why choose chatr ??

[lucky89]

Obvious you guys/gals have chosen chatr ... why ??
I have been looking thru these threads and learned you can use a rogers SIM card to activate chatr service , which I did not know...

looking for some plan... since can't get a great retentions plan... looked at KOODO...but Chatr was never on my radar ...

so why did you guys choose chatr as opposed to KOODO ,etc..

thanks.

[OnlineHarvest]

Depends on your needs and current setup. I'm not on Chatr but I can tell you why people would choose it.

- You may already have a device/smartphone locked to Rogers/Fido. This phone will work with Chatr as well.
- If you don't make any calls outside of their Chatr zone, it's a pretty good price for being on the Rogers network.
- Chatr may be the best low cost option based on where you live. For instance, here in Vaughan, I don't have great coverage at the moment with Wind, etc...so Chatr's zone is better suited for people like me.

I'm sure there are other reasons...

[z24gta]

Rogers network at bargain price.

[JSmythe]

I have two numbers with Chatr and my main one with Koodo.

If you do not need data, and stay within your zone, I would choose Chatr over Koodo as Chatr seems a wee bit more reliable and less expensive than Koodo. At least in my experience.

If you need data or use your phone outside your zone, I would go with Koodo. They cost more but they have a real data plan, and the no zone plan is unreal for the price.

But when people I know don't know which carrier to use I always recommend Chatr first over everyone as I have used almost every one of them and Chatr always caused me the least amount of grief. Their prices are good, and the network is unreal.

[IDEA_NXT]

- you are interested in voice+text only and not data
- you have a GSM (2G) phone that you would like to keep using, or a smartphone but little use of data
- your calling pattern is unpredictable such that you may use up your daytime minutes bucket one month but not for another
- you travel mostly within the Chatr zone(s)

Once data is involved, Koodo is probably the better.

I've got my SO the $25 Chatr plan with a HTC Surround 7 purchased outright, and it serves her quite well.

[Colin Nekidboy]

I just won 12 months of free service with CHATR so that's my main reason for staying. Also like you said Rogers network.

Rogers network at bargain price.

[OnlineHarvest]

I was considering Chatr for my Mom but changed my mind after getting a Roger's retention offer. While I know they are not as hot as they used to be (retention plans), for my Mom, it was just a better deal/features for her need. I also looked at the total 3 year price. Since she wanted an iPhone, the $490 + tax difference had to be added to the 3 year price difference (phone subsidy). If she only needed talk and text, and already had a phone or wanted to buy outright a cheap one, I'd choose it in a heartbeat.

[DataDude]

How do you "win" Chatr service?

[droidacolyte]

I have said before that for the price of Chatr's $45 talk+text+data plan, you could get 100 anytime minutes + 5pm evenings and weekends + caller ID + voicemail 10 + unlimited messaging + 100 MB with Koodo. Right now I'm paying $45/month for my Koodo plan (except I have 7pm evenings and I was in the 300 MB data tier).

HOWEVER if you are a heavy daytime minutes user, 100 anytime minutes isn't gonna cut it. You'd need at least a My5 ($10 add-on) or upgrade to the unlimited incoming plan (also $10 more). That would be $55/month. So theoretically, assuming that you make calls within the zones largely, you'd need to use 250 MB of mobile data before you'd actually save money switching to Koodo ($30 for the plan, $10 for the My5, $5 for the unlimited messaginill g. $15 for the mobile data = $60). Chatr $45 + $15 overage (100 MB + 150 MB overage) = $60.

And if a My5 still isn't enough for you and you need Canadian long distance, you'd have to pay $20 extra instead of $10 extra for Unlimited-Canada wide. And then you'd have to use more than 400 MB of data before you realize savings with Koodo ($50 for the plan, $5 messaging, $20 data = $75). Chatr $45 + $30 overage (100 MB + 300 MB overage) = $75.

So yeah theoretically it can be worth it to sign with Chatr if you want data. So as long as you stay within 250-400 MB.

Me personally I don't have that much need for daytime minutes (at the moment, last month I had to add a My5) so Koodo works for me. I get my talk & text needs met AND 3 times the data. As well as the Koodo Tab subsidy. Even when I have a My5 to compliment my 7pm evenings, I would stop saving money with Chatr once I crossed the 200 MB threshold (and that's not even taking into account the savings I get from the Koodo Tab subsidy).

I have been cutting back on my mobile data usage though lately. I want to see if I can stay within the 100 MB tier with Koodo so that I can save myself an extra $5. I need mobile data for Google Maps, Google Navigation, Runkeeper, etc. But I've been cutting back on less important uses and opting to read e-books on my phone more (no need for mobile data for that).

[rockjock]

My company got several Chatr sims for workers that come to visit or work from across the pond in the GTA. So far no problems at all. 3G voice, crystal clear and great reception.
I do think if someone is not going out of the " zone " and data is not an issue it is a great choice!

[MoreMiles]

My company got several Chatr sims for workers that come to visit or work from across the pond in the GTA. So far no problems at all. 3G voice, crystal clear and great reception.
I do think if someone is not going out of the " zone " and data is not an issue it is a great choice!

That is strange. Chatr does not issue any receipt. It's all prepaid or cc card billing, on the self-serve web site. You cannot generate any official receipt / bill to Revenue Canada for business expenses. Unless your company does not bother to deduct those expenses...

