Canada: iPhone 4 for a student

[taran420]

i agree with everyone in this thread, and you, that she should just have an canadian plan. It will also be a lot cheaper to get a subsidized phone then an unlocked one.

their is also international text plan if you are worried about txting to US and getting a large bill

as to which carrier to go with, there are many choices and i feel you will get the best help over here
http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php/317-Canadian-Carrier-Discussion

Taran

 

[silverblack]

There isn't a big difference in your case between the unlocked and subsidized version. If money isn't a problem, get the unlocked one. That way you can go month to month, and put the plan on hold during vacation. She can use the unlocked phone while in the US. You can order it online, and have it shipped in 3 weeks. You know she's getting the phone for sure.

Economically it makes more sense to go subsidized. She'll have to sign a 3 yr contract for the 6gb data plan one way or the other. She can jailbreak and unlock. The downside is, iPhone 4 is sold out in most carrier stores. It may get better in a month, but who knows. She also may need to build up her credit in Canada before they approve her 3 yr contract.

 

[taran420]

There isn't a big difference in your case between the unlocked and subsidized version. If money isn't a problem, get the unlocked one. That way you can go month to month, and put the plan on hold during vacation. She can use the unlocked phone while in the US. You can order it online, and have it shipped in 3 weeks. You know she's getting the phone for sure.

Economically it makes more sense to go subsidized. She'll have to sign a 3 yr contract for the 6gb data plan one way or the other. She can jailbreak and unlock. The downside is, iPhone 4 is sold out in most carrier stores. It may get better in a month, but who knows. She also may need to build up her credit in Canada before they approve her 3 yr contract.

He can order it online, i"ve heard conflicting reports on whether or not a canadian credit card is needed, i think it is. And he needs a canadian address for shipping for sure, so likely wait till she gets a Canadian address or have it shipped to a friend in Canada

 

[Demosthenes X]

Rogers website is a mess, but look HERE for their North American One Rate plans. It'll cost you more, but you should be able to buy a One Rate voice and a One Rate data plan, and then never worry about overages when she goes back and forth.

I agree, she needs a Canadian (local) number. None of her friends are going to want to call or text a US number - it's just too expensive.

I'd go with the subsidized phone, too. On a one-rate plan she can just keep it until the contract ends, and by then, she'll want to upgrade to the iPhone 7 anyway, so no point keeping it.

 

[Komiksulo]

He can order it online, i"ve heard conflicting reports on whether or not a canadian credit card is needed, i think it is. And he needs a canadian address for shipping for sure, so likely wait till she gets a Canadian address or have it shipped to a friend in Canada

Canadian Apple store requires a Canadian credit card and a Canadian address.

Credit cards accepted

Apple is unable to accept credit cards associated with a billing address outside of Canada.

In Canada, we accept:

* American Express
* MasterCard
* Visa

Link.

 

[flynz4]

Canadian Apple store requires a Canadian credit card and a Canadian address. Link.

Thanks, That is for the online store. Am I correct that I can use a US credit card if we visit the Vancouver Apple Store (and if they are available by the end of the month). It took about a month for things to get "normal" in US. Hopefully things will not be worse in Canada.

/Jim

 

[flynz4]

There isn't a big difference in your case between the unlocked and subsidized version. If money isn't a problem, get the unlocked one. That way you can go month to month, and put the plan on hold during vacation. She can use the unlocked phone while in the US. You can order it online, and have it shipped in 3 weeks. You know she's getting the phone for sure.

Economically it makes more sense to go subsidized. She'll have to sign a 3 yr contract for the 6gb data plan one way or the other. She can jailbreak and unlock. The downside is, iPhone 4 is sold out in most carrier stores. It may get better in a month, but who knows. She also may need to build up her credit in Canada before they approve her 3 yr contract.

I saw the $30 6GB plan with a $10 adder for an iPad on Bell. That sounds like a reasonable rate. If that requires a 3 year contract, I would go with the subsidized phone.

I did an online chat today with a Bell Service Rep. She said I could order the iPhone and have it delivered to a friends house using their credit card, but having the phone under my daughter's name. Then we could change the billing address once she arrives in Canada at the end of the month. She couldn't confirm that my daughter would be able to switch to a student plan, and the department that handles student plans is closed till 8am tomorrow morning.

/Jim

 

[silverblack]

The $30 + $10 (iPad sharing) is a pretty good idea.

The only thing is to select a good value voice plan, and decide on which add-ons she needs (call display, visual voice mail). This is the part where you should compare with other carriers - Rogers, Fido, and Telus.

For me, I chose Fido because they have the cheapest voice plan ($15 - I don't make many calls). I only use 3G on my iPad when I travel occassionally, so the $10 iPad add-on won't save me any money.

You need to decide what you daughter needs and then find the suitable combo.

 

[taran420]

rogers/fido have a similiar ipad/iphone data sharing plan, but i think it costs an additional $20

 

[flynz4]

The $30 + $10 (iPad sharing) is a pretty good idea.

The only thing is to select a good value voice plan, and decide on which add-ons she needs (call display, visual voice mail). This is the part where you should compare with other carriers - Rogers, Fido, and Telus.

For me, I chose Fido because they have the cheapest voice plan ($15 - I don't make many calls). I only use 3G on my iPad when I travel occassionally, so the $10 iPad add-on won't save me any money.

You need to decide what you daughter needs and then find the suitable combo.

The UBC bookstore lists a Bell plan as follows:

- $17.30/mo
- 250 minutes
- Call Display, Message Center, Call Waiting, Conference Calling, Call Forwarding & Detailed Billing
- FREE Evenings & Weekends @ 6pm- 8am
- Twelfth to thirty-six months contract

I do not know if this can be used for a "build it yourself" plan, but that seems like it would meet her needs. Adding $15 for unlimited text, $30 for 6GB and $10 for the iPad would be about $75 for plenty of minutes (seeing as how we will mostly skype/facetime) and lots of data.

Does that seem reasonable to you?

/Jim

 

[silverblack]

Not bad for $17.5, but 250 min may not be enough although she can always upgrade her plan (you just cannot downgrade).

I'd hold off the $15 unlimited text for now, and try out textplus. You can opt in/out addons anytime.

 

[taran420]

agreed with silverback. 250mins w/o unlimited incoming wont be enough. Do they have option for unlimited incoming? if so i would get that

 

[flynz4]

Here is an update on how we ended up. We arrived in Vancouver yesterday, and visited the Apple store today to see the situation on the iPhone 4. My plan was to buy her an unlocked phone. As you probably know, the supply is still tight in Canada... so I had no luck at the Apple store.

On the way out of the Pacific Center, I stopped at the Bell kiosk, and they had one 32GB iPhone 4 remaining so I grabbed that for her. It is subsidized, so I will be with them for 3 years. I am just happy that I was able to get a phone right away and get her set up properly.

I bought her the student package plus the $30 6GB plan, and the $10 iPad add-on. Both her new iPhone 4 and her existing 3G iPad seem to be working well now.

One thing I noticed is that her iPhone does not have the visual voicemail option as is available in the US. Is that not standard in Canada? When she hits the voicemail tab in the phone... it just dials the voicemail number rather than displaying her VM messages on the phone.

Thanks to everyone who helped!

/Jim

 

[silverblack]

Visual voicemail ($5) and call display ($7) are add-ons to be purchased separately with Bell. You could also get a $20 value pack that include some texting packages.

I know, it's a rip-off. It's the same for Rogers and Fido, probably for Telus too... Although the value pack for Fido is more reasonable - $10 for call display, name display, VVM, & who called.