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New mobile provider

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  • May 19th, 2020 11:57 am
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May 2nd, 2020 6:01 pm
mikefly [OP]
Sr. Member
Mar 1, 2017
572 posts
293 upvotes

May 2nd, 2020 6:01 pm

New mobile provider

Hi,

My wife and I are with telus. We pay $70 each per month for:

10gb data
Canada-wide calling
200min US
International text
100 free text from US.
Visual voicemail

We both own our devices.
We are happy with Telus’s reception. I had WIND years ago and it was terrible. In better days we do road trips and want to have service outside of major centres.

Are there better plans to chase down? We aren’t eligible for EPP. We are thinking about iPhone SE if there’s a point in signing a contract to save a bunch we could do so.
10 replies
May 2nd, 2020 6:49 pm
jay-em
Deal Addict
Nov 1, 2009
2030 posts
1180 upvotes

May 2nd, 2020 6:49 pm

Rule thumb when looking for new provider & plan.

Shop for phone(s) & plan(s) separately.

If you can afford to grab the new iPhone SE outright & grab new plan you'll come out ahead.

First see if you & your wife really need 10GB data.
From there see what's your average usage would be & look plan that would meet your need.

OR

[Walmart US / AT&T] $28/$25 USD - Unlimited Talk / Text / Data (25gb LTE) - Canada / US / Mexico
+1
May 2nd, 2020 8:22 pm
IanBrantford
Sr. Member
Dec 4, 2017
628 posts
324 upvotes

May 2nd, 2020 8:22 pm

1. How much data do you typically use?

2. Is it important that all of that data is high speed?

I ask because there are a number of plans on the market now that have unlimited low speed data once the high speed allotment is exhausted. So, you never get cut off or billed for overage on data. This has led to some people switching to lesser data plans to save money, because they are flexible on data speed. The lower speed fallback isn't fast enough for streaming video, but it's good enough for pretty much everything else if you aren't picky.
+1
May 2nd, 2020 8:50 pm
mikefly [OP]
Sr. Member
Mar 1, 2017
572 posts
293 upvotes

May 2nd, 2020 8:50 pm

IanBrantford wrote: ↑ 1. How much data do you typically use?

2. Is it important that all of that data is high speed?

I ask because there are a number of plans on the market now that have unlimited low speed data once the high speed allotment is exhausted. So, you never get cut off or billed for overage on data. This has led to some people switching to lesser data plans to save money, because they are flexible on data speed. The lower speed fallback isn't fast enough for streaming video, but it's good enough for pretty much everything else if you aren't picky.
I’d say the 10gb is needed. Not every month, but some. Speed isn’t the be all and end all, but if it’s slow I’ll be super annoyed.
May 2nd, 2020 11:52 pm
IanBrantford
Sr. Member
Dec 4, 2017
628 posts
324 upvotes

May 2nd, 2020 11:52 pm

mikefly wrote: ↑ I’d say the 10gb is needed. Not every month, but some. Speed isn’t the be all and end all, but if it’s slow I’ll be super annoyed.
Okay. In that case, my usual advice of looking at the 3rd tier providers on the Bell/Telus network does not apply. Public Mobile and Lucky Mobile top out at 8.5 GB for $50. Using data top-ups loses the price advantage.

In that case, I recommend checking the second tier providers that are also on your preferred network. Those would be Koodo or Virgin. Right now, their street rates are $75 for 10 GB, so they aren't obviously better on that metric. However, what you can do is to watch the Hot Deals section and jump on one when it comes up.

