What's up with Virgin Mobile? | Other carriers | Consumer forum

Please consider registering
guest

sp_LogInOut Log In sp_Registration Register

Register | Lost password?
sp_Feed Topic RSS sp_TopicIcon
What's up with Virgin Mobile?
June 7, 2009
8:30 pm
Thomas
Guest
Guests

Hi guys,

I'm shopping for a prepaid cell phone and plan. A couple of my friends are using Virgin and are strongly recommending it. What do you guys think about it ? What's the best bang for the buck in their phones (and plans as well i guess). I consider 2 of the prepaid (preloved) phones that are really cheap. Nokia 2125i and Moto razr v3c.

Preloved : http://www.virginmobile.ca/vmc.....loved=true

All : http://www.virginmobile.ca/vmc.....ink=phones

Peace to the out !

June 8, 2009
12:21 am
Big Ang
Member
Members
Forum Posts: 243
Member Since:
October 22, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

As with any cellphone service provider, it depends on how often and when you plan on using it.

Virgin has some nice plans that work for some people. If you're one of them, great.

If you want a plan where you need the cheapest rates anytime of the day, then Speakout might be better.

If you want a plan where you need long expiry times, then Speakout is the best.

If you need a plan with the cheapest text messaging costs WITHOUT a plan, then Speakout is for you.

If you want a plan that has a large number of texts for a set monthly fee, then Speakout doesn't have it.

June 8, 2009
1:01 am
lazyacer
Member
Members
Forum Posts: 116
Member Since:
April 23, 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Thomas said:

A couple of my friends are using Virgin and are strongly recommending it.


hi Thomas, time to get new friends... (?)

j/k

😀

June 8, 2009
8:25 am
bylo
519
Moderator
Moderators
Forum Posts: 576
Member Since:
March 15, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

What do you guys think about it ?

You're asking the wrong people. Everyone here voted with our money for SO or PCM. If you want opinions on Virgin then go to The Unofficial Virgin Wireless Canada Consumer Page

June 8, 2009
11:21 am
Thomas
Guest
Guests

Yeah, in fact, SO isn't really an option for me. I'm in Quebec. I'm mostly comparing it to Petro-Canada, or even President's Choice... I won't only be an emergency phone, i'll be using it a lil bit more than that. But i don't know how much, it's gonna be my first cell phone. So i decided to go with prepaid to see how many min/month i could use and see if it's rentable, if not, imma check for a plan.

June 8, 2009
11:27 am
Thomas
Guest
Guests

I have another question. I have a music file on my computer that i would like to use as a ringtone on a razr v3c, how do we do that ? Thanks again!

June 8, 2009
12:08 pm
Big Ang
Member
Members
Forum Posts: 243
Member Since:
October 22, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Sit down and try to get an idea of when and how often you'll be using the phone.

THEN you'll be able to see which company's plan fits you best.

BTW no phone is rentable. You'll have to buy the phone when going prepaid, and since there is no contract, the phone is not going to be subsidized. Expect to pay at least $50 for a basic phone.

June 8, 2009
12:53 pm
bylo
519
Moderator
Moderators
Forum Posts: 576
Member Since:
March 15, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

it's gonna be my first cell phone. So i decided to go with prepaid to see how many min/month i could use and see if it's rentable

As Big Ang says, no phones are rentable. You've got to spend at least $50 on a phone or wait for a "free" phone promotion. That said, a SO or PCM is a lower risk option than Virgin or Pres Choice. Those phones will only work on their own network. Even though they use Bell's CDMA network and you later want to switch to a Bell plan you won't be able to use your old phone. OTOH if you start with a SO/PCM phone then you can later use it on a Rogers plan just by changing SIMs (and also on Fido if it's an older unlocked SO/PCM phone.)

June 8, 2009
8:23 pm
Thomas
Guest
Guests

YEah, but these companies use GSM which is less developped than CDMA in my region. Fido doesn't even have a network where I live. I use a bell phone (the razr v3c) at work and never had any problem with it except than it's bout 2 and a half year old so the battery doesn't last as long as it was at the beginning. With that being said. I'm pretty sure i would do more like 150-200 mins/month than 50 mins/month, so PCM (there is no SO in QC) is at 25cents/min which comes up to be more expensive than the 20$/month prepaid plan from Virgin for example. It won't only be an emergency phone.

