Are there permanently no talk&text plans?

[ottawa]

Looking for a cheap plan for a new account. Doesn't need any data. Really 0GB/mo.

Right now PM looks like the best bet at $20/1GB. All the discount carriers seem to have a $19-$20 plan with some minimal data, but at that point I'd keep the line as being with PM since (a) I'm familiar with PM, and (b) if I refer, the $1/mo referral fee effectively drops the price to $19/mo and Rewards drops it to $18.60. 🙂 Also I have a collection of PM SIMs so hopefully wouldn't need to buy one (eSIM not an option either).

The only options I've found for less than $19 are Fizz which will do Texts&Voicemail for $15 (need minutes to use the vmail, but could maybe get away with an occasional add-on which is probably too awkward for the saving), and Freedom with its $99/yr ($8.25/mo) plan. Can't do Fizz because they don't support porting in from VoIP/landline (plus the voice awkwardness), and Freedom may be a bigger commitment than warranted.

In the past I'd have suggested SpeakOut on their PAYG service, but that's been dropped and cheapest is $19/mo (plus I just lost a big balance with them when they dropped PAYG, so I'm not thinking nice thoughts about them).

Are there any other options, preferably PM but not necessarily? I assume BF/BD deals will be all about more data, not about cheaper prices. 😞

[added: it looks like Koodo has a $15/mo plan and a $100/yr prepaid plan. Also reference to a "Telus Talk&Text 100" plan which looks slightly inferior to the Koodo $100/360d plan.]

Thanks!

[Andy85]

It's difficult to predict if Public Mobile will reintroduce the talk & text plan considering they recently wiped out that plan for every single one of their existing clients who were on that subscription. The monthly cost of cell plans for existing users have increased and Public Mobile rarely offers these users the opportunity to downgrade the cost of a plan. If they reintroduce a basic talk and text plan, it would be interesting to see how they address existing clients considered they were forcibly removed from this plan not longer ago. My guess is that PM no long offers the $15 talk and text plan in the future otherwise they must permit existing users to return to their $15 plan to avoid a lawsuit. 

P.S. along with the carriers you mentioned, Chatr has a very budget-friendly talk and text plan priced at $149.00 annually. (Averages out to $12.42 per month).  It offers unlimited talk and text + 30 gb of data. 

[BKNS27]

@ottawa 

Your best bet out of the ones you have mentioned is the Telus $100 prepaid plan for 1 year.

I have a few phones with no plan but I have the TextNow SIM so I can use it in the USA with essential data and I also use the same number on WhatsApp for calling and texting when I am connected to my home wifi or public wifi.

[Sansan]

As you know, the plans are constantly changing.  So give it a few days, watch the website. 

They've been adding and removing $20 talk only plan lately.

I'm sure it'll be back soon.