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What are the best phone plans?

So I finally decided to join the 21st century and get a cell phone. I want the iPhone 4S because I'm an apple whore and love their products.

So what are the best plans out there, Rogers, Bell, Telus???? I've called all of them but they were really pushy and I really dont understand what the difference between 500MB of data a month is and 1 gig. Obviously I know 1 gig is more but does it make much of a difference? Also is there a big difference in service?

Are there any good plans out there that they dont disclose, and how should I negotiate a contract with them?

I'm a student in grad school and an employee of the City of Mississauga if that matters.

Also what are the consequences of canceling contracts with these guys, I'm only asking because I may be moving overseas to teach or complete my Ph.D in the future if a lucrative option exists.

Any help would be appriciated.

Most of the big guys will make you spend a min of around $55 for an iphone data plan.
Shop around, Get the 1 gig of data thrown in and don't pay for extras like caller i.d ect call them and say bells offered me this blah blah blah. You'll probably get everything you ask for on a 3 year contract but then again it's a 3 year contract.

quote:

Originally posted by Pett Most of the big guys will make you spend a min of around $55 for an iphone data plan. Shop around, Get the 1 gig of data thrown in and don't pay for extras like caller i.d ect call them and say bells offered me this blah blah blah. You'll probably get everything you ask for on a 3 year contract but then again it's a 3 year contract.

who has better service, rogers or bell?

Mobilicity = unlimited calling, texting and data for $45. Nothing really comes close...

My plan with Bell is 60 bucks. 1 gig of data, unlimited call + text + pic/vid messages to 10 numbers nationwide any time, unlimited text + pic/vid messages, unlimited local nights + weekends (6pm-7am), call waiting + conference calling, and an extra 200 anytime local minutes.

I have to pay an extra 12 bucks for my call display + voicemail though.

I've only ever dealt with Rogers for internet/cable stuff - but they've proven time and time again that just about everyone working there is a fucking moron.

I've been with Bell almost 15 years and have had nothing but good experiences with them. Their support staff have always found ways to save me money/offer me better deals for less money/optimize my phone plan so I don't have to pay as much.



edit: I used to have a 500 meg data plan, and 1 gig is definitely better. If you browse enough and play games (Words With Friends what's up!), watch Youtube vids, download shit, send emails, and use Gtalk...anything that uses data (duh) - you're def better off with 1 gig. I do all of that with my phone, and not always excessively, and I had gone over my usage a few times when I only had 500 megs.

quote:

Originally posted by infinity HiGH Mobilicity = unlimited calling, texting and data for $45. Nothing really comes close...

isnt their coverage limited to the cities?

And as far as I know, if you cancel a contract - you have to pay out the remainder of your months owing. So if your plan is like mine, 72 bucks (before tax), and you cancelled it after only 4 or 5 months, they would make you pay them that 72 bucks + tax x however many months you signed up for.

quote:

Originally posted by Sentinal isnt their coverage limited to the cities?

check their website on the coverage map. If I remember correctly most of the GTA is within their zone (sauga, brampton, vaughn, oshawa)

You've never had a cellphone?!

If your job is with a union or have a HR dept, usually they have corporate discounted plans.

Or check with alumni with your school, they may have something similar.

As for which company, depends on where you are and if you travel. In GTA, those newer small companies work for deals.

But from Bell, Rogers and Telus... it's all personal preference, they're all evil, everyone has horror stories. It's like voting for a politician, you hate them all, but you vote for the lesser of the evils.

I'm Rogers myself and while they fuck up a lot, I've never had difficulty getting it rectified and sorted by calling them up. I get free shit all the time as well for complaining lol.

AND, if you can get old hardware off someone else/buy a used phone and just activate that - you don't have to lock yourself into any sort of contract.

Oh! Yeah you're a student. Pretty sure every company offers cheap student plans. Bell's is 35 bucks I think. Don't quote me on that though.

Typically larger companies have corporate plans that you can which have much better rates then trying to get a good rate solo. Try talking to your work and seeing if they have agreements with any companies.

I'm with Telus right now, and I'll quote you my plan. If you think it's covers your requirements, call them up and see if they can match it:

300 minutes during the week
unlimited calling to 5 people (fav 5's or whatever its called)
free evenings, weekends after 6
6gb data
caller id, 10 voicemail, forwarding, etc
unlimited texting

$55

Just a note: the iPhone sucks data like a mofo. I'd recommend getting a 1gb minimum data plan, and I'd highly recommend getting the 6gb. After seeing a phone bill with $200 of extra data usage on it (back when I switched from BB->IP4 with a 500mb plan) you'll definitely want to have a plan big enough for your usage.

quote:

Originally posted by Miss Pie And as far as I know, if you cancel a contract - you have to pay out the remainder of your months owing. So if your plan is like mine, 72 bucks (before tax), and you cancelled it after only 4 or 5 months, they would make you pay them that 72 bucks + tax x however many months you signed up for.

They charge $20-25 a month for the months owing, to a maximum of $600 bucks.

quote:

Originally posted by Billche They charge $20-25 a month for the months owing, to a maximum of $600 bucks.

I remember when I worked for Rogers, it was $200... shit it got expensive!

quote:

Originally posted by infinity HiGH Mobilicity = unlimited calling, texting and data for $45. Nothing really comes close...

quote:

Originally posted by Billche They charge $20-25 a month for the months owing, to a maximum of $600 bucks.

Ah hmm, thanks for clearing that up.

The early termination fee is per contract, voice and data count as separate contracts.

Rogers has better reception in the city (in buildings and houses) but Bell has better coverage in cottage country (further away from highways). Each company has 'dead zones' within the city as well.

