Confused about cellphones and their plans

[Takada]

Okay, I'm a cell phone newbie and I can't seem to find the answers. Can someone please answer these for me?

1. Which networks can I use with an unlocked, sim card using, GSM phone? Only the Rogers/Fido/7-11 one, right?

2. Can I use the pay as you go services from Rogers/Fido/7-11 with this phone or do I have to buy a specific pay as you go phone?

3. I receive long distance calls from my parents who use a long distance calling card to call me cheaply. I still get charged a lot for receiving that call right? Can I use a calling card to call them under the base rate (25 cents/minute for example?

4. Should I wait till later to get a "student plan" that I hear usually comes out? I don't use the phone that much (30 minutes/month?), but I do make/receive long distance calls every week.

[Kwirky]

1. Yes, just be sure that the GSM phone you want to use can work on at least 1900MHz and preferably 850MHz, too.
2. You can use any locked phones, although as far as I know 7-11 don't sell SIM-only packages, so you'll have to get some sort of phone from them.
3. No, for incoming calls you're charged whatever your local per-minute rate is, no long distance applies to any incoming calls unless you recieve calls when you're outside of your local calling area. You can use a calling card for long distance, for which the wireless carrier will charge you the regular local per minute rate.
4. For only 30 minutes per month you're probably best off forgoing a plan and getting a prepaid. If you only use 30 minutes per month, on 7-11 that'll cost you $6/mo + long distance using a calling card or $15/mo including LD. Since a monthly plan will cost you at least $6.95 + $0.50 for the monthly system access fee + 911 fee, you're going to be way better off with prepaid.