# iPod Touch + Cheap Phone



## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

Okay, it's now official... I'll be sticking with my iPod Touch and getting the cheapest phone/plan that I can find.

I am a very light cell phone user and need it basically just so my kids can get me when they need me and for emergencies. I might use 30 to 60 minutes a month talk time.

I was with Telus a few years back back and was pretty happy but felt that the plan was a little expensive. (I still have the phone, maybe I can get it reactivated)

Does anyone have suggestions? Virgin Mobile maybe?

Thanks in advance.


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## spitfire1945 (May 17, 2008)

Virgin Mobile always has billing issues. They almost always end up screwing your bill. So be careful with them. I haven't heard much about Solo or Koodo either. Fido seems like a good option for people who don't talk a lot.


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## harrisjr (Aug 29, 2007)

Bilbo said:


> Okay, it's now official... I'll be sticking with my iPod Touch and getting the cheapest phone/plan that I can find.
> 
> I am a very light cell phone user and need it basically just so my kids can get me when they need me and for emergencies. I might use 30 to 60 minutes a month talk time.
> 
> ...


From what I hear, Virgin Mobile is good. I've also seen some commercials for a new pay-as-you-go provider in Canada but can't think of their name right off the top of my head.

I wish the iTouch had a camera built in. That is the only thing missing for me. The camera isn't that great on the iPhone as it stands, but it's much better than the pieces of junk that are in the small flip phones.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

I'm a very light cell phone user as well, and I'm with Virgin Mobile (pay as you go) at the moment. I'm happy with it, and I haven't had any problems at all.

Prior to Virgin I was with PC Mobile, which I also found satisfactory. Their plans are dead simple, pay as you go, and easy to figure out. The main drawback is they only have two phones available. The Samsung model is supposed to be decent, or so I've heard.

I gave my PC Mobile Samsung A580 phone to my mother to use in case of emergencies, and I keep it topped up for her.

If for any reason I become dissatisfied with Virgin, I'd happily go back to PC Mobile.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

Bilbo said:


> Okay, it's now official... I'll be sticking with my iPod Touch and getting the cheapest phone/plan that I can find.


Pay as you go from Telus is the cheapest plan that I know of. I pay $11.30, taxes included for my wife's cell phone each month (that's 25cents/minute) - they also let you set up automatic credit card billing. And it includes a small amount of voice mail and call display, something Rogers' iPhone plan doesn't.


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## TheBat (Feb 11, 2005)

*7-11 vs. Petro Canada*

I'm happy with Virgin. $100 (plus taxes) is good for 1 year. 30c/min for calls. Caller ID free. Voice mail free if accessed from a land line. Free incoming text. 20c/text to Canada/ USA, 30c/text to most overseas countries

I believe that plans from 7-11 (Speakout Unofficial Site) and Petro Canada are cheaper. Particularly if you only use a cell phone rarely.


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## Chris (Feb 8, 2001)

I have two Telus pay as you go handsets. I pay $25 every two months on each, with a 25 cents a minute local rate. If you want to keep your existing phone, that might be the way to go.

If you want to get a new phone, it might also be worth looking at Telus. You can buy a package with a new phone, and get a $50 air credit. I bought my phones at Best Buy, but you can also get them at Future Shop, Zellers and, of course, Telus shops.

I'm satisfied with the service I've been getting, but I'm not a heavy mobile user. As always, YMMV.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

I think I will be going for a 1.0 iPhone. It is all I need. I really just want an iPod with a cell phone for talk and text. I have enough wifi around me at all times to save the 60 bucks a month.

Does anyone know if Apple will honour apple care in Canada on a 1.0 iPhone or would I have to go back to an Apple store in the US ? I plan to buy on ebay or maybe from someone in the ehmac community?

I will be selling my 16 gb iPod touch 1.1.4 (April 2008). It has a couple dead pixels so I am going to send it back to Apple and recieve a new one. If you are interested email me and I can keep it sealed as brand new if you would like. I will be back in Canada at the end of August.


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## jamesB (Jan 28, 2007)

Bilbo said:


> Okay, it's now official... I'll be sticking with my iPod Touch and getting the cheapest phone/plan that I can find.
> 
> I am a very light cell phone user and need it basically just so my kids can get me when they need me and for emergencies. I might use 30 to 60 minutes a month talk time.
> 
> ...


I use Telus "Small Talk /50" package, 50 minutes a month for $15.
I've used this for years, and I'm very satisfied with it, but then I only turn my phone on when I need to make a call. 

jb.


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## arossphoto (Oct 20, 2007)

Adrian. said:


> Does anyone know if Apple will honour apple care in Canada on a 1.0 iPhone or would I have to go back to an Apple store in the US ? I plan to buy on ebay or maybe from someone in the ehmac community?


They were also never officially sold or supported here, so a 1.0 iPhone would have to be unlocked to work in Canada. I'm pretty sure that would void any warranty. 

