Virgin Mobile rate going up

[blueangel2323]

First they shorten the expiry dates of top up cards. Then they start charging you as soon as you press the SEND key instead of when the other person picks up. Now they're raising the rate from 25 to 30 cents/minutes. *sigh*

Any cheaper alternatives to Virgin? The expiry date is also a consideration because I don't use up my minutes fast enough.

[Junk Food Junkie]

if they still have a $10 card valid for more than 30 days then they are still the best.

Nope, the lowest top up card is $15 for 45 days.
http://www.virginmobile.ca/site/en/customerService/html/customer_faq_topup.html

[Beradon]

wow that sure sucks. So there's no more advantages to using Virgin?

[Junk Food Junkie]

ohhh, in that case stick to either Rogers/fido... they are the same.

but rogers had a $100 card valid for 365 days...which is better if u dont use that much.

but either one, the $10 min will transfer to the next month, if put before expire.

Virgin has a $100 card for 365 days as well, or just buy the $25 cards, works out to be pretty much the same. Will try to attach a chart here......

Top Up Cards/Cash........Top Up Value Credit/Debit......Expiry (in days)
$100...........................$100 - $200........................365
$50.............................$50 - $99...........................120
$25.............................$25 - $49...........................90
$15.............................$15 - $24...........................45
Starter credit................$10......................... ..........45
Starter credit................$5.......................... ...........30

[Oversized Rooster]

When Virgin first came to Canada, I found their subway ads to be quite entertaining...such as "does it burn when you pay?"

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, they're morphing into the same thing as their competition...

[Avatar]

Oh. I just knew they've changed their policy. Well. I switched to them with the crappy phone they provided because of the longer expiry date they offered. I'll quit if it's not worth it. They're probably thinking that they got too many customers now. I'm even trying to recommend to others.

[Keas]

ohhh, in that case stick to either Rogers/fido... they are the same.

but rogers had a $100 card valid for 365 days...which is better if u dont use that much.

but either one, the $10 min will transfer to the next month, if put before expire.

what i dislike about rogers is the upfront price of phones even if you get alot of it back in minutes :(

virgin had cheap priced phones but if they are dropping the 10$ cards it sucks since i just wanted a phone for emergencies and a quick call here and there and cant afford to buy the long range cards.

guess it is back to the drawing board for me as they say. needed an even cheaper phone for my mom as well :(

[sf1]

they claim to be the company with the happiest customers tho...

[blueangel2323]

wow that sure sucks. So there's no more advantages to using Virgin?

well there is still no monthly mimimun (yet!) with virgin, whereas with rogers you need to use up at least $10 each month. and the expiry dates are still longer than the others.

[Beradon]

well there is still no monthly mimimun (yet!) with virgin, whereas with rogers you need to use up at least $10 each month. and the expiry dates are still longer than the others.
monthly minimum for Fido is only $10. Plus 7-11 Speakout and Petro Canada Mobile have long expiry dates low minimum topups.

[blueangel2323]

holy crap! 7-11 has 365 day expiry dates for *all* amounts, even $25! if i had known earlier i would definitely have gone with them.

[Beradon]

holy crap! 7-11 has 365 day expiry dates for *all* amounts, even $25! if i had known earlier i would definitely have gone with them.LOL! Branson is getting nervous.....

[Avatar]

monthly minimum for Fido is only $10. Plus 7-11 Speakout and Petro Canada Mobile have long expiry dates low minimum topups.

Wow. I know RFDlers are good. Thanks guys. Just check the Petro Canada site and it's 20 for 180 days and 20 cents per min. I'm gonna switch NOW.

[Keas]

which carriers or systems do 7/11 and petro use? bell?

also anyone have a clue what thier cheapest phones go for?

[Beradon]

which carriers or systems do 7/11 and petro use? bell?

also anyone have a clue what thier cheapest phones go for?Both 7/11 Speakout and Petro Canada Mobile use Roger's GSM network.

http://www.speakoutwireless.ca/
http://retail.petro-canada.ca/en/mobility/2303.aspx

[sf1]

also anyone have a clue what thier cheapest phones go for?

petro cheapest is $80 + tax
7-11 has promotion going on where you buy $100 voucher and get a nokia 1100 free.

[Taft]

Funny that I didn't hear about this through a text message on my phone until now... I guess some here have known for longer. This sucks but from what I can tell, Virgin is still better in terms of rates and expiry of balance than any other company's pre-paid plans (except maybe the Petro Can and 7-11 ones linked...?)

[JAC]

Wow. I know RFDlers are good. Thanks guys. Just check the Petro Canada site and it's 20 for 180 days and 20 cents per min. I'm gonna switch NOW.

Since you can port your number to 7-11, and you get a free phone, there's really no reason to stay with Virgin.

[nightwalker]

Since you can port your number to 7-11, and you get a free phone, there's really no reason to stay with Virgin.

how do you switch your number over???

i'm planning on doing this when my virgin is up

[JAC]

Call 7-11 customer service. There's an 800# posted in another thread somewhere.

[Junk Food Junkie]

Reading about this 7-11 cell phone, does it have the same coverage as Virgin?

I next to never use my Virgin phone, but like to have it. I bought it last year for $100 and now have like $50 in credit. My next top up is due in July, and from what I understand, buying the $25 top up card is the most economical for lengh of expiry date.

Just a month after buying my Virgin phone, they changed the expiry dates drastically from 4 months, down to only days. I was pretty pissed off, now I'm not sure what to do, I have this much invested in Virgin Mobile now (phone and lots of minutes) and next to never use the phone. Do I switch to 7-11 (would have to find a 7-11 as they aren't in my area and buy another phone) or keep the Virgin cell going? A lot of money seems wasted, but having that cell has come in handy.
:|

[blueangel2323]

Reading about this 7-11 cell phone, does it have the same coverage as Virgin?

I next to never use my Virgin phone, but like to have it. I bought it last year for $100 and now have like $50 in credit. My next top up is due in July, and from what I understand, buying the $25 top up card is the most economical for lengh of expiry date.

Just a month after buying my Virgin phone, they changed the expiry dates drastically from 4 months, down to only days. I was pretty pissed off, now I'm not sure what to do, I have this much invested in Virgin Mobile now (phone and lots of minutes) and next to never use the phone. Do I switch to 7-11 (would have to find a 7-11 as they aren't in my area and buy another phone) or keep the Virgin cell going? A lot of money seems wasted, but having that cell has come in handy.
:|

7-11 uses the rogers network so you get the same coverage

[tsehou]

It says this in the FAQ

7. What’s the 911 fee?

99 cents per month (no tax will be applied).

So that means if every month I will be deducted 99 cents from what i have topped off?

[Beradon]

So that means if every month I will be deducted 99 cents from what i have topped off?Yes