Barred phones from the US question: Are they also barred in Canada?
Wondering if a phone is barred in the US (for non-payment of a bill) would that phone be barred also in Canada?
May 1st, 2017 10:01 pm
May 2nd, 2017 7:30 am
May 2nd, 2017 9:46 am
May 2nd, 2017 10:21 am
May 3rd, 2017 2:25 pm
This is awesome information! So the guy who can't afford his cellphone bill selling his phone on Kijiji may still work on other networks in Canada/US? That's certainly helpful! I imagine if that's the case, they probably can't cry to their carrier about their phone being lost or stolen, right?wearysky wrote: ↑ Just a note: phones aren't allowed to be blacklisted in Canada for non-payment of a bill, only for a lost/stolen situation. For non-payment, the phone can be blocked from a specific carrier's network, but it can't be added to the blacklist. I'd be surprised if the US blacklist behaved differently than the Canadian one.
May 3rd, 2017 2:37 pm
If it's gotten to the point where Bell has blocked their phone on their network, for example, I don't think Bell is going to be too interested in taking their call regarding their phone being lost (I assume the account will no longer be active, and have been sent to collections). Do note, however, that you have no way of finding out if a phone is blocked only on a specific network. And if they don't plan on paying their bill, they could sell the phone before it's blocked on the carrier's network, and then you're stuck with a phone that you can't use a month or two down the road if they happen to also be on your network.titaniumtux wrote: ↑ This is awesome information! So the guy who can't afford his cellphone bill selling his phone on Kijiji may still work on other networks in Canada/US? That's certainly helpful! I imagine if that's the case, they probably can't cry to their carrier about their phone being lost or stolen, right?
May 3rd, 2017 2:50 pm
On the topic...got curious about a more specific scenario.wearysky wrote: ↑ If it's gotten to the point where Bell has blocked their phone on their network, for example, I don't think Bell is going to be too interested in taking their call regarding their phone being lost (I assume the account will no longer be active, and have been sent to collections). Do note, however, that you have no way of finding out if a phone is blocked only on a specific network. And if they don't plan on paying their bill, they could sell the phone before it's blocked on the carrier's network, and then you're stuck with a phone that you can't use a month or two down the road if they happen to also be on your network.
May 3rd, 2017 3:05 pm
I believe they're only banning phones purchased via subsidy. And even then, only when there's an outstanding balance. So if you bought a subsidized phone, paid it off, and then after it was paid off were suddenly no longer able to pay your bill (and instead of cancelling, just kept it going till Bell finally cut you off), I don't *believe* the phone attached to the account would be banned from their network. But I can't say for sure as I've never encountered it.titaniumtux wrote: ↑ On the topic...got curious about a more specific scenario.
Let's say a Bell Mobility subscriber (using your example) ports in a number after the fact (say a few days after activation), referencing the IMEI associated with the number being ported in, then the wireless carrier associates the subscriber's line with the IMEI of the port in, not the device on subsidy, would that mean they'd blacklist the IMEI of the port-in or the IMEI of the subsidized device if the account later gets disco'd be collections?
May 3rd, 2017 7:20 pm
Hmm that is a non subject at all. If a phone is obtained with forged ID (good enough reason to be blacklisted) yet with monthly punctual payments, do you think the carrier will ever bother to blacklist it?
May 4th, 2017 3:09 am
It's true. The blacklist is primarily triggered by non payment of bills. And it hurts the most innocent victims who buy second hand phones because they can't afford a new one.danieltoronto wrote: ↑ Hmm that is a non subject at all. If a phone is obtained with forged ID (good enough reason to be blacklisted) yet with monthly punctual payments, do you think the carrier will ever bother to blacklist it?
Basically it (blacklist) is for non-payment of hardware instalment. Plain and simple
May 4th, 2017 9:32 am
Not true. If you purchase a phone legally (ie not via fraud) and then just can't afford to pay your bills, they can't add the phone to the blacklist (they can block it on their own network, but they can't blacklist it). The only time non-payment will result in a phone being added to the blacklist is if it was purchased fraudulently, and they only find out about the fraud via non-payment.danieltoronto wrote: ↑ Basically it (blacklist) is for non-payment of hardware instalment. Plain and simple
[Citation required]. I'd wager that far more phones are added to the blacklist by being reported lost or stolen, as compared to those discovered when a fraudulent account doesn't pay its bills.elwebmaster wrote: ↑ The blacklist is primarily triggered by non payment of bills.
May 4th, 2017 9:55 am
May 5th, 2017 8:17 am
Use it locally. Big deal.
In the unfortunate event that people have been scammed after having paid for an expensive phone which subsequently got blacklisted, these are my suggestions:
1. A blacklisted phone cannot make use of the SIM slot of your phone. With Wifi around, Textme/Fongo/textNow... can provide you with a local Canadian # (in my case a 647 #)
2. Texting (incoming and outgoing) is free. That part it excels.
3. Calling out (for Textme) is around 2 cents/min. Incoming call is free. Call quality is at par with Hangout Dialer.
Nowadays, getting a cheap phone/tablet with a good data plan (e.g. 2 Gb $15 a month for Fido plan) is easy. With that, one can easily generate a wifi hot spot wherever wifi is not around (e.g. in a briefcase or hangbag or vehicle...)
May 5th, 2017 9:18 am
May 5th, 2017 12:06 pm
How can you use it locally as a PHONE without modifying the IMEI?danieltoronto wrote: ↑ Use it locally. Big deal.
I would say all blacklisted phones can have as much as 95% of its function operational even in Can/US.
I have a thread on the use of a blacklisted phone
May 5th, 2017 1:45 pm
May 5th, 2017 5:03 pm
Without a working SIM in a blacklisted phone, it can call, text and function as if it is a full blown phone with Wifi around.
May 5th, 2017 6:37 pm
May 5th, 2017 7:21 pm
Fido has mobile LTE plan 150 Mb $10 .Realistically it is 1 Gb $20 a monthredflagguy2u wrote: ↑...what is the lowest priced data plan (just data) available for low usage. Just that occasional time you need to use it when you're not going to be near a hotspot soon.
May 5th, 2017 9:53 pm
1MB per minute max.redflagguy2u wrote: ↑ About how much data would one use on a typical VOIP phone call? Anybody know? At say a high quality level.
Next....what is the lowest priced data plan (just data) available for low usage. Just that occasional time you need to use it when you're not going to be near a hotspot soon.
With the answers to those 2 questions one can price out the rough cost per minute of having always available communication.