The Unofficial Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page - Topic: When does the phone actually activate?

bylo on When does the phone actually activate?

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 09:01:32 -0700

It's also possible that your phone was turned on in the 7-11 store by a previous customer or clerk before you bought it. Someone might even have bought it, turned it on, placed some calls and then returned the phone. Most 7-11 clerks haven't a clue how all this works and may well accept a returned phone without checking its airtime status.

Mspriss on When does the phone actually activate?

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 05:46:03 -0700

In my case two months before I bought it ~LOL ( Turned it on two months after that & found out there was only $2.00 left on the card!)

We've had a few of these speakout phones and after you dial any number ( *777 - *888 included) the phone is activated.

HTH
Mspriss

MIKE on When does the phone actually activate?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:07:05 -0700

It not activated until you make your first call. I assume that they want to keep cost down, they don't keep track when each sim is sold. So once you make a call, it is activated, otherwise they assume it has not been sold.

sapien on When does the phone actually activate?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:07:35 -0700

Actually that brings up a good q for me, separate from the airtime purchase expiry of 90 days, is there an expiry date on the SIM? ie. if I buy the phone with SIM on date x, how many days do I have before I have to activate it? Is it forever? Or say, after x days/months, does SO disable the SIM so that it can't be activated any more?

Bylo on When does the phone actually activate?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:36:20 -0700

Am I right in assuming that once I turn on the cell phone with the included SIM card, the number becomes activated and they will start deducting the 911 charge every month and my airtime will expire one year from that date?

Yes. Your phone is automatically "activated" when you first use it.

However you will have to add the any airtime vouchers within 90 days or else they will expire so, in effect, you can only delay by 90 days.

Goldhead on When does the phone actually activate?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:01:44 -0700

I bought the Nokia 1208 yesterday, but I haven't turned it on with the SO SIM card yet, because I do not want it to be activated yet, as I am still using up my old Rogers airtime?
Am I right in assuming that once I turn on the cell phone with the included SIM card, the number becomes activated and they will start deducting the 911 charge every month and my airtime will expire one year from that date?
Or did they actually activate the account already when I purchased it by scanning the barcode on the box or something?
Can someone answer my question? I really do not want to activate it yet, so I can extent the expiry date as far as possible and I don't want to pay the 911 charges if I am not using the phone yet.
Thanks.