There are a couple of "preloved phones" from virgin that are under 50$ such as the razr v3c.

Any clue about the previous ringtone question ?

June 8, 2009
10:08 pm
Big Ang
Member
Members
Forum Posts: 243
Member Since:
October 22, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

If you're going to use at least 150 minutes/month, then getting some sort of plan would be the best deal for you.

June 9, 2009
1:13 am
bridonca
Moderator
Moderators
Forum Posts: 1201
Member Since:
April 22, 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I am a Virgin (CDMA) and a Petro Canada (GSM) customer. I would recommend you go a CDMA carrier such as Virgin, because other than Ontario, Rogers, as a company that runs the GSM network, is substandard.

I also have really nice things to say about the Razr v3c phone you get with Virgin. Sadly the phone is locked down pretty tight, so 3rd party ringtones are not likely. To make things more depressing, that phone is not in stock on Virgin's web page. You might find one at one of their kiosks.

I also bought a 2125i for a friend, and it works great as a basic phone. That one is out of stock also, sadly.

You can get a new Virgin phone at Walmart for around $40.

For what you want to do, I think Virgin is best suited for your purposes. 200 minute for $20 is pretty easy on the pocketbook. If you buy credit online with a credit card, get 10% extra. Get your friend that recommended Virgin to give you a kickback code, and he will get $10 credit.

June 9, 2009
1:50 am
Thomas
Guest
Guests

Roger that.

Actually, the razr v3c and the nokia are both available in their preloved (used/refurbished) section.

In fact, the ringtone i want is the Codec sound in Metal Gear Solid, I have it on my computer.. I dunno how i could get it to work on the phone...

Thanks again for your help.

June 9, 2009
10:50 pm
Thomas
Guest
Guests

Never mind for the ringtone question. I found out how this morning.

June 10, 2009
3:05 am
bridonca
Moderator
Moderators
Forum Posts: 1201
Member Since:
April 22, 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Click on the buy now icon, see what you will get for availability. It is not in stock I tell you.

June 11, 2009
12:45 pm
Thomas
Guest
Guests

Which one of the phones they got would be the best bang for the buck than? I dont want something cheap. The M300 looks cheap... i dunno if it really is though...

June 11, 2009
3:37 pm
bridonca
Moderator
Moderators
Forum Posts: 1201
Member Since:
April 22, 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Samsung makes it, so yup, it is crap. There is nothing worse than having a phone you hate. I would pay the extra money and get something good.

June 14, 2009
7:24 pm
Thomas
Guest
Guests

Is the LG Rumour any good ?

October 7, 2009
6:14 am
jacks
Guest
Guests

Does virgin usually have any deals (besides the $50 activation credit that's only good for 2 months)?

Can't seem to ever find stock of the (pink only?) razr v3c phone online, but haven't checked kiosks yet.

Do the used phones come with any sort of warranty?

Emailed (to lazy to phone) a few times with no response.

October 8, 2009
7:51 am
fifi trixibelle
Guest
Guests

Branson has sold it all to Bell Canada and Bell is using the "brand" name under a license.

It's now 0.30 a minute, with long distance at 0.30 a minute. The 5cent virgin to virgin text is gone, it's 10cent outgoing.

Even with the 99c fee a month, I'm still going to be cheaper to switch to SpeakOut. (My phone's battery is holding the charge for shorter periods, so the end is near)

October 8, 2009
7:03 pm
jacks
Guest
Guests

It turns out a guy at work will give me his old phone for free. So don't even have to pay for that. I think for as little as I would actually use the phone, either would be fine. What really peaked my interest in speak out was the $100 promo. But could take me years to use up that air time just to get a free phone 🙂 Also since it will be my only phone, might be forced to actually go onto a 2-3 yr plan within a few months?

Only upside with virgin is that I don't need to buy minutes. Will have to get pple to text me so my phone doesn't get de-activated 🙂