PM’s 15$ plan with the cheapest dual SIM/E-SIM

[BearFBI]

I think Keepgo has the cheapest ESIM data rates for Canada right now. They seem to have been around for a long time and I’ve done some research, nothing at all seems fishy about it. Id say its just as legit as Airalo. 

I decided to try it out. I bought 1GB for 5USD on the Sagittarius package which includes Bell, Rogers, Telus, AT&T, and T Mobile. I managed to get a 2GB coupon which I added to get a total of 3GB. 

My next renewal date is coming up soon so I set it to the 15$ plan, I currently have 16$ in rewards so it’ll basically be free for me. Now if you do the math, any plan 35$ and below makes this E-SIM approach worth it. You’ll only be saving a dollar or two once you do the conversion but the data is 4G/5G LTE and you get access to all 3 networks plus the states. The data also lasts for a lifetime as long as you top it up within a year which means it can basically roll over and whatever I don’t use I can save. In the end, I could end up saving a lot more money than I expected.

Now, I don’t have my E-SIM right now, but I can update you guys once I get my new one. I was having some issues and it turned out to be common with any E-SIM, I had to fiddle with rebooting and APN settings because I don’t don’t think it scanned properly. The first thing I did was delete the E-SIM which I shouldn’t have done because the QR code is only single use.

The customer service is pretty good so far but they take a few hours to respond because of “high workloads.” They are supposed to provide me a new E-SIM which I hope to get soon…

EDIT: I got my new E-SIM and it works flawlessly. Its using Orange Mobile France so i have a France IP, but I am able to use a VPN. I consistently get 60-70Mbps on Bell and Rogers but for some reason Telus is stuck on 3G. Ping is a bit high, around 400ms but its really not noticeable, Im able to watch 4k YouTube without buffering. 

[BearFBI]

@dabr sweet

the promo they have listed lasts forever. Every month it’s the same promo, different advertising.

[dabr]

@BearFBI   I finally got clarification from Keepgo about the 50% off sale promo (which has been extended) and using a referral code to get the 3GB and yes I think you were right that I can use your referral and will receive 50% off SIM card and 3GB referral data but will not be able to combine that with their regular 2GB data as well.  Seems fair enough to me.

They've also confirmed that Whatsapp will work with their data and, if I'm understanding the way it works, I just need to first use the Keepgo SIM while I'm still connected to PM's network to register the phone number.

Still haven't ordered anything but I'll definitely use your referral to get the 1Gb extra data when I do.  Thanks.

[BearFBI]

With the launch of the 4G plans, this is even more worth it, as long as you have an E-SIM phone.

[dust2dust]

@BearFBI- Thanks for that excellent analysis. Then my cynicism is allayed.

The MNC and MCC might also be in the APN settings. I don't know if when roaming onto someone's network that one has to change the APN or whether the APN stays as the originating carrier. When we roam to the states we don't change the APN. Although for all I know it changes in the background as I can't remember thinking to look.

[dabr]

@dust2dust   Yes, of course USD conversion makes it a bit more than what I would like, but still would be worth as long as it works well anywhere in the world (most places), not that I'm likely to go anywhere outside of a few places anyhow..

[BearFBI]

@dust2dust I have an ICCID on the account portal but no MCC or MNC. 

I have it working here no problem. 

I’ve done extensive research in roaming partners and global SIM cards or E-SIM’s and Canada can’t really block this kind of roaming. Since these carriers aren’t incorporated in Canada, they’d have to shutdown the roaming agreements which would never happen because thousands of travellers actually roaming would have no service, they’d loose all ties with major carriers that are big boys in the world of cellular, and business would suffer because their IoT devices won’t work. 

For example, AT&T is a major hub for Canadian network agreements with their partner exchange which Keepgo uses on a few SIM’s. If Canada shut them out, gone is roaming with a canadian carrier in the US, gone is literally half the backbone for IoT devices. 

Canada would have to block roaming agreements to shutdown these services which would never happen.

hell a few weeks back I was thinking of starting my own carrier. There are many MVME’s that can provide everything from SIM cards to backbone and agreements. Even AT&T themselves on their site. 

