# 2020 Cell phone plans...



## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

I am looking at finding a better cell plan. Currently am with Roger for $72 / mo using an iPhone 8 that I own.

I am contemplating switching to Lucky Mobile or Public Mobile both are for $40 / mo each its unlimited Canada Calling and 5 Gigs of data.

Anyone have any feedback as I hunt for a new provider ? I dont use much for data (2gig) or talk lots on the phone (dunno how much).


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## Retiredguy (Jul 24, 2013)

hfp75 said:


> I am looking at finding a better cell plan. Currently am with Roger for $72 / mo using an iPhone 8 that I own.
> 
> I am contemplating switching to Lucky Mobile or Public Mobile both are for $40 / mo each its unlimited Canada Calling and 5 Gigs of data.
> 
> Anyone have any feedback as I hunt for a new provider ? I dont use much for data (2gig) or talk lots on the phone (dunno how much).


Try simplyconnect.ca it runs on the Rogers network. Don't know about what it might have for your situation, wanting data, but I recently switched to one of their snowbird plans.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

The Moto cell phone that I bought on Amazon two years or so ago was locked to Verizon. It was a new phone, packaged for Verizon. But it came with an unlock code. Very straightforward. Unlocked the phone as per the instructions, moved over my Koodo sim card and I was up and running. The only limitation was that the warranty was US based, not applicable in Canada however for the price delta I decided to take the chance.

I was not prepared to pay $200 plus or sign up for a term when I could buy it for $130 or so delivered to my door. It is still working just fine.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Retiredguy said:


> Try simplyconnect.ca it runs on the Rogers network. Don't know about what it might have for your situation, wanting data, but I recently switched to one of their snowbird plans.


Just looked at that. I like the way it works seamlessly across the border. But data is very limited. Also cost is way more than we now pay with Pay as you go plans. But we really don't use our phones much. And if we do, we are often on Wifi with Google Voice/Hangouts/Skype. Eliminating Ooma home phone would only save $5/month. I guess our phone use is just not enough to justify what otherwise looks like the best deal for us.


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## WGZ (Feb 3, 2017)

I'm with Public for a year now. No issues. Paying $24 a month for 2GB, unlimited Canada calling and texting. This plan is 1GB normally, but they've been throwing me a freebie extra 1GB for a few months now.


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## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

WGZ said:


> I'm with Public for a year now. No issues. Paying $24 a month for 2GB, unlimited Canada calling and texting. This plan is 1GB normally, but they've been throwing me a freebie extra 1GB for a few months now.


I've been looking at Public and Lucky.... for $40/mo and 5Gb it seems like a no brainier.... but I'll do some research before I pull the trigger.

Have you run a speed test on your connection ? What was it for up/down ?

Talked to a guy at the local Mobility store and he said for $5-10 more / mo he'd go with Koodo as the data isn't throttled back.... which is a point to consider.


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## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

Retiredguy said:


> Try simplyconnect.ca it runs on the Rogers network. Don't know about what it might have for your situation, wanting data, but I recently switched to one of their snowbird plans.


Its way more expensive - I don't know why they charge so much - or stay in business with rates that high - unless I am reading it wrong.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

hfp75 said:


> Its way more expensive - I don't know why they charge so much - or stay in business with rates that high - unless I am reading it wrong.


Yeah, looks like about twice as expensive as I pay with SpeakOut.

ltr


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

like_to_retire said:


> Yeah, looks like about twice as expensive as I pay with SpeakOut.
> 
> ltr


But I don't think Speakout includes calling both sides of the border? That appears to be the attraction, for some, of the Simply Connect snowbird plan. BTW, Simply plans that include data don't include data outside of Canada. You will be charged for all data used.

We used to use Speakout prepaid before we had smartphones. At 30c/min, not exactly cheap though. But OK for those of us who don't yap much. Data is available free almost everywhere. (On Speakout no LTE)


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## fireseeker (Jul 24, 2017)

hfp75 said:


> I've been looking at Public and Lucky.... for $40/mo and 5Gb it seems like a no brainier.... but I'll do some research before I pull the trigger.
> 
> Have you run a speed test on your connection ? What was it for up/down ?
> 
> Talked to a guy at the local Mobility store and he said for $5-10 more / mo he'd go with Koodo as the data isn't throttled back.... which is a point to consider.


Yes, both Lucky and Public serve data at 3G. Koodo is full speed. 
For $45 a month, Koodo offers unlimited talk and text and 2 GB of data. My customer relations experience with Koodo and its coverage have been good.

Another option: call Rogers and say you're thinking about leaving and would like to talk with the Retention/Loyalty department. They have the ability to cut deals, particularly if you cite a rival advertised plan. Use Koodo or Freedom plans for leverage. (They won't consider Lucky/Public because of the difference in data speed.)
This option may make more sense if you have other services with Rogers, meaning staying may keep you eligible for bundle discounts.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

agent99 said:


> But I don't think Speakout includes calling both sides of the border? That appears to be the attraction, for some, of the Simply Connect snowbird plan. BTW, Simply plans that include data don't include data outside of Canada. You will be charged for all data used.


Yep, you're right agent99, Speakout doesn't work in the USA at all. To me, I would rather a year round cheap plan in Canada, and then get a SIM for the US if traveling. Year round, simplyconnect.ca seems quite expensive. Their unlimited Talk and unlimited Text with 2.5GB data is $80.

I like SpeakOut. It has 365 Day expiration on all their top ups.

