Cell phone "noob" needs help selecting a cheap carrier
I'm a cell phone "noob", despite getting one more than twelve years ago. I'm a "noob" because I don't actually like cell phones and because I've gone years without one. I didn't touch a smartphone until this year, and as someone who can troubleshoot his own computer, they make me feel like an idiot.
Just under three years ago my mother surprised my brother and I with cell phones, even though she knows I don't like them. She insisted I have one for emergency calls*. The plan cost her only $25 per month (no data), which is probably a good deal, but neither my brother or I like using them, so it's doubtful it's a good deal for us. She is paying all the costs. My mother is not computer-literate and doesn't really know anything about computers or cell phones, and didn't consult either of us beforehand, which probably explains the poor choices. She got one for herself.
So I've had a cell phone for just under three years. It was a dumb phone, but used a touchscreen and had an issue with it auto-muting my calls, so instead of using it maybe twice a month I probably use it once every three months, and mostly just for text messaging. The cell phone does not have call display (would have to pay for that) or voicemails (ditto, plus I hate voicemail so much I would pay a cell phone company to not put voicemail on my phone). The cell phone is constantly on mute so I never hear it ringing. Since there is no way for me to know who tried to call, I don't feel guilt when I see messages saying I have missed calls.
A few months ago a friend lent me an old Android smartphone. He put my chip in it, so it's still on the same plan. Like just about any smartphone it has a touchscreen, but it actually works. It took me two months to discover this, because I hadn't made a phone call in that period of time. Like I said, I pretty much never use the things. Because it's old, and I don't have a manual for it, my computer refuses to recognize it (via USB or bluetooth) so I can't give it the one upgrade I'm interested in: Google maps. I've tried using it at the library and TTC (free wireless) and at a friend's place but the phone has always refused to recognize wireless.
I am terrible with directions, to the point that I literally bought a map of the city and created my own table of contents (such as "this place can be found on page 4, grid section V3") which consists of several small pieces of paper stapled to the booklet.
So the smartphone is both good and bad. I'm sure it was amazing a few years earlier, the sound quality being stunning. Now the contracts are running out in a few months and my mother wanted me to research a good plan. I used Google and ended up being thoroughly confused. It probably doesn't help that I don't really know what I want.
My brother and I are different people, and might have to go on two different plans.
Myself:
I'm comfortable with pre-paid, a plan isn't actually necessary. I use a phone so little that a pay-per-minute "plan" (or pre-paid minutes) might be much cheaper.
I never call outside the city. Long distance is not a consideration.
I don't need free calling during evenings and weekends, etc. At most I would be making one call per week.
I don't care about most smartphone bells and whistles. The only thing I'm interested in there is assisted GPS, which might not even require a smartphone. I know it's possible to use Google maps without an internet connection (other than the installation) so I don't want or need any sort of data plan. (I've only failed to use it because the current smartphone is old and unfamiliar to me.)
Windows phone. This is key. I'm Windows-literate but have almost no clue what I'm doing on an Android. I've never touched an iPhone or a Blackberry and would be similarly clueless. Since I hardly use any features I don't actually care that Android is "better" than Windows. Alternative a dumb phone that can handle assisted GPS.
I have heard really good things about 7 Eleven Speakout, supposedly you can buy $100 worth of minutes and not have to re-up for a whole year, but it's hard to get reliable information on them and I'm not sure they have any Windows phones. Since I converted my phone from dumb to Android with no issues whatsoever I might be worrying about nothing. Then again, maybe my current cell phone is "jailbroken" or whatever the term is. I'm a cell phone noob so I don't know many of the words I'm using.
My Brother:
A plan is probably better for him. He has an issue, and probably would not call my mother to re-up the phone if it runs out of minutes. However, he hardly uses his cell phone either.
He frequently calls people in other parts of Canada.
He doesn't want a smart phone at all, and I don't think he has even sent a text message in his life. I bookmarked a page with a dumb phone that has giant buttons that would be perfect for him.
My Mother:
She wants a plan. She calls outside the country a lot. She is practically cell-phone only.
She is computer-illiterate. She is currently using a touchscreen, but I think it's a dumb phone. She still hasn't figured out how to save numbers and instead asks me to delete most of her call logs, only keeping the phone numbers of her friends. As I've gradually become less competent at using cell phones as they evolve I can hardly help her do this ridiculously easy task. Needless to say, no advanced tasks required.
*This doesn't (just) mean 911. I just find that I hate taking calls on a cell phone, in part because it convinces people I'm always available, and if I want to call someone, I will probably do so from home on my landline anyway. However, if I'm trying to meet up with someone or need to call a cab (or use UberX, I suppose, haven't ever used them yet) finding a payphone might be too much of a hassle. I don't give out my cell phone number except to family or girlfriends.
