I bought an Android phone

[Giles Orr]

On 24 March 2011 08:56, Eric Battersby <gyre-Ja3L+HSX0kI at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Mar 2011, Mike Kallies wrote:
>
>> On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:58 PM, William Park <opengeometry-FFYn/CNdgSA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>> > I'm currently paying Rogers $50/month for cell phone, so I'm looking for a
>> > cheaper alternative, either cheaper monthly or pay-as-you-go.
>> >
>> > If you add Caller-ID, how much would the price be?
>>
>> I'm a very cheap person.  I'm looking at http://www.speakout7eleven.ca/ .
>>
>> You have to buy one of their phones, and they don't do number
>> portability, but the airtime lasts a year and apparently, they're on
>> the Rogers network, so you can drop the SIM into a Rogers phone and it
>> will work.  All the extras are included, but as with all
>> pay-as-you-go, the $0.25 per-minute price is too high for it to be
>> your only phone.
>>
>> $10/mo apparently also does unlimited web access.  I'm going to give
>> it a try, but I have to unlock my current phone to do so.
>>
>> Oh and rumour has it that you have to go in-person into a 7-11 to buy
>> additional airtime.
>
> I have had a 7-11 SpeakOut (SO) pay-as-you-go phone for a few
> years now.  The air time lasts a year after from purchase
> date.  The minimum purchase amount is $25.
> All regular air time is $0.25/min, outgoing texts are $0.10
> (unless you get the special text plan).
> Air time that is used to check your balance, or to add air
> time is free.
>
> It includes (no extra cost) CallerID, Voice Mail, and incoming texts.
> You can check your Voice Mail for free from a land line
> and they remain around for 5 days.
> Air time does not start until pickup.
> This phone will not work in the U.S.
>
> The "plan" is simple to figure out.
> Check balance; perform operation; check balance.
> You need to go into a 7-11 store to purchase air time, so
> don't get low in Markham (0 stores?) or Brampton (1 store).
> This phone is NOT suitable for undisciplined "cheap" persons.
> You need to keep calls short, or decide if you can
> wait for a land line.
> So, if you speak 3 times per day, 2x1min,1x2min, each day,
> that is about $30/month.
>
> Occasionally, they offer discounts which effectively makes air
> time cost $0.20/min if you purchase $100.
> Typically around December, you can get a free working phone
> with a $100 air time purchase.
>
> I don't know if its SIM will work in a Rogers phone.

I believe their SIMs will work in a Rogers phone, I think I tried that
once - SpeakOut uses the Rogers network.  I'm currently using my
SpeakOut SIM in a formerly Wind unlocked Huawei Android phone, works
fine.  Comments I've seen online suggest that a lot of people are
doing this, but that SpeakOut won't support you in it if you have
problems.

SpeakOut's data plan got mentioned earlier in the thread.  One of my
co-workers is using it: it suits him okay, but anyone considering it
should stop to think about whether or not they want all-you-can-eat
internet at the equivalent speed of a 56kbits/s modem.

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://gtalug.org/wiki/Mailing_lists