So the local 7-11 should have Speakout phones soon. I think the free phone promotion is good until the end of September too. Great service for people who don’t want to be stuck in a contract. Free voicemail and caller ID, too. And airtime lasts 365 days (and can be extended by just adding more time).
Apparently, they didn’t have them until now, because the Speakout people didn’t realize that they had to put Port Edward numbers on the phones. Since they couldn’t get Prince Rupert numbers, they didn’t think the local 7-11 would carry the phones. But the phones should be at the store soon.
My sisters are looking at getting their first cell phones in Rupert. Mostly just to talk with a limited number of friends and for my parents piece of mind as they’re walking to and from school alone, etc. No long distance or high minute usage… You find the Speakout to be a better deal than the local Rogers plans? Also, if they were to go with Telus, and use a Port Ed number, who is the authorized Telus dealer in the area? Budget would be around 80 a month for the two phones.
I’m assuming there is no daily charge for these phones as there is with Rogers pay as you go plans. Is text messaging available?
There is no monthly charge, except for a 99 cent 911 charge.
Buy $100 in airtime (they give you 20% more if you buy $100) and you’ll get a free phone. 20 cents a minute any time. I’ll bet the $100 lasts you all year. No contracts, if you don’t use it, you don’t pay.
Speakout uses Rogers, which give out Port Edward numbers (250-600-xxxx).
It’s pretty good deal for people who don’t use cell phones much, or don’t want a contract. Pam’s had a Speakout SIM in her iPhone for a couple of months, and has probably used 3 or 4 dollars in text messages and the occasional call.
And since Speakout is GSM, you can just pop out that SIM and put it in a new phone whenever you want, without a need for contracts, etc.
PetroCanada has a similar service, run by the same people who run the 7-11 Speakout thing.
Speakout / PetroCan use the same SIMs as Rogers, so Rogers phones don’t even need to be unlocked to use them. Fido uses another carrier ID, so you can’t use Speakout SIMs in Fido phones unless they’re unlocked.
No 3G software unlock yet. But that shouldn’t matter if you buy it in Canada. Try ebay
Screenshot of iPhone with my Speakout SIM in it:
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I have the family plan for two cell phones with Citywest and one more year left on my contract. I checked if it’s worth switching at least one cell over to Speakout which would leave me with the 4-way bundle of $15 off and 300 free long distance minutes for my home phone on my total Citywest bill.
Another reason why I want to keep the other cell for my 9-year old daughter is that it’s one of those kids phones with four pre-programed numbers, just for her safety and Speakout doesn’t offer those yet
Now here’s the math:
Citywest both phones $65.95/month incl. tax, access and 911 fees, voicemail, 100 shared min., and call display
=$791.40/year
Keeping just the kid’s cell $31.31/month incl. fees, 100 min, and taxes
=$375.65
Paying out the remaining contract fees to Citywest for one of the phones: $20/month
=$220 for 11 months remaining (Oct. 2008 - Aug. 2009)
$791.40
$375.65
$220.00
=$ 195.75 in savings
That’s more than enough to pay for $100/500min plus get the free phone with free viocemail etc…
