Help me understand "roaming", long distance & My10

[bpsmicro]

Here's the scenario:

Son has Fido pre-paid, with a 613 number (which he wants to keep). Heading off to college soon, in the Oakville area.

All things being equal, if I phone his cell from 613, because it's really long-distance to where he is, who pays the long-distance charges? I'm thinking it'd be me, right?

Now, I've signed up for the Super Plan, which includes My10. If I have his cell number on my list, and I now phone him, does that mean no long-distance charges at all?

(The reality is, we'll be doing text/e-mail/skype for the most part, but I've always been curious how this would work if we tried it).

Brad.

[tangje]

My10 in the Superplan is Canada wide so you will never pay long distance for incoming or outgoing calls to numbers on your list.

Your son will incur long distance charges to call you. Since he will be outside his local calling area (613 to whatever extent it is in the area) he will also incur long distance charges for all incoming calls.

Your son needs to add some kind of long distance feature to his fido plan. Long distance charges are $0.40/min for prepaid. He can add preferred rate ($0.10) for $5. That is the only long distance option for Fido prepaid short of switching plans or carriers.

[bpsmicro]

Okay, that's interesting. You say "...never pay long distance for incoming or outgoing calls...". The Rogers site only talks about calls *to* numbers on your list, so I didn't get the impression that incoming calls were covered. If true, that's good to know.

And thanks for confirming what I suspected about calling the Fido number. He doesn't get a lot of calls, and knowing that any call *to* him from *anywhere* will cost him extra is a good thing to know. We figured an Oakville number calling him in Oakville wouldn't be "long distance", but I realize that prepaid works a bit different. :-(

I suspect he'll stick with texting for all routine communications, and he'll have a landline in his dorm for local calling, and internet access for everything else. If he ends up staying down there after school's done (a likely prospect), then he can look into switching his home area to wherever he ends up.

[bpsmicro]

I just thought of a followup question on My10: I normally have "Call Forward Unavailable" set up (via OneNumber now) to my home number. So if I don't answer my cell (or I'm out of range), it forwards to home. If somebody on My10 calls me, and it gets forwarded, is it still free?
I went through the Rogers site, and that particular question isn't covered.

[B407]

I just thought of a followup question on My10: I normally have "Call Forward Unavailable" set up (via OneNumber now) to my home number. So if I don't answer my cell (or I'm out of range), it forwards to home. If somebody on My10 calls me, and it gets forwarded, is it still free?
I went through the Rogers site, and that particular question isn't covered.

It comes out of your 2500 call forwarding minutes when you call forward to a local number.

The reason why your son gets charged LD for answering calls is because he has an Ottawa number. If he uses it outside of the Ottawa area, all incoming calls for him are considered long distance.

[jattdesi]

Here's the scenario:

Son has Fido pre-paid, with a 613 number (which he wants to keep). Heading off to college soon, in the Oakville area.

All things being equal, if I phone his cell from 613, because it's really long-distance to where he is, who pays the long-distance charges? I'm thinking it'd be me, right?

Now, I've signed up for the Super Plan, which includes My10. If I have his cell number on my list, and I now phone him, does that mean no long-distance charges at all?

(The reality is, we'll be doing text/e-mail/skype for the most part, but I've always been curious how this would work if we tried it).

Brad.

Why would you pay long distance if you are calling a local number, What if I was in your local calling and I went to Spain with my Phone without telling you and you called me while I was in Spain. How can any Provider bill you long distance when you never called long distance.

[bpsmicro]

Why would you pay long distance if you are calling a local number, What if I was in your local calling and I went to Spain with my Phone without telling you and you called me while I was in Spain. How can any Provider bill you long distance when you never called long distance.

Agreed. But that would presume that the cell companies policies always made sense.
One thing I've learned over the years of dealing with cell systems is to never assume. And I don't travel enough to have learned this stuff (the hard way, usually) yet.
Thanks for all the input. This will definitely help avoid any unpleasant surprises. We have many (non-cellular) backup options, so it's all good.

Brad.

[mobile_expert]

Get your son a Magic Jack.

With the magic Jack he can get a 613 [or equivalent] area code, and your son just connects the device into the computer with internet and call within North America for $30 a whole year [$20 if you get an american number, Canadian numbers is an extra $10]

So with your son having the magic jack, you can put that number into you My10 and call back and forth unlimited without having to get charged LD on both parties and others can call him without incurring LD

[bpsmicro]

Thanks. He'll actually have a landline phone in residence, and Skype. The former I'll add to My10, and the latter is more than adequate if you have to get a computer involved anyway.

I can see the Magic Jack option being very attractive for people who move around a lot though. Hopefully by the time that's an issue for us, he'll have an actual job and just get a local number to wherever he lives.

