The Unofficial Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page - Forum: Site feedback and suggestions

skeptic on No permission to post?

Tue, 23 May 2023 17:58:17 -0700

Thank you pdops!

Yes, I saw that thread and it did answer most of my concerns, though I wanted to make sure that this was still the current policy. I have never had a cell phone before and I want to make sure that I do everything correctly. I want to buy the MaxWest Nitro phone and receive text and calls with it using the $25 yearly base payment. I suppose I can build up from there.

pdops on No permission to post?

Tue, 23 May 2023 11:22:02 -0700

Can't answer your first question but have a look at the thread below for how to sign up for only $25 for one year

https://www.speakoutwireless.ca/speak/7-eleven-rates-and-plans/pay-as-you-go-plan/

skeptic on No permission to post?

Mon, 22 May 2023 18:07:03 -0700

I have just registered for this site. Does anyone know why I do not have permission to make posts in other areas of the forum? I have never encountered denial to post on any of the other forums that I have signed up for? I am posting here because this is the only place that I am allowed to post!!!

I am trying to setup a $25 cell phone plan per year plan with 711 and would like to know the exact details of what I need to say and do to make this happen. I do not have a cell phone, a sim card or anything. What is the complete package that I need to get cell phone service? How long would it take me to get connected up?

Thank you!

Peter on FAQ #6b is wrong...

Sat, 29 Feb 2020 21:45:03 -0800

Thanks! I've updated the entry. If anybody has success with other short codes, please share your experiences.

rbc_tn on FAQ #6b is wrong...

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 15:47:55 -0800

...some short codes are supported. In particular, 33333 for Translink works.

j-beda on FAQ #3 rate info local vs long-distance

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 07:07:51 -0700

Hopefully if SO ever goes back to Local/Long Distance pricing you can just paste it back in.

I suspect that Local/Long Distance pricing is slowly going extinct. The incumbents certainly enjoy it, but virtually every non-major cell phone and land-line and VoIP provider includes "Canada-Wide" calling as a standard "feature".

Peter on FAQ #3 rate info local vs long-distance

Sat, 07 Jul 2018 15:49:50 -0700

Thanks! I've removed that part of #3 now.

iamdrumming on FAQ #3 rate info local vs long-distance

Sat, 07 Jul 2018 08:26:54 -0700

Thanks for pointing that out. Peter (site owner) will have to change that when he gets a chance.

j-beda on FAQ #3 rate info local vs long-distance

Sat, 07 Jul 2018 07:21:40 -0700

Since SO went to a single Canada-wide rate, maybe we no longer need the detailed information about area-code locality? Or maybe there should be a note that this was historically important info but does not apply for Canada-wide calling.

BTW - thanks so much for continuing to maintain this whole site!

- jb

Peter on update link

Sat, 19 May 2018 22:03:08 -0700

Sorry for missing this post! I've updated the link now.

temp1 on update link

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 12:02:33 -0800

Hi, thanks for maintaining this website.

update this link if you'd like:
bottom of the main page, 30. Where can I find a 7-Eleven location near me?

new link for this is:
https://www.7-eleven.com/locator

Again I appreciate all the time you've spent providing information with this website.

From Calgary AB

bridonca on Streamlining info

Sun, 04 Jan 2015 18:51:55 -0800

I agree with what you say, but Speakout is in the business of selling stuff, not in the business of educating people in saving money. Some of the features you are talking about are not easy to articulate to someone that knows little about phones. I believe Speakout is doing just fine with the business they are currently carrying out, and I suspect them not promoting certain features might also have to do with politics and agreements with Rogers.

