[kwlug-disc] cell phone plans

[Znoteer]

Hi,

On Sat, May 29, 2021 at 12:19:20PM -0400, CrankyOldBugger wrote:
> It's that time of the decade when I sit down and decide that I'm paying
> waaaay too much for mine and Wifeski's cellphone plans.
> 
> So I humbly beseech the experts...
> 
> What are you guys using for cell phones plans?  What's the coverage like?
> Do you still have money left for food after you pay your monthly phone bill?
> 

I'm in Montreal, so my experience may not be applicable to you.  I have a
$35/mo plan with Chatr and a $40/mo plan with Lucky.

The chatr plan ($35) is unlimited Canada-wide calling, unlimited
International SMS, 2GB data/mo, voicemail.  Coverage in my region is fine.

The lucky plan ($40) is the same with 4GB data/mo, call display, conference
calls, and call waiting.  Again, no coverage problems.

But, it sounds like you maybe only need a cell phone plan for your wife. 
You could port your number to voip.ms and configure the account so that all
calls are forwarded.  If you want to continue having a laugh a cheesy text
spam once a year, you could set up sms on the number.

It would cost you (even though voip.ms is canadian they do all their
business in USD so all prices quoted for voip.ms are in that currency, not
CAD) I think $0.85/mo to keep the phone number in your name.  After that
it's either $0.009 or $0.0052 per minute for incoming calls (I can't
remember which fee is incoming and which is outgoing).  SMS cost something
ridiculously low per/unit also.

If you don't receive or make any calls in a month, your account will have
costed you US$0.85 and maybe some taxes.  Rounding the per minute price to
$0.01 you could talk for nearly 4 solid hours each day for 20 days (5 work
days x 4 weeks in a month) with your current $45/mo plan if you switched to
voip.ms (4hrs/day x 60 min/hr x 20 days x $0.01/min = $48).

Good deal hunting,

-- 
Znoteer
znoteer at mailbox.org