[tangje]

Okay, that's interesting. You say "...never pay long distance for incoming or outgoing calls...". The Rogers site only talks about calls *to* numbers on your list, so I didn't get the impression that incoming calls were covered. If true, that's good to know.

Yep, works both ways for anyone on your list. And just to clarify, long distance charges occur when: 1) you call someone outside the local area you are in, 2) you receive a call and are outside your local area.

And thanks for confirming what I suspected about calling the Fido number. He doesn't get a lot of calls, and knowing that any call *to* him from *anywhere* will cost him extra is a good thing to know. We figured an Oakville number calling him in Oakville wouldn't be "long distance", but I realize that prepaid works a bit different. :-(

Yes, unfortunately. Your son can call anyone in the local area he is in without LD charges though (so if he calls a Oakville number while in Oakville there won't be long distance).

I suspect he'll stick with texting for all routine communications, and he'll have a landline in his dorm for local calling, and internet access for everything else. If he ends up staying down there after school's done (a likely prospect), then he can look into switching his home area to wherever he ends up.

Sounds like a good plan. BTW, rather than any magic jack business he should just sign up for a Dell Voice number (free number and free calls Canada wide).

[bpsmicro]

Thanks for the Dell Voice link. I get the impression that's VOIP-based as well, which would imply an Internet/data connection. He won't have that on his cell phone, which means Skype is still an attractive option (though I can see obvious benefits to Dell Voice too).

I'll have to harass Dell about the lack of a Windows Phone variant of their apps.

[tangje]

Skype calls are only free skype-skype (which might be the only way you want to use it, video and all perhaps).

Dell Voice is free to landlines/cells etc...

Just giving options.

[[V]]

Okay, that's interesting. You say "...never pay long distance for incoming or outgoing calls...". The Rogers site only talks about calls *to* numbers on your list, so I didn't get the impression that incoming calls were covered. If true, that's good to know.

And thanks for confirming what I suspected about calling the Fido number. He doesn't get a lot of calls, and knowing that any call *to* him from *anywhere* will cost him extra is a good thing to know. We figured an Oakville number calling him in Oakville wouldn't be "long distance", but I realize that prepaid works a bit different. :-(

I suspect he'll stick with texting for all routine communications, and he'll have a landline in his dorm for local calling, and internet access for everything else. If he ends up staying down there after school's done (a likely prospect), then he can look into switching his home area to wherever he ends up.

My advice is to consider Koodo's Canada Wide plans for your son. Koodo and Telus are the same company if you are worried about coverage.

Magic Jack, Dell Voice, etc are all valid options but they add complexity to the situation. Depends on your son's budget the current Super 6gb Plan is a sweet deal.

If he ever wants to dial out and not use his included 250 CDN Wide day minutes, then he can consider using a VOIP app of his choice (Dell Voice, Google Voice, Skype, etc) since he has ample data allowance on his plan.

So to recap, your Rogers My10 and his Canada Wide Koodo 613 plan and you are set.

[bpsmicro]

Thanks for the notes.

When talking about Skype, I was referring to skype-to-skype only.

Right now, the cell budget is very low. He uses voice almost never, and has the $5/month add-on for 200 messages. The immediate intent is to get a $100 card, which will last him the whole year without worrying about messing around with monthly cards.

So now that I know the limitations, the plan is if I want to actually *talk* with him, we'll send him a text to set up a Skype schedule. He'll have near-constant Internet access at school, so we can achieve our goal without worrying about actual cell phone usage. I'll also add the Residence number(s) to My10, and we can always call each other via his landline as required.

That'll do. I'm sure once he gets into school, he won't want to be talking to his parents that much anyway. :->

And once he's done and out in the world, he'll likely want a new phone/etc so then the field is wide open.

Brad.

[erichau]

What pre-paid plan is he using on fido? Unless you have some insane balance on the sim-card, just port the number. I know for Rogers MVNO's like Speakout7Eleven and PetroCanadaMobility have no long distance charges for Southern Ontario, not sure if it reaches Ottawa.

519/226-416/647-905/289 Is all local on the $0.25/min plan.
Or he could subscribe to their 30day plans. $20 for unlimited sms and 100 mins. The plans include long distance.
They have a promo right now that runs until Sept 30 on 7-Eleven, November 5th for PetrolCanada. $25 for 400 Canada wide mins +Unlimited SMS. Or $20 for just the 400 mins.

What I like about speakout is I can top $25 dollars and it would last all year, basically I don't have to worry about my balance disappearing.

Else your son could try wind-mobile :P prepaid. Unlimited Incomming calls on their network for free. So he can port his 613 number over, you can call as local using your local means of phoning, he picks up! No charges! Everybody wins!

Calling out no long distance charge is $0.20/min. Out of area incomming calls are the same rate. So if he ever needs to call you, it's only 20 cents per min. I think unlimited SMS is $5? They are the cheapest. $40 top up can last you half a year.