Some of them might be winback offers and require being a subscriber who left. It can be hard to catch those deals unless you can port in and out at the right times.
May 4th, 2020 12:07 pm
wearysky
Deal Expert
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Nov 28, 2013
21042 posts
10550 upvotes
Oakville

May 4th, 2020 12:07 pm

If you need 10gb, $70 for 10gb is about the best in the market at the moment. You could always try calling Telus to see if they have any retention deals on right now, but otherwise you're pretty much out of luck.
May 6th, 2020 1:55 am
IanBrantford
Sr. Member
Dec 4, 2017
628 posts
324 upvotes

May 6th, 2020 1:55 am

I just stumbled upon this thread about 10.5 GB for $50 at Lucky Mobile from January. It might not come back, but it is a reminder that the best deals tend to come at specific times of the year -- back to school in August/September, Black Friday, Christmas, Boxing Week, and sometimes Chinese New Year. Thus, it is not in your interest to make any commitment to a carrier that has a year-long commitment. It is better to keep with an existing fairly good plan month-to-month until a bargain appears.

lucky-mobile-40-7gb-50-10-5gb-plans-onl ... r-2348998/
May 17th, 2020 4:25 pm
Samshares
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
1933 posts
1756 upvotes
Canada

May 17th, 2020 4:25 pm

Switch to Public Mobile for sometime, you will surely get a better offer to move to Koodo....within reasonable time if you can stick it out with the medium LTE speeds.

Its a great option.

Its how I got 8GB/$40 via the migration offer couple of years ago and people have been offered $50/8GB or $50/10GB etc as well over the years. Thats where you save money.

We pay $112.50/month+Tax for 3 lines....

$40/10GB (Got a 2GB bonus when renewing at a store for Koodo on the $40/8GB) x2 and one Freedom $50 Everywhere Plan with 35% F&F discount I got couple of years ago...)

Speeds on Koodo are excellent, and I combined the Fido $10/4GB LTE Tablet plan, running via eSIM on my iPhone 11PMAX. I was able to convince Fido to give me 100% discount on that for 24 months (I took the free tablet they handed out)

So if you be creative and dont jump the gun with "I NEED THIS AND THAT ALL THE TIME" (Referring to Fastest LTE speeds and biggest network), you will find ways to $ave.
+3
May 19th, 2020 9:19 am
wearysky
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Nov 28, 2013
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May 19th, 2020 9:19 am

Samshares wrote: ↑ Switch to Public Mobile for sometime, you will surely get a better offer to move to Koodo....within reasonable time if you can stick it out with the medium LTE speeds.

Its a great option.

Its how I got 8GB/$40 via the migration offer couple of years ago and people have been offered $50/8GB or $50/10GB etc as well over the years. Thats where you save money.

We pay $112.50/month+Tax for 3 lines....

$40/10GB (Got a 2GB bonus when renewing at a store for Koodo on the $40/8GB) x2 and one Freedom $50 Everywhere Plan with 35% F&F discount I got couple of years ago...)

Speeds on Koodo are excellent, and I combined the Fido $10/4GB LTE Tablet plan, running via eSIM on my iPhone 11PMAX. I was able to convince Fido to give me 100% discount on that for 24 months (I took the free tablet they handed out)

So if you be creative and dont jump the gun with "I NEED THIS AND THAT ALL THE TIME" (Referring to Fastest LTE speeds and biggest network), you will find ways to $ave.
The last Public migration offer in February was 7GB for $50. They're not throwing out the best deals any more, IMO, for PM migration.
May 19th, 2020 9:29 am
Samshares
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
1933 posts
1756 upvotes
Canada

May 19th, 2020 9:29 am

wearysky wrote: ↑ The last Public migration offer in February was 7GB for $50. They're not throwing out the best deals any more, IMO, for PM migration.
It’s only due to the pandemic, once things normalize, you’ll see promos popping up. They have to make revenue so I’m sure they will throw up great deals.

Expect them for back to school time at the earliest.
May 19th, 2020 11:57 am
wearysky
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Nov 28, 2013
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Oakville

May 19th, 2020 11:57 am

Samshares wrote: ↑ It’s only due to the pandemic, once things normalize, you’ll see promos popping up. They have to make revenue so I’m sure they will throw up great deals.

Expect them for back to school time at the earliest.
That promo was pretty much a pre-pandemic, end of quarter revenue-grab promo. There was a 12gb for $60 promo in October, but the promo prior to that was 8gb for $50. On top of that, OP said they need the 10gb of data every month, so "go with PM for up to 6 months hoping to MAYBE get a migration deal that's 10gb or higher" is out of the question any way - the max they can get is 8.5gb from PM.

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