I get Unlimited Talk and Unlimited Text with 1GB data for $35. 

The Unlimited Text is CDN, US and INT'L numbers for both SMS and MMS, along with free Voice Mail, Caller ID and Call Waiting. 

They have the same plan with 3GB for $45.

Quite a difference in pricing to simplyconnect it would seem.

ltr


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

like_to_retire said:


> To me, I would rather a year round cheap plan in Canada, and then get a SIM for the US if traveling.
> 
> Quite a difference in pricing to simplyconnect it would seem.
> 
> ltr


Update on simplyconnect costs: https://www.simplyconnect.ca/promotion_offer/byop-offer

Data on Speakout is only 3G, IIRC. Simplyconnect is on LTE - could be a factor in deciding.

Deleted my earlier message - The above changes everything 

Don't know why I am checking this?? For our very limited needs, we use knowroaming, mainly for USA, but it works in Canada too. Costs me US$25 every 9 months  May splurge and get Speakout at C$25 for 12 months. That should more than meet my cell phone needs  . Obviously, not a phone addict


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

agent99 said:


> Data on Speakout is only 3G, IIRC. Simplyconnect is on LTE - could be a factor in deciding.
> 
> Deleted my earlier message - The above changes everything


Really? I look up information on a web site using Speak Out and there's the answer on my phone. How would I know if it was LTE or 3G at that point? Why does this matter?



agent99 said:


> Costs me US$25 every 9 months  May splurge and get Speakout at C$25 for 12 months. That should more than meet my cell phone needs


You can switch from a data plan at any time with Speak Out to simply "Pay as you Play". This costs $1.25 a month (for 911) if you don't use it and your top-up will last 12 months.

ltr


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

like_to_retire said:


> Really? I look up information on a web site using Speak Out and there's the answer on my phone. How would I know if it was LTE or 3G at that point? Why does this matter?
> ltr


If you don't notice the difference then it doesn't matter to YOU. Mind you, the world is moving to 5G. Maybe there is a reason 

OK, maybe this will help: https://www.ianswerguy.com/what-is-3g-4g-lte/


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

agent99 said:


> If you don't notice the difference then it doesn't matter to YOU. Mind you, the world is moving to 5G. Maybe there is a reason


Yeah, I doubt there's a person in the room that could tell the difference. I've tried them both and it matters not. They just tell you it matters, so we all agree. 

ltr


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## Jericho (Dec 23, 2011)

Managed to wittle Rogers down to 65$ a month, unlimited nation wide, 10gb of data. I'm pleased with that... one device and I own it.


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## dave2012 (Feb 17, 2012)

I have my own iPhone and have been with Virgin Mobile for about 6 years. I pay $50 a month with 4GB unlimited Canada wide calling. Can/US/International texting. I always found Bell and Rogers just too expensive. Virgin works off Bell towers so seem to work well everywhere.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Not having much use for phones, it amazes me that the modern generations think $60 - $70 is a steal for a phone plan! 

I suppose it is if you also consider it your internet and TV provider. I think we pay about $125/month for TV, internet and phone.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Just looked at plans on the Koodo website. The plan that sells for $45 here in Alberta is available in Quebec for $33. Must be some competition. I hope the competition heats up in Alberta as it did five or six years ago when we switched to Koodo.


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

I use Lucky Mobile ($25/month) and it is 3g speeds. Are you sure you need faster speeds? 3g is enough to watch youtube and netflix. What are you doing that requires more speed? After I use up my 1 gb of data, I can continue to use an unlimited amoutn of data, but it is throttled to 128 Kbps. This is not enough to watch videos, but can still browse the web, email, messaging, google maps, etc. The cell phone companies are always bragging how fast their 4G networks are (and they are) but the data caps are ridiculously low. Most people would be far better off with less speed but a higher cap. One problem with Lucky is they don't allow roaming in the US so if you ever travel to the US you'll have to buy a local sim card if you want service.


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## My Own Advisor (Sep 24, 2012)

I'm still with Koodo and I have 4GB data and unlimited everything for $55 per month. Decent I think and very reliable service in Ottawa.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

agent99 said:


> Not having much use for phones, it amazes me that the modern generations think $60 - $70 is a steal for a phone plan!
> 
> I suppose it is if you also consider it your internet and TV provider. I think we pay about $125/month for TV, internet and phone.


I pay $60 for Internet and $12 or so for Netflix. Don't watch TV.

Cell phones are an interesting one, I pay $55. The thing is for lots of people their phone is their primary internet device. 
Even if they have a computer, they won't even turn it on most days.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

I pay $20 for unlimited Canada calling on my cell. It replaced my wired phone. I think we were paying about $23 for a phone line 25 or 30 years ago.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

agent99 said:


> Not having much use for phones, it amazes me that the modern generations think $60 - $70 is a steal for a phone plan!
> 
> I suppose it is if you also consider it your internet and TV provider. I think we pay about $125/month for TV, internet and phone.


Never paid that much for a phone plan - there has always existed a better deal especially now with all the MVNOs - or in Canada discount brands of the exact same service from the same 3 telcos

I pay under 50usd for those in the states now. Could say 10-20 more if you count spotify/hulu and amazon prime but I don't need their videos. Internet provides more video content than I can ever watch


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

m3s said:


> Internet provides more video content than I can ever watch


It may not be important to you or others, but those that enjoy sports are pretty much tied to the telcos in that regard.

ltr


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> Never paid that much for a phone plan
> I pay under 50usd for those in the states now.