You have to look at cellular on the business side of things to escape the big 3 and really get a good deal. 

The Wholesale rules a regular “consumer” carrier has to follow are much different. 1GB from the big 3 costs 15$ or something whereas with partner agreements, carriers such as AT&T or China Unicom price them much differently cause they don’t follow wholesale pricing since they aren’t incorporated In Canada.

here’s an example of one

https://zoommediaplus.com

[dust2dust]

@dabr- Don't forget we're talking all USD here. 24.5 * say 1.3 = 31.85

Adding - @BearFBI - I don't know how esim's work and look but if you look at the sim details you might find the MCC and MNC. I also don't know if those numbers are the specific network one is currently connected to but maybe you see something different than Public..

[dabr]

@dust2dust    Yes, hard to know how/if it'll work elsewhere.  As long as I can get the SIM for around $20ish, then I might try it out the next time I travel, which won't be anytime soon with the current situation globally with the airlines/airports.

[dust2dust]

@dabr- I'm guessing BearFBI has it working here as Canada is a roaming partner with whoever the carrier is. I would just wonder if the Canadian providers and their friends at the regulators would block this kind of roaming.

My car uses AT&T (if I was paying for it) and they have agreements to work here (even somehow a local number) so it's the same idea. But could they stop it?

[dabr]

@dust2dust    Yeah, I don't see the Canadian carriers or government regulating arms allowing for this kind of service to be offered here in Canada anytime soon.  They definitely would throw plenty of roadblocks in the way and could delay/stop it indefinitely. 

[dabr]

@BearFBI    Can you pm me the referral link, please?  Thanks.

I just might order the physical WorldSIM although I don't plan on traveling right now, but if they have ongoing sales, then I can decide closer to any travel time.

[dust2dust]

@BearFBI- Yes I think I noticed that too that buying a physical sim would not give you the esim promo. But I'm pretty sure there's some gigs to be had for a referral.

it's confusing... 🙂

More confusing is the banner talking about 25 gigs. For 10 days?! Confusing.

[dust2dust]

@dabr- Like I said... I could entertain this for general purpose in Canada and forget the greedy Canadian providers. Although knowing these providers and their stranglehold of the regulators, they could just say nope...that sim is not welcome here.

Adding - they seem to have a hate-on for MVNO's.

[BearFBI]

@dust2dust “Another promo you get another 2 gigs. Use BearFBI's referral and get another 2? maybe 3 gigs. Then it lasts for a year. Before a year you can buy the 100 meg data and bam all of your data stays alive for another year plus the 100.”

Eh not quite.

 

Here is a screenshot of the current promo codes. It says it’s expired but this months codes are the exact same. 

The extra 2GB only applies to E-SIM’s and that gets claimed after you purchase the SIM in the account portal. 

The 50% off only applies to physical SIM’s and that is claimed during checkout. You cannot use ESIM2GBFREE after you receive your physical SIM because it does not apply. 

My referral is a link. Keepgo says that if you shop through my link, you’ll receive a 3GB coupon in your email that you can claim in the portal, and so do I. If you have an E-SIM I don’t think you can claim it with the ESIM2GBFREE. 

 

 

it’s confusing… 

@dabr I think for you, you can revive 50% off and 3GB with the referral. That’s what I’m understanding 

[dabr]

@dust2dust    I was thinking simply replacing the SIM on the phone when traveling should allow for Whatsapp to work as long as there is data/WIFI.   Of course, there may be some APN settings to reconfigure.

[dabr]

@BearFBI    It really sounds a useful roaming option and quite cheap comparatively.

[dust2dust]

@dabr- I don't know how whatsapp works. But the data is simply the internet connection.

[dabr]

@dust2dust    Actually, the way you put it does sound very attractive and yes that $3 annual top up data purchase is very handy.   Then the data should work with Whatsapp too?

So there's more data to be had with a referral from Bear?  Sounds pretty good!

