Talk Add-Ons

[Obice]

Hi,

I'm curious how exactly Talk Add-Ons work in regards to the tiers available.

We got 400 minutes LD to X amount of countries for $15

We got 500 minutes Canada-Wide for $5

(Going off by memory.)

I have 400 minutes LD gifted to me by Public Mobile for Christmas. Suppose I purchased 500 Canada-Wide minutes for $5. If I were to call someone in Canada would Public Mobile take from the 500 minute-pile or would Public Mobile take from the 400 minute-pile?

Thanks.

[Obice]

This person from this article has the right idea apart from calling a normal phone "stupid" because in reality "smart" phones are the stupid ones.

https://www.speakoutwireless.ca/speak/other-carriers/most-privatemost-cheap-alternative-to-speak-out...

The "problem" with the person's requests is that there is no companies at least in North America that I know of that fit any of this criteria. Shame.

[Obice]

The reason I'd prefer to go with Fongo and pay more is that they don't lock you into anything whereas Fido have contracts - and contracts aside they have clauses such as that $10/month plan is ONLY accessible if you already have a postpaid account.

I might budge with Fongo, we'll see how much I really wanna pay $20/mo. for some overpriced data. Given the fact that I have a Fido account it is probably in my best interest just to try the $10/mo for 4GB but I'd have to read the clauses more to understand how I'm being mutilated first.

(I have my name on a Fido account that I no longer "use" while someone else does use it. If no one was using it I would've canceled it long ago and would have to go with Fongo if I wanted data.)

Answer me this: Why pay these companies what they want you to pay when you can save your money, your sanity and give them as little as possible? Stop overpaying, give them as little as you have to and keep your sanity in tact.

edited by computergeek541: edited language

[wetcoaster]

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@Obice wrote:

I could get 4GB for $10 from Fido BUT Why should I?

This is a question I ask myself before almost any purchase that's from a big business.

Why should I pay X amount for Y when Y is going to be cheaper elsewhere? It's not "cheaper" because it's from the other company, it's cheaper because the price itself is arbitrarily set because there is no REAL standard(s) to follow.

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This is what I replied to in my previous post:

@Obice wrote:

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. And I am still waiting it out to see if they or someone else will come out with a better deal than that. 

"Real standards"? Talk to your MP and have them and their collegues stand up for more real competion and actually independent regulatory bodies in the telecom industry that put the consumer first. In the meantime the Canadian cell phone market is what it is. Make the best of what we have right now.

As for the "why"? Since this discussion has drifted from talk add-ons to data add-ons to data-only plans (which are offered by providers to compy with some CRTC request that doesn't define "low cost"...) I was/am operating on the assumption that someone would want / need / use a data-only plan* and would look for that better deal...

Personally, I'm voting with my wallet. In my book $10/4GB ($2.50/GB if fully consumed) beats $20/2GB ($10/GB if fully consumed). Even if I only use half of the 4GB, it's still $10/2GB vs $20/2GB...(And looking at the fongo wireless description and coverage map I'm guessing that both plans are on the same network.)

While the throttled LTE here at Public Mobile works perfectly well for me, I tried the $15/750MB data-only plan mentioned in the post above (plans from SaskTel are, obviously, not available to the majority of Canadians). I found out that their overage throttled speed of 128kbps does not work well where I live and work, and/or that I'm not patient enough for speeds that low in 2020.

Just my two cents, of course. (or is that a nickel nowadays?)

* For use in a tablet, as intended by most providers; or going VOIP only on their phone; or, as mentioned above for remote access; or? The sweet thing about the $10 plan discussed is that, for now, there are no device restrictions on it. Many people are successfully using it in a dual SIM phone for example.

[Obice]

I could get 4GB for $10 from Fido BUT Why should I?

This is a question I ask myself before almost any purchase that's from a big business.

Why should I pay X amount for Y when Y is going to be cheaper elsewhere? It's not "cheaper" because it's from the other company, it's cheaper because the price itself is arbitrarily set because there is no REAL standard(s) to follow.

[Nezgar]

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@AE_Collector wrote:

Well I wasn't claiming that the Telus data only plan was the best deal in town. Only that surprisingly it is a much better deal than PMs data only plan. These just happen to be the only data only plans that I know anything about!

AE_Collector

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Was looking into comparable data only plan options for a coworker looking to put a MiFi at his cabin in Saskatchewan for a wifi thermostat, and maybe a camera. Was looking at a few options:

SaskTel: $10 add on to share data with an existing postpaid plan with data, $15 for standalone 1GB. (extra fees after 1GB)

Lucky Mobile: $15 for 750MB data, and unlimited throttled to 128Kbps after with no risk of overage cost.

[CannonFodder]

@wetcoaster  WOOF! 😉 

[wetcoaster]

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@CannonFodder wrote:

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@wetcoaster wrote:

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If you are willing to do the legwork and potentially jump through some hoops, and their network works for you, you can get a 4GB/$10 data only plan at the yellow competition...

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"The yellow competition"? Uhm.... you mean the one named after a dog? 🤔 

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@CannonFodder, You get a treat for that.

[CannonFodder]

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@wetcoaster wrote:

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If you are willing to do the legwork and potentially jump through some hoops, and their network works for you, you can get a 4GB/$10 data only plan at the yellow competition...

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"The yellow competition"? Uhm.... you mean the one named after a dog? 🤔 

[wetcoaster]

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@Obice wrote:

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The only data plan I have an inkling of interest in at the moment is by Fongo. 2GB for $20 at LTE speeds. And I am still waiting it out to see if they or someone else will come out with a better deal than that. What I find very unscrupulous is how when I try to find out where Fongo is getting their data from I can't find information on it anywhere.

