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10:14 am
hey all - I have an older Bell (sanyo) phone. Can I use it with the 7-eleven prepaid service? What are my options - given that I am not too pleased with bell (used to work for them!!!)
10:39 am
May 4, 2009
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Unfortunately, bell cellphones are not compatible since they don't use sim cards which is what SO uses. I would recommend taking advantage of the current Speakout promotion of buying $100 voucher and get the phone for half price.
11:46 am
October 21, 2008
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If you REALLY want to use your old phone, then you'll have to use a carrier that uses CDMA technology. These include Bell, Solo, Virgin, Koodo, Telus, and President's Choice Mobile. No guarantees on whether they will be able to use your Sanyo phone though - some companies make you buy a phone from them.
Speakout (along with Rogers, Fido, PetroCanada Mobility, and others) use the GSM technology.
Beezus is right - just get a new phone. You're going to have to buy airtime anyways, right? So buy $100 of airtime (which doesn't expire for a full year) and you'll get a phone for half price (either $30 or $40). Even if you had a GSM phone you would be spending $30 to get a SIM card from someone off this forum anyway - this way you're spending the same amount of money and you are essentially getting a free phone.
As far as your old phone goes - keep it in case one of your friends need a replacement phone while they are in the middle of a contract with Bell or Telus. If their phone breaks and Bell/Telus wants to sell them one at a rip-off price then they can use your Sanyo until their contract ends. That's what happened to my friend a few weeks ago. He's now using a crappy old phone instead of his HTC Touch, but at least he's able to make calls, etc.
1:58 pm
March 15, 2008
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If you REALLY want to use your old phone, then you'll have to use a carrier that uses CDMA technology. These include Bell, Solo, Virgin, Koodo, Telus, and President's Choice Mobile. No guarantees on whether they will be able to use your Sanyo phone though - some companies make you buy a phone from them.
My understanding is that all of the CDMA carriers will only allow you to use phones that are locked to them. So in you have a phone that came from Bell and you damage it, Bell won't let you use a Virgin phone even though that phone is compatible with Bell's network. You must use a phone that was sold by Bell either a replacement phone you buy from Bell or a used ex-Bell phone that you've bought privately.
This is just one more reason to avoid CDMA and the carriers who use it (Bell, Telus, Virgin, Pres Choice, Solo, Koodoo, et al.)
7:23 pm
OK - thanks guys for your input. sounds like it really is a good deal to go with speakout right now - though I have never until today heard of them...
Problem is that I am really broke right NOW so maybe just doing the Bell prepaid for the summer (until student loans kick in again 'sigh') is best?
I really don't need a phone too much - really for that odd day when I need to get a message through. Any further thoughts on that?
thanks
9:34 pm
October 21, 2008
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Going prepaid with most companies will cost you at least $10/mth, since they require you to buy airtime at least once per month, generally.
Depending on your usage, Speakout can be as low as $25/yr (but that is if you hardly ever use your phone).
If I were you I'd go with the current promo that Speakout is offering instead of giving Bell your cash. If you buy $100 in airtime you can buy a phone for as low as $30. And that airtime will last you up to a year (depending on your usage). Plus Speakout has great anytime prepaid rates (20cents per minute) and has good texting rates (5cents per text sent or received compared to 15cents per text sent with other companies).
