The Unofficial 7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page 
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1:36 pm
Hey there,
I'm looking to get my first cell phone and want the most cost-effective plan I can get.
I would say on a scale of 1-10 for how much I talk on the phone, I would be a 3 or 4 (1 being very little, 10 being very much).
Probably 30-40% of my talking time is long distance.
Speak out seems like a good solution. However, I've been intrigued with the possibility of getting the most basic Koodo plan ($15) + call id ($5) + unlimited incoming ($10) = $30 / month.
I would then use YakCell's call-back service for all outgoing calls. The way it works is:
1. You call their access number
2. You always get a busy signal
3. Hang up
4. They call you back immediately
5. You enter the number you want to call
6. You are then connected to that number and it counts as an incoming call
So on my Koodo account it would be free as an incoming call and I would be charged 3.5 cents/minute (local and long distance) by YakCell.
The only drawback is the inconvenience of dialing the access number for outgoing calls...which, to be honest, doesn't really bother me.
Thanks for your comments!
2:44 pm
March 15, 2008
Offline
Speak out seems like a good solution. However, I've been intrigued with the possibility of getting the most basic Koodo plan ($15) + call id ($5) + unlimited incoming ($10) = $30 / month.
It all depends on how much calling you really do and how much of it is LD. With my usage patterns SO wins every time.
BTW if you don't have free unimited incoming calls or can't justify paying $10/month you can also use Yak's city access numbers. This is more convenient because it avoids the callback but, of course, it incurs airtime. I keep both Yak's callback and selected city numbers in my phonebook.
3:20 pm
I should add that Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm I am next to my work phone, but other than that the cell phone would be my only phone.
Good point though that the access numbers would still save a fair bit on long distance calls.
2:34 am
April 22, 2009
Offline
I am not a big fan of Koodo. Their phones are over priced, and they are sneaky about their contracts. Yes, the tab is a contract, don't be fooled. There is an better priced carrier, Virgin.
This is why I recommend Virgin.
* $40 phones at Walmart.
* If you do want a free phone, you can sign a 1 year contract with Virgin. It takes 3 years to pay off the tab with Koodo.
* $20 a month gets you 200 minutes anytime, $20 gets you evenings and weekends
*If you register by credit card, a current promotion gives you $5 discount each month if so it will work out to be $15 per month. That works out to be 7.5 cents a minute if you use the full 200 minutes on the 200 minutes plan.
* $10 more gets you unlimited incoming.
* $5 for caller ID? How quaint. With Virgin, you get caller ID, call waiting, and voice mail, included, no fee.
* no system access fee, no 911 fee.
The deals are even better if you sign a contract. You might not even need to deal with that Yak long distance rigmarole. Go to http://www.virginmobile.ca for more details.
I might add, there are better, less advertised, and of course cheaper call back services than with Yak. I use link2voip for their VOIP, and have had great results. Here is their call back service, 2.2 cents a minute. https://www.link2voip.com/mobile.php
12:13 pm
October 21, 2008
Offline
YakCell or any other company that offers the same service (usually cheaper) is a good option if you have unlimited incoming calls. That way all your outgoing local calls are (almost) free.
Spending $30/mth with Koodo and YakCell is cheaper than the per minute price with Speakout if you use more than 150 minutes per month, roughly. I've ignored the monthly Speakout fee and the $.022/min that YakCell charges, and any long distance charges, just to make things easier.
(Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but saying your usuage is a 3 out of 10 is kinda useless. I've known people that use 2000 minutes per month, and other people that use 0-5 minutes per month. 3 out of 10 can mean 600 minutes per month for some people, and 10 minutes per month for others.)
Also, bridonca is right about the Koodo Tab being a contract. Like a cellphone contract, if you want to leave Koodo, you'll have to pay a fee for getting the phone at a reduced price. However, I happen to like the Koodo tab compared to regular contracts, because you'll always know where you stand and the more money you spend per month, the faster you'll have your contract....errrr..... tab paid off. I wish all companies will switch to this transparent tab system instead of just saying you're stuck with them for 3 years or there's a huge unknown fee to be paid. In your case, if you spend $30/mth, only $3 a month will be going to your tab. So a $150 phone will take over 4 years to be contract....errr..... tab free. Fortunately their cheapest phone is $75 and that will only take you 25 months to be tab-free.
So, as long as you plan on using more than 150 minutes per month, and don't mind the Koodo tab, then go for it. If your usage is less than 150 minutes/mth, then you're better off with something else.
2:20 pm
Thanks for the helpful comments and links!
I'm actually leaning back towards just going with Speak-Out because I think my usage will probably be less than 150 minutes a month, and possibly below 100.
Fair enough that a 1-10 scale usage rating isn't that useful...I haven't had a cell before so it's probably as useful as me predicting my minutes per month! ;o) Oh well...
