Cheap Emergency Plan

Luddite — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 06:53:58 GMT

This idea is for folks who would like a backup for their normal Public Mobile service to be able to contact family, friends, etc. In a true emergency no plan is required, just dial 911 from any cell phone.

Currently I use https://www.speakout7eleven.ca for this eventuality. It costs $10 for the SIM plus $25 to activate a pay as you go account for calling and texting. You must top up at least once per 365 days but unused funds roll over. There is an automatic charge of $1.25/month for e911.

When this expires in 4 months I will switch to an even (currently) cheaper idea based on https://www.giffgaff.com. Based in UK they now offer SIMs mailed free to Canada and cost £10 to activate with airtime credit; i.e. as pay as you go (OR better yet private message me and I will order it from my account for a £5 credit ). In Canada I will be roaming so direct calling at £1/minute would be true desperation. However, their data roaming charge is now "just" 20p/MB; this is roughly the same cost as speakout calling when using the voip app from https://www.fongo.com. (Google Hangouts would also work).

The big advantages to me are:

a) the account balance never expires as long as I send an SMS, or use a MB of data, every 6 months (so about 70¢/year), and

b) I'll be able to use Google maps whenever I am lost without tracking down free wifi.

Speaking of wifi reminds me to suggest to all our western colleagues to find a friend on Shaw internet and begged them to give the password for Shaw Go Wifi. Lots of locations.

Re: Cheap Emergency Plan

Greg1 — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 05:07:25 GMT

You can call 911 without a sim card. Seriously..but probably you shouldn't call just to check.

Edit...Even Robbers says so: http://www.rogers.com/web/support/wireless/sim-card/18?setLanguage=en

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Cheap Emergency Plan

Re: Cheap Emergency Plan