Phone Service for Canadians

This is the third time I've used Roam Mobility and it has worked well. It was the first time using their data.

We've done the route of cheap phones that you could barely hear the other person and that had to be kept refilled so as to not lose credits. Also used a global SIM card that ended up being very pricey.

My husband had his local Canadian phone unlocked and purchased a Roam SIM card in Canada. We set up the days we want service and pre-pay in Canadian $. As soon as you cross the border, insert the sim and you're set in more urban areas. It doesn't have 100% coverage but so far this hasn't been a problem. Most of you are not likely travelling in remote WA state.

This time we decided to add the 300 mb of data for and an extra dollar per day. So grand total is $4 per day for unlimited talk, text and the data good in the US and to Canada.

We wanted to double check that the data worked before paying for the whole 13 days. Worked fine so decided to top up for the full period.

This is where the only caveat is. "Top Up" isn't an exactly accurate description. After day 2 of 3, we thought we'd add our ten days. There was no way to chose a random number of days so,we settled for a week. Instead of topping up starting at the end of the third day, it started a new one week plan. Essentially we lost one day. We then had to add our other three days at the end of this term.

There had been a few hours when Roam was having problems with some calls to Canada so we were given credit for one full day. It all balanced out for us.

I'd sure like to see this company make a go of it. Neither I nor anyone I know work for them. This is an unsolicited plug for them.

You can tether your iPad or computer too.

They also sell phones if you don't have an unlocked one.

Note, these SIM cards only work in the US.

 

Probably the only downside is that you get assigned an american number. Is there a call forwarding option or something to route the incoming calls and texts going to your original number to the one assigned to you?

 

Never tried that. I just give my family the new US number. Most have US LD plans or they can text me and I can call them back.

 

Not sure what your usage is like but you say you have an unlocked gsm phone which you tether. If you want 30 days of 3GB of 4G data which you can tether and unlimited calls while in the US to US and Canada you can check out Straight Talk. Sims are $6 and 30 day access plan is $60 (US dollars). You chose a sim which runs off AT&T or T-Mobiles network.

 

Straight Talk doesn't appear to have free calls and text to Canada. Did I miss something?

 

As long as it's originating from the US it's unlimited calls to Canada. Can't confirm about SMS/mms as the person I know was using an iPhone with iMessage enabled. For those that don't know iMessage is like SMS/mms but for iPhone to iPhone messages that goes through your data connection instead of SMS/mms.

 

I use ROAM too and have been really happy with them.

 

I do an add on for $35.00 for thirty days from Koodo. We are in vegas for 5 days so I think this will do fine?

•For $35, get 400 incoming/outgoing texts, 40 U.S. minutes and 40MB U.S. data roaming rate when travelling within continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska. Minutes used while in the U.S. are charged separately from your regular monthly plan minutes.
•If you use more Texts, Talk, or Data than what’s included, you will enter overage at a rate of $0.04/text, $0.38/minute, or $0.38/MB. This U.S. Roaming Add-on does not include SMS usage alerts.

 

I usually add this $40 travel Pack from Rogers:

ZONE 1: U.S. Talk, Text and Internet Travel Pack:
- 50 Mins
- Unlimited Sent Text
- 200MB

I frequently update status/upload pics to facebook and use BBM and email as freely as I do home, and have never went over my data allotment!

 

That's what I do too. I'm a little nervous waiting for my next bill though as I had my phone in my hand when FaceTime rang, I didn't notice that WiFi had disconnected and I was talking to hubby on Facetime using my Data. Sure hope I didn't go over!

 

GChrome, is that your allotment per day or for the whole time you're gone?

We both read newspapers, go on the internet, basically waste an hour or more each morning surfing and many times throughout the day.

What I like about Roam is the ability to just pick the number of days you need. For a one day shopping trip to the US, it would be $4. For a one week vacation in the US, it would be $28. Oh yeah, plus tax.

I believe the phone number lasts as long as you activate it every 6 months or so, maybe it's even a year.

 

I only go for 5 days at a tine usually..although my next trip is 21 days, but that plan for Rogers is good for 1 month from the time you buy it!

 

For the same on Roam you could get 10 days of like 300MB a day, unlimited long distance, unlimited texting.

http://www.roammobility.com/talk-text-data

 

I think it might be a year, yeah.

 

That is true, however all my contacts would have to find out my new number for texting and have to have free texting to a new number (ie: not in my 5/10 or whatever).

I like the fact that nothing changes when I use my own SIM/PHONE...and seriously the $40 is 2 bad hands of VP, lol!!

 

I've been with Wind for a few years now. They recently (finally) offered a US plan that isn't horrible. I get that added to my account along with wifi tethering the month I go to Vegas. It worked fine last time. Less complicated than the workarounds we had before to save money. It's only a little bit more than the workarounds were. I love Canada but the telecommunications situation sucks.