That's my main concern about buying a used one as well, unless prices drop substantially as current owners move the new phone.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

I know they were never sold here but you can just virginize the phone (un jailbreak it) and they cannot know. Ive done it with my iTouch for repairs. 

If I get one I really want to have Apple Care on it.

I am happy though, I do not iPod Touch´s will decrease in value all that much considering the price of the 3G.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

I don't think the iPod Touch will decrease in price any more than normal. If you listen to people here, the iPhone is a giant ripoff in Canada (which I disagree with), so where's the incentive to lower the price of the Touch.


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## arossphoto (Oct 20, 2007)

hayesk said:


> I don't think the iPod Touch will decrease in price any more than normal.


I was talking about the price dropping on used or unlocked 1.0 iPhones. I still see them on craigslist for $400-$500+, but I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a phone with no warranty. As much as I hate to sign a contract I would probably prefer to spend $199 on a new 3G phone with a full warranty.


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## rambo4 (Jun 14, 2008)

I am doing the same as the poster of this thread. It will be iPod touch for me. I just bought a KRZR from Koodo, and with my light phone usage, $15.00/month with no contract and $50.00 upfront for the phone, is good by me.

Regarding the iPod touch, I am going to wait until a new 32 GB model comes out. The last thing i want to do is buy a 16Gb Touch; just not enough space for me.


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

I charged up my old Telus phone that was still like new and went into our local Telus retailer. The best that they could do started at $25 a month with no caller ID or Voicemail.

I wound up going with PC Mobile. I just snagged the cheapest phone (Samsung) that they had. $15 per month 75 min local talk time, including caller ID and voicemail. The phone is a piece of crap, but it works for me.

Now I am going through the painful process of entering all of my contacts... I absolutely hate that! It's way too much work! I sure wish someone would make a phone that would talk to my computer and ALWAYS keep my contacts and calendar up to date.

Oh wait! 

GRRRRRRRRR Rogers!


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## joemulder (Mar 9, 2008)

telus paygo gives some free data too.
$11 a month for some calls and check emails..
better than iphone from rogers for sure.

I use them to check my gmail.


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

joemulder said:


> telus paygo gives some free data too.
> $11 a month for some calls and check emails..
> better than iphone from rogers for sure.


They never offered me that plan. 

I could have kept my old phone and wouldn't have to set up an address book on a new one. Oh well, I'm not sure how well the battery would lasted after sitting for two years.


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## Maverick (Sep 18, 2007)

rambo4 said:


> Regarding the iPod touch, I am going to wait until a new 32 GB model comes out.


There is a 32GB iPod Touch available now. Apple iPod Touch


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## lreynolds (Dec 28, 2005)

I went the iPhone 1.0 route a week ago. I found a used one for $350 on craigslist. I would have been happy with an iPod Touch, but I have a cell for my freelance web design business that acts as my business number, so I have to carry a cell, and didn't want to cart around 2 devices when one would do the trick. I use Rogers pay as you go (yuck, but it does the trick).

This solution fits my needs really well, highly recommend it. Oh, and the iPhone is super fantastic. I'm really impressed with the auto correct on the keyboard.


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## rambo4 (Jun 14, 2008)

Maverick said:


> There is a 32GB iPod Touch available now. Apple iPod Touch


Well there you go. I have only seen 8 and 16 only. Thanks.


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## Ottawaman (Jan 16, 2005)

How is Fido's PAYG plan?


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## jaline (Jul 7, 2007)

I am planning on buying an iTouch now that it is almost the same as the iPhone. I couldn't justify paying so much money on the monthly phone bill. I seriously only speak on the cellphone for about 10 minutes or less each month. With an iTouch, I don't have to pay some crazy fees (for a student, anyway), and still have lots of great features at my fingertips. 

I am currently using pay-as-you-go with Virgin Mobile. It works totally fine, and I usually just get the $50 for 4 months or the $100 for one year deal. The only thing that bothers me is that they changed the length of time each amount works for, so now the $50 only applies for like 2 months or something. The $100 is still the same (365 days), but it does suck that the rest have changed. Otherwise I would've highly recommended pay-as-you-go with VM (they had the best prices). Now that it has changed, however, you could use them or go with one or two other carriers out there. I'm still using VM.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

I ended up getting the 3G iPhone. I pay about 35 bucks a month which is perfectly fine for me. It is just the convenience of having two items in one.


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## arossphoto (Oct 20, 2007)

Adrian. said:


> I ended up getting the 3G iPhone. I pay about 35 bucks a month...


That doesn't sound too bad. Is $35 your total monthly bill, or are you still paying a system access fee, and other additional expenses? I'd be interested to know which carrier are you with, how much the phone cost you with a voice only plan, what your actual monthly bill is, and if you still had sign a 3-year contact?

I'm sorry if these kind of questions have already been answered elsewhere on these forums, but I have tuned out of any iphone discussions for awhile now.

Thanks,

Andrew


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