Land-line vs. Cellular Phone?

Hey,

A friend of mine is going to be returning to Waterloo for studies. She's gonna be living off-campus. I'm wondering what is better... a land-line or a cellular phone?

She won't be using the phone much, so probably won't go over minutes on cellular plan and could also get in on a corporate plan (200 daytime/unlim. eve&wkend for $20). She doesn't care for CID/VM so wouldn't need to pay for those services. She'll be calling home (GTA) a bit, so am also looking into long distance plans/calling cards.

Anyway, my stance on it is to get a mobile phone as I think it is about the same price as a landline.

With corporate plan it would work out to:

200 daytime
Unlimted Evenings/Weekends (from 8pm)
1000 local Rogers-To-Rogers
$20 + $6.95 SAF + $0.50 e911 + tax = $31.29

I dunno what providers are available for landline phones in Waterloo, but maybe those that go there would have some suggestions?

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

is it rogers to rogers instead of the CID/VM? Cuz I have a very similar plan(corporate? or employee plan).

IBecause she is satying off campus, I'm not sure what is best. but pricing also depends on if she decides to get a waterloo area code. I still have to call Rogers, but if I get the 1000 LD minute retention offer, I am not changing my area code from 647 to a waterloo code(519?)

Well, I get 1000 R2R I would prefer if it were CID/VM heh. She'll be getting a 519 number (be it a landline or a cellular). Rogers will charge differently for a 519?

^it just affects your bill depending on ho wmuch calling you do. Because of the way Long distance is charged. So if I have a 519 number, calling home is long distance. But I plan on going home every so often and don't think I'll be doingt that much calling anyways, so if I get the 1000 LD, it's not worth it to keep changing numbers and pay for the number switch.

I guess we'll have to go ask Rogers/Bell for prices on cellular/landline respectively and pick the cheapest option heh. Then again a mobile phone is nice cuz it's mobile. Shouldn't be much more though.

Originally Posted by nkwu

^it just affects your bill depending on ho wmuch calling you do. Because of the way Long distance is charged. So if I have a 519 number, calling home is long distance. But I plan on going home every so often and don't think I'll be doingt that much calling anyways, so if I get the 1000 LD, it's not worth it to keep changing numbers and pay for the number switch.

Switching numbers between different area codes is free, because they count it as you moving. Whatever number you have whether it be 416 or 519 calling home will still be long distance, if you go home and keep your 519 number, you can make outgoing calls within Toronto and they count as local, but calls to 519 numbers and incoming calls from anywhere are long distance.

even if it is $10-$15 more its def. worth getting a cell phone if shes not going to go over the mines and not make too much long dis calls.

if she is going to be making long dis. calls i suggest getting onlinetel

cells phones are just very convient and a "just in chase" if anything happens

First of all you will have to pay an activation fee which will be between $20 and $40. Then for long distance it will be $0.25-$0.35 per minute. So, for 4 minutes of talk time long distance its an extra dollar on your bill. It really adds up fast. Also, you will have to buy a phone initially and pay anywhere from $30 for a bad to mediocre phone on a 3 year contract to $400 for crazy phone without a contract.

It sounds like I'm bashing it but I am switching to a cell from a landline next month myself. I need it for the convenience. So, unless your finding yourself on campus really needing to make phone calls in between classes and being away from you apartment alot get a landline. Or if you want to start such things to keep in touch with people easier get a cell.

Sprint Canada is probably the cheapest for a landline. It's owned by Rogers so you can get your Internet, Phone(Rogers Wireless or Sprint Canada), and Cable all on one bill and you get a 5% discount for your total bill for every service after the first one. So for three services you get a 10 discount.

But if you go with a Rogers cellphone don't buy one from a store. You get discounts from buying it from the Rogers website. I think you get a $50 gift certificate from Amex or Futureshop, plus $10 off of your purchase and 3 months free unlimited service. I think its because the stores aren't owned by rogers so they sell the phones to the stores at a reduced price, making them loose profit.

A basic landline is about $23/month after taxes. Combine that with a pay-as-you-go cell phone (mine works out to $8/month) for occasional use.

Consider getting her a student plan... student cell phone plans come with long distance which might be useful for students living away from home.

Originally Posted by thestagnant

First of all you will have to pay an activation fee which will be between $20 and $40. Then for long distance it will be $0.25-$0.35 per minute. So, for 4 minutes of talk time long distance its an extra dollar on your bill. It really adds up fast. Also, you will have to buy a phone initially and pay anywhere from $30 for a bad to mediocre phone on a 3 year contract to $400 for crazy phone without a contract.

It sounds like I'm bashing it but I am switching to a cell from a landline next month myself. I need it for the convenience. So, unless your finding yourself on campus really needing to make phone calls in between classes and being away from you apartment alot get a landline. Or if you want to start such things to keep in touch with people easier get a cell.

Agreed, but I could get activation fee waived (corporate activation ) Also, don't need a "high-end" phone so whatever $0 phone they have is good I guess. Plus, I could still use a calling card.

Originally Posted by will1087

Consider getting her a student plan... student cell phone plans come with long distance which might be useful for students living away from home.

I called Rogers, they said thy don't have discounts for students, what BS. Rogers CSRs are dumb heh. She has some kind of onlinetel plan already, would it work with a cell phone? Also, it seems www.studentphones.com is only listing the regular Rogers packages

Get primus voip if your getting a land line.

Maybe a cellphone and use something like skype out for calling home to the GTA?

I just bought a new cell phone this summer, so that's what I use for calling home from residence, but I used to use my old cell phone for calling anyway, with calling card and unlimited evenings.

I don't know much about Rogers plans, 'cause I'm on Telus. But since your friend is a university student, she's a member of Canadian Federation of Students. On a new 2-3 year contract she can get in on the Employee Purchase Plan, which has 200+50 bonus minutes, unlimited evenings from 6pm, caller ID, voicemail, conference calling and call waiting. I just got in on that plan, but depending on your luck with the reps you may have to go personally to the store a couple of times.

There's no competition for me, really. A landline costs like $30 with tax, this plan costs like $32, and a landline comes without voicemail, and you can't use it on the road. If she goes home or goes out fairly often, it's worth the little extra price to have a phone handy in case of emergencies, like your car breaking down in the middle of the road or getting into an accident or something.

Not to mention that if you get an mp3 phone, you can ditch that mp3 player for short trips