The Plan or the Phone - opinions wanted

[Bifurcated]

So I'm pulling my hair out with indecision...

Telus (in Canada) has an astonishingly good plan on offer now: $70/month gets 200 minutes, unlimited texts, weekends and evenings, 10 free numbers, and 5 GB data, with tethering allowed. I've never seen a deal this good in Canada before.

But signing up now means having to commit to Telus before we see who will get the next round of phones here in Canada. We know Telus will get the Lumia 800, but that's pretty much all we know. Will I be kicking myself if, say, Rogers gets the 900?

I'm leaning to committing, since having effectively unlimited data with my second choice phone is maybe better than very limited data with the best phone.

Hmm... anyone have any thoughts? What's more important - the plan or the phone?

 

[11B1P]

So I'm pulling my hair out with indecision...

Telus (in Canada) has an astonishingly good plan on offer now: $70/month gets 200 minutes, unlimited texts, weekends and evenings, 10 free numbers, and 5 GB data, with tethering allowed. I've never seen a deal this good in Canada before.

But signing up now means having to commit to Telus before we see who will get the next round of phones here in Canada. We know Telus will get the Lumia 800, but that's pretty much all we know. Will I be kicking myself if, say, Rogers gets the 900?

I'm leaning to committing, since having effectively unlimited data with my second choice phone is maybe better than very limited data with the best phone.

Hmm... anyone have any thoughts? What's more important - the plan or the phone?

In this case, the phone. If you don't get the phone you really want, you may be kicking yourself. Barring that, if possible, you should probably wait and see what happens. Obviously, you want to go with the provider that offers the best mobile coverage, regardless of the plan they offer.

I would always go with the phone and tailor your usage around the plan. But then again, if you're having to tailor your usage, you may not be getting the full benefit of all the features of the phone. I don't know, now you've confused me.

 

[HeyCori]

How long before their deal is over?

The 900 is expected to launch in N. America around March. Perhaps by then there will be more information about where else the 900 will land.

 

[aubreyq]

My instinct says go with the plan, but I find those 200 minutes pretty low. I suppose you already estimated that you won't go over 200 minutes? I see the plan deal expires on January 31st. That tells me it's not one of those bullsh*t deals and that the rate will definitely go up after the 31st.

That being said, wbdillworth makes an excellent point that if you don't get the phone you want, you'll be miserable during that contract period, however you can always get the device you really want unlocked (if it works on your network).

Think long term. Imagine yourself grandfathered into a great deal for years on end. That's money in your pocket, buddy. Newer phones will come and you'll be riding on a great plan!

 

[Premium1]

For me it would be the plan. No matter how great the phone is, if you always have to watch or monitor it because you are stuck with less data for example then it takes away from what you can do with the phone( yes there is wifi but not everywhere) I would say go with the plan because the 900 may not come for months and if you really want the 900 you could always sell the 800 and buy it full price.

 

[mhans311]

I would go with the plan. You could jeep that plan for years and save a ton of money. I'd you had a great phone that you have to limit, is that rally better than using your second favorite phone without restriction? Besides, there isn't a ton of difference between phones with wp like there is with android.

Sent from my Trophy using Board Express

 

[jdevenberg]

My instinct says go with the plan, but I find those 200 minutes pretty low. I suppose you already estimated that you won't go over 200 minutes? I see the plan deal expires on January 31st. That tells me it's not one of those bullsh*t deals and that the rate will definitely go up after the 31st.

That being said, wbdillworth makes an excellent point that if you don't get the phone you want, you'll be miserable during that contract period, however you can always get the device you really want unlocked (if it works on your network).

Think long term. Imagine yourself grandfathered into a great deal for years on end. That's money in your pocket, buddy. Newer phones will come and you'll be riding on a great plan!

With free calls to 10 numbers, plus free nights and weekends, I think 200 is a good plenty for most people.

 

[mprice86]

I'm in agreement, get the plan. Is there no way you can ask in store or by phone if you can hold off on the phone upgrade to see if the 900 will come to the network?

You would still be subsidising the cost of a phone over the course of the contract so they would still get the same money. Just means you would have to hold off on getting a new handset which is understandably painful if you're in the market for an upgrade.

 

[simonnyc]

The plan definitely. I've been locked into a legacy Sprint Sero Premium plan for a few years now and I refuse to jump to another carrier despite my lust for the Titan or the Nokia 900. I pay $40/mo for my essentially unlimited everything plan but if I switched to any of the other carriers, a comparable plan would be at minimum $70. Is it worth an extra $480+ every 2 years to own a nicer phone that pretty much does everything my Arrive does? **** no.

