Haven't been there yet but I am taking them at their word. I still have $11.00 left on my speak out number.
Speakout Wireless being discontinued?
- Thread starter Iwandaboobis
- Start date
Well, I went into Shoppers Drugmart and purchased a Chatr sim. Didn't need to show ID just gave them my PERB handle, my neighbour's address and fake birth date (I'm 10 years younger!). Told them I don't do much emailing (guess I looked the part 'cause the guy said he could put in a bogus one).
Ditched my old number. Unlimited Canada wide calling and 2000 texts per month!
Financial breakdown:
Chatr 3-IN-1 (SIM card) $10.00
Chatr top up (1 month) $25.00
Chatr fee(?) $ 5.00
SIM card reversal -$10.00
SUB TOTAL $30.00
GST $ 1.50
PST $ 2.10
TOTAL $33.60
Paid cash and will probably pay $100.00 to cover the next year when I need to top up in 30 days. Otherwise it's $19.00 + taxes=$21.28/mo
Cheaper and more convenient in the long run.
Left about $3.00 on my old Speakout account.
Ditched my old number. Unlimited Canada wide calling and 2000 texts per month!
Financial breakdown:
Chatr 3-IN-1 (SIM card) $10.00
Chatr top up (1 month) $25.00
Chatr fee(?) $ 5.00
SIM card reversal -$10.00
SUB TOTAL $30.00
GST $ 1.50
PST $ 2.10
TOTAL $33.60
Paid cash and will probably pay $100.00 to cover the next year when I need to top up in 30 days. Otherwise it's $19.00 + taxes=$21.28/mo
Cheaper and more convenient in the long run.
Left about $3.00 on my old Speakout account.
It's October 19 now and I'm still able to send and receive texts today. Never got an email from them but I did get a text on October 1 saying "Your service will end soon. Even if your phone works now, it may stop anytime"
Their prepaid plans seem to be gone, probably to crash at the end of the year. The new plans start at $19/mo with no data. I was paying $25 for a whole year and clearly not using all of it because see I have over $110 in credit still. I'm gonna just go until it stops working and then I'll get the annual prepaid plan from Freedom mobile. $120/year for unlimited talk/text and about 1.5GB data per month. Don't care about keeping my speakout phone number, I don't even know what it is.
I've had Speakout on my burner phone for years and never made a phonecall. I only use text messages to book with one shop that refuses to get WhatsApp (although I think they do have WeChat). So data and some texting is all I need now.
For everyone else I can use secondary accounts on WhatsApp/Telegram on my real phone and leave my burner at home.
Might still need SMS to make the initial intro and say "Do you have WhatsApp?" in the future. 🤡
Their prepaid plans seem to be gone, probably to crash at the end of the year. The new plans start at $19/mo with no data. I was paying $25 for a whole year and clearly not using all of it because see I have over $110 in credit still. I'm gonna just go until it stops working and then I'll get the annual prepaid plan from Freedom mobile. $120/year for unlimited talk/text and about 1.5GB data per month. Don't care about keeping my speakout phone number, I don't even know what it is.
I've had Speakout on my burner phone for years and never made a phonecall. I only use text messages to book with one shop that refuses to get WhatsApp (although I think they do have WeChat). So data and some texting is all I need now.
For everyone else I can use secondary accounts on WhatsApp/Telegram on my real phone and leave my burner at home.
Might still need SMS to make the initial intro and say "Do you have WhatsApp?" in the future. 🤡
Yeah my Speakout is still working fine. Gonna really suck once it's discontinued. Been trying to buy a number online but finding it a challenge. $25 a year was just so damn good!
Update/correction:
My mistake, not Shoppers Drugmart, but London Drugs. (lack of sleep to blame)'
Also the $100/yr plan has a total of 400 texts and 400 minutes for the year.
If that isn't enough the $149/year Chatr plan includes:
My mistake, not Shoppers Drugmart, but London Drugs. (lack of sleep to blame)'
Also the $100/yr plan has a total of 400 texts and 400 minutes for the year.
If that isn't enough the $149/year Chatr plan includes:
- 30 GB of 4G data (approximately 2.5 GB per month, self-managed)
- Unlimited Canada-wide talk
- Unlimited text, picture, and video messages to Canada, the U.S., and international numbers (excludes premium messages)
- After data is used, browsing continues at reduced speeds (up to 128 Kbps)
- Voicemail service included
- No contract, cancellation fees, or credit check
This plan is ideal for light users, such as for a backup phone, kids, or senior.
Works out to $12.42/mo. Nice thing about the data you can creep on LL and post here.
What I am reading online now is that Speakout 3G will work until Oct 31.
At that point, Speakout will be changing network providers too (from Rogers to Telus??), so you will need a new SIM, and when you switch the SIM, they force you to pick a monthly plan
Last edited:
Sorry I was away for several weeks. I went to Chatr store in Crystal mall, Metrotown. They asked for my name and email (to send activation info or something), no ID asked. Also, the email wasn't required to activate but you can you it to manage your Chatr account online -- again, not required.
I’m new to this- you just told the checkout person you wanted a SIM card for a spare phone and you wanted top up minutes without a contract?
Last edited:
Yes. Fake name birth date and address. Only need a legit email if I want to do anything with my account online, but I don't bother with that. Bought the SIM card and minutes. They loaded it for me, but any top ups I need to do that. Just a cash purchase and top up with the phone. Need to do it every month, but may just do a year for $149 and not worry about it for a while, plus cheaper.
Simple update about the 3G shutdown, well my old flip phone is still🦿kicking🦿and connected🤷♂️🤷♂️
Last edited:
My old iPhone is still working with speaking as well, but I’m checking out the Chatr since it will be inconvenient if it stops working when I want it. I’d also like to tell my few regulars about the number change before it happens
My 5g phone is working as well. Still hoping that it continues to work after the 3g shutdown.
I'm fairly happy with Chatr, but the Nubia phone is very awkward to use, is slow and lacks obvious features like the ability to block numbers, since I get daily messages from some cleaning company that wants the previous number-owner's business. Even writing or deleting messages is a weird back and forth chore that's hit and miss. Seems like it was designed by somebody who never used a phone before.
Your phone is not the problem, if you changed over with 4G Sim you should be fine👍
Costco has deals on Motorola phones occasionally if you need something more user friendly📱😂
Last edited:
Have had Speak Out pay as you go for years so this sucks. Phone is still texting and receiving calls but noted that no longer able to check on balance. Interesting I went to 7-11 and bought speak out minutes like have always done. However, minutes will not load on old phone / old sim. Phone is not VoLTE compatible so getting newer phone. If you go to Speakout site there is a big yellow headline explaining you can migrate. Appears one needs a new sim but should be able to keep your old number. So will see if need to by a plan of if some other form of pay as you go will survive.