What is that at the current exchange rate 

ltr said


> but those that enjoy sports are pretty much tied to the telcos


 It's actually costing us about $80/month just to get the Golf Channel; occasionally tennis on TSN/SN; olympics every two years. Other dubious benefit is CNN and our local Global News. Oh, and TreeHouse & TVO for when the youngest GK is here  If we could just live stream those, that would be good.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

like_to_retire said:


> It may not be important to you or others, but those that enjoy sports are pretty much tied to the telcos in that regard.


CBC sports app is pretty decent actually. I airplay that to the TV in HD.. Free NHL playoffs etc. The NHL itself and many sports orgs are now posting the highlights to youtube.. For example I just watched Russia vs Sweden highlights in 15 minutes.. free and saves 3 hours of my life watching people stand around and commentate

RedBull TV has lots of live extreme sports, motorsports and professional documentaries for free. Lots of other sports are streaming live on FB and Youtube nowadays. amazon prime is starting to stream sports and you can subscribe to the various pro sports apps.. I can't handle spectating entire pro seasons but if I did that might be worth the price

I do get cable at work, at hotels and at parents etc. It seems like cable TV is 99% reruns, "reality tv" and erectile dysfunction/boomer ads now. There is the 1% of time that I do want to watch something live such as IIHF Canada vs Russia tomorrow.. I will stream it for free albeit from a dubious online source



agent99 said:


> It's actually costing us about $80/month just to get the Golf Channel; occasionally tennis on TSN/SN; olympics every two years. Other dubious benefit is CNN and our local Global News. Oh, and TreeHouse & TVO for when the youngest GK is here  If we could just live stream those, that would be good.


Olympics are streamed for free now on CBC sports, BBC and probably many many other sources around the world. CNN and all other local news can be had for free in many ways such as OTA antenna - I personally get my video news from haystack tv (curated to my interests, including stocks I follow and local) the reuters tv 15 min stream and CBC live stream on youtube etc

I haven't looked for golf or tennis myself, but there is lots of kids content available on youtube and various apple tv apps nowadays, and I imagine all the other streaming devices


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

m3s said:


> The NHL itself and many sports orgs are now posting the highlights to youtube......


Yeah, watching youtube the next day isn't really how I prefer to watch my sports.



m3s said:


> I do want to watch something live such as IIHF Canada vs Russia tomorrow.. I will stream it for free albeit from a dubious online source


Yep, there it is. I'll be watching the game tomorrow, and I'll be paying for it, and m3s will not be paying for it. These "dubious online sources" is one of the reasons I pay so much.

ltr


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I pay for the internet and you pay for the cable (and internet) - both provide us with live 1s and 0s - no difference there except the price and medium.

I still get exposed to all the Tim Hortons, Telus and Canadian Tire logos on the billboards and ice and other online ads that really pays for the IIHF. If there was an app with say IIHF subscription for a reasonable price I would happily pay it. Same way that everyone is happy to pay for music streaming nowadays. 

$80/month for the rare sports that isn't already online isn't worth it. Youtube and all the other apps are ad giants now. Some sports are already losing the younger generation due to this out dated mentality.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

m3s said:


> I pay for the internet and you pay for the cable (and internet) - both provide us with live 1s and 0s - no difference there except the price and medium.
> 
> I still get exposed to all the Tim Hortons, Telus and Canadian Tire logos on the billboards and ice and other online ads that really pays for the IIHF. If there was an app with say IIHF subscription for a reasonable price I would happily pay it. Same way that everyone is happy to pay for music streaming nowadays.
> 
> $80/month for the rare sports that isn't already online isn't worth it. Youtube and all the other apps are ad giants now. Some sports are already losing the younger generation due to this out dated mentality.


Justify it any way you like.

ltr


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

like_to_retire said:


> Justify it any way you like.


Mhmm paying to watch under-20 student athletes eh


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

m3s said:


> $80/month for the rare sports that isn't already online isn't worth it..


Then don't watch it. How does the fact that they're charging for it give you the right to get it for free as you've readily admitted doing?

The millennial generation have single handed been responsible for destroying the music industry already and now they have their sights set on telecom.

The fact that you can find ways to steal the feed for free as a result of some computer jigger y-pokery doesn't mean that makes it right.

ltr


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

The recording industry took a hit on CD sales but the music industry continues to make billions in many different ways. Once the recording industry caught up with modern trends (digital mp3 players, streaming services) people are happy to pay again

The sports industry seems to be going through a similar change. Everyone is streaming video now but some of the sports industry is holding on to out dated cable tv subscriptions to legally see it live. Probably the network provider more than the sports themselves

You can pay to stream most sports now but TSN for some reason wants you to pay for network television first before you can access their online streaming that exists.. I'm not paying the same cable company $1000/year to stream a few games of IIHF


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Pretty much any tv channel is free on the net if you know where to look. I get about 80 channels on the shady site I found last but don't watch as the commercials are such a waste of time. I think the time of the tv is over.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

If sat/cable was really dead and we had a viable alternative, I would be more than happy. I would be happy if we could choose a dozen or so live TV channels instead of the 50 or 60 needed to just cover what we watch. But, nothing above tells me how to get golf channel, tsn, sn live. I know it can be done illegally with kodi or whatever. But we ain't going there. So we pay our $80/month for shaw, $40 for internet and $5 for ooma. Oh, and about $50/yr for two cell phones 🙂


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I just realized you can stream TSN direct for $5/day or $20/month. That's fair - I might try that the rare month I want to stream something. You can stream the IIHF semi finals on TSN right now for free (not live)

I don't know where to look for golf but I imagine they would have a similar direct subscription? I see the US has apps that combine various live sports streams like "DAZN"

CBC sports streams hockey night in canada online legally for free, including during the playoffs, and many other sports like the olympics etc. Many if not all the news networks stream for free (ads) already


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

Sports are dumb, I wouldn't watch it for free. What a huge money drain.


