The Unofficial 7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page 
Facebook
Twitter
Email this
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
12:44 pm
Hey folks,
I've decided to make the switch to Speakout for the 1 year expiry after waiting forever for the phones to either drop in price without buying $100 in credits since I won't need that much but I give up.
So, when they have their next free phone promo, here's what I cooked up and I was wondering if any of the Speakout regulars here think it should work from their experience with the service:
1) Buy a basic phone for the sim + the $100 in credits broken up into 4 $25 credits on 4 different bills (one bill with the phone plus one $25 credit and 3 other ones with just the $25 credit).
2) Put up an ad on Kijiji etc to sell the receipts with the activation codes for $25 at a discount of $5 so they'd be $20 to the end user. From my understanding the cards have to be deposited into an account within 90 days for them to remain valid so that'd give me about 2 and 1/2 months to sell them.
I do understand this would be dependent on the clerk being willing to break up the $100 onto four seperate bills and from what I've read that's a YMMV type thing.
The only wrinkle I could see is that perhaps all the credits might be tied to the phone it's sold with but perhaps there are others.
What does everyone think?
1:06 pm
October 14, 2008
Offline
Good luck if you find a 7-Eleven that will divide the $100 voucher into 4 when going for the free phone promo. I have yet to see it. You may get away with getting two $50 vouchers, but I have never seen anyone getting 4 $25 vouchers, especially during that promo.
When that promo last rolled around, I visited 3 7-Elevens in my town. and called 4 more out of town, and none of the clerks said they would divide up the $100 into 4, but YMMV.
If you do happen to get them that way, Kiijii is ok, or you could list them on this site, because this site is Speak Out specific.
1:11 pm
1. The top-up vouchers are not tied to the phone. They're just a little paper receipt with a unique activation code that give you a specific amount of credit. You may have problems getting the cashier to give you four $25 vouchers - I've received multiple vouchers, but also been told "it can't be done."
2. Don't forget that you can resell the phone itself. A basic Nokia handset should be worth $25 or so.
3. Get a $10 Speakout referral bonus, if it is still available at that time. Note that you'll need to add at least $25 airtime to your phone before they'll give you the bonus.
4. Remember that your phone comes with $5 airtime. Don't activate one of your $25 vouchers until you've used that first $5 credit up to extend its expiry date.
2:30 pm
Thanks for the FYI on the referrel program - when I get my phone I'll check into that and wait 3 weeks or so before putting in a top up to make use of the $5 on the phone (I'm assuming that it's good for 30 days).
Regarding Iamdrumming's concerns - eep! We're actually in the same area (I'm in St. Catharines) and was planning on checking out the two stores in St. Cath and the one in Thorold and trying at different times with different reps (I'm within biking distance of them all) but if they've all turned you down in the area perhaps the regional manager has put the kibosh on card splitting.
In that case I may be forced to take a second look at buying a sim card online through e-bay or somewhere that has a feedback system (my last choice considering it's perils).
Thanks for the advice all!
2:31 am
October 21, 2008
Offline
First off, there is a difference between getting 4 separate bills and 4 separate airtime codes.
If, and it's a big if, the 7-11 guy will sell you 4 different airtime codes (at $25 each) and give you the promo, it will have to be on the same bill, since the register has to put the promo discount somewhere. You will be able to sell the other $25 airtime codes separately though.
Secondly, the $25 airtime is not as desirable than the $75 or $100 airtime card since the cost per minute is more.
Thirdly, how little airtime do you think you'll use? None??? Even if you wait the 90 days before adding the $25 airtime to your account, that will leave very little $ for airtime. Remember, Speakout charges a $.99 monthly fee. Over 15 months that leaves $15.15 spread out over 15 months at $.25/min and $.05/text. That's 60 minutes of talking. 4 minutes average per month. That's what? 1 call every month?
Honestly, there is an easier way, or several.
1. Buy a $100 airtime card, use it, then next year buy a $25 card to extend your expiry time. First off, you'll get the better airtime rate for the first $100 you buy. Secondly, you're probably going to spend at over $25 of airtime in a year, so eventually you'll use up the airtime.
2. Buy a $100 airtime card, get the free phone, but sell the airtime card (for less than $100, since no one will buy it for full price, especially during the promo period). Then buy a $25 airtime card and use that.
1:30 pm
Big Ang said:
First off, there is a difference between getting 4 separate bills and 4 separate airtime codes.
If, and it's a big if, the 7-11 guy will sell you 4 different airtime codes (at $25 each) and give you the promo, it will have to be on the same bill, since the register has to put the promo discount somewhere. You will be able to sell the other $25 airtime codes separately though.
Well yes. I did state it would be YMMV. I have heard of it happening before so I figure it's worth a shot however iamdrumming covered that it'd be a long shot.
Secondly, the $25 airtime is not as desirable than the $75 or $100 airtime card since the cost per minute is more.
Rate per min doesn't really matter to me and, if I was able to break up the cards and resell them, I'd prefer to spread out my odds of selling them over multiple cards.
Thirdly, how little airtime do you think you'll use? None???
About next to that. It'll really just be used to see whose called me when I'm out when it's forwarded from my freephoneline.ca account and, if necessary, I'll call them back via a free land line or as a last resort a payphone.
Even if you wait the 90 days before adding the $25 airtime to your account, that will leave very little $ for airtime. Remember, Speakout charges a $.99 monthly fee.
I've read through the terms and understand there's a 99 cent 911 monthly fee.
at $.25/min and $.05/text. That's 60 minutes of talking. 4 minutes average per month. That's what? 1 call every month?
If that.
1. Buy a $100 airtime card, use it, then next year buy a $25 card to extend your expiry time. First off, you'll get the better airtime rate for the first $100 you buy. Secondly, you're probably going to spend at over $25 of airtime in a year, so eventually you'll use up the airtime.
As I mentioned earlier if it's a matter of me keeping $100 in the account I'd be more inclined to buy a sim from somewhere online on a site with an effective feedback system. I don't trust any of these companies and wouldn't want any real money tied into it.
2. Buy a $100 airtime card, get the free phone, but sell the airtime card (for less than $100, since no one will buy it for full price, especially during the promo period). Then buy a $25 airtime card and use that.
There's an interesting idea. As I mentioned earlier about selling the $25 cards at $20 I would expect to be selling the card(s) at a discount but if the consensus here is that a $100 card should be pretty much assured to move at $80 or $75 or whatever then that's possible however I'd still seriously consider just buying a sim online from someone.
3:34 pm
October 21, 2008
Offline
Even though you don't plan on using the $25 airtime cards yourself, it may be easier to sell a $75 or $100 to someone (because of the lower per minute rate). Perhaps you can try and buy a $25 card (for yourself) and a $75 to sell?
