leahk
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
I am on the Canada trip in September. Does anyone have any tips for data and voice roaming on my mobile phone. Is there a Prepay sim that I can purchase?  I am on Vodafone and they don't seem to have anything to help.
nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
Leah,

Sorry I am not very uptodate on what your talking about (in other words I am old) what I can say I was on the USA and Canada tour 18 months ago, and while in USA we had free wifi on the coach, so I used that on phone and iPad, also most hotels had wifi so linked into that, there was no coach wifi in Canada. So I just txt and emailed when needed..I never call when away.

I have no idea if this helps you, if it's a while Canada tour then sorry no idea.

Cindy

SarahS
(Member)
I had no problem using my mobile (unsophisticated Tesco pay go ) from Montreal to Toronto. I didn't make or recieve calls or use data, but kept in touch with family in the UK by text. The charges eighteen months  ago  were 40p per text. Free  wifi was available in all our hotels.  That might be a better option for you. I  took my tablet, and had no problem  connecting to the Internet.
PaulineD
(Member)
Hi LeahK,

I too am with Vodaphone. I took my phone with me on a recent trip to Japan and, after seeking advice, I kept the Airplane mode on for the first few days and just used my phone when hooked up to the hotel WIfi but on receiving my bill was surprised to find I had incurred over £9 pound in roaming charges when abroad.  When I queried this in my local branch I was told that as soon as you switch the Airplane mode off and you receive emails etc. then roaming charges apply.  Personally I think that Vodaphone are rubbish with things like this and I too would appreciate how to use my phone abroad without getting hefty charges.  I switched it off after that and didn't use it at all until I got back to England but it seemed unfair that other people were using their phones quite happily when I couldn't use mine!!

PaulineD

SylviaJ
(Member)
Hi Leah

I've been to Canada twice and used the hotel wifi. I would only use mobile for phone calls or texts in extreme emergency. If you want to "roam" whilst there, you might be better getting a pay as you go sim on arrival in Canada. Mr Google might be able to assist.

Regards

Sylvia

leahk
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
That's for the replies.it is roaming Data I am most interested in.  I have already looked Into what Vodafone can offer and it appears that in Canada I am at the mercy of the local carriers, which means that roaming data would be extortionate.   So I think i will try and get a prepaid local SIM card, but looking on Google, I am still none the wiser. Ideally I want a card I can put in my mifi so I can use it with both the phone and iPad but some carriers block use in such devices. One company I have found that may have what I need is similicious, and I wonder if anyone has used them.
Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi

I am with O2 and usually as soon as I land in a foreign country I get a message about the costs and local carriers if any. Usually call charges per minute are very high unless in Europe and texts are usually 40p a minute. I keep my phone switched off for most of the time and may only make one phone call or send a coupld of texts. Mind you, I am a 'dinosaur' and still use a very old Nokia phone!!

Jaya

ksf1
  • (Member)
(Member)
I'm with BT mobile and they have an app that lets you make calls from your mobile using the hotel WiFi at no charge.

you do need to get to a position that has a reasonably good signal but it has certainly worked when I have used it in Moscow, Ecuador and South Africa. I know you can Skype and face time etc but this app comes up and you can use your own contacts. I'm sure there provides use something similar

keith

pahill
(Member)
If you have a contract, Vodafone have a plan extra called World Traveller at £5 a day (only charged on the days you actually use it) to allow your UK package's calls/texts/data allowance globally for no extra charge. Exceed your UK plan allowance and then normal international charges apply for the country you're in.

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/costs/travelling-abroad/world-traveller/index.htm 

It doesn't work on pay-as-you-go phones/SIMs where you will always pay full price in that case.