Virgin Mobile $5 Flex tablet data plan - Unlimited data for 2 months + $50 giftcard

It just suddenly stopped working yesterday morning, I didn't change anything. The SIM won't even register to Virgin/Bell network. I have checked APN settings as well as SIM/battery removal then reboot many times. Call Virgin today and they said they found that I used it on a Samsung Galaxy phone, and it is meant for tablet use only.

I guess I am just a little unlucky.

X360 wrote: ↑I still use this plan on my Galaxy S3.

You better check if your APN pda.bell.ca has correct settings

http://support.bell.ca/Mobility/Smartph ... PA_network

Otherwise try to reset the network settings and reboot/insert the SIM card again so it will get the pda.bell.ca APN

summerdream wrote: ↑It just suddenly stopped working yesterday morning, I didn't change anything. The SIM won't even register to Virgin/Bell network. I have checked APN settings as well as SIM/battery removal then reboot many times. Call Virgin today and they said they found that I used it on a Samsung Galaxy phone, and it is meant for tablet use only.

I guess I am just a little unlucky.

Sorry to hear that. Was your phone originally with Virgin?

Yes, the phone (rooted & unlocked) was originally from Virgin.

alanbrenton wrote: ↑Sorry to hear that. Was your phone originally with Virgin?

summerdream wrote: ↑Yes, the phone (rooted & unlocked) was originally from Virgin.

That's bad. I'm currently on the Telus unlimited plan and I was hoping to switch to Virgin next month. But my phone is also from Virgin. They must have the IMEIs in a database. Yet, why did it stop after 10 days? Did anything suspicious happen like you making / receiving calls on this SIM?

elwebmaster wrote: ↑That's bad. I'm currently on the Telus unlimited plan and I was hoping to switch to Virgin next month. But my phone is also from Virgin. They must have the IMEIs in a database. Yet, why did it stop after 10 days? Did anything suspicious happen like you making / receiving calls on this SIM?

Why do you want to switch to Virgin? Was your Telus experience not good enough?

Virgin/Bell/Telus tablet plans are LTE compatible aren't they?

Besides Virgin, and likely Bell, does Telus black list known phone IMEIs as well? Maybe Virgin did not have the $1/minute clause? Because if it did, then moving the SIM card onto a phone would sound permissible.

Nothing unusual happened until it didn't work. I was trying out a few apps, and data usage was not excessive (<200MB in 10 days). So for those planning to use this data plan on Virgin's phone, be careful.

One thing I don't understand is that why they don't want to allow using this on a phone, it just a smaller "tablet" without voice plan. No extra function is gained when using on the phone, am I right?

elwebmaster wrote: ↑That's bad. I'm currently on the Telus unlimited plan and I was hoping to switch to Virgin next month. But my phone is also from Virgin. They must have the IMEIs in a database. Yet, why did it stop after 10 days? Did anything suspicious happen like you making / receiving calls on this SIM?

summerdream wrote: ↑One thing I don't understand is that why they don't want to allow using this on a phone, it just a smaller "tablet" without voice plan. No extra function is gained when using on the phone, am I right?

May be you can tell them for fun that there is no where in the contract saying that you can't use this plan on the small 4 inch table (phone). The contract even says clearly that you can use it on the phone because they will charge you $1/min for calling. You can't have a real call by using the tablet, why they bother list $1/min in the contract.

Kind of fallacious argument coming from them but they want you to pay for the voice component even if you didn't need one (my household doesn't, we use pure data). The thing is, you will just move to another wireless provider with a similar tablet plan, so the restrictions run counter to the wireless company's profitability ($10-35/month at almost zero marginal cost). Just don't go with Rogers as its ipad tablet plan (not sure if they have any other tablet plans though), I read here, makes use of a whitelist so only the ipads coming from Rogers will work (at least that's what I think).

summerdream wrote: ↑Nothing unusual happened until it didn't work. I was trying out a few apps, and data usage was not excessive (<200MB in 10 days). So for those planning to use this data plan on Virgin's phone, be careful.

One thing I don't understand is that why they don't want to allow using this on a phone, it just a smaller "tablet" without voice plan. No extra function is gained when using on the phone, am I right?

