# Pay-as-you-go for N.S.: Options?



## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

I'm coming home to NS for just under 2 months (arriving the end of this week), and would like to have cell service while there.

Here in Mexico I purchased a Telcel Motorola RIZR slider phone (not bad, but I prefer my old RAZR V3c). It's not locked to the carrier, so I can use it on other services.

I've poked around on various Canadian cell phone forums but have been unable to answer one simple question: Is there a wireless service available in Nova Scotia with which I can use this phone without purchasing another phone?

The options for the are of N.S. where I'll be are Rogers, President's Choice Mobility, and probably others. I hear the 7-Eleven service is good and cheap, but I don't think there are 7-Eleven stores in the province?

If I *have* to buy a phone to join the pay-as-you-go service, I'm leaning toward President's Choice, as there is a $69 option for a Nokia 2855i + Bluetooth headset + extras, and I could leave the unit for my folks as an emergency phone after I leave. 

Opinions? Options? TIA

M.


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## camla (Aug 3, 2006)

CubaMark said:


> If I *have* to buy a phone to join the pay-as-you-go service, I'm leaning toward President's Choice, as there is a $69 option for a Nokia 2855i + Bluetooth headset + extras, and I could leave the unit for my folks as an emergency phone after I leave.
> 
> Opinions? Options? TIA
> 
> M.


Wish I could answer your question about no new phone and service in NS, but I can tell you that I have been quite happy with the PC Mobile phone and service. I was able to get an NS number for when I was there last year, and then switched no problem to an Ontario phone number when I got home. 

Besides, who wouldn't want a coupon for 15$ of groceries?

Hope you can figure out something that won't cost you too much.


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

CubaMark said:


> I'm coming home to NS for just under 2 months (arriving the end of this week), and would like to have cell service while there.
> 
> Here in Mexico I purchased a Telcel Motorola RIZR slider phone (not bad, but I prefer my old RAZR V3c). It's not locked to the carrier, so I can use it on other services.
> 
> ...


 You could go with Aliant. I checked (search for) RAZR V3c with results here Aliant For Your Home - Search 

I changed from a regular plan to a prepaid plan with an existing phone but had to pay for change over however I had the phone my choice.

The cost will be $25, as seen here Aliant For Your Home - Mobility $10 min top up per month and if you keep your account topped up at the end of the (billing?) period your credit will roll over. They lead you to believe $20 is the minimum to achieve this. 

Noticed (after the fact) the min. cost for roll over is now $15.

Good coverage for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Haven't used the phone on PEI or NL. These prepaid plans phones work in all 4 Atlantic provinces. 

4 Various cost per minute available as well here Aliant For Your Home - Mobility

Hope this helps.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Big thanks, BigDL, I'll check it out. I'm leaning heavily toward PC Mobility, but a chance to grab another RAZR would make me mucho happy.

M


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Haven't gotten to Aliant yet, nor Rogers, but PC Mobility is out. I can't swap the SIM with my phone - their phones are tied to their service, and no other phone will work. The phones for the PAYG service are cheap as heck anyway...

So - next is to see what Rogers can offer....


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

So I found time to swing by a Rogers Mobility outlet this afternoon... at 4:10pm, 10 minutes after they closed. Sometimes I *love* Halifax, sometimes it drives me nuts.

I popped over to the Telus booth, which is of no use to me service-wise, as they are CDMA-only. He did, however, confirm that I can buy a SIM card and pay-as-you-go service with Rogers without buying one of Rogers' phones - an unadvertised service. On Monday I'll see if that's really the case...


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Aaarrrggghhhh! Finally got to Rogers, only to discover that my $300 RIZR Z3 is still LOCKED to Telcel (México).

Crap. Looks like I'll have to buy a junky phone from the Rogers pay-as-you-go for now, and unlock my phone when I get back to México in January.

(Unless somebody knows the super-secret Telcel RIZR unlock code?)


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Final update:

So my RIZR sits in a suitcase now, awaiting a return to its native land.

I decided to back to my favourite form-factor, and picked up a new RAZR V3g under Roger's pay-as-you-go plan (currently with a $50 rebate).

This was a more expensive way to go than I had planned, but c'est la vie. The PC Mobility Nokia 2855i that I had been looking at feels a bit too large for me (it's quite thick), though the "incredible reception" was a strong tick in its favour. I may yet pick one up for my folks to use.

Here endeth the saga. 

M


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Our story continues...

When I picked up my RAZR last October, staff in the Rogers shop confirmed that I could indeed have my phone unlocked for international use, with a $50 payment and a return trip to the shop. Silly me, I assumed this meant they could do it on the spot, and returned on the Friday before my Monday return flight to Mexico. The shop needed a two-business-day turnaround to unlock the phone (had to send it to a tech: what, they can't enter a Subsidy code at the store??).

So - had no choice but to leave it locked. The salesperson helpfully said, "just look on the internet, there are lots of services - everybody does it". Great. 

Having poked around the 'net for a few months now, it appears that there are lots of services selling software to do the unlocking, but they are Windows-only.

I don't mind paying for the service, so I went back to the source, asking Rogers' politely if they could provide me with a subsidy code - for a fee, of course. The response:


> In your recent email, you have informed us you want to unlock code for
> your Rogers Wireless Phone.
> 
> Unfortunately, as with other carriers most phones are locked with a
> ...


Now - if Rogers had said that they cannot do this via email, without having the phone in their hands, etc., I would grudgingly accept it. But what they appear to be saying is that my phone *cannot* be unlocked, contravening the info received from their own staff.

And... do I recall correctly a bit of legislation that required wireless providers on the GSM network to unlock the phones if the customer requested, or was that just a US-only thing?

M.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

It's a US-only thing that providers have to unlock GSM phones, and even when they do, there are many conditions.

Your phone can easily be unlocked, remotely, and for less.

I'll send you a link.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

However's tip did the trick. My Rogers RAZR V3g is now working on Mexico's TelCel network. _Thanks!_

And - an FYI. Although the Rogers outlet in Halifax told me not once, but twice, that they could unlock my RAZR, Rogers "online customer service" claims to be very upset that one of their outlets would say such a thing to a customer. Interesting...


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