoming roaming sms, unlimited Canada long distance, voicemail/call display/conference/waiting/forwarding and all the other bs some telcos charge for is free, additional data $10/GB, $30 for 150mb in US


That's a pretty amazing plan! I went to the Canadian subforums of Howard forums but it would take a week of looking through all of them to figure out where you are getting this plan -- is there any reason why you won't tell us?


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

brad said:


> is there any reason why you won't tell us?


The best plans in Canada exist in MB and Thunderbay thanks to their local competition from TBAYtel and MTS etc.. You won't get anything from TBAY unless you live there. Howard forums has somewhat sketchy but reliable method of signing up for an MB plan from another province.. I just grabbed it while I was in physically in MB. I was also able to self port my local PAYG number online from another carrier on to the plan. My previous PAYG plan was actually cheaper than this, but the $55 is well worth it if you can get your worth out of a 5GB plan (extremely rare in Canada now). Coworkers will actually buy me lunch if I share my data on the road so they can Skype with their families etc (I have lots of data to spare or can buy more for $10) It's Koodo, which is surprisingly superior to deal with so far (especially in app or online) while using Bell's extensive network..


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

I stopped getting unlocked phones because my phones tend to last longer than what the contract does, and they used to call me with a new offer to upgrade. The one exception was when my spouse was taking care of my phone while I was travelling, and forgot he left it on top of the vehicle until he saw it bounce off the car, down the window onto the pavement. He got me a new phone.

I am actually quite rough on my phones, so I tend to buy the heaviest duty phone case on the market. This seems to really help.


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## Xoron (Jun 22, 2010)

Here is the real conspiracy, why cell plan rates vary so much between provinces:


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Manitoba has MTS. Ontario and most of Canada has an oligopoly with the highest prices in the world. I remember when Bell took over NBTel, it was bad for employees and consumers alike. 

In the '90s, NBTel was actually a telecom leader that drastically changed the industry in North America. They were the first to do many things that became standard practice in telecoms.


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

m3s said:


> Ontario and most of Canada has an oligopoly with the highest prices in the world.


m3s, I wonder what you think about the future of all this: one potentially hopeful sign is that Solo is now offering data-only plans for phones, which would allow people to not even bother with voice and do all their communication through data (e.g., calling on Skype or other apps, sending messages and email instead of phoning, etc.). It's still expensive, but less than a voice+data plan, especially if you can find free wifi at least some of the time (some cities are installing it now; there'll be free public wifi in old Montreal and parts of downtown starting this summer). Do you think other carriers will follow suit and do you think eventuall voice plans will go away? 

I really can't justify upgrading to a voice and data plan, since I don't make many calls on my phone, but I would consider a data-only plan since I could see myself making use of apps while out and about.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

brad said:


> Do you think other carriers will follow suit and do you think eventuall voice plans will go away?


Voice plans and cable TV are fading out with an older generation imo. I was a pioneer of dry loop internet (without a phone plan) as well as data-only cell plans before they existed (I used a rocket stick sim)

My phone now has faster real world data over LTE in my house than the fastest high speed home internet I can buy! I wouldn't be surprised if in other countries people start cutting home internet as well.

In Canada we have crazy small caps of 200Mb on LTE that can do 50Mbps.. just like fiber internet with 80GB limits.. we had some big telecom players interested in Canada but CRTC chased them all away.

Anyways, like you say, public WiFi is becoming more and more common in cities now. Even Montreal airport stopped charging for WiFi eventually.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

m3s said:


> My phone now has faster real world data over LTE in my house than the fastest high speed home internet I can buy! I wouldn't be surprised if in other countries people start cutting home internet as well.


It's hard to say which way they'll go. They are offering home phone plans for pretty cheap ($10/month) when you have a regular wireless account so who knows if they expand that and give internet as well with a shared data plan.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Rogers just annouced HD voice and video over LTE (VoLTE). Kind of like VoIP (which the military has used for decades) except over wireless. When VoIP is setup properly it works very well, but obviously Candian telcos don't encourage or want you to know this for the same reason they don't want you to discover Netflix. So I see this as a small step in the right direction. I don't see LTE covering all of Canada anytime soon though.


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## Sasquatch (Jan 28, 2012)

The only reason I can see for having a cell phone is for emergencies like a car breakdown or hiking/biking alone. I don't want texting or data. We got the PC mobile pre paid plan, where you buy your own phone, plus $ 100.- per year, which we don't even come close to using up, it just accumulates from year to year. I can use my phone with my home WiFi from my router and/or the numerous free WiFi sites all over town ( Timmies, malls, hospitals, libraries etc. etc). That gives me all I want for about $ 9.- per month and I couldn't be happier. I initially bought the smart phone with my PC points and I keep paying the yearly $ 100.- with my points as well. Essentially my phone costs me nothing.
BTW, I'm still trying to figure out why most folks feel they have to be "connected" 24/7, no matter where they are or who they're with. :-O


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Sasquatch said:


> The only reason I can see for having a cell phone is for emergencies like a car breakdown or hiking/biking alone. I don't want texting or data.


Interesting tidbit is that you can make emergency calls with any charged cell phone regardless if you've paid the carrier or not. Beware not all locations have cell coverage though.



Sasquatch said:


> BTW, I'm still trying to figure out why most folks feel they have to be "connected" 24/7, no matter where they are or who they're with. :-O


For me it's because I do a lot of travelling where there is no wifi and I enjoy the being outdoors where there is no free wifi. Of course I don't need it but I don't need a tv or computer or fridge either.

Also I am usually on call for work, or need to be aware of developments etc.. mostly done by emails and text nowadays



brad said:


> I really can't justify upgrading to a voice and data plan, since I don't make many calls on my phone, but I would consider a data-only plan since I could see myself making use of apps while out and about.


I just realized you could pocket a mobile hotspot device. I've seen travelers use these to share mobile wifi (small device with a prepaid sim that creates a wifi hotspot from LTE or 3g) If data-only plans exist for these, you could put it into your phone without buying the device with enough research (the reps will probably say you can't) The mobile device would give LTE speed to older 3g devices though

In Canada you are looking at $10/month 150mb, $25/month 1GB, $35/month 5GB and $10/GB after. That is certainly cheaper than the typical voice+data plans..


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