rivingtonpike

The company is called Voicehost. Welcome | VoiceHost VoIP Telecommunications. The costs are broken down on their website, but my last bill was £19 (with no VAT).

not2old

thanks

BristolUK

Thanks.

But for those with cellphones only, it might be. That is if banks really need you to call from a landline, what with so many of them wanting cell numbers these days.

rivingtonpike

~I'm not sure how the person at the bank would know the difference between a cell phone and a landline or a VOIP. My cell and VOIP "landline" have the same prefix area code.

iaink

Unfortunately the bundle isnt available in my area. Thanks for the headsup though. Like much of rural canada there are effectively service monopolies in place.

scrubbedexpat091

Is that their satellite service?

BristolUK

They probably don't. I assume it's some techie thing similar to the way access from certain countries is blocked - unless disguised.

Or it might just be something to do with security - maybe a cell conversation is less secure than that of a landline.

I just know that whenever I activate a card, the instructions tell me to use a landline and they have confirmed it when I called.

BristolUK

Yes.

iaink

I think its like 35c a minute and 10 or 15c per text, but there are plans etc you can choose from too... Its virgin canada. Like I say, we are not heavy users.

The $100 is basically the minimum amount that will last a year without expiring. Less than that and it expires every couple of months or something. Just have to remember to top up the $100 annually, or at least make sure the credit card its linked to has not expired...

The 7-11 speak easy deal is I think maybe even cheaper if you just want a phone for emergencies, as long as the coverage covers where you are likely to be.

BristolUK

Sounds like something my mum has...or had.

Pizzawheel

Ok I see- it's the $50 internet deal (that pretty much matches the techsavvy deal) and then I get the android TV box, which I guess gets it's signal through the internet connection. Definitely worth considering. I'll give Bell a call when I'm ready to pull the trigger on this.

Gozit

I'd go down and dirty if I was you The pub mob plans look good too

SchnookoLoly

I'm a bit late to the party on this one. We move into our house next week, here is our setup.

For Television:
1) 2x Chromecasts, $40 each
2) 1x Android Player, $109
3) 1x Roku, came included with a television
4) Netflix, $9/month
5) The occasional, uh, acquisition of other content not on Netflix
6) $48/year ($4/month) for a service to get access to US Netflix/networks/Hulu/etc, UK iPlayer/ITV/etc.
7) An antenna to pick up the main CA and US networks, expecting it to be $200 or so for a decent one, we haven't bought it yet
Total up-front costs: ~$400 after tax
Total monthly costs: $13

For home phone:
1) We went with Free Phone Line - Phone Service . $50 one-time fee to set up a number, no monthly fee. Includes unlimited Canada calling. Required purchasing an ATA, which was $60.
2) For outside of Canada, freephoneline.ca supports Google Voice, so we use my Google Voice account and just top it up. Calls to the US when done through Google Voice are free; calls to the UK though Google Voice are 1c/min for landlines.
Total up-front costs: $110
Total monthly costs: $0
Total other costs: $10 top ups for Google Voice as and when it's required.

For internet:
1) TekSavvy High Speed DSL 25, $40/month plus $5/month for a dry loop, 300GB/month limit, 25MBPS down, 10MBPS up, unlimited data usage between 2am and 8am. $50 setup fee.
2) Modem purchase, $120
3) Wireless router for the house, $120 (you can get cheaper, we picked a fancy one that has features we want)
Total up-front costs: $290
Total monthly costs: $45

For cell phones:
1) One PAYG phone with Koodo. $15/month, topups for data and minutes when required ($25 for 500 minutes, $30 for 1GB data). Includes unlimited picture and text messaging, both local and international.
2) One monthly phone with Koodo. $45/month for 1GB data, unlimited evenings and weekends from 5pm, 500 minutes. Includes unlimited picture and text messaging, both local and international.
Total up-front costs: Phones. $450 for my phone outright, $99 for my husband's phone on a 12 month tab.
Total monthly costs: $60
Total ongoing costs: Top-ups for my PAYG plan as and when required.

Phew. That's our setup!

So all together:

Total up front costs: $800, excluding cell phones
Total monthly costs: $118
Plus top-ups when required.

not2old

schnookololy @ post #28 thats darn good (excluding the up front cost) for TV, Internet & home phone for a total monthly cost of $118 +tax

Its seems too me a bit complicated does the TV jargon & set up, but hey - I'm not a modern day techy or geek.

Update as follows...

I spent a week looking at the various boxes & XMBC boxes at Best Buy, Future shop, Canada computers & the Electronics Pro shop. Overall I did not like the product. Its too fiddly & not something the missus was comfortable with. Ongoing its 'how can I reduce my cost without loss of service or service quality as well as 'no contract, or having to go through the yearly renewal price'.

I came across vmedia. They have Internet, TV & home phone

VMedia: Cable TV & Internet Service Provider Toronto/Ontario, IPTV & Home Phone Providers in Canada

Vmedia TV premium basic package at $39.95/mth is way cheaper than Rogers digital+ & the lowest lowest even on the basic channel line up.

VMedia: Cable TV, IPTV Box & HD TV Provider in Toronto/Ontario, Cheap Cable TV

VMedia TV Channel List

The vmedia (vbox) box can be bought at Canada computers cheaper at $69.95. Signing up & buying the box at Canada computers you get 2 months free TV service which pays for the vbox.

http://www.canadacomputers.com/produ...item_id=062921

Internet with the vmedia 25/10 unlimited DSL/TTFN internet is $42.95/mth. If you already have Bell internet (and cancel it), you can use the BELL modem c/w wi fi router, otherwise its a buy a modem. One drawback on vmedia for internet is the one-time $99 install fee.

Also, the dry loop at $8/mth for vmedia or ooma

VMedia: High Speed Internet FTTN 25, Up to 25 Mbps Down / 1 Mbps up

Home Phone

with ooma

How Ooma Works | Free Internet Home Phone Service | Ooma

Now its a dry loop @$8/mth + $4/mth regulatory fees. Phone service at $12/mth Canada wide toll free.

summary monthly cost: with no netflix or other paid services.

Filmon or camposatTV through the vbox or computer.

Mediahint service for free not looked into

Internet (DSL/TTFN) 25/10 unlimited $42.95
TV (vmedia +box) with streaming ability $39.95
ooma home phone $4 fee +$8 dry loop = $!2

Total $94.90/mth

extra: One cell phone with Public mobile (unlimited province calls) $19/mth

http://www.publicmobile.ca/pmconsumer/plans

up front cost, excluding cell phone (BYOP)

Internet installation $99 fee (can use your own/existing modem)
TV vmedia box $69.95 (Canada computers)
ooma box $129.99 (Best buy)

total ~$299

if need to buy a modem with wireless router, its $200.

The then up front total $499