The Unofficial 7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page 
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10:34 pm
Hi, I just bought a pre-paid Motorola RAZR phone with rogers and I'm hoping to use the speakout wireless SIM card with it. I just wanted to be sure of a couple of things before I go out and buy the $100 airtime/Nokia 1600 from 7-11.
1) Is it true that phones that are locked on the Rogers network don't need to be unlocked to use a speakout wireless SIM card? So even if my Rogers RAZR is locked, I can just switch its SIM card with the SIM card of a Nokia 1600 from 7-11?
2) This may be a dumb question but I've never attempted to switch or even remove a SIM card from a cell phone. Is it something a novice user like myself can do at home or do I need to have it done by an expert?
3)I haven't activated my rogers phone at all yet (just bought the phone without activating it). Should I activate my phone with the Rogers SIM card in it first (and use up the airtime thats included with activation) and then switch SIM cards with a 7-11 phone or should I not even bother activating my phone with Rogers and switch SIM cards right away? The reason I ask is are there any hidden charges involved for switching phone numbers or activating with speakout wireless etc.?
Thanks
Adil
8:25 am
1)
That's my understanding. SpeakOut works on the Rogers network so in a sense your RAZR is locked to SpeakOut.
2)
Yes, that's how SIMs were intended. Instructions for inserting/removing SIMs should be in the manual that came with your phone. If not, go to Motorola's website and download the full owner's manual for your phone.
3)
You could activate and use up the Rogers airtime then start using the SpeakOut SIM. You have 3 months from the date you purchased airtime from SpeakOut to top it up. You can even switch between the two just by switching SIMs.
My suggestion is that you take your RAZR to the 7-11 store when you buy their phone. Ask the clerk if you can test the SpeakOut SIM in your KRZR. You'll need to find a clerk that knows how to do that and will let you. I had no trouble doing this to test my unlocked Moto KRZR when I bought my SpeakOut phone but others have reported here that their SpeakOut clerks gave them a hassle. Just tell them you want to verify that the SIM works with your phone (that you get the SpeakOut network banner) and that you don't want to place any phone calls.
11:53 am
Thanks for the help Bylo. Can you elaborate on why I need to try a SIM card from a 7-11 phone in my RAZR if even Rogers locked phones have been known to work with speakout wireless SIM cards. Have there been instances in the past where locked ROgers phones have not worked with speakout wireless ?
Adil
12:59 pm
Can you elaborate on why I need to try a SIM card from a 7-11 phone in my RAZR...
You don't need to but I suggested that you might want to in order to be certain that it works. (My KRZR is unlocked so that was not an issue for me.)
1:03 pm
The 7-11 clerk won't care what you do with the SIM card from the Speak Out phone you've just purchased. They're not going to let anyone try *before* they buy, because that will activate the number and could incur airtime charges. Replacing the card is mind-numbingly simple.
I would use whatever airtime comes with your Rogers phone before activating the Speakout phone. There is a $1/month 911 charge that you don't want to start paying until you absolutely have to (you have 90 days from the date of purchase).
9:44 pm
About the activation, what you guys are suggesting (activating my phone with rogers, using the airtime that comes with activation and then porting my number over to speakout wireless) clearly is the most logical way of doing it, but I was wondering, if I decided after using speakout wireless for a few months, that based on my usage I'm better off with a contract, then at that point I could activate my phone with rogers (if I don't activate the RAZR with rogers now). Is that how it works or do I only have a certain period of time from purchasing the phone to activate it with Rogers?
Because, from what I've read on this forum, once you port an existing number from another network (like a Rogers) to speakout wireless, then your SIM card (from the other network) is unusable. I hope that makes sense and feel free to correct me because I'm not positive on that either.
Thanks again for your help guys
10:32 pm
They're not going to let anyone try *before* they buy, because that will activate the number and could incur airtime charges.
That depends on the clerk. In my case she was oriental and knew all about multi-band phones, changing SIMs, etc. I told her I had a quadband phone that I wanted to use with SpeakOut in Canada and with other SIMs in Europe. All I wanted to establish is that my phone with SpeakOut SIM would access the SpeakOut network. No calls in or out. No charges incurred. Everyone was happy.
I can't imagine that just powering on a phone and accessing the SpeakOut network would cause activation because then anyone who simply wanted to verify that the phone worked could do that unintentionally. (But I could be wrong.)
Replacing the card is mind-numbingly simple.
That depends on the phone. I agree with the Nokia 1600. It's a bit harder with the KRZR unless you've got a pen or similar to loosen it. Dunno about the RAZR.
There is a $1/month 911 charge that you don't want to start paying until you absolutely have to (you have 90 days from the date of purchase).
I seem to recall reading somewhere (maybe this FAQ) that you don't get charged the 911 fee in months when you don't use the phone at all. But it may be worth a call to customer service to verify.
10:39 pm
if I decided after using speakout wireless for a few months, that based on my usage I'm better off with a contract, then at that point I could activate my phone with rogers (if I don't activate the RAZR with rogers now). Is that how it works or do I only have a certain period of time from purchasing the phone to activate it with Rogers?
You'd have to check with Rogers. But realize that with GSM phones, activation is based on the SIM, not on the phone's ESN as with CDMA. You could use the same phone on both Rogers and SpeakOut just by swapping SIMs. The phone numbers associated with each SIM would, of course, be different.
once you port an existing number from another network (like a Rogers) to speakout wireless, then your SIM card (from the other network) is unusable.
That's correct. You could, however, use up your Rogers airtime first using your Rogers phone number. Then call SpeakOut and have them port that number to SpeakOut. If you decide you want to go back to Rogers you could then call them and have them port you back.
N.B. that if you already have a SpeakOut airtime voucher you have only 90 days from the date you bought it to top-up your balance at SpeakOut. Once you do the top-up you have another 365 days to use the airtime. Hope that makes sense.
