While I never did recover my lost funds, my experience with SpeakOut Wireless and my susequent follow-up has contributed to the implementation of the 7-day grace period which has probably now saved many SO customers a bit of unnecessary financial grief. I believe SpeakOut's customer service has returned to what it once was, prior to my bad experience (but honest/truthful experience, 'chimpanzee' - keep in mind that I renewed my minutes via voucher/phone-in, back then).

Thank you.

I renewed mine right on the expiry date(i.e. 0 days left per the online screen) without any issue.

But it is a good idea to give it some slack in case they have maint problem. Though using the good old phone key in way seems to always work, beside that is the only way to get the annual free phone

you do know this is a low cost option which is unlikely to have conceirge type service i assume.

why it is a bad thing when they gave you 5 dollars credit in the new SIM ? I very much appreciate that. It was a bad thing in my case because if there wasn't an initial credit, I would have realized that I had to do "something" else to activate my prepaid $100.

and your case don't need a manager unless you want to bullying them for the 25 dollar credit which is a promotional item which like many other promotional items have time limits. You obviously didn't read my post in detail. When I bought the package, I asked them what I needed to do to get it working AND get my $25 bonus. All they told me to do was activate my phone. I also did mention that I have no knowledge of how this whole prepaid cell package worked. When I was talking to customer service, they saw that I activated the phone 'on time'. Like I said in my post, it was my ignorance but I asked....out of good will if they could give me my bonus $25 because I did activate my cell within the time frame.

for your case, just top up for 25 which would be good for a year and wait for the next promot which usually comes in spring/autumn and christmas time each year. You didn't read my post properly. I don't need to top anything up. I am disappointed that they didn't give me my bonus.

no one is ripping you off

I feel ripped off for not receiving my $25 that was a bonus to my purchasing the $100 package deal.

"The Wireless Code establishes new standards that all wireless service providers must follow. The Wireless Code applies to all new contracts signed as of December 2, 2013. It also applies to existing contracts that are renewed or extended, or where the key terms are amended, as of December 2, 2013"

If you don't activate the $100, you don't get the $25.

Just activating the phone doesn't tell anything to the system to activate the $25 credit.

Just activating the phone is like just purchasing the phone without any credit (which I assume people would do to replace a phone.)

You really can't expect anything from a service clerk. They have too many other things to do.

In fact, you can't really expect much from anyone these days for proper service.

You have to do the research yourself. There are way too many easy ways for businesses to take your money.

why it is a bad thing when they gave you 5 dollars credit in the new SIM ? I very much appreciate that.

and your case don't need a manager unless you want to bullying them for the 25 dollar credit which is a promotional item which like many other promotional items have time limits.

for your case, just top up for 25 which would be good for a year and wait for the next promot which usually comes in spring/autumn and christmas time each year.

no one is ripping you off

Well, it is now January 18th and my phone is notifying me that I only have 12 days till expiry. I was totally confused. I called up customer service and I was told that I was suppose to also register my $100 prepaid card. I told her I didn't know that. I asked if an exception could be made to top up the $25 because it was obvious that I registered it before the end of December 2013. Yes, it is my ignorance but I did ask what I needed to do AND why did my phone work without me registering the $100 prepaid? It should not have worked until I also registered my prepaid. (Apparently they put $5 on my phone.)

I just feel like I was scammed. Why would they put $5 on my phone initially so that it would work just for a while? Enough to take me past the expiry deal of 2013? To make matters worse, when I asked if I could speak to a supervisor/manager, she said that there wasn't one. I asked why there wasn't a manger on duty and then she said that there was one but they're too busy to take calls. I persisted again and realized that she was not going to pass me through.

Very upset and disappointed.