Getting my 1st Cell Phone soon

[Mandy]

Have been doing a lot of Google researching and all that info has just left me confused.

Just want a phone for emergencies, and one that has a radio, no video, etc.

Checked with both Rogers and Bell and they are both charging $20 month it seems with call charges on top of that. Is that correct?

Am now checking with Virgin Mobile as it seems it got a hi recommendation from some members here.

Would appreciate some input on best cell phone to buy and best provider and most economical plan from anyone here, as I think I am the only one that doesnt have a cell phone.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

[sargpep]

We have a few Virgin mobiles phones in our household , we have been very happy with the service , after using Bell and Rogers for years.

[tweakthis]

My family all have Virgin phones. The entry level flip-top has the volume control on the side and I'm always activating that darn button. My daughter has the phone with the flashlight and loves it. I thought it was a funny purchase, but she's used the flashlight loads of time. Who'da thunk it. :shrug:

Virgin uses Bell's network so you're getting comparable service. The $25 card gets you 90 days of service, far better than Bell or Rogers, imho. Or for $100 you're covered for the year.

Virgin pricing:
http://www.virginmobile.ca/site/en/pricesAndFeatures/html/topup.html

Have you look at the PC phones, Mandy? My bro is thinking about getting one of those for his g/f, if he doesn't get a Virgin phone.

[Miss Maggie]

Mandy, we got one for my mom to use for emergencies, a pay as you go that is set up to update her minutes automatically via her credit card each month so she doesn't have to remember to do it...now if she would just remember to turn the darn thing on, we might actually be able to get in touch with her :p

Also inquire as to whether they have a phone package for 'Emergency' use only. We had one of our phones a few years ago with Bell, that was $12.00 p/m for just that purpose. (I don't think they advertise this)

[Mouse]

I have that very plan Maggie, and it's $11.40 a month.

Fido.

My credits are way up there, well above $100, but I don't use it as a personal phone, just for 'emergencies'. ;)

Oh, it's my own phone. That does make a difference. If you have to buy the phone too, you will pay more.

[Mandy]

Many thanks for the above input (can always count on good advice posted quickly to help out).

Was checking out that Nokea with flashlite in Shoppers yesterday (about $80), and on Future Shop web ($40 and sold out) and am leaning towards that one.

But also like a Future Shop Nekea 3155 that has a FM radio, and think that would come in handy if stuck in an elevator which almost happened to me when we had that blackout a few years ago.

Have also pretty well decided to go with the prepaid for a year for $100 and also with Virgin.Hate to give Rogers one more dollar and found Bell info too confusing.

Again, many thanks for the input.

[tweakthis]

It doesn't get any easier than prepaid for a year, does it! Also, Virgin sends reminder notices starting a few weeks before your time expires, which I think is great. I've never forgotten to top up with that system. With Bell, I usually ran out of days before I used the money, and then lost the money cause I missed the top up time. *sigh*

[Nave]

I have had virgin for 3 years now and i love it,

They are finally starting to add some good phones to their line-up as well. You wont need those but it is a nice sign, and yea they have good rates and their phones seem to last. I recently got a new phone from them and gave my old phone to my mother. she uses it (mostly me calling her) and she has no problem with it. she has it for emergencies aswell

[freestylegreek]

You could buy a phone and unlock it or buy a phone that is already unlocked. Then you can use it on any cell phone provider that the phone works with.

Funny thing i saw is Petro Canada has there own pay as you go phone.

http://retail.petro-canada.ca/en/mobility/2303.aspx

[Mandy]

You could buy a phone and unlock it or buy a phone that is already unlocked. Then you can use it on any cell phone provider that the phone works with.



Not sure what unlock means (never had a cell phone before, so this is all new to me), but am doing a lot of research on Google so guess I will come across it.

Many thanx again for the input.

Nice to see you again Tweakie, and think it was your post from previous about the Virgin provider that got me steering in that direction.

Have pretty well decided on the Nokea 3155($99 at Future Shop) with the FM radio and Virgin with the $100 yr. Still not sure tho if the calls themselves are extra cost on top of that.

[tweakthis]

Hey Mandy, I called Virgin because I realized that I had no idea how much was charged for a 365 day card. There is a new calling plan that went into effect last Monday. Anyone who is not grandfathered to the minute-to-minute plan, like I am, has a definite benefit... the cards don't expire! So you don't have to buy a 365 day card, you can buy the $15 card and use it till you are ready to top up, it doesn't expire in 45 days. The cost for the call is .25 per minute. Basically it's the Size Small plan. If you're like me, you're generally on a call for well under five minutes. If my explanation doesn't make sense, call Virgin, they are really helpful. Hmmm, wonder if my almost-sister-in-law wants to buy a used phone! ;)

[Mandy]

Thanx for the update Tweakie. All new to me, but think I got the gist.

As I understand it now, you buy a $15 card which is good until you buy the next one, meaning when your calls reach almost $15. Calls are 25cents a minute and are not extra, but included in the $15.

Will check with Virgin and also their webpage.

Doesnt sound like you will be able to go on this new plan yourself.

Many thanx for the info.

[tweakthis]

Thanx for the update Tweakie. All new to me, but think I got the gist.

As I understand it now, you buy a $15 card which is good until you buy the next one, meaning when your calls reach almost $15. Calls are 25cents a minute and are not extra, but included in the $15.
Exactly. One thing I forgot to mention, on my phone there is a $$ button and when I press that it shows me exactly how much money I have left and when my card expires. In your case, there won't be an expiry date, but it's nice to check and see the money. On my old phone I had to call a number and press about 5 buttons just to listen to the message. This is much sweeter.

