URGENT DECISION!!!!! Bell Vs Rogers

[j890]

I am in a bit of a dilemma here.
i just need some input.
(i know this is kind of long... i probably ramble on a lot but please bear with me! =])

my plan right now is with bell
its initially $30
BUT my system access fee is included with my plan. =D because it would be around $9 =( ( i know because my parents have to pay for their system access fee)

200 mins
unlimited weekends and week nights from 6pm
call display
voice mail
message centre express (dont know what that is though)
unlimited mobile browser
100 long distance within canada

30 text for $3

and with system access fees and stuff it comes to around $37-$39 depending on how much i text or call long distance.

Now that my contract is done, i am debating whether to stick with bell or switch over to rogers.
I dont really like how i bell is CDMA, id rather have a phone thats GSM.

the thing is, if i were to stay with bell, i may be able to ask for a better texting plan for free since ive been with them for a while and possibly other things.

If i were to stay with bell, i would either get the samsung instinct or LG voyager or LG vantage or Lg rumour (in that order)
would i need a data plan for the instinct or voyager?
would the mobile browser be enough?
i would be able to bargain with them to include more features.

----
if i were to go with rogers
i would get the $17.50 plan which includes:
200 mins
unlimited evenings/weekends from 6pm
i would then have to get the $20 value pack
less -$5 because i am a student
the value pack has unlimited mobile browsing
2500 sent text messages
unlimited email with mobile mail
call display
voicemail
etc etc

that would come out $39.95

i would get the LG Vu or the Nokia N95 if i switched to rogers but i dont know whether i need a data plan or not because that would be waay to expensive for me.

my dad could also get 20% off from his company but not sure about bell because i am already on a corporate plan... sort of.

soooo should i stick with bell and bargain or switch to rogers... i dont really like cdma as i stated above but... cost is more important to me.

any input is appreciated!!! =D

[bubble.tea]

.....i dont know whether i need a data plan or not ....

.... i am already on a corporate plan... sort of.
....
With Rogers:
You can buy any device without a data plan, but to be eligible for the FURTHER discounted price a data pkg (on a term basis with associated penalties for early data cancellation) you need to add one.

I say bargain with Bell. You're already with them., worst thing is they refuse, and you go...which you were going to do anyway.

I don't understand your 'sort of'. Either you are or you're not. If you mean to say you *are* on one, but you're not in fact *eligible* for it...then I understand., in which case you're playing russian roulette.

[felixmo]

Go with Rogers, because they are a GSM carrier, that means most of the phones you buy from them can be used worldwide with different carriers, if you get the phone unlocked.

Bell uses CDMA, which means any of their phones cannot because with any other carrier, if you decide to cancel.

[bubble.tea]

^ while what you have stated is correct *a large percentage* of people hardly travel internationally moreover WANT to use their cellphones while on vacations.

I'm a die hard Rogers fan...but if I was a Telus/Bellus customer of years gone by, I'd be working their respective Loyalty departments to keep me happy...and I'm sure I would be.

[Shimso]

^ while what you have stated is correct *a large percentage* of people hardly travel internationally moreover WANT to use their cellphones while on vacations.

I'm a die hard Rogers fan...but if I was a Telus/Bellus customer of years gone by, I'd be working their respective Loyalty departments to keep me happy...and I'm sure I would be.

GSM's benefits aren't only for international travel, but for the fact that you can switch phones whenever you want and have a much larger selection.

Another issue is reception (or at least for me it was). Where I am I get quite a bit better service with Rogers than with Bell.

[j890]

UPDATE!! =]
Thanks for the fast replies guys!!! =D

so i am keeping my original plan but with 2500 sent text for free for the first year and 50% off in the 2nd and their year, which is $5.
it came out to $35 exactly.
i think it is ok... but maybe i could do better =/

what do you think??

[bubble.tea]

GSM's benefits aren't only for international travel, but for the fact that you can switch phones whenever you want and have a much larger selection.

Another issue is reception (or at least for me it was). Where I am I get quite a bit better service with Rogers than with Bell.

Believe it or not, there are MANY people who couldn't care less about 'switching phones ad nauseum'. For them that is purely an extra expense and not at all an interest. Reception is purely a location issue. There is no fiction to the fact that there remain many locations in Canada where Rogers will (arguably for years and years to come) remain with the poorest reception offering to clients.


-Devil's Advocate

[Shimso]

Yeah, reception is a bit hit or miss and depends on where you are.

As for phones, I've yet to meet a person who didn't use their phone solely for emergencies and kept the phone for the full 3 years. Plus, its nice to know if your battery dies/phone breaks/etc you can just pop the sim into another phone and continue, without having to pay ~$20 and a phone call to Bell.

[felixmo]

Yeah, reception is a bit hit or miss and depends on where you are.

As for phones, I've yet to meet a person who didn't use their phone solely for emergencies and kept the phone for the full 3 years. Plus, its nice to know if your battery dies/phone breaks/etc you can just pop the sim into another phone and continue, without having to pay ~$20 and a phone call to Bell.

agreed, i've had so many phones break that i'm glad im with rogers because i can get a cheap gsm phone and pop in the sim card:D

[jyeung]

I'm one of those people that don't care about switching phones with SIMs. For me, it's a "nice to have" instead of a mandatory feature.

I've switched CDMA phones for the past few years - ran through the LG Shine, LG Venus, LG Chocolate Spin, BlackBerry Pearl, Touch, Touch Diamond, P4000 over the past year and a half alone. So yes, I do switch phones - only CDMA ones. Currently stuck with the P4000 and looking to up to the Touch Pro...

For me, reception is the most important thing, and TELUS works well where I am, so I stick with them. Besides, my plan is $10 + SAF and there is no way that I can get something similar with Rogers/Fido. (I'm also in a huge dispute with Fido too, so I'm not very impressed by them.)

Pricing + reception > SIM card (for me at least).

- Jason