Just under three years ago my mother surprised my brother and I with cell phones, even though she knows I don't like them. She insisted I have one for emergency calls*. The plan cost her only $25 per month (no data), which is probably a good deal, but neither my brother or I like using them, so it's doubtful it's a good deal for us. She is paying all the costs. My mother is not computer-literate and doesn't really know anything about computers or cell phones, and didn't consult either of us beforehand, which probably explains the poor choices. She got one for herself.
So I've had a cell phone for just under three years. It was a dumb phone, but used a touchscreen and had an issue with it auto-muting my calls, so instead of using it maybe twice a month I probably use it once every three months, and mostly just for text messaging. The cell phone does not have call display (would have to pay for that) or voicemails (ditto, plus I hate voicemail so much I would pay a cell phone company to not put voicemail on my phone). The cell phone is constantly on mute so I never hear it ringing. Since there is no way for me to know who tried to call, I don't feel guilt when I see messages saying I have missed calls.
A few months ago a friend lent me an old Android smartphone. He put my chip in it, so it's still on the same plan. Like just about any smartphone it has a touchscreen, but it actually works. It took me two months to discover this, because I hadn't made a phone call in that period of time. Like I said, I pretty much never use the things. Because it's old, and I don't have a manual for it, my computer refuses to recognize it (via USB or bluetooth) so I can't give it the one upgrade I'm interested in: Google maps. I've tried using it at the library and TTC (free wireless) and at a friend's place but the phone has always refused to recognize wireless.
I am terrible with directions, to the point that I literally bought a map of the city and created my own table of contents (such as "this place can be found on page 4, grid section V3") which consists of several small pieces of paper stapled to the booklet.
So the smartphone is both good and bad. I'm sure it was amazing a few years earlier, the sound quality being stunning. Now the contracts are running out in a few months and my mother wanted me to research a good plan. I used Google and ended up being thoroughly confused. It probably doesn't help that I don't really know what I want.
My brother and I are different people, and might have to go on two different plans.
Myself:
I'm comfortable with pre-paid, a plan isn't actually necessary. I use a phone so little that a pay-per-minute "plan" (or pre-paid minutes) might be much cheaper.
I never call outside the city. Long distance is not a consideration.
I don't need free calling during evenings and weekends, etc. At most I would be making one call per week.
I don't care about most smartphone bells and whistles. The only thing I'm interested in there is assisted GPS, which might not even require a smartphone. I know it's possible to use Google maps without an internet connection (other than the installation) so I don't want or need any sort of data plan. (I've only failed to use it because the current smartphone is old and unfamiliar to me.)
Windows phone. This is key. I'm Windows-literate but have almost no clue what I'm doing on an Android. I've never touched an iPhone or a Blackberry and would be similarly clueless. Since I hardly use any features I don't actually care that Android is "better" than Windows. Alternative a dumb phone that can handle assisted GPS.
I have heard really good things about 7 Eleven Speakout, supposedly you can buy $100 worth of minutes and not have to re-up for a whole year, but it's hard to get reliable information on them and I'm not sure they have any Windows phones. Since I converted my phone from dumb to Android with no issues whatsoever I might be worrying about nothing. Then again, maybe my current cell phone is "jailbroken" or whatever the term is. I'm a cell phone noob so I don't know many of the words I'm using.
My Brother:
A plan is probably better for him. He has an issue, and probably would not call my mother to re-up the phone if it runs out of minutes. However, he hardly uses his cell phone either.
He frequently calls people in other parts of Canada.
He doesn't want a smart phone at all, and I don't think he has even sent a text message in his life. I bookmarked a page with a dumb phone that has giant buttons that would be perfect for him.
My Mother:
She wants a plan. She calls outside the country a lot. She is practically cell-phone only.
She is computer-illiterate. She is currently using a touchscreen, but I think it's a dumb phone. She still hasn't figured out how to save numbers and instead asks me to delete most of her call logs, only keeping the phone numbers of her friends. As I've gradually become less competent at using cell phones as they evolve I can hardly help her do this ridiculously easy task. Needless to say, no advanced tasks required.
*This doesn't (just) mean 911. I just find that I hate taking calls on a cell phone, in part because it convinces people I'm always available, and if I want to call someone, I will probably do so from home on my landline anyway. However, if I'm trying to meet up with someone or need to call a cab (or use UberX, I suppose, haven't ever used them yet) finding a payphone might be too much of a hassle. I don't give out my cell phone number except to family or girlfriends.