Canadian Cell Phone Providers

[Canada EH]

These are the facts...................

 

Bell Mobility owns Virgin Mobile Canada and MTS Mobility (Manitoba), but the virtual providers who rent space are PCMobile Prepaid (StupidStore grocery chain aka Loblaws).

 

Rogers Wireless owns Fido and Chatr, but the virtual providers who rent space are Petro-Canada Mobility and 7-Eleven Speakout.

Telus Mobility owns Koodo and Public Mobile, but the virtual providers who rent space are PCMobile Plan.

Shaw owns Wind, but Shaw itself does not have cell phone services.

 

 

 

This is correct and possible...................

 

So anyone can use Virgin Mobile or PM(Prepaid) SIM card on a Bell phone. And a Fido or Chatr SIM card on a Rogers phone. And Koodo, PM(Plan) on a Telus phone, or any combo within the family tree. And this will totally work!

 

 

 

These are my questions...................

 

What about the Virtual Providers?

If I have a Petro SIM card will it work in a Rogers/Fido/Chatr phone?

Or if I have a 7-Eleven SpeakOut SIM card, will it work in a Bell/Virgin phone?

 

Also of note, Best Buy Mobile wanted $10 for VM SIM card, while online its only $5 from VM.

Rogers and Fido is $10 either or.

[Lyte Starr]

Most phones are locked to a single provider. You can buy Unlocked phones (make sure they unlock all providers when buying) or if you can find someone nice enough to unlock a phone for you, you can use different sims/providers. 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

I know for certain that you can use Fido SIM cards on Rogers locked devices. My first phone was a prepaid device brought from Rogers and my account was with Fido. I would assume as long as they're under the same network, every thing should work fine.

[Canada EH]

Yes I just mentioned that. It is possible. So thats why I asked what I asked. I stated facts then asked questions!

So I edited my first post to reflect that. Everyone knows about unlocking phones.

Plans are pretty much all the same now. Populous area's that are covered and Customer Service are the only factors now.

Unpopulous area's Bell wins, Telus Loses.

4 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I know for certain that you can use Fido SIM cards on Rogers locked devices. My first phone was a prepaid device brought from Rogers and my account was with Fido. I would assume as long as they're under the same network, every thing should work fine.

 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

1 minute ago, Canada EH said:

Yes I just mentioned that. It is possible. So thats why I asked what I asked. I stated facts then asked questions!

 

"I would assume as long as they're under the same network, every thing should work fine. "

 

If you really dig deep, the reason why it says Fido on your device is because it's been given a mask. I was told by one of their customer service representatives that all customers are all running off Roger's towers, it's just that they basically "tell" the device to display Fido or Chatr as the network provider. That being said, a Petro-Canada SIM card should work in a Rogers/Fido/Chatr device.

[Carlos1010]

18 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

What about the Virtual Providers?

That seems interesting. Never heard of virtual ISP's. 

[dizmo]

Yes, it'll work.

 

8 minutes ago, Lyte Starr said:

Most phones are locked to a single provider. You can buy Unlocked phones (make sure they unlock all providers when buying) or if you can find someone nice enough to unlock a phone for you, you can use different sims/providers. 

That wasn't really his question

8 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I know for certain that you can use Fido SIM cards on Rogers locked devices. My first phone was a prepaid device brought from Rogers and my account was with Fido. I would assume as long as they're under the same network, every thing should work fine.

Of course, Fido and Rogers are the same company.

[Canada EH]

9 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Yes, it'll work.

^^^Great. I had a feeling it would work.

I will buy a SIM card from one of these virtual providers and see how it goes with the corresponding locked cell.

I am tempted to chuck my J1 and go for the J3.

 

A virtual provider of cell phone services, just rent airtime and data from one of the major 3 cell phone operators.

Its much cheaper to get into the game that way. This is why Chatr and Mobilicity are defunked now. Totally horrendous coverage, I heard stories of people's phone not working in their basement. Once you leave the metro area, you are hit with high fee's. But its good for the customers who only use voice and never leave the metro area. Even on the fringes of the zone, people had long winded stories. I believe Wind is like that too.

 

Cell phone prices for plans and prepaid have decreased a bit, with a little higher data plans. It seems there is a price war going on.

With the rise of people from over-sea's fleeing civil unrest, the companies want to obtain and keep their customers. But I just pick the cheapest plan, and either sign a 2 year contract if I want a phone, or go prepaid. Every company has their benefits and draw backs. Whether it be customer service, CS hours, CS call center location (Fido used to be what I laugh and say Nigeria, I'd always get one of those), cell phone coverage, zones, unlimited features. Etc Etc Etc, we all know this.

[dizmo]

Or you could just use Google...

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/speakout-cell-service-1223171/

 

Also, Public Mobile plans are extremely good value. $40/month for 2gb data, unlimited calls and text. Not much more for 4gb of data.

[Canada EH]

Oh great, thanks for the link.

I messed up on my research prior to posting this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_mobile_phone_companies

 

7-Eleven Speakout is Rogers. I will amend my OP.

[Lyte Starr]

11 minutes ago, dizmo said:

That wasn't really his question

Oh, right! I had to re-read what he was asking. Yeah, if the phone is already programmed to connect to the provider's tower, it should work.

[Canada EH]

So basically I can go out and buy cheap used cell phones from the classifieds that are on any or all of the Big Three providers (Bell, Rogers or Telus) and have my pick of any plan I want. Cheaper then unlocking an iPhone which costs ~$80. Just got to keep an eye on the prize and pull the trigger when a good deal comes around.

 

Its interesting because from that wikipedia link, there are companies that are in the biz of roaming. Good for travelers.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Or you could just use Google...

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/speakout-cell-service-1223171/

 

Also, Public Mobile plans are extremely good value. $40/month for 2gb data, unlimited calls and text. Not much more for 4gb of data.

I believe Wind Mobile has similar plan but unlimited data

[Canada EH]

Yes, but its throttled data.

 

Just now, deXxterlab97 said:

I believe Wind Mobile has similar plan but unlimited data

 

[dizmo]

20 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

I believe Wind Mobile has similar plan but unlimited data

Wind has astonishingly bad coverage though.