Phone Upgrades With Prepaid Service?

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Jade - 14 Mar 2004 07:32 GMT

I've been using Fido prepaid for about 4 years with a Nokia 5190 phone
(old, yes I know). I've tried calling CS to see if I can get a
discount to upgrade my phone but since I'm on prepaid, I've had no
luck (I guess 4 years as a loyal customer means nothing). I'm just
wondering if anyone out there on prepaid have ever been successful in
getting a discount on a new phone - if so, how did you do it?

I would like to get the Motorola V60i but since I don't use my phone
very often, I can't justify shelling out $250 just because I want a
new toy. I've thought about trying to purchase the phone as part of a
new monthly plan (hopefully with a nice discount) and then switch back
to prepaid after a few months; however, if I do this, does anyone know
if I can keep my current number?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jade

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MiKoMi - 14 Mar 2004 08:57 GMT

It would be better if you ask HoFo members about this. They are very
knowledgable about this kind of things. Go to www.howardforums.com and go to
the FIDO forum and ask the members there. Some of the members there are Fido
dealers themselves so they might be able to help you with your situation.

> I've been using Fido prepaid for about 4 years with a Nokia 5190 phone
> (old, yes I know). I've tried calling CS to see if I can get a
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Thanks,
> Jade

Reply to this Message

repatch - 14 Mar 2004 17:27 GMT

Fido considers prepaid users completly worthless. As such you get NOTHING
from them. I've canceled 2 prepaid accounts with them and they didn't offer
me ANYTHING to no cancel, and I was with them since prepaid first existed.

About the only thing they offered me is about 5 months after my balance had
expired (and a few days before the account expired) they called and offered
my $5 of airtime. I told them forget it. After around 5 years of prepaid I
get a $5 offer of airtime, many months after my balance expired and I had
already switched??? Fido's got some weird ideas there...

> I've been using Fido prepaid for about 4 years with a Nokia 5190 phone
> (old, yes I know). I've tried calling CS to see if I can get a
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Thanks,
> Jade

Reply to this Message

mistaroboto - 14 Mar 2004 20:26 GMT

> Fido considers prepaid users completly worthless. As such you get NOTHING
> from them. I've canceled 2 prepaid accounts with them and they didn't offer
> me ANYTHING to no cancel, and I was with them since prepaid first existed.

Actually, you are wrong. The new FIDO Rewards program is for prepaid users
as well.

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repatch - 14 Mar 2004 20:33 GMT

> > Fido considers prepaid users completly worthless. As such you get NOTHING
> > from them. I've canceled 2 prepaid accounts with them and they didn't
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Actually, you are wrong. The new FIDO Rewards program is for prepaid users
> as well.

Hehe, ya, what is it, $5 for every $100?? Ya, that's a GREAT reward...
Let's see, a new phone is what, $250? So, that's $5000 I have to spend to
get a "free" phone. Wow, what a deal... Fido's new program is great from a
marketing point of view, but it's absolutely useless for the average
customer, more so for prepaid users. Oh, and those 5 years I have had with
Fido on prepaid? They don't count, of course...

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Super Dave - 15 Mar 2004 02:10 GMT

> Fido considers prepaid users completly worthless.

I think they just consider YOU worthless. Just like most people think your
opinions are worthless.

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repatch - 15 Mar 2004 06:24 GMT

> > Fido considers prepaid users completly worthless.
>
> I think they just consider YOU worthless. Just like most people think your
> opinions are worthless.

I think you replied to the wrong post, I was the one who said that.

And as for my statement I completely stand by it. There has been NOTHING
in the way Fido has treated their prepaid customers to show anything other
then contempt for them. I actually had a CSR admit to me (paraphrasing here)
once that a prepaid customer is considered a "lost oportunity", and that
"unless they are on post paid they are no good to us". It's a mentality that
is shown in every action they've taken. And it's a shame, because they
started out in a way that really created the prepaid craze in Canada
(although Rogers was first, their offering was a joke compared to Fido's
first offering, now look how the tables have turned).

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JF Mezei - 14 Mar 2004 21:43 GMT

Actually, Fido can't make it mind about prepaid.

At first, it was all the rage. Then, they decided it wasn't and wanted to move
customers to postpaid. But now, they've realised that moving them to postpaid
lowers the ARPU for postpaid customers and ARPU is a number used by analysts
to measure the company. SO they want to send low end customers back to prepaid
and want to get as many high end customers on postpaid as possible. That is
the way I see it.

Does Fido still market its prepaid service as Fidomatic ?

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repatch - 15 Mar 2004 01:56 GMT

> > Fido considers prepaid users completly worthless. As such you get NOTHING
> > from them. I've canceled 2 prepaid accounts with them and they didn't offer
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> and want to get as many high end customers on postpaid as possible. That is
> the way I see it.

Funny, I recently dropped my monthly for prepaid and they resisted, so I
don't think what you say is universally true.

> Does Fido still market its prepaid service as Fidomatic ?

No, haven't for a long time.

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<Jon> - 15 Mar 2004 02:06 GMT

I have had 2 accounts on PrePaid/Fidomatic since 2000, actually 2 5190s,
which one of which is still in use. Every switch I've made I've bought
used Fido phones, either locally or on eBay. That's probably your best bet.

> I've been using Fido prepaid for about 4 years with a Nokia 5190 phone
> (old, yes I know). I've tried calling CS to see if I can get a
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Thanks,
> Jade

Reply to this Message

Sass - 16 Mar 2004 01:13 GMT

I have been a Fido customer since 1999 and for the most part it has been
prepaid. I called in 2002 when people were getting free and discounted
phones and I was able to get a 3390 for $50. I ended up getting a new
number and had to go on a monthly plan but it was ok and I eventually
switched back to prepaid. Good luck. It can be done somehow.

> I've been using Fido prepaid for about 4 years with a Nokia 5190 phone
> (old, yes I know). I've tried calling CS to see if I can get a
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Thanks,
> Jade

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