Random household issues -- questions asked and answered here

Didn't really want to start a new thread for this. I paid for my son's mobile plan (low-end PC Telecom plan) the past two years. Since I only said I'd pay two years' worth (thinking he would be in his co-op term by his third year) it's time for him to look for a replacement plan. He will be in McGill (Montreal) so there are different choices. He can mostly do without voice but he needs unlimited text (he never had data on his plan and wifi is almost everywhere so no need for that). His phone is still decent enough after 2 years so a BYOD plan is the most likely.

What's his best choice? Currently I've got him on a $30/month plan which gives him a small amount of anytime minutes (Canada-wide) and unlimited weekends/evenings. He will most likely want something cheaper than that. Not sure what PC does if you have a phone.

Wind only has partner coverage in Montreal so he'd have to get on one of their NA-wide plans; I think $40 is the cheapest (this is for 10 months, then $45) and probably could get another $5 off for a referral (technically I'd be getting the $5 off but maybe I could apply that to his bill).

What happened to all those promises of free phones for students just for watching a few ads?

Wow, the response has been underwhelming.

Does anyone know if PC Mobile allows WiFi calling? That's what my son has now and they have a $15 plan that will give him unlimited texting, but no air time (except to other PC Mobile numbers in the same calling area). I believe he is on the Bell network and Bell supports WiFi calling from what I'd read.

Your best chocie if you don't want data is to go with a prepaid plan or a pay as you go plan. Koodo and Fido have good options.

if you want data, Videotron is the best in Ottawa at the moment.

Just got keys to my new place. I am free from the shackles of Kanata

Ev wrote:Your best chocie if you don't want data is to go with a prepaid plan or a pay as you go plan. Koodo and Fido have good options.

if you want data, Videotron is the best in Ottawa at the moment.

Umm, what? I'll assume you mean Montreal. As far as I know Videotron only does home phone, not mobile. Almost all of the smaller guys have been bought by the bigger ones (Koodo, Fido, Mobilicity, Wind -- most recently). Guys like PC Tel (and Virgin) have not been bought but they are selling service on the big guys' networks.

Wind is still one of the better deals out there if you are in their Wind Home coverage ($25/month unlimited talk and text). But Montreal is all in the Wind Away zone so then you have to go to their $40+ plans. And I'm not even sure if this would apply to him because a lot of such plans stipulate that you have to spend the majority of your air time on the "home" (or local, or whatever) zone and only a small portion of the time outside of that. Since he'd be living in Montreal he'd be the opposite.

I haven't seen anything lower than $15/month -- that's PC Tel for unlimited text and no air time (except for other PC Tel numbers in same calling area). I only started wondering about WiFi calling (and even if that's not supported on the PC Tel sub-section of the Bell network there's still other ways of making calls -- sign up for Google Voice and use Hangouts or any number of apps); so it's possible another provider had a similar plan.

Public Mobile has a $70/90 days plan -- that's $23.33/month. None of the others I've seen so far offer any no-talk plans. Usually they include local calling and start pretty much at $25 or up.

Fido $15.75. Costco sells it, maybe they throw in some member benefits that are worth the extra $0.75?

Virgin has a $0-service plan. Free incoming texts but everything else is pay-per-use. When you first sign up you get $5. Provincial 911 fees will eat that up in about 6 months after which time you'll have to top it up with something. They have $25 top-ups that are good for 60 days, so the remainder of the first year would cost you $75 (three top-ups of $25). So the minimum you'll pay in the first year is $75. After that you'd be buying the $100 top-up that lasts 365 days.

So I guess that's the cheapest option, assuming you only use their service receive texts and use wifi for sending texts and making voice calls. And you can also use their service for whatever is left over from the $100 after the 911 fee is taken out.

wprager wrote:

Ev wrote:Your best chocie if you don't want data is to go with a prepaid plan or a pay as you go plan. Koodo and Fido have good options.

if you want data, Videotron is the best in Ottawa at the moment.

Umm, what?  I'll assume you mean Montreal.  As far as I know Videotron only does home phone, not mobile.  Almost all of the smaller guys have been bought by the bigger ones (Koodo, Fido, Mobilicity, Wind -- most recently).  Guys like PC Tel (and Virgin) have not been bought but they are selling service on the big guys' networks.  

Wind is still one of the better deals out there if you are in their Wind Home coverage ($25/month unlimited talk and text).  But Montreal is all in the Wind Away zone so then you have to go to their $40+ plans.  And I'm not even sure if this would apply to him because a lot of such plans stipulate that you have to spend the majority of your air time on the "home" (or local, or whatever) zone and only a small portion of the time outside of that.  Since he'd be living in Montreal he'd be the opposite.

I haven't seen anything lower than $15/month -- that's PC Tel for unlimited text and no air time (except for other PC Tel numbers in same calling area).   I only started wondering about WiFi calling (and even if that's not supported on the PC Tel sub-section of the Bell network there's still other ways of making calls -- sign up for Google Voice and use Hangouts or any number of apps); so it's possible another provider had a similar plan.

Videoteon has mobile in Ottawa. st Laurent shopping centre

Right as rain, Ev.

Interesting, they have a $20.95 plan which gives you unlimited text and 50 minutes airtime in Quebec and the Greater Ottawa-Gatineau area. And students get 10% off so that's $18.86. And there's a discount for using your own phone. But can't figure out from their website if those discounts are applicable to that plan and also what the discount is for your own device (it ranges based on plan chosen and the footnote reference they have is wrong).

If you need an excuse ...

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(For instance you'll get lower rates of heart problems, & lower blood pressure)

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My wife just switched to Virgin from WIND. The coverage was way too spotty with WIND, and times when she should've been at least roaming she had no service at all. Apparently this is a pretty common problem.

tim1_2 wrote:My wife just switched to Virgin from WIND.  The coverage was way too spotty with WIND, and times when she should've been at least roaming she had no service at all.  Apparently this is a pretty common problem.

Price is hard to beat, though

I switched my wife over to the $45 plan when we went to visit her sister in NH. That plan gives her NA-wide coverage (unlimited talk/text; data is still extra in Away zones but we can live with that). Had no issues driving through Motreal, lost coverage through some areas in Vermont (up in the mountains and it was raining heavily) and at her sister's place sometimes had to go out in the middle of the front yard (but coverage at her place has always been problematic). Then the other day she was in the middle of the Centrum and had no coverage. Now there were thunderstorm warnings that day and some rain, so could have been related to that. Not sure.

I'm planning on getting a phone of my own in September (have been without since giving up my BB at work) so I've got some decisions to make. I've got my wife and son on Wind, my daughters are starting highschool (one in West Carleton the other at Bell) so there is possibly a need there (the boys would be furious since they didn't get anything until grade 11-12). Wonder what kind of deal I could swing with Rogers.

Odd, I noticed that the "Thanks" button next yo your post was enabled (not greyed-out, inactive). Now (since I've posted a reply) it is inactive like what I saw earlier in the other thread.

Checked another topic (General) and there were no "Thanks" buttons at all. Weird?

Hmm, I wonder if "Thanks" only appears for posts in a thread that *you* started.  Or maybe for replies to your posts.

EDIT: Nope, not replies to your posts.  Must be threads you started.
EDIT2: Still don't know what makes it active/inactive.

Moving is stressful

Ev wrote:Moving is stressful

I've done my share. Plus working as a mover.