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## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

So, I switched to Lucky Mobile (Bell) and so far there is no noticeable difference to my usage. I’m capped at 3g speeds but I can still stream Netflix... don’t know why I need faster data....

Old plan was Rogers (unlimited calls/Txts) & 15gigs for $73/mo
New plan is Lucky (unlimited calls/Txts) & 4.5gigs for $40/mo


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

We are now in the USA. We have used knowroaming in past. It would use AT&T network. US$25 or more can be loaded. expires in 9 months. Country wide calling + LTE data available either paygo or at daily rates for heavy users.

It worked OK for us in past years. However, in November while in Canada, there was a period when I could not dial any numbers. I had medical issues after that and don't know how long it took them to get that working, if at all. Now we are in USA. Had no reason to use phone until last Thursday. When I tried, I could call my wife's knowroaming phone, but no other numbers. I spent most of last Friday on-line with their support people, but nothing was resolved. As a result, we had to go out and get an AT&T sim plus a $25 prepaid card. They also charged a $15 activation fee (at AT&T store). For that we get no data and can make calls for 25c/min, texts 20c I think. $25 expires in 3 months. This will work for us because we only really need the phone for emergency/safety use (more important because of health issues). Otherwise we use Google Voice/Hangouts or Skype. 

I have asked knowroaming to cancel our accounts and provide a refund of the prepaid balances. 4 days later still waiting to hear! They should do this seeing they could not get their system to work for us. 

When we get back, I will likely get my wife a Speakout account. Probably pay as you go. I will probably just rely on wifi.

What we really need are pay as you go plans that will work on both sides of border. Other than Knowroaming, haven't found any.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Yea I mostly use google voice now

FYI all mobile phones and mobile service providers in NA must provide 911 service regardless if you pay for mobile service

Maybe look into Google Fi for PAYG across borders


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## Retiredguy (Jul 24, 2013)

ian said:


> I pay $20 for unlimited Canada calling on my cell. It replaced my wired phone. I think we were paying about $23 for a phone line 25 or 30 years ago.


$20. Details please.


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## Retiredguy (Jul 24, 2013)

Agent99

Not pay as you go, but we have 2 phones, 35.00 mth each (C$). 600 shared minutes, plus unlimited minutes between us, and unlimited txt's. No Data. Works seamlessly in Can/US. 2yr plan and they provided two new iphones….. albeit iPhone 6's. Like you we don't use them much just for emergencies like when we lose each other in Costco... lol!

Simplyconnect.ca

We had knowroaming a couple of years back but also quit and got a refund due to frustrations...


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## Fisherman30 (Dec 5, 2018)

For those who use Lucky mobile - I just signed up with Lucky mobile today, and enabled pre-authorized top-up. I got the $25/month plan. Do they withdraw the taxes from my credit card in addition to the $25, leaving me with a negative balance, and suspended service? Or should I make the top-up amount $30 to cover taxes?


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Retiredguy said:


> Agent99
> 
> Not pay as you go, but we have 2 phones, 35.00 mth each (C$). 600 shared minutes, plus unlimited minutes between us, and unlimited txt's. No Data. Works seamlessly in Can/US. 2yr plan and they provided two new iphones….. albeit iPhone 6's. Like you we don't use them much just for emergencies like when we lose each other in Costco... lol!
> 
> ...


Our usage is so low, that even 2x$30 is a lot for us! The fact that it works cross-border is a big plus though. It is the main reason we have used Knowroaming.

Our best route is probably Speakout at C$25 per refill (at most 3xC$25 for both of us). SIMS about $30 for 2? Then for USA, AT&T at US$25 for 3 month refills plus $15 activation, calls 25c/min. We would probably only add this to one phone that would be left in car. Haven't checked, but there are likely better deals than AT&T. In any event, total first year annual cost about C$145. KR annual costs were only slightly less. 

So for our minimal x-border phone service, either way, we would average about $12/month total for both of us. 

Regarding AT&T - we added service last Saturday evening on one phone. By Sunday evening, the call/text log showed over 70 incoming calls! Luckily I had turned the phone off or had it on airplane mode, and most of call went to voicemail (which is not set up). Nevertheless, our $25 balance went down to $23 without us using phone! I am going to talk to them tomorrow to see why we have got all those calls. I have added a call blocker and a text blocker, but am afraid to turn the phone on in case we get flooded with unwanted calls.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Retiredguy said:


> $20. Details please.


I was onpay as you go with Koodo. Primarily because we were out of the country 4-5 months per year.

Koodo sent me a text offer. Upgrade from $15 a month prepay to unlimited for $20. I took them up on the offer. No data, just phone and messaging Canada wide.

We have both been with Koodo (Telus) for eight years. Happy customers.