I recently quit being a Speakout customer, because frankly, their service no longer suits my needs. When that changes, I will be a Speakout customer again.

clarity on Streamlining info

Sun, 04 Jan 2015 11:25:58 -0800

Wouldn't it be a lot better giving more pertinent information right on the front page of this website? No mention of long distance. No mention of monthly plans. Just focus on the strengths of the Speakout plan which is incoming texting, caller ID/voicemail for voice and Rogers 2way messaging online. Show people how to use their caller ID and voicemail to accept incoming phone calls, how to phone them back through VOIP companies (free) when the have wifi and the importance of using a wifi enabled phone. Also segregate the needs of users into 4 areas:
VOICE incoming and outgoing.
TEXT incoming and outgoing.
Show people that if they use one company for everything its going to cost them many times what it needs to.
Outgoing texts are hampered by that 911 fee so you're only going to get about 100 a year I think. You use that when you don't have Wifi. Incoming voicemail is accessed when you have wifi (Gmail, Freephoneline, others), and caller ID is always free.
When you partner the Speakout plan with wifi, the capabilities are enormous. When you use Rogers 2way messaging, its way better still. Free North American long distance is provided by Gmail and Freephoneline so don't mention Speakout's high rates in that area.
Focus on the free or near free stuff to inspire people to try this plan and read your site more.
I've left out a few things I'm sure.
Text and voice, in and out. 4 areas.
And obviously show people how inexpensive Smartphones with large screens are when a couple or more years old. I don't know how cheap it is to get a normally functioning Smartphone with a 4" or larger screen these days is but it must be more then $50, right? Here's Speakout's page: https://www.speakout7eleven.ca/prepaid-cellphones
There ain't no large screen smartphones there for $50. I've seen lots on Kijiji though. Stress to your readers that Rogers phones are probably the most common on the used market and they work with Speakout. No unlocking necessary.

j-beda on This is a great web-site

Wed, 17 Sep 2014 10:20:05 -0700

I like the new whiteness.

Peter on Item 13a in the FAQ is no longer accurate... 7 days to retain balance

Sun, 14 Sep 2014 18:16:23 -0700

That is a great find. Thanks a lot for that. I've updated the FAQ now.

Peter on Can't set up voicemail from land line

Sun, 14 Sep 2014 18:09:25 -0700

Thanks! I have updated the FAQ now.

JJones on Item 13a in the FAQ is no longer accurate... 7 days to retain balance

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:28:25 -0700

Item 13a it states:
"If the expiry date is reached, any remaining balance is removed."

Wheres the Wireless Code of Canada states that you have 7 days to retain your balance:

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info.....ht/t14.htm

J. Expiration of prepaid cards
1. General
A service provider must keep open the accounts of customers with prepaid cards for at least seven calendar days following the expiration of an activated card, at no charge, to give the customer more time to “top up” their account and retain their prepaid balance.

What happens now:

If you put in a new voucher a few days late and call in to report that you've lost your original credits:
- they will enter a report to have your missing credits added back on.
- they will tell you that it's a one time reinstatement

The next day you'll see your credits have been returned:
- there will be a message to please call them.
- when you call they will tell you that if you let your phone expire then the balance is lost and that they have given back your balance this one time only.

Section 13a of the FAQ might be changed to read something like the following:
"If the expiry date is reached, any remaining balance is removed. You can call customer service to have the balance reinstated . If it is within 7 days they are required to do so by Canadian Law ( http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info.....ht/t14.htm ) despite Speakout's assertion that it is a one-time only favour."

JamesA on Can't set up voicemail from land line

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 15:10:16 -0700

Just a minor clarification for the extremely useful FAQ: you can't set up voicemail initially by calling on a land line. You must call from your cell phone, and yes it will cost you at least 2 minutes of talk time. Until you do this, unanswered callers will get a message saying that they have reached an uninitialized voice mailbox.

46jimbo on Data plan on front page

Fri, 25 Jul 2014 07:38:08 -0700

mjbad2, as a last resort, try this:

- delete any existing apn's.
- turn OFF wifi. Turn ON data.
- reboot your phone.

With any luck, your phone will automatically create the correct apn and all will work.

mjbad2 on Data plan on front page

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 12:53:27 -0700

all these setting never worked for me on Samsung S4.
Tried the setting from many posts here from forum.
No Luck.
Waste of money. Better to walk to Tim Horton ad get things done.