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[Fido] 2GB LTE Data Plan $15, BYOD, no contract, + tablet with 2 yr contract (Read OP & Thread Summary 1st)

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Deal Addict
Jul 30, 2007
1005 posts
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BC
After asking intermittently for a discount around 3-4 times in the past year and being denied, I finally got a rep to give me a 50% discount for 24 months.
Deal Expert
Jan 7, 2002
29711 posts
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Waterloo, ON
pny128 wrote: Point is, since tablets typically don't come with cell call apps, they would be able to tell that you are (mis)using a phone with a plan designed (and priced) specifically for tablets.
Why would they care at $1/minute, especially for someone who makes few calls? Besides, my "tablet" happens to have a relatively small 5.5" so that it can easily fit into my shirt pocket. I tried to use their "free" 8" tablet but it was too big to fit.
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Dec 27, 2007
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Kitchener
bylo wrote: Why would they care at $1/minute, especially for someone who makes few calls? Besides, my "tablet" happens to have a relatively small 5.5" so that it can easily fit into my shirt pocket. I tried to use their "free" 8" tablet but it was too big to fit.
That is not a point, when subscribing to a plan that is clearly advertised as a data only tablet plan (when other competitors have gone the extra miles to prevent phone usage) you don't call support and ask for help to do the very thing they don't want you to do (but don't care enough, for now, for whatever reasons, to actually enforce).

The more people call and acknowledge using this "tablet" plan for phones the more likely they are going to overhaul it and follow virgin model.
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Oct 19, 2011
662 posts
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Any good plan upgrades for when our free data ends in March (I wish they'd forget to end it lol)
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mcfart wrote: Any good plan upgrades for when our free data ends in March (I wish they'd forget to end it lol)
Just the 50% loyalty discount (for 12 or 24 months) no overage included.
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Oct 19, 2011
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Aw. I've been using on-average 6GB, but still thats 3GB overage= $30+$7.50 (or even $15) which isn't that bad considering Fido's significant coverage advantage over Freedom.
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Jan 7, 2002
29711 posts
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aasoror wrote: That is not a point, when subscribing to a plan that is clearly advertised as a data only tablet plan...
That's not the point I was trying to make. It seems to me that the $1/min should be enough to discourage most people from using this plan to make a lot of calls and $0.25/text a lot of texts. So to Fido's marketing people this data plan isn't competing with more expensive voice/text/data plans, i.e. there's no lost revenue.

Yes, some of us use VoIP. But that takes a skill set that most people lack. And the quality of services like Fongo and TextNow also discourages people who don't know how to set them up and configure them from using them as a full substitute to cell/text service.
you don't call support and ask for help to do the very thing they don't want you to do (but don't care enough, for now, for whatever reasons, to actually enforce)... The more people call and acknowledge using this "tablet" plan for phones the more likely they are going to overhaul it and follow virgin model.
I fully agree on this point. That's like calling CRA to ask for advice on how to exploit a tax avoidance loophole ;)
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Dec 24, 2002
7197 posts
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aasoror wrote: That is not a point, when subscribing to a plan that is clearly advertised as a data only tablet plan (when other competitors have gone the extra miles to prevent phone usage) you don't call support and ask for help to do the very thing they don't want you to do (but don't care enough, for now, for whatever reasons, to actually enforce).

The more people call and acknowledge using this "tablet" plan for phones the more likely they are going to overhaul it and follow virgin model.
Fair point but let's say the tablet breaks and you want to use the Sim in another device,why not an iPhone plus they have the records I'm sure to verify it's strictly data usage ( mostly Spotify or YouTube) many kids ( like my daughter) just want data in a phone regardless
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Dec 21, 2015
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Canada
Got 50 off couple of days ago thru live chat for 2 yrs.
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Dec 27, 2007
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rb wrote: Fair point but let's say the tablet breaks and you want to use the Sim in another device,why not an iPhone
Doing it is one thing and telling them you are doing it is another :)

It all comes to numbers, and they are sure aware what "many" (not most) people are doing for the last couple of years, but they are ok as long as it doesn't risk their regular voice plans sales, but nothing would raise a red flag more than customer services calls like this one "hi .. you know that data only tablet plan you sell, trying to use it on my phone but can't, mind helping me?" .. because that means more average Joes (that are usually not tech savvy enough to keep a low profile) are trying to join the dark side.