S150PM wrote: ↑May be you can tell them for fun that there is no where in the contract saying that you can't use this plan on the small 4 inch table (phone). The contract even says clearly that you can use it on the phone because they will charge you $1/min for calling. You can't have a real call by using the tablet, why they bother list $1/min in the contract.

Oh, that is strange. With the $1/min call in the T&C, then that signals that the plan should be compatible with a smartphone. I thought it wasn't made explicit in the contract.

Maybe Summerdream did not make any call during that 10 day period, which is why they thought he wouldn't be one of those profitable and gullible customer?

Maybe making a one minute call per period is optimal over at Virgin and Bell, LOL.

alanbrenton wrote: ↑Why do you want to switch to Virgin? Was your Telus experience not good enough?

Virgin/Bell/Telus tablet plans are LTE compatible aren't they?

Besides Virgin, and likely Bell, does Telus black list known phone IMEIs as well? Maybe Virgin did not have the $1/minute clause? Because if it did, then moving the SIM card onto a phone would sound permissible.

No issues with Telus, but once the two months are over I need a new SIM

elwebmaster wrote: ↑No issues with Telus, but once the two months are over I need a new SIM

Ah, the $5/month unlimited data. Any credit score checks / hits associated with signing up for these?

I was following their T&C very carefully, didn't even try voice or SMS. Maybe I should

alanbrenton wrote: ↑Oh, that is strange. With the $1/min call in the T&C, then that signals that the plan should be compatible with a smartphone. I thought it wasn't made explicit in the contract.

Maybe Summerdream did not make any call during that 10 day period, which is why they thought he wouldn't be one of those profitable and gullible customer?

Maybe making a one minute call per period is optimal over at Virgin and Bell, LOL.

Does anyone know if they are going to offer nano-SIMs? I plan on picking up an iPad mini tomorrow and this would be perfect for it. I have ordered a nano-SIM chopper from China, but it's slow making it's way across the pond.

Edit - LTE version will not be out until mid-November. wi-fi only tomorrow.

alanbrenton wrote: ↑Ah, the $5/month unlimited data. Any credit score checks / hits associated with signing up for these?

I think it's a soft check, may be just the first time.

does anyone know why my account shows 500 minutes availible?

also i do not see the 2 month thing on my online, but i called in and they said that its fine.....

After almost 6 weeks, I got an email today, don't know which gift card will be the best...

Hey there!

Thanks for getting in on our Refer a Friend program. That means you score a $50 gift card from one of our awesome Member benefit partners.

All you gotta do is email us back with your choice and we’ll mail out the gift card to the address we have on your Virgin Mobile account:

$50 gift card from H&M
$50 gift card from Cineplex
$50 gift card from The Body Shop

Lots of love,
Virgin Mobile.

P.S. Don’t forget to head over to the Members Lounge @ virginmobile.ca/lounge to check out all the other awesome discounts and contests we’ve got waiting for you.

For those whose worries about Virgin Mobile will charge $35/month upto 5GB then unlimited overage for 2 months... This is incorrect because I have second bill and it only bill $5/month...

So it will be $5/month unlimited data for 2 months for this promotion...

X360 wrote: ↑After almost 6 weeks, I got an email today, don't know which gift card will be the best...

For the gift card it depends what you like ... But i would choose cineplex card as i love to watch movies and when you can register with cineplex card after you watch first movie ... As a bonus 750 point you will be eligible for another free movie....

But as i said .. Its a personal choice after all

Because from members lounge you will get some special discount on all 3. And another 50$ to use so whatever you choose .. There is nothing to loose

Can someone tell me how to activate my plan? I've had nothing but nightmares trying to get this setup. I finally got my Sim card after multiple calls and a twitter post after a month and a 1/2 only to receive an envelope with a handwritten address and a sim card. Nothing else.

MiKrofT wrote: ↑Can someone tell me how to activate my plan? I've had nothing but nightmares trying to get this setup. I finally got my Sim card after multiple calls and a twitter post after a month and a 1/2 only to receive an envelope with a handwritten address and a sim card. Nothing else.

You can check if your SIM card is activated by put it in the tablet to see if you're able to browse internet, otherwise just call Virgin Mobile 1-888-999-2321.

I find go to the Virgin Mobile store for the activation is better as you can get the SIM card and use it rightaway...