Hi
I was wondering if I purchase a SO bundle with $100 talk time to be used in N. America.
Along with that if I can add a long distance plan (1010620) for making long distance calls overseas. (This 1010620 works more like a calling card with a local access # can be used to make long calls from N. America to overseas and not vice versa)

When I go overseas (India/Asia) I take SO bundle with me, I just keep the phone on to retrieve any messages from my local contacts in N. America.
- Is there a voice mail privilege on the SO bundle so that the local contacts can leave a message for me? With a display of the phone number.
- Can I hear the message overseas or even see the display of the phone number
-Will it deduct the fee to hear the message or display the phone number from my SO $100 talk time.
-Does anyone knows how much it would deduct.
- Is there a call forward to international countries?

While overseas I use a GSM phone and a local (India / Asia) sim card. I will call the person who had left a message on my SO phone.

Is the above possible? Or is there a better / cheaper way to do this.
I will be using the SO phone only to retrieve messages and see phone display while I am overseas.
- Also is there an online way of purchasing minutes for my SO phone just in case I run out of minutes
Any suggestions will be appreciate.

Thank you

Well, technically the phone number will still work, but it will go directly to voicemail so people can leave you messages.

But your SIM will not work in any phone outside Canada (I'd leave it at home so I wouldn't lose it). I don't think ANY prepaid cellphone service will work outside North America.

Oh, and most of the phones sold by Speakout will not work overseas, even with a local SIM card.

Oh, and I just remembered something that you mentioned in your original post. Even if you bought airtime from someone, you cannot add it to your phone since Speakout service will not work outside Canada.

Anyone from anywhere in the world can call your Canadian phone number, just like they would be able to call your Canadian home phone from anywhere. As long as they don't mind paying long distance charges. A Canadian cellphone has a Canadian phone number that works like any other Canadian phone number.

Now, whether or not you will be able to receive the call is another matter entirely. For example, if your cellphone is turned off, then Speakout cannot find it and therefore the call will go directly to voicemail. If you are in a subway tunnel and do not have any reception then Speakout cannot find your phone and the call will go directly to voicemail. If your phone is physically outside Canada then Speakout cannot find your phone and the call will go directly to voicemail. See the pattern? If Speakout cannot find your phone, your phone will not ring or inform you that you have had a call. People can still call you, but they will just get your voicemail. If Speakout CAN find your phone (meaning your phone is in Canada and has reception) then your phone will ring, etc etc.

Speakout is a great cellphone if you need it infrequently and do not want to worry about buying more airtime each and every month. Once you buy airtime from Speakout AND load it into your account, it does not expire for 365 days (or you use it all up, whichever comes first). Anytime before the 365 day expiry you can buy another airtime card and both the old and new balance will have 365 days from that point before they expire.

One disadvantage with Speakout (and, to the best of my knowledge, every other Canadian prepaid cellphone) is that you cannot use it outside North America. There may be 1 or 2 prepaid plans that you can use in the US, can't remember which ones, but I know Speakout isn't one of them. Of course, anyone can call you from anywhere in the world, since your cellphone uses a regular phone number, just like your home phone.

If you are using the phone while you are in Canada, Speakout looks like it's a good option for you. If you are using the phone overseas, then you will probably want a different solution.

The battery cover on that Nokia is a little tricky. I guess Nokia didn't think people would be constantly switching SIMs.

I'm not sure if Nokia would know if your phone is locked or not. The easiest way (in my opinion) is to find a friend that has a Fido phone (or an american friend with a T-Mobile or AT&T phone) and try out the 2760 with the Fido SIM card. Don't bother trying it out with a Rogers SIM – it will work regardless if it is unlocked or locked (cause if it's locked, the phone treats Rogers and Speakout SIMS the same).

Phones from Virgin Mobile (or Bell, Bell Solo, Telus, Koodo, President's Choice Mobility) will not work with any SIM card because SIM cards are for GSM phones and Bell/Telus/Virgin/Solo/Koodo/Pres.Choice use CDMA technology – different thing altogether.

For the record, some of the GSM carriers in Canada are Speakout, PetroCanada Mobility, Rogers, and Fido.