So there I was, reading the news that Loblaws’ PC Mobile pay as you go cell phone division will start offering smartphones and contracts and trying to think up a few President’s Choice cell phone jokes to unleash on Twitter, when the part about the monthly plans caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks.
Combo 35: $35 monthly fee; includes 400 Canada-wide Anytime Minutes and 200 MB data (in Canada)
Combo 50: $50 monthly fee; includes 1000 Canada-wide Anytime Minutes and 1 GB data (in Canada)
Combo 65: $65 monthly fee; includes unlimited Canada-wide Anytime Minutes and 2 GB data (in Canada)
I’ll take a Combo 65, please. that sounds nice. Considering what people like Carin and I pay to Rogers for the privilege of having to be careful when we make calls so we don’t get dinged what I believe is now 45 cents a minute, this is a bargain. And getting the 2 gigs of monthly data on top is enough to make me consider a switch when the Rogers contract ends or we can legally get out of it. What I do wonder though is how they handle extra features like call waiting, voicemail and texting plans. If they make up for the generous by Canadian standards pricing by charging more for those things than other carriers, we’re unfortunately right back where we started. Something else to look into, I suppose.
Right now, the phones on offer will include Blackberries, Samsungs, Nokias and LGs. Nope, no iPhones just yet. That’s a little disappointing, as is the fact that the Blackberries aren’t Decadent and that nothing is called Memories of Reception.
Give Telus a look. They’re in roughly the same price range, and except for the unlimited minutes offer equal or better packages (*). Also if you’re in the habbit of calling certain numbers frequently, Telus and Rogers both have My10, though I think Telus’s works Canada-wide not just in your calling area. Also: no charge US texting. Because potentially useful.
(*): As of the last time I looked, which admitedly was a while ago. Still, it can’t hurt. Also they have the iPhone, and I think Rogers’ll let you unlock yours–so there’s an extra thing you don’t need to pay for if you’d really rather not.
Rogers has My10, and it is Canada wide. I’m on it, and it’s definitely saved me some money.
US texting for free, you say? That’s a point in their favour to be sure. Even with iMessage and all the here’s a fancy shmancy way to keep in touch apps that exist now, texting is still a thing you can’t really avoid.
I just hope that PC succeeds since I’m of the more choice is always better mentality when it comes to most things and them making a good run at the establishment would be more choice.