Long story short, just keep a low profile guys, yes they can track usage, lock ports, whitelist IMEI's and tons of other ways to close the loophole, and the more people are prominent about it the sooner Fido will get into action (anyone still remember Speakout unlimited HTTP data for $10 ?)
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Oct 19, 2011
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$1 a minute is not a deal in any sense of the word lol. People shouldn't be making phone calls on this plan when alternatives like calling over Google Hangouts or fongo exist. That said it's insane if they block it in phones. They should instead raise the rate for calls so if people wanna do that, they can pay for it.
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Sep 2, 2010
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montreal
mcfart wrote: $1 a minute is not a deal in any sense of the word lol. People shouldn't be making phone calls on this plan when alternatives like calling over Google Hangouts or fongo exist. That said it's insane if they block it in phones. They should instead raise the rate for calls so if people wanna do that, they can pay for it.
You have it wrong...

It is not to prohibit making voice call at 1$ a minute on cell.

It is prohibiting using this plan (sim card) on a cell where the user would solely be using a voip service to make phone calls.
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Jun 6, 2010
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Toronto, Ontario
superbigjay wrote:
You have it wrong...

It is not to prohibit making voice call at 1$ a minute on cell.

It is prohibiting using this plan (sim card) on a cell where the user would solely be using a voip service to make phone calls.
But the original post was about cannot use this plan on à phone. Not about cannot use VoIP with this plan on a phone. My guess is that the APN got messed up and needed to be corrected. It got nothing to do with port blocking. I doubt Fido will block the port just for some individuals. If they block, it will be for everyone.
If data doesn't work and you want to call Fido for help. Just say the data doesn't work on the tablet. It is all the same.
Be smart.
If I buy something that is not in deep discounted, my father will punish me; everyone will laugh at me. I will be the strange kid who doesn't fit in.
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Newbie
Jul 16, 2013
42 posts
38 upvotes
Gloucester
theastroboy wrote: Anybody tried to add a tablet after getting a loyalty discount applied successfully?
Yes, I have 2 tablet plans with the 50% loyalty discount and 2 days ago, I added a 3rd tablet plan at a Fido kios at the mall.
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Dec 27, 2007
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lavoied wrote: Yes, I have 2 tablet plans with the 50% loyalty discount and 2 days ago, I added a 3rd tablet plan at a Fido kios at the mall.
I don't think he meant getting a third tablet "plan" on the same account, he meant getting a third tablet on one of the lines already receiving the 50% loyalty discount (renewing the contract for 2 years, getting a new tablet and stacking 50% discount on top of it).
Newbie
Jul 16, 2013
42 posts
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Gloucester
aasoror wrote: So you actually told her that you are using the data only SIM in a phone and wondering why it no longer works?!
Anyway there is no way for them to look up your device IMEI and tell which is which, but they can certainly flag lines if they are a little smart about it (like data only lines that are receiving/making voice calls), but there is no reports of such crack down.
Fido knows which device is used on a tablet plan. A couple of years ago, I was at a Fido store (I can't remember for what reason) and when the rep brought up my account, I clearly saw Nexus 5 on the screen which was what I was using at the time. The Nexus 5 phone was purchased directly from the Google store so the only way Fido could know was by scanning the network.
Newbie
Jul 16, 2013
42 posts
38 upvotes
Gloucester
aasoror wrote: So you actually told her that you are using the data only SIM in a phone and wondering why it no longer works?!
Anyway there is no way for them to look up your device IMEI and tell which is which, but they can certainly flag lines if they are a little smart about it (like data only lines that are receiving/making voice calls), but there is no reports of such crack down.
Fido knows which device is used on a tablet plan. A couple of years ago, I was at a Fido store (I can't remember for what reason) and when the rep brought up my account, I clearly saw Nexus 5 on the screen which was what I was using at the time. The Nexus 5 phone was purchased directly from the Google store so the only way Fido could know was by scanning the network.
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Dec 27, 2007
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lavoied wrote: Fido knows which device is used on a tablet plan. A couple of years ago, I was at a Fido store (I can't remember for what reason) and when the rep brought up my account, I clearly saw Nexus 5 on the screen which was what I was using at the time. The Nexus 5 phone was purchased directly from the Google store so the only way Fido could know was by scanning the network.
Doesn't work as easy as it sounds, putting a text next to your IMEI (assuming there is an exhaustive database for all of them, which isn't the case) is one thing but figuring out whether that device is tablet or a phone is another thing (and requires more measures than they already have in place). This assuming one doesn't install the Fido app and allow it to phone home with all the hardware info.
Deal Addict
Jan 6, 2006
1527 posts
878 upvotes
Markham
Correct, my initial question was poorly constructed.

If my tablet balance was down to zero after 2 years and I am still on a loyalty discount, can I get a new tablet with a new 2 year-agreement without affecting the loyalty discount?
aasoror wrote: I don't think he meant getting a third tablet "plan" on the same account, he meant getting a third tablet on one of the lines already receiving the 50% loyalty discount (renewing the contract for 2 years, getting a new tablet and stacking 50% discount on top of it).

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