New Prepaid Gsm Canada

[BLC]

Originally Posted by RTuesday

That's local calls only, long distance works out at 70c/min total on both Bell and Telus prepaid. Still, not bad for somebody who makes mainly local calls and just needs a low cost phone, can get as low as $10/mo with a $100 topup on Telus

For a traveller or visitor the eKit Simple Calling is still reasonable, 29c (US) per min + 50c connect charge per call (including international calls to landlines in many countries).

Neither Bell or Telus seem to have any data at all on prepaid, which is odd for 3G.

They have data add ons that are very expensive. You can get the "unlimited internet" which isn't, for $10 a month as an add on as well.
I guess for just talking Petro Canada's 20 cents a minute is still the cheapest.

[VladS]

The prepaid winner in Canada is Telus...

For C$7 you get unlimited in/out calls to one local number. A C$100 refill lasts 365 days. Pair that up with an Asterisk box or even PBXs and you get a sweet deal.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by VladS

The prepaid winner in Canada is Telus...

For C$7 you get unlimited in/out calls to one local number. A C$100 refill lasts 365 days. Pair that up with an Asterisk box or even PBXs and you get a sweet deal.

Does the Telus deal work even when you are out of your region when you are calling your one FAV?

[VladS]

I don't think so... The terms of the option are:

Your favourite number must have Canadian domestic numbers in your local calling area and cannot include your own TELUS mobile phone number, your voice mail retrieval number, or toll-free/900 numbers. Calls are subject to additional roaming, and/or long distance charges.

[bylo]

Originally Posted by BLC

I guess for just talking Petro Canada's 20 cents a minute is still the cheapest.

Petro-Can hasn't been 20¢/min for at least a year. 7-11 SpeakOut still is if you buy at least $75 of airtime. But even that ends this year.

Currently if you buy $100 airtime from SpeakOut you get a free basic phone. That airtime is 20¢/min and is good for one year. If you use their referral plan both you and the referrer gets a $10 bonus.

If you don't want to spend $100 or need a cell phone in Canada for only a few months Petro-Can offers a basic phone for $30 when you buy $25 in airtime. That airtime is good for 4 months.

For more details see:
Speak Out
The Unofficial 7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page
Prepaid Cell Phones — Petro-Canada Mobility Prepaid Cell Phone Plan

As for Telus, they're still CDMA. I'd rather stick with GSM where I can use the same phone.

[RTuesday]

Originally Posted by BLC

They have data add ons that are very expensive. You can get the "unlimited internet" which isn't, for $10 a month as an add on as well.

Thanks. Bell doesn't seem to have any prepaid data on 3G, but I have now found the $10 offer you mentioned on Telus (but no other data deal). Doesn't allow tethering though.