I'm with rogers, and there is a pretty good sized dead zone between Clarkson and Port Credit on the Lakeshore West Go line.

When my contract is up, I'm going with one of the new smaller guys. Fuck the big guys. If I got a phone today with Moblicity, and went outside their 'zone', and had to pay roaming, it would still cost less than long distance with Rogers on my current plan!!! Think about that. It is cheaper to roam on rogers network, with a competitor, than make a call on rogers' network as a customer.

Also, the folks at the Bell and Rogers stores do not actually work for rogers. Those stores are contracted out. You can usually get better rates over the phone, by calling 'corporate' directly.

If you're always in the city, the new guys are great (Wind, Mobilicity, Public etc etc).

If you travel outside of the city then bend over and go with Bell, Telus or Rogers/Fido. What I would do if you go with them:

1. As someone mentioned, check with your employer. Since it's considered government I'm sure they get a great rate and if you can piggy back that it'll be better than the monthly plans you can get on your own. These corporate/gov plans sometimes also let you upgrade phones much more often which is nice.

2. If no work plan is available, go with a student one. All of them offer decent ones.

3. Regardless of the above after you've been with them for awhile and your contract is nearing its end (or after 6 months if you have no contract) call them up and tell them you want to cancel. They'll transfer you to the retentions department and you should cite promo plans being offerred by the budget carriers as the reason and get them to try to match them. If the offer isn't great just tell them you'll think about it and call back. Keep doing that till you get a great plan (can sometimes take 3-4 tries). The good ones that can only be given by retentions are usually the best you can get (even better than corporate/gov) and you'll still get the great service of being on a big carrier.

quote:

Originally posted by GGM 3. Regardless of the above after you've been with them for awhile and your contract is nearing its end (or after 6 months if you have no contract) call them up and tell them you want to cancel. They'll transfer you to the retentions department and you should cite promo plans being offerred by the budget carriers as the reason and get them to try to match them. If the offer isn't great just tell them you'll think about it and call back. Keep doing that till you get a great plan (can sometimes take 3-4 tries). The good ones that can only be given by retentions are usually the best you can get (even better than corporate/gov) and you'll still get the great service of being on a big carrier.

THIS!

Be polite, but firm in saying what you want and don't want. No harm is saying "I don't want to be able to pic message my 5 top friends in Europe" and not afraid in saying "I am at work all day so voicemail and caller ID is essential to me but I don't like the price you offer"

They always try to give you something for free that you really won't use... They always try to win me over with free Canadian long distance for a couple months or something, say it's a $30 value. But I would't even get $5 of normal long distance charges in that time span anyways. And they usually leave the feature on your line and start charging you for it afterwards...

Say

"I've seen what you have to offer from the store reps and your websites, and it's not as good as what my work/school gives me with another carrier" they will ask where you work or go to school, answer "Irrelevant, regardless your offer doesn't match it, so what else can you do for me"

Remain calm, but let them know you're informed.

A bit of ballwashing goes a long way as well, courteous to the rep, call them by their name, thank them along the way for their help. Makes them feel special and needed after the 20 something other calls they took that day with people talking down to them, swearing and complaining about random shit. They WILL want to help you more. Talk up their company as well, most of them don't have pride where they work, but some do. So say stuff like "I've had internet, homephone, cable/satalite etc from you before and loved the service and staff, that's why even though other competitors are offering me less, I'm leaning towards your company IF you can sort me out"

I've gotten so many things for free from Rogers by doing that, reduced bills etc.

Like GGM said, you may have to call a couple times to get the right one. I'd try later at night, 11pm est, you'll get a rep from Vancouver probably, they're usually a bit more mellow and friendly

And you want to speak to Retention/Customer Service, not the first person who picks up the phone. They're usually outsourced and entry level people who don't care, only want commission or fill quota.

Ahahahaha @ having to call 3-4 times to ballwash and make a CUSTOMER SERVICE rep feel like THEY are important and special. That's why Rogers blows dick.

I never had to ask for anything with Bell - they always alerted ME I was paying too much. Good customer service is not having to beg and lie and connive for shit. I know because I worked retail/customer service for years.

quote:

Originally posted by Miss Pie Ahahahaha @ having to call 3-4 times to ballwash and make a CUSTOMER SERVICE rep feel like THEY are important and special. That's why Rogers blows dick. I never had to ask for anything with Bell - they always alerted ME I was paying too much. Good customer service is not having to beg and lie and connive for shit. I know because I worked retail/customer service for years.

That's why I said earlier that's you pick the lesser of all evils. You've obviously had great experience with Bell. I on the other hand had a 3 year contract with them and it was the most grueling 3 years ever with any carrier I've had. And I worked the same industry, sold phones and worked call centers, i've seen how they work and run.

You're fucked either way pretty much. Canada sucks balls for the prices they charge for cellular service.

I've almost lost it on a rather shitty customer service rep, but for most part, Bell has been decent to me.

I'm also pretty sure that Bell has an instore service for existing customers where you can sit down with them and basically say "I've been a customer for x amount of years, how can you help me?" and they will waive fees and give you deals/discounts, etc.

I signed up with mobilicity a bit over a month ago.

For 25$/month, I got the back-to-school plan with unlimited local/text/data/voice and for around $350 I got myself a Google Nexus S. If you are always in the city, I'd recommend going with mobilicity or wind, but their coverage map while covering most of GTA, is nowhere as near as good as the big 3.

I also got a promotional code that I applied to my account and now I pay 23$/month

Definitely go with the small guys if you are in the city, go with the big guys if you need wide coverage

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