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If you are willing to do the legwork and potentially jump through some hoops, and their network works for you, you can get a 4GB/$10 data only plan at the yellow competition...

[AE_Collector]

Well I wasn't claiming that the Telus data only plan was the best deal in town. Only that surprisingly it is a much better deal than PMs data only plan. These just happen to be the only data only plans that I know anything about!

AE_Collector

[Obice]

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@AE_Collector wrote:

@Obice 

I was going to say "It DOES roll over until you use it up" but then read your clarification that you are speaking of the data only plan. Of course it is LTE data, not 3G data like the 1Gb data add ons that DO roll over. But I keep wondering why PM even continues to offer that data only plan after ditching all the other full plans that included LTE data.

I mentioned once before that TELUS has a Pay as you Go Tablet plan that is a far better deal. Flat $5/month includes only 10 Mb of data but if consumed the plan steps up to 100 Mb for $10. Further steps include 1Gb/$20, 3Gb/$35 & 5Gb/$50. Then at the start of the next month it resets to $5/10Mb and away you go again.

AE_Collector

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I presume they keep the data plan around to be able to say, "Hey! We got a data plan, it is ran on LTE speeds unlike our competition." And for whomever pays for said plan I truly do not know what is going on in their head to pay $30 a month for a single gig. That's criminal.

As for Telus, hmmm boooy. You and I have very different outlooks on what is a "far better deal". To me, this Telus deal you speak on is also criminal and it comes as no surprise given that Telus owns Public Mobile.

The only data plan I have an inkling of interest in at the moment is by Fongo. 2GB for $20 at LTE speeds. And I am still waiting it out to see if they or someone else will come out with a better deal than that. What I find very unscrupulous is how when I try to find out where Fongo is getting their data from I can't find information on it anywhere.

[AE_Collector]

Almost! My wife had that on her iPad. She could check and send a few hangouts messages or the like before stepping to $10/100Mb. They could say flat $5 monthly maintenance fee and it goes to $10 if you use it so having 10Mb is slightly better.

AE_Collector

[CannonFodder]

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@AE_Collector wrote:

I mentioned once before that TELUS has a Pay as you Go Tablet plan that is a far better deal. Flat $5/month includes only 10 Mb of data but

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Geez, 10MB of data!? Seems to me you could probably use that up just by hitting the wrong button accidentally while sneezing! 😆 

[AE_Collector]

@Obice 

I was going to say "It DOES roll over until you use it up" but then read your clarification that you are speaking of the data only plan. Of course it is LTE data, not 3G data like the 1Gb data add ons that DO roll over. But I keep wondering why PM even continues to offer that data only plan after ditching all the other full plans that included LTE data.

I mentioned once before that TELUS has a Pay as you Go Tablet plan that is a far better deal. Flat $5/month includes only 10 Mb of data but if consumed the plan steps up to 100 Mb for $10. Further steps include 1Gb/$20, 3Gb/$35 & 5Gb/$50. Then at the start of the next month it resets to $5/10Mb and away you go again.

AE_Collector

[Obice]

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@AE_Collector wrote:

Hopefully the voice minute add ons get used logically. Though if you have the $8 200 minute US calling AND the $15 400 minute US/International calling technically it would be using more expensive minutes to call US with the 200 minute plan than with the 400 minute plan. But presumably it would use the US plan be for the international plan for a US call.

Data add on use seems more crazy. Looks to me like the plan highest up your list gets hit first rather than using a plan already in use. They should try to clean that up, maybe by adding new plans lower rather than higher up the list if it actually does deduct from the first (highest up) plan you have. The other possibility would be to just have one Data add on where the minutes are topped up by dumping future data add ons into the pool.

AE_Collector

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All I shall say is that I think data pricing is arbitrarily expensive. They are allowed to price it as they wish, so they do. I could see $30 for 1GB if that 1GB was able to be rolled over till you used it up, that's logical, but instead they went the capitalistic route, as expected and it's $30 for 1GB each month. (I'm referring to the data only plan.)

[AE_Collector]

Hopefully the voice minute add ons get used logically. Though if you have the $8 200 minute US calling AND the $15 400 minute US/International calling technically it would be using more expensive minutes to call US with the 200 minute plan than with the 400 minute plan. But presumably it would use the US plan be for the international plan for a US call.

Data add on use seems more crazy. Looks to me like the plan highest up your list gets hit first rather than using a plan already in use. They should try to clean that up, maybe by adding new plans lower rather than higher up the list if it actually does deduct from the first (highest up) plan you have. The other possibility would be to just have one Data add on where the minutes are topped up by dumping future data add ons into the pool.

AE_Collector

[LovesToPM · Accepted solution]

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@Obice wrote:

Hi,

I'm curious how exactly Talk Add-Ons work in regards to the tiers available.

We got 400 minutes LD to X amount of countries for $15

We got 500 minutes Canada-Wide for $5

(Going off by memory.)

I have 400 minutes LD gifted to me by Public Mobile for Christmas. Suppose I purchased 500 Canada-Wide minutes for $5. If I were to call someone in Canada would Public Mobile take from the 500 minute-pile or would Public Mobile take from the 400 minute-pile?

Thanks.

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Yes there are rules applicable to the calling add-ons.

Calling Canada should use the 500 minutes add-on first, then 200 mins, before using 400 mins.

Calling USA will use the 200 minutes add-on first, before using the 400 minute add-on.

[ChuckYeah]

@Obice I don't believe there is any reason or rhyme as to how your add ons are used. My experience is that the most recent will be used first. As for your international minutes, they will only be used when your are out of plan minutes and out of Canada wide minutes.