Pre-Paid SIM Cards
#1
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Pre-Paid SIM Cards
I'm an Aussie travelling to Canada. I wonder if pre-paid SIM cards are available there as readily as they are here? I will have my own phone and just want to buy a $30 card for the few weeks I'll be in Canada.
Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks, Mac
Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks, Mac
#2
Hi Mac123 - presume you're speaking of mobile phones. The short answer is maybe and the long answer is - well - long.
North America's GSM networks runs on a different frequency than much of the rest of the world. To work in Canada your GSM handset will have to be a so called "World Phone", also called "tri-band".
Even if you have that kind of handset, it's possible it will be "SIM locked" in other words, a Canadian carrier's SIM card won't work. (Do you know if you phone is locked?)
There's another major difference between Australia and North American mobiles - in Canada the mobile owner pays for outgoing and INCOMING calls - unlike Australia where you only pay for outgoing calls. If you were planning to use your mobile to receive a lot of calls be aware that will deplete your minutes.
Depending upon how much you need a phone, you can usually buy a prepaid package including the handset and about 30 minutes of calling for around $125 CDN, or you can rent the handset (I don't know how much that costs but most airports have mobile rental booths). Our major mobile providers are Bell (Ontario/Quebec) Telus, Rogers and Fido (all National).
Hope this helps.
North America's GSM networks runs on a different frequency than much of the rest of the world. To work in Canada your GSM handset will have to be a so called "World Phone", also called "tri-band".
Even if you have that kind of handset, it's possible it will be "SIM locked" in other words, a Canadian carrier's SIM card won't work. (Do you know if you phone is locked?)
There's another major difference between Australia and North American mobiles - in Canada the mobile owner pays for outgoing and INCOMING calls - unlike Australia where you only pay for outgoing calls. If you were planning to use your mobile to receive a lot of calls be aware that will deplete your minutes.
Depending upon how much you need a phone, you can usually buy a prepaid package including the handset and about 30 minutes of calling for around $125 CDN, or you can rent the handset (I don't know how much that costs but most airports have mobile rental booths). Our major mobile providers are Bell (Ontario/Quebec) Telus, Rogers and Fido (all National).
Hope this helps.
#3
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Elizabeth's reply is excellent. To add a bit to it, only two of the 4 Canadian cellular companies have GSM networks, Microcell (Fido) and Rogers AT&T, so those will be the places to look for a pre-paid SIM. Rogers' international text messaging (SMS) service still does not work, but Fido's is good, so if messaging is part of your requirement, you are down to one provider.
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Thanks Elizabeth and Ron. I think I'll be buying a phone card instead, much cheaper (not as convenient, but cheaper). Appreciate the advice and I had NO IDEA about Canadians paying for outgoing and incoming calls! Thanks for your help.
Cheers Mac
Cheers Mac
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Just got back, microcell is ok, but signal is quite choppy, on and then off depending on the area in short if your a businessman not so reliable, and if your going to rockies, banff reception is ok but NO reception in jasper and lake louise.