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## Arby1 (Oct 28, 2018)

agent99 said:


> Our best route is probably Speakout at C$25 per refill (at most 3xC$25 for both of us). SIMS about $30 for 2? Then for USA, AT&T at US$25 for 3 month refills plus $15 activation, calls 25c/min.
> .....


That plan is exactly what I do - Speakout in Canada, and AT&T PayAsYouGo while in the USA. I'm also a low user of my cellphone, so this route is very economical for me. I'm a snowbird for 6 months, so I top up my AT&T account with $25 every 3 months to retain my AT&T number year round. 

You can usually get the AT&T SIM for free if you go to an AT&T store. 

FYI, you can do an online switch of the AT&T account from 25 cents/min to $2 per day, so if you're going to be making long phone calls on a articular day, you can switch to $2/day, and then switch back to 25 cents/min on the next day.

I haven't had with a huge amount of unwanted calls to my AT&T number, but then I will calls go to voice mail if I don't recognize the number


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Arby1 said:


> That plan is exactly what I do - Speakout in Canada, and AT&T PayAsYouGo while in the USA. I'm also a low user of my cellphone, so this route is very economical for me. I'm a snowbird for 6 months, so I top up my AT&T account with $25 every 3 months to retain my AT&T number year round.
> 
> You can usually get the AT&T SIM for free if you go to an AT&T store.
> 
> ...


Thanks for input. I did get sim from AT&T store and it was free, but they now charge a $15 activation fee  

Before I moved to Knowroaming, I would also use 4 AT&T $25 refills a year. I found that I could use my phone in Canada with those. That way number was retained, but that is not really important to us. 

However, with my minimal usage, C$25 for Speakout per year and US$25 + US$15 activation for 3 months is a bit less and provides Canadian based service on Speakout, albeit at 30c/min. That new $15 activation each time is not good. No data with either of these, but with wifi everywhere, not really necessary. That is where Knowroaming came in, and it's rate was lower for calls (15c/min). However, a week after we noticed calls were not connecting, they still are not. They say they are working on it, but a week+++ to fix something that is their main service is not good. They are refunding us our last $25 top ups for 2 phones. In Canada, their direct calls cost US0.58/min! If you use callback, they are much less, but callback is a confusing system. I would mainly use data calls using Hangouts but that requires turning data on and off for each call. My wife would not do that!

This shouldn't be so complicated. But it seems there is no simple system for snowbirds like us, who only stay away for 3 months and only use phones for safety/emergency purposes.

Going to see AT&T today to see what they can do about the over 100 unwanted calls in 2 days! (We have phone on Airplane mode, so calls go to non functional voicemail.)


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## Prairie Guy (Oct 30, 2018)

Xplore Mobile. 2g of data (carries over if not used), unlimited Canada-wide calling from Manitoba, unlimited world-wide texting. $5 extra for unlimited "rest of Canada calling" but that only applies if used. I pay $25 but I'm grandfathered in. New users pay $35.


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## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

Fisherman30 said:


> For those who use Lucky mobile - I just signed up with Lucky mobile today, and enabled pre-authorized top-up. I got the $25/month plan. Do they withdraw the taxes from my credit card in addition to the $25, leaving me with a negative balance, and suspended service? Or should I make the top-up amount $30 to cover taxes?


I dont know yet..... I am on the $40 plan and set my top up feature at $40. When they bill me I will log into the www site and let you know what the bill was.


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## Fisherman30 (Dec 5, 2018)

hfp75 said:


> Fisherman30 said:
> 
> 
> > For those who use Lucky mobile - I just signed up with Lucky mobile today, and enabled pre-authorized top-up. I got the $25/month plan. Do they withdraw the taxes from my credit card in addition to the $25, leaving me with a negative balance, and suspended service? Or should I make the top-up amount $30 to cover taxes?
> ...



Thanks, I got it figured out. I set my pre-authorized top-up to $25 even, and they charged my credit card $28 to cover the tax.

Also, I got my sim card at dollarama for $4, and after 2 months, they are sending me a $20 dollarama gift card.


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## Cam4everGreen (Apr 30, 2019)

Koodo in the province of QC, we pay 35$/month


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

I switched to Freedom Mobile recently. $40/month for 9 gb of data, and unlimited throttled data if you use up the 9 gb. But that's an introductory rate for 1 year, then they increase the price to $50/month. I may switch then depending on what deals are available in a year.


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## yyz (Aug 11, 2013)

Simplyconnect already mentioned here has another name Zoomer.
Check zoomerwireless.ca current promo $36 / month 800 anytime minutes 5 gb data unlimited texts good til March 31 simplyconnect has exact same plan, Zoomer customers get 10% off

Forgot to mention that you also currently get a $100 activation credit and if you are referred by an existing zoomer customer you and the person referring get another $50 each


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## newfoundlander61 (Feb 6, 2011)

I have been with these guys for a number of years.

Petro-Canada Mobility - Via Rogers Network


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## gardner (Feb 13, 2014)

newfoundlander61 said:


> Petro-Canada Mobility


Likewise. They are still the cheapest way to run a basic phone with no data -- I pay around $10 a month using $25 top ups a few times a year. If you need data, I think they are not the cheapest though, and certainly aren't the most flexible.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

gardner said:


> Likewise. They are still the cheapest way to run a basic phone with no data -- I pay around $10 a month using $25 top ups a few times a year. If you need data, I think they are not the cheapest though, and certainly aren't the most flexible.


Speakout (7-Eleven) is similar to Petro in that it runs on the Rogers network. Depending on how much you use your phone, it can be less expensive.
Calling and texting about same as PetroCanada. No data on text&Call plan.





