[LifeInAnalog]

Hey All.

On my Telus account, we have three phones; my wife, daughter and myself. We've always been able to phone each other for free.

Just last week I got the Motorola Milestone with the Talk and Data 50 plan, as I was nearing the end of my contract. My wife and daughter are still a ways off from new contracts.

I assumed that we'd still be able to phone each other for free, since Unlimited Family Calling is on my plan (as long as the phones are on the same account). Apparently not, according to the Rep who was helping me. We ALL need to be on the same plan as well. There is nothing in the brochure or on the web site that indicates this...just that you need to be on the same account.

Am I out of luck now? I can phone my family using the Fave 5 feature, but is changing my families plans the only way to allow them to phone ME for free?

 

[outinthornhill]

Telus has dropped all its share plans. When you got the Milestone, you probably converted from CDMA to a Clear Choice Voice and Dara HSPA plan, right? Accordingly, it is no longer a share plan for you to be a part of.

The "substitute" on Telus's current Clear Choice plans is free local calling between users on the same account. There may be a limit to the number but you should be OK with 3. This is certainly not as good as the unlimited national calling you used to have.

While you and your family are on the same account, there probably is no system code permitting the CSR to give you family to family calling. S/he is not being difficult; the new rules just don't allow for it.

This is just one of many ways Telus seems to be growing increasingly difficult to deal with since the upgrade to HSPA last fall. It's just not the same old, "we''ll do anything to make you happy" company we knew. Sure you can use two of your Fav 5 numbers for family, but that means 2 less friends/relatives/colleagues you can call. Definitely a loss.

FWIW, Bell and Rogers still offer share plans. It's probably too late but you might consider backing out of your deal with Telus. I hope you didn't sign for three years.

I have 5 months left on my shared plan, my spouse has 7 months, and other providers are looking decidedly more friendly.

 

[LifeInAnalog]

...to tell you the truth I didn't know anything about the free local calling between family members. That would be some help at least, as I'm assuming that they can call me for free as well...locally at least.

And yes, I signed a three-year deal. Sigh...I really wanted that Milestone. Of course now I'm hearing that the Motorola might not give us Milestoners the 2.2 Froyo update. Just gets better and better for me