Planning a trip to Toronto in a couple of weeks and don't want to get raped with roaming charges. Also don't want to use my real number to call the various women I need to speak with. In the States we have cheap "pay as you go" phones you can get at Best Buy. Anything like that going on in Canada? Is there a better option? Thanks.
American Guy + Canadian Cell Phone?
- Thread starter Closer68
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Yes. You can get prepaid phones just about everywhere here, same as in the US. A popular one that's inexpensive is SpeakOut, available at 7-11 stores. Most of the cell carriers have options as well, you just have to be aware of when the minutes expire.
If you have a SIM card in your US phone and it's unlocked, you can probably also just by a prepaid sim card and drop it in. Make sure your phone is compatible with the network the SIM is from--we have a couple of carriers here who use odd bands (e.g., Wind, Mobilicity, and Public Mobile - not all phones have the frequencies they are on). Then forward calls from your US number to your Canadian number so if people call you your phone will ring in Canada, and you'll pay your US carrier's rates to answer the incoming calls, plus your minutes on the local sim.
If you are MOSTLY going to be making calls from somewhere you expect to have internet access an alternative is to set up some kind of WIFI calling on your US phone, and dodge the mobile network. This won't work when you're out in a pub or something though, but it might work in your hotel and at the office, etc.
If you are MOSTLY going to be making calls from somewhere you expect to have internet access an alternative is to set up some kind of WIFI calling on your US phone, and dodge the mobile network. This won't work when you're out in a pub or something though, but it might work in your hotel and at the office, etc.
Thanks, this is very useful to know. Sorry for my ignorance but does this work to also deal with data roaming?If you have a SIM card in your US phone and it's unlocked, you can probably also just by a prepaid sim card and drop it in. Make sure your phone is compatible with the network the SIM is from--we have a couple of carriers here who use odd bands (e.g., Wind, Mobilicity, and Public Mobile - not all phones have the frequencies they are on). Then forward calls from your US number to your Canadian number so if people call you your phone will ring in Canada, and you'll pay your US carrier's rates to answer the incoming calls, plus your minutes on the local sim.
If you are MOSTLY going to be making calls from somewhere you expect to have internet access an alternative is to set up some kind of WIFI calling on your US phone, and dodge the mobile network. This won't work when you're out in a pub or something though, but it might work in your hotel and at the office, etc.
Yeah... if you use a local sim your data would be billed against the local sim on whatever plan you have for it.
Obviously on the wifi scheme, you aren't roaming, you're on wifi. In that case you'd want to turn data off on your phone to make sure you didn't accidentally roam.
Obviously on the wifi scheme, you aren't roaming, you're on wifi. In that case you'd want to turn data off on your phone to make sure you didn't accidentally roam.
Yes, but your phone has to be carrier unlocked. If you got your phone cheaply with a contract, it is not unlocked. Has anybody had any luck getting unlock codes from Rogers or Bell? I know that in the US when your contract expires, they will give it to you. I'm assuming the same is NOT true here, but who knows?Thanks, this is very useful to know. Sorry for my ignorance but does this work to also deal with data roaming?
If you are with Rogers, they will unlock your phone for $50. After contract, phone is yours, you just pay $50. Before contract, you have to pay remaining balance on your phone, i.e. if you are in a one year contract, remaining two years should be paid in full before they will allow unlocking.Yes, but your phone has to be carrier unlocked. If you got your phone cheaply with a contract, it is not unlocked. Has anybody had any luck getting unlock codes from Rogers or Bell? I know that in the US when your contract expires, they will give it to you. I'm assuming the same is NOT true here, but who knows?
There are some online sites that you can use to get the unlock codes for less than $30.
Pardon my noob-ness, but will an unlocked phone work on any network (assuming the phone is on a compatible technology)?
For example, if I buy an unlocked GSM phone via Amazon, will it work here with a Rogers SIM and Stateside with a T-Mobile/AT&T SIM? Do I need to do anything other than buy a local SIM?
For example, if I buy an unlocked GSM phone via Amazon, will it work here with a Rogers SIM and Stateside with a T-Mobile/AT&T SIM? Do I need to do anything other than buy a local SIM?
Thanks! How much does this cost?Yes. You can get prepaid phones just about everywhere here, same as in the US. A popular one that's inexpensive is SpeakOut, available at 7-11 stores. Most of the cell carriers have options as well, you just have to be aware of when the minutes expire.
Just walk in any 7-11. Cheapest phone is around $60. $28 (prepaid with taxes) for charging up.Thanks! How much does this cost?
I will be in US in August (San Francisco Bay), I would like to get a prepaid phone, any suggestion ? although I don't expect you to be in California.
You can get a sim card for $10 from 7-11.Thanks! How much does this cost?
speakouthttp://www.speakout7eleven.ca/prepaid-cellphones
For another $10 you can add rudimentary data for a month.
I stuck one in an old iphone, though I had to cut it down to size with scissors.
Really.
Just walk in any 7-11. Cheapest phone is around $60. $28 (prepaid with taxes) for charging up.
I will be in US in August (San Francisco Bay), I would like to get a prepaid phone, any suggestion ? although I don't expect you to be in California.
Seriously????? $90? I'd be better off just calling people and roaming!
In the States you should go to Best Buy you can get a phone for $10 man. Maybe $15 to charge.
Yes it will work if it's a compatible technology. By "compatibile technology" I assume you mean the frequency the network broadcasts on. So if you wanted to use a phone on Wind/Mobilicity you would need a phone that has support for the 1700 band frequency. An iPhone, for example, does not have that support, while Samsung G3's do.Pardon my noob-ness, but will an unlocked phone work on any network (assuming the phone is on a compatible technology)?
For example, if I buy an unlocked GSM phone via Amazon, will it work here with a Rogers SIM and Stateside with a T-Mobile/AT&T SIM? Do I need to do anything other than buy a local SIM?
Most phones will work on most networks but you should check.
But yeah, if your phone uses a compatible technology, and it is unlocked, you can drop in a sim for the destination network and it'll work.
Petro Canada.
$5 SIM cad and 15 cents per minute. They had recently a $19 cheapie Nokia phone. All the others are reasonably priced, as well, and they are unlocked, I believe. They use the Rogers GSM network.
$5 SIM cad and 15 cents per minute. They had recently a $19 cheapie Nokia phone. All the others are reasonably priced, as well, and they are unlocked, I believe. They use the Rogers GSM network.
