We are gearing up for 'the big move' in a week's time and have managed to get our hands on Canadian SIM cards from FIDO Solutions Inc. for out tri-band phones. I get the feeling that, whilst these were the easiest to obtain, they are unlikely to be the best value. I would like Pay As You Go, and hubby would like a contract option. Advice please?

You can just buy your phones outright and get a normal plan and still not be in a contract.

I've never had a contract, not on pay as you go, I just buy my phone outright, and then get a normal monthly plan but without the contract, so can cancel anytime.

7-11 Speakout is usually considered the cheapest.
http://www.speakout7eleven.ca/

I use virgin canada for the coverage. Dunno about plans, AFAIK there are no "cheap" plans, just varying degrees of expensive. Tab option is probably the closest to a contract option but I never saw the point.

Husband and I are both with Koodo.

I'm on Prepaid (basically the equivalent of PAYG) with my unlocked phone. You pay a fee for one month of connectivity, depending how much you are going to use the phone, then you can add "boosters". So I'm on the $15/month base plan which is just service and unlimited texting including picture and international. I then just add 500 minutes ($25) and 1GB of data ($30, includes LTE) and run down those balances as I use them, since they don't expire. My phone is usually on wireless and I don't make or receive many calls, so this is working really well for me.

My husband uses his phone a lot more. He went on Prepaid for awhile, then waited for Koodo to come out with a Double promotion, which they do about twice a year. So he signed up for their $45/month plan which is unlimited texting, 1GB data, 500 minutes, unlimited incoming, unlimited evenings and weekends from 5pm.

We both also have Canada-wide calling (so no Canadian long distance).

Neither of us have any complaints with Koodo. The coverage is good, the internet speed is good, LTE is included and not at a premium, and good customer service. No complaints at all.

Virgin = Bell

Koodoo = Telus

Fido = Rogers

Just pointing it out so the OP knows those brands are part of a larger parent, and on their network for coverage.

For what it's worth, I am with Virgin, monthly plan, talk and text including unlimited international texts, no data though as I have no need for it. 200 anytime minutes (used 12 last month, most I've used this year) and unlimited night/weekends. I pay 30/month for it. But I did have to buy my phone which was 125 dollars as I don't want a contract.

That kind of usage is why I have pay as you go. $100 at 30 or 35c per minute is more than enough for my needs. The smaller dollar amounts require more freqent top ups to prevent me loosing the balance, $100 is good for 12 months before another top up is needed to save any balance.

Anything I would use data for I just wait until I have a wifi hotspot.

I got a cheapish PAYG andrioid phone on a trip to the states, paid for it to be unlocked locally and use a Cdn SIM here or a US one if I am down south for work.

This is why I love my prepaid plan with Koodo. 500 minutes at $25 means it's 5c/minute, which is pretty freaking cheap. I bought my first set of minutes in October, and only just topped it up last month with another 500. I've had to buy data three times, so currently in my third GB since October. $15/month for the service that includes texting, well, I'm a happy bunny.

My mom has the same plan as me. She barely uses her phone. Her phone bill for the year is going to top out at about $200. For the YEAR. I signed her up in November and have not had to top up anythin gon her account yet. (Minutes probably I'll have to do in the next month, but she hadn't even used half of her 1GB of data.)

I use mine a lot more after 6pm....That was just my daytime use. I sleep during the day, so I hardly talk except in the evenings. Plus I text a lot as well.

Like you though have no need for data, Shaw has so many hot spots around now, I can always find one, along with Mcd's and Tim's, so no need for over priced data from the cell companies.

But you have to pay a base payment of $15 a month? ($180 a year) Thats what the website says...
http://koodomobile.com/en/on/plansandboosters.shtml

My phone bill for the year is $100.

I can does good mental math!

They also have a promotion on right now where if you top up automatically on a credit card then it's $13.50 a month. So that's $162 for the service, plus $50 for minutes for a year, plus $30 for data for a year, so $217 total.

Your $100 - does that cover just minutes, or does it include text?

My mom's $217 is unlimited texting including picture and international, Canada-wide calling, and data.

With the new regulations you can cancel at anytime now too can't ya? Just need to pay off the handset balance owing. At least that was my understanding of it.

Text or voice. Voice and text prices have both gone up recently Voice is 40c a min, plus 40c extra for long distance if applicable, Texts are a rather unreasonable 30c per for outgoing texts. But for my modest needs its enough.

Unfortunately due to geography I get crappy reception at home, so still pay Bell a ludicrous $38 a month for a landline too If that were not the case then a monthly cell plan and better minutes would make sense.

http://www.cellphones.ca/cell-plans/

Could be, I have no idea. I just rather buy a cheap phone upfront and not deal with having to bother with it at a later day, but yes it sounds correct, but I honestly have never looked into it as I've never had a contract....

Has anyone seen my old phone? I can't find it in the house because the battery has run down and I have use it for a couple of days until a posh new one from work can be set up. I dropped my good one in the water again. I count that six in the drink in two and half years.