Trip to US - Mobile phone use, roaming charges, etc... - Page 3 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Hemi-Cuda · 05-23-2012, 04:26 PM

i'm thinking about picking one of those adapters up so that i can stop carrying my work blackberry around. having one phone with my business and personal SIM inside able to make or receive calls on either number would be fantastic

GP_Matt · 05-24-2012, 01:25 PM

Someone might be able to clarify, but if you are using an enterprise email account do you need to reactivate it for a different SIM card or will it still work as normal?

Tinordi · 05-24-2012, 01:30 PM

I use Wind and bought a T-Mobile pay as you go sim card off Ebay for $10. I called up T-Mobile and told them to put me on the $3 a day unlimited calling and internet plan. Worked really well when I was just down in the States for a week.

Meelapo · 05-24-2012, 04:00 PM

Just to confirm, an option of preventing all unwanted charges would be to simply remove the SIM card and then put it back in when you return.

Rathji · 05-24-2012, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Someone might be able to clarify, but if you are using an enterprise email account do you need to reactivate it for a different SIM card or will it still work as normal?

I am pretty sure it is tied to the device, not the account, as I recall hearing stories about people getting other peoples work email that had previously been on BES.

nfotiu · 05-24-2012, 10:05 PM

Any advice going in the opposite direction (other than vlad and I should switch phones at the airport). I have a verizon droid razr. In years past I could spend a prorated amount of 20 a month for unlimited Canadian data. Verizon ditched that plan, and offers 20 a month for free Canadian roaming for calling and txting , that I can get rid of when I get back. And I can buy 100 mb of data for 25$.

Can I do better than that picking up a pre paid phone or do I have a pre paid sim option?

Julio · 05-24-2012, 10:18 PM

Not sure what kind of plan you would get but you can get a Telus SIM card for $10 here...http://www.telusmobility.com/en/AB/a..._nhdgsim.shtml

GoFlamesGo89 · 05-25-2012, 04:03 AM

Another decent option for Canadian pay as you go is the 7-eleven speakout sim. You can pick up the SIM (10) at any 7-eleven. The rates are ok for light-medium voice / text usage, and you can add on 'unlimited mobile browsing' for $10. This is a limited data plan in that they block a number of ports (but not all). So on my iphone I can get mail through Exchange, browsing etc, but not streaming, skype, google voice etc. Your best bet for long distance is probably via a 3rd party calling card type service, as the direct dial long-distance is relatively expensive.

The redeeming features of this plan are no system access fees and any top-up will be valid for 365 days so if you're occasionally back and forth you won't loose the number or credit. It also works on the Rogers footprint so the coverage is good.

VladtheImpaler · 09-16-2012, 06:09 PM

BUMP. Swapping in a new SIM card worked great in NY and Chi. Thank you. Now, how about Spain and Shanghai (my next 2 destinations by the looks of it) - same trick work there?

Azure · 09-16-2012, 06:24 PM

I don't see why not. Just make sure your phone is capable of using the bands available in those countries.

bomba · 09-17-2012, 09:12 PM

Has anyone tried these guys out:

http://www.roammobility.com/

I noticed there are a couple stores in Calgary selling the SIM cards... seems like a pretty decent option.

On a sidenote - has anyone using Telus had coverage in Montana? I'm going down to Whitefish, but I looked at Telus' US coverage map and Montana is completely blank.

saskflames69 · 09-17-2012, 09:16 PM

Since my family likes to travel to the US, we bought $45 Verizon prepaid phones in 2009 and activate them for $2/per day whenever we're down there. Wisest decision we have ever made.

bossy22 · 09-17-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomba

Has anyone tried these guys out:

http://www.roammobility.com/

I noticed there are a couple stores in Calgary selling the SIM cards... seems like a pretty decent option.

On a sidenote - has anyone using Telus had coverage in Montana? I'm going down to Whitefish, but I looked at Telus' US coverage map and Montana is completely blank.

Telus is fine, there is a dead spot between Eureka and Whitefish, but that's about it. Just get a roaming plan.

JerzeeGirl · 09-18-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomba

Has anyone tried these guys out:

http://www.roammobility.com/

I noticed there are a couple stores in Calgary selling the SIM cards... seems like a pretty decent option.
.

Thanks for that link Bomba....I wish I'd seen that before spending most of August in the US!!! Do you know which stores in Calgary are selling the sim cards?

DoubleK · 09-18-2012, 08:53 PM

Not directly related to the OP, but if you have a rooted and unlocked bell phone. I strongly reccomemd using AT&T's prepaid unlimited service. For $2/day, you get unlimited data and voice. I found it to be much better than T-Mobile.

bomba · 09-18-2012, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerzeeGirl

Thanks for that link Bomba....I wish I'd seen that before spending most of August in the US!!! Do you know which stores in Calgary are selling the sim cards?

If you go to this link:

http://www.roammobility.com/where-to-buy/

and click Alberta it should show you the stores in Calgary that sell the SIM cards. Alternatively it looks like they can ship one to you as well.

Tinordi · 09-19-2012, 12:16 PM

If you have a Wind phone just buy an activated T-mobile pay as you go sim card off ebay. I pay $2.50 a day for unlimited internet and calling.

Paladium · 09-19-2012, 10:26 PM

I have an unlocked iphone and that t-mobile service worked sweet for me like about $2/day if you use it - if not then the money just stays on the card. Saved me a whack of money compared to the yar laddie Rogers Rip off deal. I think it was something like $50 or $70 or more for the week when in the end I spent $10 US

CRXguy · 09-20-2012, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomba

If you go to this link:

http://www.roammobility.com/where-to-buy/

and click Alberta it should show you the stores in Calgary that sell the SIM cards. Alternatively it looks like they can ship one to you as well.

I was looking into this when we went on vacation last month. It uses AWS frequency(Wind, Mobilicity, T-mobile), so if you have an unlocked GSM phone you will only get data on 2G.

Ended up going with Go Red Pocket. I paid $54 I think for 30 days. Unlimited calling/texting/MMS in USA, 1GB data and up to 200 international minutes. It piggybacks off of AT&T. Reception sucked in Montana, but was good for the most part from Idaho down to Southern California.

Buy the sim cards a couple of weeks in advance on eBay. I paid $9 including shipping for 2 sims(one regular, and one micro-sim for my dad's iPhone).

VladtheImpaler · 11-27-2012, 10:58 PM

I am going to bump this to see if anyone has any ideas for this scenario...

I use an internet line for my business number - the calls get forwarded to whatever number I happen to be using in NORTH AMERICA. So, NY was fine - I unlocked my BB and put a T-Mobile SIM in there - worked like a charm. I am planning to go to Spain during the winter and China in 6 months.My provider can't forward calls to international numbers. Any suggestions, other than getting whatever deal I can get from Rogers for overseas roaming?