[MoreMiles]

I have said before that for the price of Chatr's $45 talk+text+data plan, you could get 100 anytime minutes + 5pm evenings and weekends + caller ID + voicemail 10 + unlimited messaging + 100 MB with Koodo. Right now I'm paying $45/month for my Koodo plan (except I have 7pm evenings and I was in the 300 MB data tier).

HOWEVER if you are a heavy daytime minutes user, 100 anytime minutes isn't gonna cut it. You'd need at least a My5 ($10 add-on) or upgrade to the unlimited incoming plan (also $10 more). That would be $55/month. So theoretically, assuming that you make calls within the zones largely, you'd need to use 250 MB of mobile data before you'd actually save money switching to Koodo ($30 for the plan, $10 for the My5, $5 for the unlimited messaginill g. $15 for the mobile data = $60). Chatr $45 + $15 overage (100 MB + 150 MB overage) = $60.

And if a My5 still isn't enough for you and you need Canadian long distance, you'd have to pay $20 extra instead of $10 extra for Unlimited-Canada wide. And then you'd have to use more than 400 MB of data before you realize savings with Koodo ($50 for the plan, $5 messaging, $20 data = $75). Chatr $45 + $30 overage (100 MB + 300 MB overage) = $75.

So yeah theoretically it can be worth it to sign with Chatr if you want data. So as long as you stay within 250-400 MB.

Me personally I don't have that much need for daytime minutes (at the moment, last month I had to add a My5) so Koodo works for me. I get my talk & text needs met AND 3 times the data. As well as the Koodo Tab subsidy. Even when I have a My5 to compliment my 7pm evenings, I would stop saving money with Chatr once I crossed the 200 MB threshold (and that's not even taking into account the savings I get from the Koodo Tab subsidy).

I have been cutting back on my mobile data usage though lately. I want to see if I can stay within the 100 MB tier with Koodo so that I can save myself an extra $5. I need mobile data for Google Maps, Google Navigation, Runkeeper, etc. But I've been cutting back on less important uses and opting to read e-books on my phone more (no need for mobile data for that).

You are comparing apples and oranges. If you don't have a need for unlimited plan, 7Eleven Speakout $25 / year prepaid plan is the cheapest one, at about $2 per month.

If you want to do a real comparison, look at City Koodo at $35 and Chatr $35 plan, same price, unlimited calls for both, look at the major differences! Don't see it? Look at text message, long distance inclusion, and roaming fee. It is A LOT cheaper with Roger's Chatr.

[Perry]

You are comparing apples and oranges. If you don't have a need for unlimited plan, 7Eleven Speakout $25 / year prepaid plan is the cheapest one, at about $2 per month.

If you want to do a real comparison, look at City Koodo at $35 and Chatr $35 plan, same price, unlimited calls for both, look at the major differences! Don't see it? Look at text message, long distance inclusion, and roaming fee. It is A LOT cheaper with Roger's Chatr.

THIS. People who can't see the difference will ceratinly feel in their pocket books.

A $25 2 GB data plan add on would make Chatr unstoppable IMO

[IDEA_NXT]

That is strange. Chatr does not issue any receipt. It's all prepaid or cc card billing, on the self-serve web site. You cannot generate any official receipt / bill to Revenue Canada for business expenses. Unless your company does not bother to deduct those expenses...

Then go to the supermarkets, drug stores or FS/BB and buy a prepaid Chatr card, then keep that receipt for expense reporting. It's no different than buying pens or a box of paper at Staples and then use the receipt to claim it for business expenses.

[droidacolyte]

You are comparing apples and oranges. If you don't have a need for unlimited plan, 7Eleven Speakout $25 / year prepaid plan is the cheapest one, at about $2 per month.

Very few people would benefit from 7-11 Speakout's prepaid plans. They cater to a specifically small niche of people that just want a no-frills mobile phone for the peace of mind and don't intend to use it very often. Speakout would be perfect for my parents.

THIS. People who can't see the difference will ceratinly feel in their pocket books.

A $25 2 GB data plan add on would make Chatr unstoppable IMO

Mobile data is Chatr's weakest link. That's what is really killing them. But they have a market among talk & text users and people who don't use much mobile data. And if you roam outside the Chatr zones more than 10 minutes/month, whatever advantage they have over City Koodo roaming-wise is gone. Because Koodo has a $2 long-distance saver add-on that gives you 5c/min Canadian long distance. So if you take an incoming call from outside your local calling area, you only pay 5c/min. Take/make a call from outside your Chatr zone, 25c/min. And if you send MMS (picture/video messages) often enough, that's another strike against Chatr because MMS is pay-per-use.

I was hearing rumours on another sub-forum that Rogers might discontinue Chatr (but still grandfather the current subscribers). I think they should just migrate Chatr's plans into Fido prepaid and call it CityFido prepaid, scrap Fido's current $39.75/month 2000 minutes CityFido Prepaid plan and then include improved data add-ons. There's no point in Rogers having three different brands. Rogers and Fido is enough. Otherwise, I think it's a bad move for Rogers to get rid of Chatr completely. If Chatr was just integrated into Fido, subscriptions would go up because people know who Fido are. A lot of people don't know that Chatr is owned by Rogers.