What strings are attached with a month to month plan?

[mjakopa]

I would have asked this question to Telus's customer service but their contact page doesn't seem to work properly, so I'll try here.

I am currently abroad and will be visiting Montreal for a little over a month for the summer. Here's what I would like to do:

- Bring my phone (made sure it was compatible)

- Get a month to month plan

- After I leave, somehow keep the number for future use

The simplest option would probably be to change the plan from a month to month to a prepaid, or similar. Something that won't come with any monthly fees, but that I would still be able to keep the number and use it every time I return, either switching back to a month to month, or even signing a contract if I decide to stay for longer.

What are my options?

P.S. The reason for a month to month, is because prepaid simply doesn't give me the minutes and data usage I would need for the same price.

[NFtoBC]

Month to month might require local address, credit check, etc. Maintaining the local number in your absence will have its own challenges, as well as ongoing costs ( $100 per year is about the cheapest).

You can get 2 GB for $60 by having your first pass end two weeks into your trip then purchasing a second one.

Have you considered a VOIP account which forwards to your phone no matter it's number?

[mjakopa]

Local address isn't an issue, as well as credit check or anything else. I'm just currently living abroad and would like to have a local number I can always keep on hand for when I cone back. I had an account with Rogers but after moving I cancelled that and lost the number.

I definitely wouldn't keep the month to month after leaving. I'm just wondering what the options are to switch to a prepaid plan after leaving to avoid monthly costs. Or are those still 100$ a year? Because that would somehow defeat the purpose of a prepaid plan, especially if I'm not using it.

[NFtoBC]

The easiest way to get a number you can keep for a small fee is a VOIP account. For about $1.50 per month, you can have a local number that you can point to any phone number you wish. Your friends dial your Montreal number and your European cell phone or landline rings. Costs a few pennies per minute. You could port this number to a cellphone on your return if you wish, but using the VOIP account will probably be most flexible.

[mjakopa]

Also, I'm not quite sure what you meant with thr 60$ 2gb idea. Is that a prepaid option?

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

Re: 2GB for $60
You buy two $30 packages on your pre-paid account back to back. So, if you were coming to Canada for the month of August, you buy a pass in mid-July, let it idle, then use it all in the first two weeks of August; you then buy the second pass when the first expires, and consumed it in the last two weeks of your stay.

You would need to have a phone account set up to do this. It might need a good friend to act on your behalf to set the phone up before your arrival.

Re: prepaid phones
The top-ups you buy have an expiry. The $10 expire in 30 days, the $25 and $50 in 60 days, and the $100 in 365 days. You have to keep adding top-ups to the account to keep it current. The phone number will stick with your unpaid account for a few months, and then be reassigned.

[mjakopa]

Ah yes, I understand now. That does change things a bit...

I will look into the voip, I never actually thought about that! Thanks!