Virgin Mobile $28 Data-only Plan With Text and Pay Per Use Minutes

By Stephen Clark

Last updated 14 July 2023

Article Summary

Virgin Mobile has joined the growing number of mobile carriers in Canada with a data-only plan for cell phones. The $28/month plan offers 1GB of high-speed LTE data, unlimited nationwide text, and pay-per-use talk at $0.60/minute.

A decision by the CRTC in March of last year pushed mobile carriers to offer low-cost data plans in order to bring accessibility to all Canadians. While others will be offering up to 1GB of data for $30/month. Today Virgin Mobile introduced their data-only option with pay as you go minutes for only $28/month.

The plan includes 1GB of data on the nation's largest network covering 99% of Canadians with LTE speeds. Text and picture messaging is included, but phone calls are pay-per-use at $0.60/minute. A 10 minute phone call for $6 is pretty steep, but with a variety of VoiP apps available like FaceTime and Google Duo you can call almost everyone in your contacts without touching your phone dialer.

If you still need to make the occasional call, Skype supports calling to a landline or cell phone number. If you subscribe to Office 365 then you can get up to 60 free minutes each month dialing from your Skype app to a regular phone number.

You need to provide your own phone or buy a new one outright. Virgin Mobile doesn't offer this deal on contract. WhistleOut Canada has useful guides on unlocking your phone from your current wireless provider, and how to switch carriers without losing your phone number.

Data-only Plans in Canada

While very popular elsewhere in the world, only a handful of carriers in Canada offer data-only plans for smartphones. Data-only plans enable modern iPhones and Android smartphones to use VoiP apps to talk and video chat without having to pay for talk. While features like voicemail and call display might be included, minutes can be expensive on these plans; anywhere from $0.05/minute up to $0.60/minute.

Be aware of these costs because you don't want to pay 18 bucks for just one half-hour conversation!

#1	Public Mobile	Public Mobile $21 Unlimited Canada-Wide Talk + Text + 3GB 3GB at 4G speeds up to 100Mbps Deal: Save $2/mo. with 90-day subscription + Receive $1.05/mo. in points value with Public Points + Receive a FREE eSIM with new activation only $21 + $10 Upfront Go	$21 + $10 Upfront	Go
#2	Fizz	Fizz Unlimited Quebec Minutes & Text Messaging + 1GB Data 1GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps $23/mth + $15 Upfront Go	$23/mth + $15 Upfront	Go
#3	Virgin Plus (previously Virgin Mobile)	Virgin Plus (previously Virgin Mobile) $39 Plan with 20GB Data and Unlimited Minutes 20GB at 4G speeds up to 150Mbps $39/mth Go	$39/mth	Go
#4	SaskTel	SaskTel totalSHARE Data Only 1GB 1GB at full speed $10/mth + $50 Upfront Go	$10/mth + $50 Upfront	Go
#5	Freedom Mobile	Freedom Mobile $19 4G LTE 1GB Starter Plan 1GB at 4G LTE speeds up to 100Mbps $19/mth + $45 Upfront Go	$19/mth + $45 Upfront	Go
#6	Fido	Fido $35 Basic Plan with Unltd Minutes + 3GB 3GB data $35/mth Go	$35/mth	Go

Who Else Offers Data-only Plans?

The cheapest data-only plan in Canada (with at least 1GB of data) is from Freedom Mobile. Customers get 1GB of data and even unlimited nationwide talk and text is included for just $25/month. However, the plan only works when you're in Freedom's Home network (found in major cities throughout Ontario, BC and Alberta. Elsewhere you'll need to pay $0.15/minute to talk and $0.05/MB for data. In addition to being the cheapest, Freedom Mobile has the widest variety of Data-only plans in Canada including some with nation-wide coverage.

Virgin Mobile's $28 plan is the second cheapest plan in Canada and offers nationwide coverage on Bell's high-speed LTE network. Text and picture messaging is included, as is Voicemail 3 and call display but pay per use talk is expensive at $0.60/minute. Read more about Virgin Mobile's Best Data-only Plans.

Koodo Mobile offers 1GB for only $30/month on Canada's largest, fastest and most reliable network. Incoming texts are free, but outgoing texts are $0.60 each and talk time is $0.60/minute. Read more about the best data only plans on Koodo Mobile

Public Mobile also offers 1GB of LTE data on the same network as Koodo Mobile for $30 every 30 days, but because their system is prepaid-only there's no option for talk or text.

New mobile carrier upstarts like Xplore Mobile (based in Manitoba) and Fizz (in Quebec) are offering up data-only plans. WhistleOut will have more on these new wireless providers soon.