Anytime Pay Per Use. Only pay for what you use. | Petro-Canada Mobility


<span class="no-break">Petro-Canada</span> Mobility™ Anytime Pay Per Use is a no-contract prepaid mobile phone plan with the ultimate flexibility. Only pay for what you use in Talk, Text and Data.




mobility.petro-canada.ca





Biggest difference, is that Top-Ups are available @ $25, $35, $50 and $100 . All expire in 365 days (at Petro, only the $100 has 365 day expiry).
If a $35 Top-up is bought initially, they include a free SIM (otherwise $10.00) 

Because we don't see travelling to USA any time soon, we will likely both get a Speakout text and talk plan. Some data would be a 'nice-to-have' and for that I would have to get the $100 Petro plan. However, that gives me way more airtime than I need.

Our existing US based plans expire soon, but really, we don't need cell phones while holed up at home!


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

We did end up getting two Speakout pay as you go plans. Free SIMs with $35 initial top ups ($10 shipping because there are no 7-Elevens in Easter Ontario) .

One negative thing I have already found - Speakout doesn't provide a call log. You just see the balance going down, but don't know why! You can use the smartphone's call log, but so far I have not figured out how to get call duration and of course, Speakout charges are not there. This may not seem important, but if you start to get a lot of robocalls or telemarketing, you need to know the details. We had this problem in USA with AT&T and had to use a call blocking app to block such calls.

The other negative ( I already knew about it), is the $1.25/month regulatory fee. So if you get a $25 top-up, $15 of that will go to paying the fee over a year. Leaves 33 minutes of calls. So calls cost 75c/min if only make 33min in emergency calls in a year. Maybe not a big problem, but you do have to be careful because balance you thought you had keeps diminishing  

I wish there was a better plan for those of us just needing an emergency plan. However we looked at it, alternatives were hundreds of $$ more per year.


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

If you don't need the data, check out this prepaid $99 yearly plan with Freedom Mobile. It includes Canada wide unlimited talk and text.









Freedom Mobile | Prepaid Cell Phone Plans - Data, Talk & Text Plans


Stop paying too much for data. Shop now for cell phone plans with Big Gig data on fast LTE from Freedom Mobile. Find a plan that fits your needs today!



www.freedommobile.ca


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

scorpion_ca said:


> If you don't need the data, check out this prepaid $99 yearly plan with Freedom Mobile. It includes Canada wide unlimited talk and text.


Seems like a good plan. Almost like the old Rogers $100/yr plan that we once had. Data can be added on at $15/Gb /month(ouch)

I could not find anything on their site as to whether they charge a regulatory or any other add-on fees. Same for roaming availability with prepaid. They say to go to My Account to find out, which is hard to do before you sign up . 

Maybe by time our Speakout expires, it will be safe to go to one of their local stores and get the full details. Whether it's worthwhile or not, will depend, I suppose, on just how much we use Speakout.


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

agent99 said:


> Seems like a good plan. Almost like the old Rogers $100/yr plan that we once had. Data can be added on at $15/Gb /month(ouch)
> 
> I could not find anything on their site as to whether they charge a regulatory or any other add-on fees. Same for roaming availability with prepaid. They say to go to My Account to find out, which is hard to do before you sign up .
> 
> Maybe by time our Speakout expires, it will be safe to go to one of their local stores and get the full details. Whether it's worthwhile or not, will depend, I suppose, on just how much we use Speakout.


We have two connections of this plan. I like it compare to the monthly plan as we do not need to pay Alberta 911 Levy on a monthly basis.We paid only $0.44 once we paid the full $99. They don't charge any other add-on fees. It just $99+0.44+GST/HST for one year.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

OK thanks. Something to look at when our Speakout becomes due for renewal. Added to calendar!


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## Franky Jr (Oct 5, 2009)

I made the leap from Koodo to Public Mobile. It's just so cheap.
Unlimited Canada minutes and 1GB for $23/m (if you do auto pay from CC). I like their loyalty program, next year the bill will be $22/m and so forth until after 5 years and $5/m savings.

PM for my referral code to save yourself $10 and myself $1/m.


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

I've been with Public for about 8 months now (former SpeakOut user) and I've been very impressed with their prices, add-ons, and overall user experience. I'm grandfathered under the $10/mo plan, which is $8/mo (plus tax) with auto-pay. The nice thing about Public is that you can buy add-ons to your basic plan, and those are good until you use them up. For example, you can buy 1 GB of data for $15, and there's no expiry -- it's good until you fully consume it. You can also buy 500 extra Canada-wide minutes for really cheap, and they also last until you use them up.

I still think SpeakOut is the cheapest option for very low-usage. My mom has a cell for emergency only with the $25 top-up that lasts for an entire year.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

nathan79 said:


> I've been with Public for about 8 months now (former SpeakOut user) and I've been very impressed with their prices,


I have been with SpeakOut for a long time. 

I pay $35 a month for 1G data and unlimited talk and text.

When I examine Public Mobile I see basically the same plan. 

Sure, there's a bonus with Public, but I'm lucky if I use 100M a month, so the bonus would be a loss leader.

How would Public help me over SpeakOut?

ltr


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

like_to_retire said:


> I have been with SpeakOut for a long time.
> 
> I pay $35 a month for 1G data and unlimited talk and text.
> 
> ...


