Prepaid 3G data in Canada

[Stu]

Data Plans - Virgin Mobile Canada

The devices are CDMA and you need to use their equipment. Virgin runs mostly on the Bell network.

[RTuesday]

Looks like Virgin Mobile now use Bell's HSPA network, which is interesting - a bit better coverage than CDMA in many areas (suh as Sask., and Atlantic Canada):
Coverage Maps - Virgin Mobile Canada

Even so, it asks me to "pick a phone" before picking one of the "broadband to go" plans. The modem devices are both HSPA+. I can't spot how to buy them other than as part of their "tab" system: 10% of the monthly bill applied to the cost of the device until it is paid for (in other words, a contract).

So, is there any way to get a true prepaid sim on Virgin Mobile Canada, and use the $10 a month data add-on? Could I just buy a cheap refurbished phone+sim from them ($30) and move the sim to an unlocked data stick I already have?

The broadband-to-go is a OK price, but it's basically an open-ended contract rather than prepaid.

[RTuesday]

Looking further, I've found how to switch Virgin Mobile Canada's store to show the prepaid options. Which then only has a CDMA device for $80.

So, no 3G prepaid on Virgin Mobile? No way to get a sim-only? I could plug the CDMA device into my travel router, but $80 seems a waste for a device that'll only have limited use for a couple of months.

Looks like I'll have to stick to wi-fi only.

[weekilter]

Originally Posted by RTuesday

Looking further, I've found how to switch Virgin Mobile Canada's store to show the prepaid options. Which then only has a CDMA device for $80.

So, no 3G prepaid on Virgin Mobile? No way to get a sim-only? I could plug the CDMA device into my travel router, but $80 seems a waste for a device that'll only have limited use for a couple of months.

Looks like I'll have to stick to wi-fi only.

Virgin Mobile Canada (as well as the US) is CDMA and thus no SIM.

Rogers/Fido has data, but it's for WAP only.

[RTuesday]

Originally Posted by weekilter

Virgin Mobile Canada (as well as the US) is CDMA and thus no SIM.

Virgin Mobile Canada do have sim cards for their newer service on 3G HSPA, but as I found after ploughing through their messy website for a while, the prepaid is currently limited to the older and slower CDMA/EDVO network (even for voice).

Doesn't look like I would be able to get any form of service on their 3G network, as a non-resident. Hopefully that will change when they start to phase out the CDMA and move even the prepaid over to HSPA, but pobably not this year.

So, apart from Virgin Mobile Canada's aging EVDO network on Bell, there doesn't appear to be any other prepaid data in Canada, is that correct? CSD/WAP doesn't count ...