[Rouge21]

It is approaching that time of year when kids are off to university and "need" a cell and plan. So we have begun searching for a 'best' plan for a new activation for a BB. This would included some local minutes as well as unlimited text and call display and I guess some data. It appears that a plan for a smartphone such as a BB is around...$45/?

 

[outinthornhill]

The Pearl at $45 will be the old model (I own it) and very unsatisfactory for a university student in 2010. I got mine almost 3 years ago and can't wait for the contract to expire. It would be the same as giving your student a 3 year old computer that couldn't run Windows 7 or OS-X Snow Leopard.

Any sort of advice really depends on where your student will be studying and how ofter you expect calls home, if that's long distance. Then look at carriers (are the new unlimited carriers feasible) and then choose hardware.

 

[Rouge21]

The Pearl at $45 will be the old model

The $45 to $50 per month plan I thought included the new Pearl.

Any sort of advice really depends on where your student will be studying and how ofter you expect calls home, if that's long distance.

It will be local to her university town i.e. not a lot of need for LD to us as we will more likely keep in touch via texting and email (this seemed to work ok for her sibling who preceded her to university).

 

[TorontoColin]

Which University town? The available carriers will have a huge impact on how we can help you.

 

[Rouge21]

Hamilton

 

[okcomputer]

outinthornhill, I think he meant the monthly plan is $45, not that the phone itself is $45.

Unfortunately, it's going to be tough to find a smartphone plan for under $45/50. Your daughter is most likely going to want texting, web use, etc. correct?

 

[recneps77]

I'd recommend Wind.
Everyone else will force her to have a data plan, though if she's constantly around wifi, she won't really need one.
If you really want to, Wind will let you get a BB on a plain $15 a month plan.
The only catch is, of course, that you have to pay for a phone up front.
In a way, that's better for a student anyway. Gotta learn fast that there's nothing "free" in life and that device you carry around certainly costs a pretty penny - so take care of it!

I'm currently using a Nexus One (love it!)
with $15 voice plan (100 mins/50 text rollover)
and unlimited data $35 (though it's probably overkill.. I'll see what my usage is, probably drop to the $20 one next month-I use wifi at home and at friends')

Smartphone plans tend to be in the $65 range, giving you a couple hundred minutes, usually 500mb of data and couple thousand texts.
With wind you can get 100 mins/unlimited text/500mb data for $40 a month
That should be enough for her needs, unless she's a heavy talker. Even then you'd have to gauge how heavy as it's only $0.10 per minute over the 100.
Usually not enough to warrant unlimited talk for another $20.

 

[Rouge21]

Hamilton

Oops I must have had a brain freeze. I meant GUELPH (not Hamilton).

 

[outinthornhill]

Whoops - makes a big difference. None of the "newbies" will be in Guelph anytime soon. Wind keeps promising Kitchener-Waterloo which might include parts of Guelph, but promises won't help a student starting in Sept.

 

[recneps77]

Yeah.. that changes everything.
You'll have to sign her soul to Robelus for 3/4 of her degree, unless she goes prepaid to see if the new guys set up there in a timely fashion.
(not gonna get a smartphone on prepaid, though. Unless you buy one second hand/unlocked and pop in another sim with a data plan or something: see http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1123738&postcount=36)

 

[Rouge21]

How does this look?

For $22.00 [This includes SAF and 911] the basic plan is this:

• 200 local anytime minutes
• Unlimited weekend and weeknight calling (6 p.m. - 8 a.m.)
• Message center (voice mail), Call display, Call forwarding, call waiting, conference calling and detailed billing
• Waived activation fee.

ADD to this

• $7.50 for 2500 texts
• $30 for 6 gigs ($25 for 500 meg!)

And the total *before* taxes is $59.50

For the hardware (9100) on a 2 year plan is $169.95; on a 3 year it is $39.95.

 

[polaris]

pretty decent plan. You wont get much better on a new activation from what I have seen. You can try to ask for some long distance minutes also. They often will give you 100 mins for free.