Discussions

I have a flip phone which allows me to call, text, take pictures - it cost $25.00. I do not have a contract, and I don't want one. However, MTS is changing their service, and my phone may become obsolete eventually. Even now they told me I may not get service if I leave this area. Does anyone know what kind of cheap phone I now need so I can continue to have service when I travel out of province? I can't afford a fancy phone and I don't want a contract. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Mooey said "I have a flip phone which allows me to call, text, take pictures - it cost $25.00. I do not have a contract, and I don't want one. However, MTS is changing their service, and my phone may become obsolete eventually. Even now they told me I may not get service if I leave this area. Does anyone know what kind of cheap phone I now need so I can continue to have service when I travel out of province? I can't afford a fancy phone and I don't want a contract. Thanks for any advice you can give. "

I just have pre-paid service.  
 
If you google: MTS prepaid phones, you will see what comes with that.  
 
Basically, I bought a phone and use there prepaid plan. I have paid $100 year, which gives me unlimited text, talk in the evenings. Other than that it is 40 cents a minute. You can add money anytime it runs out. You can also do a month plan for $15.

We are seniors and only need a cell for travel and occasional calls. We paid MTS $40 per month for years until we decided that it was not worth it. We had a LG phone so they did not even supply that! I hope that we can now see some changes in gouging cell phone users because staff need to "sell".

try 7-11 speakout if you don't use the phone much it is super cheap and runs on the Rogers network.  
http://www.speakout7eleven.ca/

to forget that the Telcos are regulated by the CRTC....  
 
A lot of these cheap if not all of these cheap other providers are able to do so because the CRTC mandates the telcos to sell to them cheap......thus they can pass that on to the consumer. And they are allowed to run off of the Telcos networks....... Tell me if you owned the business or a business that was mandated like that how would you feel????  
 
The other thing, complaints about pricing. I never read or see complaints about the cost off cigarettes, alcohol.....  
 
Rag on the Telcos because they are gouging the consumer.  
 
Finally, no one complains that they have house insurance and pay what maybe close to a G-note a year for something they may NEVER use.  
 
It is life....  
 
Mr Filmon privatized MTS in 1997. From that day forward it was all about the share holder. These people want returns on there investments.... so to do that rates go up, spending stops etc etc.  
 
So if you are a shareholder or voted for Mr. Filmon and his chronies in 1997, thank yourselves.  
 
Oh and look how much the board of directors have made since the privatization......Mr. Filmon is one of them......  
 
End of my rant.  
 
This is fact not assumptions. Thank a Conservative.  
 
Shooterguy

Hi I got a letter today saying about portions of the CDMA/EVDO network shutting down. Is this what you are talking about?  
 
if so I went to the web site to see what it said as my basic phone like you have is on that system on an expired contract, I still pay monthly. My parents have pay as you go on an LG phone with MTS on the old CDMA system to, They got the letter as well.  
 
It appears from the web site the phone and text will still work. If you have the older CDMA I phone type devices they will not work so well sending or receiving data. Everything else will stay the same from what I understand at the moment.  
 
My problem is I have the Sanyo Military grade flip phone and there is nothing to replace it in the MTS range now ,thats good and bomb proof like this thing is. Thats why I'm reluctant to change until I have to.  
Robert

Do you really have your heart set on a flip phone or are you willing to be flexible on the style of phone?  
 
My husband and I got used phones for free from a family member when they got new plans and upgraded theirs. They're older Samsung smart phones. They work fine. We unlocked them and put in new SIM cards (unlocking was $25 a phone online, a new card was $12) and we've been doing pay-as-you-go ever since. Just text-voice, no data.  
 
My husband stayed with MTS and I have Rogers, and it works out for both of us that we use primarily texting and the occasional minutes (mine has more/unlimited texts, he has more minutes based on our usage patterns). We each paid $120 for the YEAR, or $10 a month once you average it out.  
 
We don't have data because we have wifi at home and find if we really, really need data if we're out there's enough free wifi spots that we can just use those. Otherwise, we can buy a day of data a la carte if we're traveling (but we've never needed to yet).  
 
So my suggestion would be to look for a newer used phone, and look into the basic prepay plans.

Superstore sells 55.00 flip phones that call, txt and has a camera. You can put it on a prepaid fido plan ( service area is great for fido) and pay a minimum of $10.00/mth depending on what your use is. But it's the cheapest route I've found for my minimal use. Hope this helps

Your phone might work with either Rogers - Pay-As-You-Go or 7-Eleven Pay-As-you-go Sim Cards. 10.00 a month for Rogers to roll minutes over and 7-Eleven you only have to top up once a year to roll minutes over, or when you run out. Both are excellent coverage. 7-Eleven does not give you coverage in the States, but most provinces where ever Rogers covers.

I know how you feel.  
Love my phone . When camping , we had 6 people. Five of the...different phones ..couple of different servers...no one had service except me ! ! We all felt better because we would have at least one phone for emergency.

shooterguy said "to forget that the Telcos are regulated by the CRTC....     A lot of these cheap if not all of these cheap other providers are able to do so because the CRTC mandates the telcos to sell to them cheap......thus they can pass that on to the consumer. And they are allowed to run off of the Telcos networks....... Tell me if you owned the business or a business that was mandated like that how would you feel????     The other thing, complaints about pricing. I never read or see complaints about the cost off cigarettes, alcohol.....     Rag on the Telcos because they are gouging the consumer.     Finally, no one complains that they have house insurance and pay what maybe close to a G-note a year for something they may NEVER use.     It is life....     Mr Filmon privatized MTS in 1997. From that day forward it was all about the share holder. These people want returns on there investments.... so to do that rates go up, spending stops etc etc.     So if you are a shareholder or voted for Mr. Filmon and his chronies in 1997, thank yourselves.     Oh and look how much the board of directors have made since the privatization......Mr. Filmon is one of them......     End of my rant.     This is fact not assumptions. Thank a Conservative.     Shooterguy "

Excellent post ! ! !

Thanks for your message. How do I access my inbox on this site?

Mooey said "Thanks for your message. How do I access my inbox on this site? "

Top left hand side of page is your ebrandon name, then Profile, Inbox next to that.

Thanks to all who offered advice, comments, and for the email. It was very helpful.