My daughter NEEDS a Cell Phone ! - Page 3 - Cybertron.CA - Canadian Transformers News and Discussion

Deemar · 12-01-2010, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackalprime

I agree. When I was her age I PAID for my OWN cell phone. I bought it myself and everything. Let her eat up the card and let her pay for it herself. Then she will learn to not abuse the priviledge of having one. She will learn to use it when she needs it, not when her friends want her to.

No, she'll just get upset that it doesn't suit her needs and just not use it. Carrying it around for the amount she'll be able to use it won't be worth the trouble and it'll turn into a waste of money.

Also cell phones when we were teenages were less than $100. I just paid $525 for my current one.

Mumps · 12-01-2010, 10:50 AM

I think it would be best to get her a pay as you go type of phone/plan. If you are footing the bill, you can give her X amount of money for minutes per month, and then when she runs out... oops, she has to wait until you give her the next bundle of money/minutes. When your minutes run out on a pre-paid phone like that, their phone becomes a brick until more money is added to the account. Great idea for getting her to manage her time and to become more responsible.

Of course, going this route is pretty much guarenteeing you a lot of "Daddy! I need more minutes!" nagging over and over

Just don't get the girl a smart phone. That can be a present to her when she is making enough money to be dropping $60+ per month on a plan.

CyberMnky · 12-01-2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mumps

I think it would be best to get her a pay as you go type of phone/plan. If you are footing the bill, you can give her X amount of money for minutes per month, and then when she runs out... oops, she has to wait until you give her the next bundle of money/minutes. When your minutes run out on a pre-paid phone like that, their phone becomes a brick until more money is added to the account. Great idea for getting her to manage her time and to become more responsible.

Of course, going this route is pretty much guarenteeing you a lot of "Daddy! I need more minutes!" nagging over and over

Just don't get the girl a smart phone. That can be a present to her when she is making enough money to be dropping $60+ per month on a plan.

I pretty much agree with Mumps here. However, if she wants to use more minutes then let her do extra chores or work or something for the money.

To everyone who has suggested that the girl pay for her own minutes or get a job - the girl is 14, most places won't hire anyone under 15. At least not here anyways, so that may not be an option regardless.

CETERUS PRIME · 12-01-2010, 11:51 AM

Well, I actually suggested to her mother that SHE signs her up for the phone, I'll pay for the cost of the phone itself as part of her Christmas gifts, and I'll pay half the monthly bill up to $40, so $20/month from me, and $20/month from her, but the contract will be in her name, not mine, which only makes sense being my daughter lives with her mother. We both looked over plans, and it looks like Rogers has the best offerings : 300 mins/month, free nights and weekends after 6pm, unlimited in and out text, unlimited nationwide family calling, and unlimited nationwide fav 5. I hear what you guys are saying about the pay as you go deal, but realistically, it would either cost me a LOT more in the end, or she wouldn't use the phone much at all. I'm still waiting to hear back from her mom to see if she's up for it, but that proposal was made yesterday before noon, and still no dice, so we'll have to wait and see. Thanks for the help and advice guys, and in the meantime, if anyone has a suggestion, please do so.

CyberMnky · 12-01-2010, 01:34 PM

Rogers unlimited text is not unlimited - read the fine print!!!! It is a crapload, but I've had two exes now that have been charged for they're supposed unlimited texts.

That aside, that seems a good suggestion.

CETERUS PRIME · 12-01-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberMnky

Rogers unlimited text is not unlimited - read the fine print!!!! It is a crapload, but I've had two exes now that have been charged for they're supposed unlimited texts.

That aside, that seems a good suggestion.

I'll look into that, Thanks for bringing it up ! Got another question too. Obviously buying an unlocked phone on, say, ebay for example, there is no contract attached to the phone, but what other benefits are there to buying a phone with no contract ? I see some on there for rediculous prices !!! You still need to sign up for a plan in order to use an unlocked phone, don't you

Deemar · 12-01-2010, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CETERUS PRIME

I'll look into that, Thanks for bringing it up ! Got another question too. Obviously buying an unlocked phone on, say, ebay for example, there is no contract attached to the phone, but what other benefits are there to buying a phone with no contract ? I see some on there for rediculous prices !!! You still need to sign up for a plan in order to use an unlocked phone, don't you

This should be very simple to understand but the way the phone companies push their contracts it makes sense that most people don't know how it works. I wish they'd explain it better so people can make a more informed decision.

Basically this is exactly how it works. You go to a place like Telus, get a phone, get a monthly plan and you're done. If you sign a contract to stay their customer for a specified time period then they'll give you a discount on the phone. They way overcomplicate this.

The only reason to get a phone anywhere else is if:
a) Telus doesn't offer that phone
b) it's cheaper somewhere else
But if you do get one elsewhere you have to make sure it's unlocked because the firmware in the phones lock them to specific carriers. Also an unlocked phone may not get you all services on that network, like I've heard of people getting 1X but not getting EVDO access.

So that's it, when you sign a contract, you're not agreeing to keep that phone for 3 years. You are not agreeing to keep that plan for 3 years. You are only agreeing to be a customer of that phone company in some aspect for 3 years, on any plan you want to use with any phone you buy.

Lastly, contracts aren't attached to phones, they're attached to accounts. You can buy a phone anywhere you want, there's no fear of a contract being attached to it. The contract will stay with the name on the account that signed said contract.

Mumps · 12-01-2010, 02:33 PM

An unlocked phone is only really good if you want a certain phone that isn't offered by the service provider that you want to buy a plan from. Sure there are other reasons but nothing that a 14yr old girl would need or even care about.

Deemar is right about the contract's thing. It sounds more complicated than it is. Phone companies are evil, and they want your money and are willing to mislead you with complicated explinations to get it. My old phone cost less than $100 cause I signed on a 3yr term. My term isn't up yet, however that phone died. So in order to continue using the service I was paying for every month, I had to buy another phone at full price, which ended up costing me about $600 cause this new phone is freaking awesome, and awesome costs money

Though just a standard phone, used for calling and texting only shouldn't cost too much if you buy off contract.

CETERUS PRIME · 12-01-2010, 02:39 PM

Thanks for the explanations, Deemar and Mumps

Deemar · 12-01-2010, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mumps

Though just a standard phone, used for calling and texting only shouldn't cost too much if you buy off contract.

Ya, really. I got a bag full of Telus phones here, you can have them for free.

I've also got a few Blackberys for sale if you want one of those.