Happy chatting!

[tsehou]

Just so you know Mandy, if you go with Virgin Mobile have someone give you a referral code. This gives you and the person sending the referral each 10 dollars extra in your account.

[Mandy]

Just so you know Mandy, if you go with Virgin Mobile have someone give you a referral code. This gives you and the person sending the referral each 10 dollars extra in your account.

Dont know anyone who is with Virgin, except from here at the board. Everyone else seems to be with Bell.

Hope to pick up my phone from Future Shop on Wed (3155i).

Thanx for the input. All very helpful.

Think I am getting an idea on what is involved (except this lock/unock business).

[tweakthis]

As I understand the locked/unlocked business: if a phone is locked, you have to use that service provide for that phone; if it's unlocked, you can use any service provider. I had a locked phone that I wanted to use with Bell, but couldn't since it was locked to Rogers. I didn't want a Rogers account, so the phone went of the to foodbank box (they can redeem them for up to $5 per phone).

Check your PM's for a message re referral.

[bpbpbp]

Don't let the $20 a month with rogers fool you.
There's other fees that really add up.

[tweakthis]

I will never own a phone that charges that $6.95 a month service fee. It's not CRTC regulated, so it's a bogus charge, imho. If other service providers offered a plan that is transparent and clear of other fees as Virgin, I'd look at the plan, but until then I'm happy as a clam with what I've got. :)

[Virus]

If it's only for emergencies and whatnot definately get anything pre-paid.Cell phones are way too exspensive for what you get.

I'm currently stuck paying about 35 bucks a month for 3 years, and it's supposed to be a $25/mo plan.. Garbage.

[Mandy]

If it's only for emergencies and whatnot definately get anything pre-paid.Cell phones are way too exspensive for what you get.

I'm currently stuck paying about 35 bucks a month for 3 years, and it's supposed to be a $25/mo plan.. Garbage.

Lot of money there Virus and 3 years is a long time. Have read a lot of warnings about signing contracts that tie you in for long periods and cost a lot to get out of.

But did you advise NOT to buy prepaid or buy prepaid, as I plan to buy the $15 card or $50 (half a year) and just keep topping it off, as I understand how it works.

As for Rogers, am paying so many extra fees for digital cable, I avoided paying them one more dollar, altho their offer was $100 prepaid for a year which I thought was OK.

Anyway, am off today on some errands, one of which will be going to Future Shop to buy the Virgin Nokea 3155i phone with FM radio (if they still have it in stock).

Appreciate all the comments here.

[tweakthis]

Don't forget, Mandy, that the phone comes with a $10 starter card. All of the phones I've bought included a starter phone card.

[Mandy]

[QUOTE=Mandy;149464]As I understand it now, you buy a $15 card which is good until you buy the next one, meaning when your calls reach almost $15. Calls are 25cents a minute and are not extra, but included in the $15./QUOTE]

Bought the Nokea 3155i yesterday at Future Shop and it did have a $10 credit included, plus an ear phone. Also bot a $15 card which said it expires in 45 days, which is different than what I understood as above.

I wanted the pay as you go, 25cents a minute, but this looks like a $15 every 45 days deal. Maybe it comes to the same thing.

I wont be actually activating it for a few days as I want to read all the lit that came with it.

[tweakthis]

Call Virgin to ask about the expiry date, Mandy. Any time I've called the staff have been quite friendly and helpful. I didn't see anything on the website about the expiry date being cancelled, I was told that on the phone. I should have got the young lady's name as a reference for when/if you call. Sorry, didn't think of it at the time.

I emailed Virgin and was told the referral program is still active. Referral gives both parties a $10 phone top-up when the new customer activates the phone. For the existing customer, log in to your account and send a "kick back" email to the potential new customer. The new customer must activate the phone within 30 days of receiving the kick-back message.

[tweakthis]

So, Mandy, enquiring minds want to know .. how's the phone? Are you happy with your purchase? Was it easy to set up? I had to call Virgin for two of the set-ups I did! LOL

[Mandy]

Funny you should ask today Tweakie.

Was very busy the last while, so didnt get around to reading the instructions til this morning and putting it together. Put the battery in and put the cover on, but cover didnt fit, left about 1/8" at the bottom. Didnt think it mattered too much so went ahead and charged the battery anyway, but nothing came on the screen.

Phoned Nokea and they told me that the battery wont charge unless the cover is on right(or words to that effect)She also said it takes about 3 hrs for the first charge.

Tried and tried to get the cover off, but no luck. So will be taking the phone back to Future Shop to see if they can get the cover off before charging the new battery.

So not a great start for my first experience.

Thanx for asking, as was going to post here to see if anyone else had that problem. Dont think that was the reason you had to call Virgin tho.

ps. like the look and feel of the phone tho.

[tweakthis]

You're right, that's Nokia issue, not a Virgin one. I hope FS can help you out. It sure is better to find that out in the beginning than after the warranty has run out!

[Nave]

have you activated the phone? if not some should give you a kickback number to get an extra 10$ on ur phone when you activate

[Mandy]

Didnt have to go to FS to get the cover off. A very helpful strong man at the Xmas party last nite who didnt have a cell phone himself was able to get it off.

So put the cover back on OK and charged up the battery. Was also on the phone to Virgin (real friendly people there) who helped me with a few things about charging, etc.

No, havent activated the phone yet. Have to wait until I receive the kickback code # from Nokea first, before I can do that over the internet. Then can add the $10 on top of the $10 credit I received with the purchase.

The Virgin rep I spoke to also suggested the $100 card for a year, which I thought you could just go by the 25cents a minute deal until you ALMOST ran out of money. So maybe I will.