That depends, do you need unlimited talk?

You could go with the $15 Public Mobile plan, which includes 100 minutes talk, unlimited text, and 250 MB of data. If you need more talk, you can purchase a 500 minute add-on for $5. It's good until you use it up.






$15 for 100 minutes & unlimited International Text


100 minutes of Canada-wide Talk. Unlimited International Outgoing Texts and picture messages. Voicemail and Call Display




www.publicmobile.ca













Oh my God 'Crazy New Add on $5 for 500 minutes Canada Wide


I just bought myself 4 of the $5 for 500 Canada Wide Minutes New Add on = 2000 minutes that don't expire. I am Excited.



productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

nathan79 said:


> That depends, do you need unlimited talk?
> 
> You could go with the $15 Public Mobile plan, which includes 100 minutes talk, unlimited text, and 250 MB of data. If you need more talk, you can purchase a 500 minute add-on for $5. It's good until you use it up.


We need VERY limited talk! 

Data would be nice, but I would want that to be prepaid too. Would only use it very occasionally. Can't see us going back to USA any time soon, but roaming in USA would be another nice-to-have.

Can't see how Public could be better than $99 Canada wide talk and text. $8.25/month. Data if needed is $15/Gb for 30 days, which we don't need. Just 250Mb with Public is not very useful! 

Knowroaming (which I had previously) suited me. High call/data costs in Canada but data and talk/text available. (Unless you use their quirky call-back system) Just US$25 every 9 months and it can be used almost anywhere in the world. We only used it in USA and Canada. Gave up when their service via AT&T stopped working while we were away for winter. Prior to that we also had calling problems in Canada. They rely on others for their network connections and those are a bit unreliable at times. Too bad, because it gave me all I needed.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

nathan79 said:


> That depends, do you need unlimited talk?


Freedom does have unlimited talk & text for $99/yr. Can't see Public beating that? The 250Mb data is not very useful. 

Meanwhile, we will see how Speakout goes. It will probably do all we need, especially seeing we are still staying home most of the time.


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

agent99 said:


> We need VERY limited talk!
> 
> Data would be nice, but I would want that to be prepaid too. Would only use it very occasionally. Can't see us going back to USA any time soon, but roaming in USA would be another nice-to-have.
> 
> Can't see how Public could be better than $99 Canada wide talk and text. $8.25/month. Data if needed is $15/Gb for 30 days, which we don't need. Just 250Mb with Public is not very useful!


That depends on how much data you typically use, and how often you need it. I think you'd be surprised at how far 250 MB can go, assuming you're not doing data-heavy activities like video or music streaming.

like_to_retire said he rarely uses more than 100 MB per month, so why would he want to pay for 1 GB every 30 days when he could be paying less while still getting enough to suit his needs?

The Freedom Mobile $99/yr plan is a great plan if all you want is talk and text, since both of those are unlimited. If you want data, you're paying an extra $15 per GB with a 30-day expiry. That's okay if you NEED 1 GB every month, but many of us can get by with 250 MB or less... I realize that some people find this hard to believe!

The only time I use data is when I'm away from Wi-Fi, which is only a few times a week at most. And I don't use it for frivolous purposes.

If I wanted NO data, I would probably go with the Freedom plan, but the Public Mobile plan is cheaper for me when you factor in the data.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

I wouldn't go to Freedom if I had a need for data. I don't. 
When data is available, it is more likely it will be used. Nevertheless, I used less than 100 Mb in 280 days on Knowroaming, and none of that was really necessary. I think I can get by without it. It could be useful when traveling.
Because we have gvoice/hangouts, we don't really need talk/text. Ideally we would have pay as you go data. But don't know of such a plan.


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

Freedom is giving 2GB promotion data with $99 plan prepaid plan.


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## dubmac (Jan 9, 2011)

hfp75 said:


> I dont use much for data (2gig) or talk lots on the phone (dunno how much).


I just got off the phone with a Rogers customer service attendant. I was paying 40 & 35 for 2 talk and text plans. My wife also has a talk & text plan. Both my kids don't use their phones much for calling, texting or data for that matter. I managed to focus the conversation on my needs, rather than trying to sell me an inflated data-rich 75/month plan. I asked for a bare bones data plan with some talk and text (100MB data + 100 text, 50 calling canada only) for 25 per month. She also offered 2 GB with unlimited talk and text for 35 per month. I took the first choice and managed to reduce the bill to 75 + tax per month for 3 plans with data rather than 100 + tax for 3 plans without data. It wouldn;t surprise me that we move the the 35 per month plan in a while, but even then I'm ahead. They will always try to get you to buy something you don't need - but they will always do what they can to keep as a paying customer


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## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

I thought I would just update and let it be known that I went with Lucky mobiles $40 / mo plan..... 

If there is a better deal, let us all know !!!


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

We were both on Koodo. $35 month unlimited Canada. No data. We do not need it. We both own our phones. We travel 4-5 months a year and do not take our phones. I switched to pay as you go on Koodo @ $13,50 month. A year later Koodo textedme an offer to move up unlimited talk for $20. So I pay 20, my spouse pays 35 for the same service. We are very happy with Koodo.


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

I like Lucky better than PM because they provide unlimited throttle data after you use up your cap.


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## TomB16 (Jun 8, 2014)

I apologize for bumping this old thread but I just signed up for Lucky Mobile, after a service issue with Virgin. This thread was extremely helpful. Thank you to all who posted.




