gerrythegreat said:

Do I need the card to top off or can a friend buy it for me and give me the numbers that are on it so I can update it?

All you need is the number.

I just picked up my second SO phone when away on business in Winnipeg. I brought the phone home and activated it in the 613 zone. When I asked SpeakOut about changing the phone number from a 204 area code to 613 they said that this was free to do by calling 611 (it is considered a move rather than a change). Then they told me another useful bit of information. So, for anyone wanting to go to another center to purchase a new phone, use the Ottawa activation code instead of the one that comes on the box. IE: your SO form with the codes shows the 5-digit "Store" code and the 7-digit "Activation Code". Use the Ottawa Store code instead which is "24911" (I did not specify any store so I assume that code is associated with the area code. I checked my activation form of my first SO phone and it was the same code). Once I entered both codes as prompted, I waited and was then given a 613 phone number. It was that simple.

So now I only need to worry about when my next visit to a city with a 7-11 will be and how much airtime I have left. I figure that I am good for a year now anyway, and maybe the On-line service will be available before then.

Cheers 😎

So how does a guy in Ottawa get a phone+SIM+$100 Voucher ? Suggestions ?

dc said:

I went into the 7-11 near my house and the guys there told me that they would be around till November 30 and I could by my top up anytime before then.

Which store was this?

I love SO but lets be honest. If you use more than $10/mo petro-Can is almost identical.

The thing is I don't. I'm currently with rogers and I hate having to top up every month when I still have >80% left from last top up (not including stuff from before).

I'll go look around town and see where they still sell phones. If I don't find anything I'll have to schedule a trip to Toronto.

It there a time limit to switch?

I love SO but lets be honest. If you use more than $10/mo petro-Can is almost identical.

I am half a block from a peto too.

According to what I got by skimming this thread is that stores are closing but service will stay.

Correct.

However I just had someone go check out the situation at a local 711 (none here in Kanata), and the 'guy' (whoever that might be) said that they are stopping service here all together.

Bullshit.

SO service is currently available from coast to coast, everywhere that Rogers has cellphone coverage, including areas where there are no 7-11 stores for hundreds of kilometers. The closing of a few 7-11 in the NCC doesn't change that in any way.

The worst thing is I was about to get a phone from them, the $25 annual is unbeatable for me.

@BillB: so they still sell phones there?

Thanks for the update. Please keep us posted on the changes happening in Ottawa.

Vincent said:
So what's the last day we can buy air time at Ottawa 711 store?

Everything I've read says Oct.31, and having just got back into town and hearing about this, I was afraid that I'd have to switch to PCM. However, I've just been to the 7-Eleven store at 1166 Bank and (a) they are still a 7-Eleven, and (b) they are still selling SO time as of today, Nov. 4. [They said that they will continue to do so after the store changes hands, but I'm skeptical -- this contradicts what we've heard from SO.]
You can delay applying the ticket for 90 days, so if your account minutes will expire before Feb. 1, you might as well hurry out and get your update now.
For a minimal user like me, the fact that I can keep the phone alive for $25/year, compared to the minimum $75/year with PetroCan, makes it worth extending SO for a year and passing up the chance to switch for free. If I do have to switch a year from now, I'll have saved $50 which should help cover any switching costs then.