[dust2dust]

Oh and of course one could not use a domestic provider here in Canada the same way. Have data, use TextNow. Pseudo-volte 🙂

[BearFBI]

The World SIM appears to use a carrier in Spain for  roaming so it’s a bit different from what I’ve got. I actually think it’s better than what I have speed wise and peering wise. Orange France is listed as their cheapest and slowest package yet I still get. 5G and 70Mbps up and down which is slower compared to the 600mbps I get with a regular Bell/Telus account in my area but 60mbps is definitely fast enough. Hell I’ve survived on PM’s 3Mbps. 

[BearFBI]

@dabr The plan is data only. If I make a call I get an automated messaging saying that it’s not provisioned on my account. 

If you buy the physical sim, I believe it is labeled as “World SIM” so it would work globally as long as it’s on the country list of the SIM. It lists what carriers you can roam with and what countries 

[dust2dust]

@dabr- I don't think it's a phone number. I think it's just pure data. I interpret it as that it simply works wherever it can in a whole lotta countries. But nor do I have any experience with it. BearFBI is the guinea pig 🙂

I figure one buys the sim for $49 (50% off promo now so $24.50), you get a gig up front. Another promo you get another 2 gigs. Use BearFBI's referral and get another 2? maybe 3 gigs. Then it lasts for a year. Before a year you can buy the 100 meg data and bam all of your data stays alive for another year plus the 100.

At least that's how I figure it. If that's how it works then it does seem rather attractive. Go to the US - have data - use TextNow. Go to Mexico ... and a bunch of other countries.

[dabr]

@BearFBI    I'm interested in their lifetime World SIM but still not quite understanding how it works.  I won't be able to use an ESIM on my phone, so I'm tempted to purchase the physical SIM at 50% discount, but holding off until I understand how the roaming works. 

When you activated your account, did you get a new number and was it an US or Canadian, or is there a choice?  

The lifetime data purchased (renewed annually with $3 top up), does it work globally or do we need to purchase the data for a specific country before travel?

[dust2dust]

@BearFBI- I'm such a low usage user that I have tons of data on a couple accounts here. And carrying balances. But with being rather miffed at the $10 forced plan change/price hike I'm certainly looking around. TextNow is great so that satisfies talk and text. It just needs the internet. So a pure data service may be the ticket. And that it's PAYG and stays around until used with just the annual minimal $3. And is usable in many countries. Although really I'm not much of a worldly traveller.

I wish TextNow did one time fees rather than subscriptions to shut up the ads.

[BearFBI]

@dust2dust Yeah I am liking it so far, It keeps getting better. The new line they created gave me an extra gig so now I have 4GB lol. 

They seem to have the “sale” on every single month. I know that some of the rates for physical World SIM and GoFi aren’t the greatest, even some E-SIM rates are bad, but the Sagittarius package is literally perfect because it’s using Orange France instead of the Korean and Chinese carriers that I really don’t trust. Sagittarius is also the cheapest coming in at 5USD per single GB, but for some reason it seems to have disappeared from their site. I know it wasn’t on there before, it appeared suddenly and it was so cheap so I bought it. I’d email them and ask about it. 

as for referral yes they have something. If you get a E-SIM I think you get a 3GB bonus if you purchase 1GB or more and so do I. If anyone is interested you can send me a message. I tried to find someone’s referral online to signup with but I couldn’t so I ended up using the 2GB bonus coupon. 

[dust2dust]

Agreed. I had a poke around and they also have sims. They have a promo on now 'til the 11th for 50% off sims. Some data in there somehow too.

The minimum required in a whole year is $3 for 100MB. Pay that each year and the account and whatever other data is there, stays alive. It's 1gig up front. Best price per gig is the 25gig at $10 per gig up to $30 per gig for 10-$3/100MB.

It's straight data, so voip it is.

And referral bonuses. Hey BearFBI? 🙂

I wonder how often they have promos. ie BF.

I would have preferred being able to select what countries to use in and maybe different pricing. But as it is the PAYG roams in a whole lotta the world.

Colour me interested. I was also liking Red Pocket Mobile but this is quite intriguing.

Adding - of course everything is in USD.

[dabr]

@BearFBI   Sounds interesting! 

[BearFBI]

5G works on Bell and Telus. I don’t know why Telus was on 3G before.