Tracphone

michelb wrote:

Tequila wrote:
I use AT&T GoPhone, works in Canada & Mexico as well. 10 cents a min US, 25 cents a min Mexico & 39 cents a minute Canada.

It roams on Telcel in Mexico, the largest network, and Rogers in Canada.

Thanks for the info. I might look at replacing my TracFone and Canadian Telus with this.

On a related note, does anyone know of any US cell plan that offers unlimited voice / data with roaming in Canada? (There appear to be lots of US companies with unlimited voice / data (doesn't actually have to be unlimited but I'd like 1000+ minutes voice / 1GB+ data) but I haven't seen any that included roaming into Canada).

BTW i got the $29 AT&T GoPhone that looks & functions like a blackberry. I paid $12 on line to get the unlock code for it and when I stick my Virgin Canada sim card in the there, it works. I am sure a Mexican Telcel Sim will as well.

DW and I each have quad band phones (will work almost anywhere) unlocked, and just add a sim card for where ever we are. A $100.00 card with AT&T is good for a year on the pay as you go plan. We have sims for Canada, USA and Mexico. Last month in Europe we put 20 Euros on an Irish card and used it for a couple of weeks in Ireland and Portugal.

If you aren't on the phone all the time pay as you go might work for you.

michelb wrote:

To put it in perspective, my wife often uses over 800 minutes and sends / receives 300 texts in a months. Your $80 Tracfone plan would last her about 3 weeks.
.

the type of phone isn't the problem. your wife is.
don't remember if Ive said it in this thread yet, but once I had my minutes built up I went on the service continuation plan at $5.00 a month.
bumpy

CardinalRule wrote:

mcewena wrote:

PackerBacker wrote:
The only sort of reasonable solution is a US plan with your Canadian provider. That's what we will be doing after next week.

That's sort of what these guys are, they're a Canadian provider but only provide US service.... http://www.roammobility.com

Wow that's an expensive way to go. I buy four 90 day 60 min cards from tracfone and they triple the minutes. That's 750 minutes and a year of service for 80 bucks with no expiry date, just refill when I get low. I have a CDMA tracfone that works on the Verizon network so no dead-spots. I get calling back to Canada and all the calling I need in the US. Yes customer service is******but then so is customer service with our wonderful Canadian providers.

You have to compare apples with apples. I actually do use Tracfone but roammobility (which appears to just be a rebranded T-Mobile Pay by the Day plan and I beleive you can just get the T-Mobile one for a bit cheaper) offers a very different plan. With your 60 minutes cards (x 4 per year x triple minutes = 720 minutes), you're getting 720 minutes in a year for $80 and doesn't include any texting (texting I believe is charged at 1/3 minute per text and you can't text to Canada). Roammobility, offers unlimited plans. For a $60/month, you get unlimited voice and unlimited text (They also have plans for 1, 3, 7, 14 days).

To put it in perspective, my wife often uses over 800 minutes and sends / receives 300 texts in a months. Your $80 Tracfone plan would last her about 3 weeks.

Also RoamMobility is really targetted to someone who's looking at spending a few days in the US - if you plan to spend a lot of time, there are probably much better plans. The other benefit of RoamMobility is that they do offer data (I don't believe Tracfone offers any data options). While I have a Tracfone, I started using RoamMobility while we are travelling so that we get data usage as well.

mcewena wrote:

PackerBacker wrote:
The only sort of reasonable solution is a US plan with your Canadian provider. That's what we will be doing after next week.

That's sort of what these guys are, they're a Canadian provider but only provide US service.... http://www.roammobility.com

Wow that's an expensive way to go. I buy four 90 day 60 min cards from tracfone and they triple the minutes. That's 750 minutes and a year of service for 80 bucks with no expiry date, just refill when I get low. I have a CDMA tracfone that works on the Verizon network so no dead-spots. I get calling back to Canada and all the calling I need in the US. Yes customer service is******but then so is customer service with our wonderful Canadian providers.

PackerBacker wrote:
The only sort of reasonable solution is a US plan with your Canadian provider. That's what we will be doing after next week.

That's sort of what these guys are, they're a Canadian provider but only provide US service.... http://www.roammobility.com

Net 10/Trac Phone is the model of terrible customer service that those who want to reach the absolute bottom should follow. FIVE HOURS talking to people I couldn't understand, three sim cards and they still couldn't reinstall my existing phone number on the phone I bought to replace one I lost. The last person I talked to was cancelling my account. His replay was "So instead of cancelling do you just want me to get your old phone number switched to your new phone?".....

B.O.

I hear you Bumpy - and thanks for the reply ALMCC

campsmoke wrote:
Talking to someone in another country is getting to be a pain when you need customer service you ahould be able to speak with someone in North America.

it isn't going to happen.
bumpy

The answer to your question (and not from the Philipines! Is yes, we turn on our phone once we get across th bridge in Detroit and it works fine. We have an Arizona number. It may even work in windsor.