Cheap phone plan (~$23) with calling/texting/data/CID/VM

Just thought I’d post my phone plan since I’ve had people interested in it in the past it’s worth sharing.

Before you go any further, you should pick a plan that suits your needs. My needs were never really that high but I hated how I always was paying for more than I actually used because of minimum rate plans. To get all the features I wanted I’d end up with plans that gave me way more than I needed. Unlimited calling or X amount of mb of data a month. I tracked my usage over 4 months on my previous $37 Koodo plan ($42 with flex data, min 100 mb/month, unlimited calling with conditions) and found I used 100 minutes and about 500 texts.

This plan I have now is for people who don’t need to use their phones a lot (calling/data), spend a lot of their time in wifi zones and/or text a lot. I started using it because I was off work and not going out as much, but now I’m busy again I can’t leave this plan behind. Even if if my usage goes up a bit, it’s still way more economical than the stupidly expensive plans most places offer.


Koodo Prepaid:

Min charge: $15 for unlimited texting, caller id and voicemail (they also give $1.5 discount for setting up automatic top-ups)

The key to making this a great plan is roll-over boosters. Boosters are single charge packages of minutes or data that don’t expire. This means I can buy 500 minutes ($25 billed by minute) and spread it over 4 months because that just how much I call people. Additionally I can buy 1GB of data ($30) and it’ll last me 8+ months since I only ever do quick internet checks, google maps and get push notifications from mail and IMs.

Over time this evens out to around $23/month for my usage.

Here’s a breakdown of my phone bill over the last 10 months and how I predict how often I will need to buy boosters. You can see last month I managed to stretch my calling by another 2 weeks even through the Christmas season.

I feel much happier with this plan, the rate I pay is more economical to my needs and I get a sense I’m paying for what I’m actually using. Additionally with my savings, I can buy a new phone every 2 years and it’d still be cheaper than a 2 year $60/mo contract plan.

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I use the same plan, and although at first it sounded crazy to pay $30 for
one GB, for my usage it really works out. The only other reasonable option
seemed to be Wind, but there’s no signal in my house (Kits!). I didn’t have
any experience with cellphones before, and whenever I turn on data it feels
crazy fast (LTE).

Can you guys confirm that Koodo doesn’t restrict tethering?

I’m currently on speakout for calls (spend about $30-40 per year) and Bell for data (1G for $20 per month plus taxes etc but I don’t use the 1G).

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You mean using it as a hotspot? I had no problems with that. Though I’ve only done it once.

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Can you guys confirm that Koodo doesn’t restrict tethering?

I also use Koodo prepaid. I tether probably once a month.

(I use more data and less minutes than the example, but I’m generally happy with it.)

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I got all excited by Koodo prepaid, seems like you can’t roam to the US, I guess this is the case with all prepaid plans?

Correct. I use a roam mobility sim card for US travel.

I believe you can with Wind, but you must have some extra money in your
account to cover the extra costs.

Wind has a special promo right now for Mobilicity customers (6 months free): http://www.windmobile.ca/mobi-customers

What I did was sign up for Mobilicity for the sole purpose of porting the number to Wind. The Wind plan is $35 for unlimited everything, which is the best deal I can find. People complain about coverage and I was worried about it too, but I haven’t had any issues with it yet.

Mobilicity has a deal on a plan for $30 unlimited everything.

Learn my lesson, do NOT take the wind tab option. You can NOT change your
plan without very large penalty. I got mine when 3 yrs tabs were the norm,
only have few months to go :frowning:
Now 2yrs is the norm. but still DON’T

Buy your phone. If you shop around you can find a phone close to the price
you pay on top of wind tab.

I agree with @tdwebste, buy your own phone if you can. It’s all about wants and needs :slight_smile:
I have a Nexus 4 that is still going strong. I picked up a Doogee to use as my spare phone and also use it when I am in the Kamloops area via a 7-11 speakout plan where I don’t lose my minutes after a month. I’ve used in it NZ and the US. Dual simm, unlocked etc. Great phone for $100.00

If you want to try a Windows phone:
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/pdp/Unlocked-Nokia-Lumia-635/productID.306800900?Icid=MarchBreak_EN_ModuleC_2_Lumia_635_030515

It is a lower-end smartphone; on sale $99 unlocked. Online, or Metrotown or Oakridge. Returnable, if you don’t like it.

Mobilicity is prepaid, and their coverage is apparently even worse than Wind’s.
Also, be aware that Mobi is under Creditors’ Protection (has been for some time). Wind was (still is?) trying to do a takeover. Either Wind’s poaching is a pre$$ure tactic, or they figure this is a cheaper way to acquire new customers.

I’m with Wind, and the coverage is a bit wonky at times. It mainly seems to be an issue with the odd dead-spot downtown. For example, the basement/downstairs at The Alibi Room I seem to either have no coverage or I’m on roaming.

Disclaimer: I did get a new phone recently and haven’t had a chance to test if it was the phone or Wind.

Outside of the Lower Mainland their coverage really does suck though. They really are just a metro area provider. If you’re planning on travelling to Quebec be prepared to not have any coverage at all.

Hell, my partner is on Wind and she sees issues on transit, and out in
Surrey.