Is your cell plan killing you? Are you paying way too much and getting way too little?
OK – it sounds like an ad for something, but it’s really not.
I’m a big geek, and I hate the strangle hold the telecommunications companies have on us Canadians. Bell, Telus, and Rogers; long on promises, short on delivery (read Jeff’s interesting experience with Rogers here). So I’ve tried a few different options to break free from the monopoly. I guess it’s not really the monopoly that kills me, it’s the restrictions that you are forced to settle for that really drives me mad. Being that I’m cheap might have something to do with it, too. I’ve tried a few different VoIP options with limited success, maybe that’s the cost of being an early adopter. As my wife and I are now spending less time on the landline and more time on the cell phones, I looked for ways to decrease our monthly tithe to Rogers and I learned of a service that would let me have pretty much unlimited voice calls on our cell phones. I thought it might be worth checking it out, or even better, talk to you folks to see how your experience was. Let me know if you have used either of these services.
Dial-Thru Cell Service
Use the My5 option in your plan, and make the dial-thru service one of your favorite 5’s. Just dial the switch, wait for dial tone, and then dial the number of whoever you want. Since technically the only call you made was to the switch, it’s essentially another free call. Some companies offer an app that automates all the dialing so you can use your phone normally – this is a big bonus but you’ll need a smart phone to install it.
or:
Unlimited Call-Back
The unlimited call-back option is setup to take advantage of cell phone plans that have unlimited incoming calls. If your plan supports it you can talk all you want without worrying about going over your limit, or the financial penalty that usually happens. You just dial the number to get connected to a switch that gives you a busy signal, and then the switch calls you right back. After a second or two, you will hear a dial tone, and then you can dial whatever number you want. Your provider thinks it’s still an incoming call, so it doesn’t count against your voice usage.
What I like about the idea of using a switch with our existing service:
- Lower monthly bill due to no more overages
- automatic dial-thru is quick, especially if you have the app that automates all the extra dialing involved.
- you can cut your plan back to the very basic level, as long as you are diligent about using either option unlimited call-back or dial-thru cell service.
- cheaper long distance rates, and some services even offer unlimited international calling to designated countries.
- you can make your phone bill predictable. E.g. $25 for your Rogers My5 plan, $20 for Unlimited Can/U.S. Dial-thru service = $45 (maximum) for your monthly voice services.
- If configured properly for a large business, this could result in huge annual savings.
What I don’t like about this:
- Texting/Data isn’t included.
- Call-back can be a bit slow to dial, which might be a problem with international calls.
- Plan is still in its infancy – not a ton of information either way.
- North America doesn’t include Mexico anymore (so many plans right now with “Free” North America, but what they mean is just Canada/USA)
What do you think of these services? Are they a good bang for your buck, or is it still too early to enjoy the switch over? I think there are some great savings potential, but I’d love to hear from those of you that have tried it – is it worth it in the real world?
If you are looking for more information on this, check with the folks at Diallog. They are advertisers on thetelecomblog.com, and they will be able to give you more information about how you can save money with this service.
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Written by: Jason Finnerty. www.digitcom.ca. Follow TheTelecomBlog.com by: RSS, Twitter, Identi.ca, or Friendfeed
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
?st great. i wish that plans cen be in my country too. We are paying to much money for the comminication
Hey Bavurusu,
maybe this is a good opportunity for you to bring the product to Turkey.
Maybe contact the folks at DialLog to see if they can help you out –
good luck
J