 

[enahs555]

Can you just purchase the plan now and use it with your old phone and save the phone upgrade for a few months?

 

[freestaterocker]

This past August I picked up my HD7 on Bell in Canada on a plan that gives me 5gb, 350 minutes, unlimited SMS/MMS, 10 free numbers, free eves/weekends for $55/month. And I've seen comparable promotional deals. I say wait for the phone. A better deal may come with a subsidized 900!

 

[Reflexx]

I guess it depends on how you use your phone. If you do use a lot of data, then I'd go with the plan.

But if it's a plan that you won't really make use of (like if you're always in wifi areas anyway and will use far less than the plan gives you) then you might want to go with the phone.

 

[selfcreation]

So I'm pulling my hair out with indecision...

Telus (in Canada) has an astonishingly good plan on offer now: $70/month gets 200 minutes, unlimited texts, weekends and evenings, 10 free numbers, and 5 GB data, with tethering allowed. I've never seen a deal this good in Canada before.

But signing up now means having to commit to Telus before we see who will get the next round of phones here in Canada. We know Telus will get the Lumia 800, but that's pretty much all we know. Will I be kicking myself if, say, Rogers gets the 900?

I'm leaning to committing, since having effectively unlimited data with my second choice phone is maybe better than very limited data with the best phone.

Hmm... anyone have any thoughts? What's more important - the plan or the phone?

Rogers = Nokia 710
Telus = Nokia 800
Bell = no WP ( yet ) but expecting the 900 to go to bell honestly.

Bell plan:

70$ a month ( -5$ if you have other BELL service, internet, home phone, tv)

- Unlimited txt across canada ( pic and vid )
- 200 day min
- N&W 6pm to 7am
- 6G!!!!! of data ( tethering is ALWAYS included )
- 10 numbers you can call ACROSS Canada on ALL platforms FREE!! at all times.

bell give you SAME thing but with MORE data ( 1G more ) i would wait and SEE if bell gets a NOKIA ( witch i think they will *hint*hint* )

i can even sing you up my self call you when ever you want!! i wont even try to sell you an Iphone or Android! I SWEAR!! lol

so if you can wait a little, i would wait. i know i am

 

[Bifurcated]

Rogers = Nokia 710
Telus = Nokia 800
Bell = no WP ( yet ) but expecting the 900 to go to bell honestly.

Bell plan:

70$ a month ( -5$ if you have other BELL service, internet, home phone, tv)

- Unlimited txt across canada ( pic and vid )
- 200 day min
- N&W 6pm to 7am
- 6G!!!!! of data ( tethering is ALWAYS included )
- 10 numbers you can call ACROSS Canada on ALL platforms FREE!! at all times.

bell give you SAME thing but with MORE data ( 1G more ) i would wait and SEE if bell gets a NOKIA ( witch i think they will *hint*hint* )

i can even sing you up my self call you when ever you want!! i wont even try to sell you an Iphone or Android! I SWEAR!! lol

so if you can wait a little, i would wait. i know i am

Woah, Se1fcr3ation, that's awesome. I do not see that plan on the Bell page. Do you have a link? When will it expire?

 

[selfcreation]

yeah its a promo plan that's why its not on the site... im not suppose to but.. here it is

End date: Sunday, February 05, 2012 ( i hope we get WP by then ) but honestly they ALWAYS extend them. ( they told us FAB 10 plan was temp plan in 2008 ... weave had them ever sints LOL )

 

[Bifurcated]

Well ain't that interesting! Turns out Rogers secretly has the same plan as well. I'm kind of guessing that Rogers will get the Lumia 900 eventually because (being GSM) they tend to get the same phones as AT&T.

 

[selfcreation]

well tellus rogers and bell being the top 3 dogs..

rogers being in a big third place... and alredy have the 800... i hope bell gets the 900 lol

+ all 3 of them are on LTE ( bell has the best one , more coverige across canada)

 

[freestaterocker]

well tellus rogers and bell being the top 3 dogs..

rogers being in a big third place... and alredy have the 800... i hope bell gets the 900 lol

+ all 3 of them are on LTE ( bell has the best one , more coverige across canada)

From what I read TELUS is getting the 800, and Rogers the 710...

 

[selfcreation]

oops... yeah thats what i mean

 

[freestaterocker]

As a Saskatchewan resident it makes me happy... I could buy the 800 outright, unlock it and use it on Bell, my current carrier. Rogers has terrible coverage here.
I also hope for the 900 on Bell, but my inside source has heard nothing about any new WPs on Bell.