Earl said:


> I use Lucky Mobile ($25/month) and it is 3g speeds. Are you sure you need faster speeds? 3g is enough to watch youtube and netflix.


I had an all-singing/all-dancing plan with Virgin. When we went away for the winter, I bumped it down to their cheapest plan. I rarely use more than 1GB of data per month, anyway.

We returned from vacation and I see they almost doubled my monthly charge for a really crappy plan. Something must have gone wrong but I was on hold for hours and just figured I'd move to a greener pasture.

So, I'm going to go from a modest plan at Virgin to an extremely minimal plan at Lucky. It will be interesting to see I notice any inconvenience. I think that often we spend a ton of money to prevent corner cases that never, or almost never, happen.




nathan79 said:


> That depends on how much data you typically use, and how often you need it. I think you'd be surprised at how far 250 MB can go, assuming you're not doing data-heavy activities like video or music streaming.


Great point, Nathan. A de-googled phone takes even less data.


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## zinfit (Mar 21, 2021)

Still love our 2 line USA T-Mobile plan. Unlimited talk and 5G data [good in 200 countries] for $55 per month USA. I won't be spending my winter in the US in the 2022/23 so I am curious how they will respond. I have this plan for 15 months with no problems and great service.


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## TomB16 (Jun 8, 2014)

I'm circling back to update my journey, in case it is useful for someone else.

I've been at Koodo for a few days with a 4GB plan, a bunch of phone features, and a $46/mo charge (taxes in). The thing about Koodo is they show you exactly how much you are going to be billed (including tax). I really like their system.

My lowest bill from Virgin this year was $73.87 but there were two over $100. The monthly bill should be just under $56. We were in Mexico for the first 11 weeks of this year and the Virgin Mobile SIM was in my desk drawer (I use a Telcel SIM in Mexico and pay $14 CAD per month. Curiously, Virgin Mobile charges $15 per day for Mexican roaming so that is a 30:1 saving).

There were two usage charges of over $30 each. One was in May for 3 texts from an American source. I ask my American friends and family to use Google Groups but someone forgot so I took that hit. The other was a charge for voice mail which I apparently did not have. I received one voice message, and the save guy knew I had only received one. That one message... a computer generated message telling me they just signed me up for a pay per use voice mail system.

A few minutes ago, I received a call from the save team. A very nice man told me my bills were all $56 in 2022. I have my VISA bills for 2022 in front of me, right now, and the lowest was $73.87. So, we are operating on different facts.

The save guy also also offered me a 25GB plan with lots of voice features for $45/mo with no expiration date. If I trusted the company, I would have gone with that plan and then not had to worry about data use ever again.

At this point, I have two thoughts.

1) I believe there is something wrong with their billing system and they were charging me for something they did not realize... it will be sorted out in small claims court.

2) If someone has been on Virgin Mobile for a while and they are happy, they would be well advised to move to another provider and then accept the all singing / all dancing Virgin Mobile offer for $45/mo from the save team.


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## HappilyRetired (Nov 14, 2021)

I'm also with Koodo. $40 ($44.80) after taxes) for 6g of data, unlimited calling Canada wide, and unlimited international texting (as long as they are sent from Canada). But I'm getting an additional 3g of data (9g total) for 24 months as a promotion moving from Xplore that recently shut down plus a $5 monthly discount. I had to spend $45 for the $5 discount, when it expires I'll probably drop to the $35 plan (3g of data).

The 9g of data comes in handy as we don't have internet or cable at our cabin. So I make my phone a hotspot and can use my laptop for internet, YouTube, email, etc.


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## Money172375 (Jun 29, 2018)

We’ve been fighting for Lucky for 5 months. The direct debit from a bank account or visa debit has never worked. No issues at the bank. There’s no evidence the payment was attempted and rejected. Lucky can’t figure it out, escalated it again 2.5 weeks ago….no resolution.

problem is that without the auto-pay feature, we don’t get the data bonus.

looking to find another provider with very basic service. 100 minute calling and 250mb of data. Preferably one that will still allow data usage at slow speed once the limit is reached.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

Money172375 said:


> looking to find another provider with very basic service. 100 minute calling and 250mb of data. Preferably one that will still allow data usage at slow speed once the limit is reached.


I'm mixed on getting a cheap fido plan, or just going to petro-Canada Mobile.


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

Money172375 said:


> We’ve been fighting for Lucky for 5 months. The direct debit from a bank account or visa debit has never worked. No issues at the bank. There’s no evidence the payment was attempted and rejected. Lucky can’t figure it out, escalated it again 2.5 weeks ago….no resolution.
> 
> problem is that without the auto-pay feature, we don’t get the data bonus.
> 
> looking to find another provider with very basic service. 100 minute calling and 250mb of data. Preferably one that will still allow data usage at slow speed once the limit is reached.


That's what I have with Freedom. They're OK, not great. Coverage can be spotty but mostly it's fine. 100 min calling, 250mb data, $15/mo with the digital discount.


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## zinfit (Mar 21, 2021)

Love my T-Mobile deal. We have 2 lines with unlimited phone, text and 5 G good in 200 countries. Total price $55 US. Only drawback is incoming calls are subject to calls to the US. If someone needs to talk to me just text and I phone back.I can see why T-Mobile has become the top dog in the US.


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## Jericho (Dec 23, 2011)

Still rocking my 45$ / mth for 25GB and unlimited nation wide, courtesy of Rogers. Retention offers this package.


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