I need some SIM card schoolin....

[garyhaupt]

We are going into the US for 4 months...and using our provider runs us about 112.50 a month. The navigator used the phone as her constant companion for info and we were at 350 for one month and 400 the next. I am trying to understand the swapping out of SIM cards. My understanding is that I get a new SIM and then sign up for an International phone plan with X number of data plans. I get an assigned number for use with that SIM card? and can then make and receive calls to that number...? So far so good?

If there is a better way I am all eyes.


Gary Haupt

[pianotuna]

Hi Gary,

I wish it would be discussed in public. I'm always looking for ways to trim the cell phone budget downwards.

MDKMDK $95 without tax 5% GST and 6% Provincial Sales Tax.

I don't know how the 512 works as my main provider is Sasktel--their throttle speed is 2048 instead of 512. At 2048 movies from netflix work well.

[garyhaupt]

owenssailor wrote:
We are with Rogers in Canada. They have a roam like home plan but I find it is too expensive for long term travel to the US. We have our phones suspended in Canada with a small fee to hold the numbers. We then insert a US sim card into our phones in the US. We use Tracfone which is available at Walmart.

You phone must be unlocked to be able to do this. By law in Canada all cell providers must unlock your phone at no charge. I suggest that you contact Rogers to verify that your phones are unlocked.

With Tracfone you add time for either talk or data as needed. You buy the cards at Walmart or you can add time online.

We have found that coverage is excellent. We have used Tracfone from the Northeast of the US to the bottom of Florida and across the Gulf to San Diego and LA. It has been fine in just about every spot including areas out in the desert boondocking.

If you have questions please PM me.

THIS is what I sought...thank you. And yes, I will pm you if I have other questions.

Gary

[MDKMDK]

almcc wrote:
I have a dual SIM phone (bought at Staples in Canada) and I have a Canadian SIM card and an AT&T SIM card in it. I mostly use the AT&T service even here in Canada as they pair with Rogers and I get more data for less $$ than I could with Rogers. I also use the phone as a WiFi hot spot both in the US and Canada. I used a campsite in the US as my address for AT&T and I pay with my US$ credit card issued by a Canadian bank. I note that AT&T have a good deal at WalMart on phones and plans, here is the link:

Link

Maybe a friend down there can get you one!

1) That's where we got our Asus Laser 2 with dual SIM. Very good little phone and the wifi/network card/adapter in it is incredible at connecting to anything, anywhere.
2) AT&T does reciprocate with Rogers, and we use it almost more than our 2 Canadian numbers on Speak Out 711. The coverage is pretty good except in northern BC, and Yukon, where Rogers towers are scarce. SO711 also uses Rogers. T-Mobile uses Bell/Telus towers in Canada, so we're covered up here too.
3) We pay our prepaid plans online, with a Canadian "no forex conversion fees" credit card, and typically, any US service that requires a US address, can either be the store's address where you buy the product (they usually don't care about this), or my US shipper/receiver's address will also do.

[MDKMDK]

travisc wrote:
I think the T-Mobile $3 plan is gone

It still exists, as Ultra Mobile, which is now a partner with T-Mobile. I got it when it was T-Mobile prepaid.

https://www.ultramobile.com/paygo/?icid=WMM_TMNG_PPEULTRA_O6BDJUPVQ5RM3G9P617763

[MDKMDK]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Mike,

I get 22 gigs of Data including unlimited no long distance calling with unlimited messaging in a Canada-USA plan from Bell for $95.00 and tax. The plan allows for tethering. I don't think that is financial suicide.

Hi Don,
I know, I was just playing silly bugger, which is something I excel at.
That doesn't sound too bad - is that with or without tax? That's the killer up here. I saw some Canadian plans for even less, with around 10GB at full speed before the throttling starts. How bad is 512 kbps speed? Are we talking molasses in January?

Some of these, while in the US, might be better for longer travels in the US, but short term postpaid. Some include Canadian coverage, but there's usually a caveat about percentage of usage in the US has to exceed usage outside the States. How closely that is monitored, I have no idea. If you live on the border (like I do) that might factor into the decision.
https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/unlimited-55-senior-discount-plans
These prepaid plans are pretty simple, and you can add unlimited data for a few dollars more.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

Even with the 1.3? % forex rate, they're cheaper than ours, in most cases.

[almcc]

I have a dual SIM phone (bought at Staples in Canada) and I have a Canadian SIM card and an AT&T SIM card in it. I mostly use the AT&T service even here in Canada as they pair with Rogers and I get more data for less $$ than I could with Rogers. I also use the phone as a WiFi hot spot both in the US and Canada. I used a campsite in the US as my address for AT&T and I pay with my US$ credit card issued by a Canadian bank. I note that AT&T have a good deal at WalMart on phones and plans, here is the link:

Link

Maybe a friend down there can get you one!

[pianotuna]

Hi Mike,

I get 22 gigs of Data including unlimited no long distance calling with unlimited messaging in a Canada-USA plan from Bell for $95.00 and tax. The plan allows for tethering. I don't think that is financial suicide.

[travisc]

I think the T-Mobile $3 plan is gone

[MDKMDK]

Gary, admit it, my advice is the cheapest and simplest option out there.
Trying to roam in the US on a Canadian carrier's plan is financial suicide.
The best option is use a US carrier while in the US. T-Mobile has the best talk/text/data plans (although AT&T Verizon have decent unlimited plans, too) for short term usage, and if you decide to go back next year, you can keep the same number for US$3/month so you don't have to start from scratch. Their coverage area isn't as good, but the downside of that depends on where you're snowbirding. It might not matter at all.
C'mon, you know I'm right.....:C

[travisc]

Something to look at are prepaid plans at Walmart if your phone is unlocked from your current carrier, straight talk has sims you can swap between att Verizon and T-Mobile if your pawn phone supports the right bands, or you can buy their cheaper phones too . Att prepaid has some pretty cheap plans and phone you can tether your phone with if you have WiFi callinng

[owenssailor]

We are with Rogers in Canada. They have a roam like home plan but I find it is too expensive for long term travel to the US. We have our phones suspended in Canada with a small fee to hold the numbers. We then insert a US sim card into our phones in the US. We use Tracfone which is available at Walmart.

You phone must be unlocked to be able to do this. By law in Canada all cell providers must unlock your phone at no charge. I suggest that you contact Rogers to verify that your phones are unlocked.

With Tracfone you add time for either talk or data as needed. You buy the cards at Walmart or you can add time online.

We have found that coverage is excellent. We have used Tracfone from the Northeast of the US to the bottom of Florida and across the Gulf to San Diego and LA. It has been fine in just about every spot including areas out in the desert boondocking.

If you have questions please PM me.

[pianotuna]

Gary,

Both Bell and Telus no longer charge for overage--but they do throttle to the point where video may not work well. The so called "unlimited" plans for USA do the same after some number of gigabytes. But for regular web surfing, email and the dreaded FaceBook there is still enough to be usable.

Sasktel has an unlimited plan and the throttle level is 4 times larger than Telus and Bell, so video still works. However they do not have a Canada/USA plan.

[garyhaupt]

pianotuna wrote:
Gary,

I think Rogers teams up with AT&T in the USA, which has the 2nd best coverage.

So..the problem is communications...the navigator used the phone as her constant companion for info and we were at 350 for one month and 400 the next. Some of this information is only now coming to light.

Thus my searching for a better alternative.


Gary

[pianotuna]

Gary,

I think Rogers teams up with AT&T in the USA, which has the 2nd best coverage.