Phone and internet for Canadians

[2gocamp]

What would be the best cell phone/internet choice for a Canadian to spend 6 months in the States?
Our provider, Rogers, has roaming for an extra $5 per day to a max of $50 a month. If we are 2 or 3 people with each an iPhone, that can add up fast. Is it better to get a US sim card? Not sure how that works.

Thanks

Andre

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We have a few friends from up there that have second phones on monthly pre-paid plans, like Straight Talk. They pay while in the US and let it "rest" while back home.
Our Straight Talk phone uses the Verizon towers so we get a good signal in most places we go.
They are sold at Walmart.
There's some others...check around for one that suits your needs.

Some phones do only need a sim card but I don't know much about that.

 

[Almost There]

The very first thing I do when I cross the border in the fall is head for the closest Verizon store and activate my US phone.

I originally bought a Samsung Galaxy S4 after being told by multiple Canadians that I could just switch out the sim card and get a US phone....hahaha...not true said Verizon...no way would my Cdn phone work on their network!

Soooo, I ended up buying a HTC phone from them.

I use a monthly plan and buy data to use the phone as a mobile hotspot. Last year I spent $20.00 a month for unlimited talk US, added a $10.00 a month long distance to Canada plan and then added 3 Gb of data to it.

Occasionally I would run short of data and have to add another Gb to get me to the end of the month.

The Cdn long distance plan was their cheapest and had a 1000 minutes which I never came close to using but it was cheaper and more convenient than paying by the minute when I did make calls to Canada. I now text with both the kids here and with Mom passed away, I won't need that plan this coming winter. I can email all my friends, they just won't get to hear my lovely voice until spring.... :angel:  

The last thing I do when I come back to Canada in the spring is have the US phone turned off and my first stop in Canada is to put a plan back in place on my Cdn Virgin Mobile phone.

 

[2gocamp]

Thanks for the info. I've got lots of time to research it as I'm not going soon, but one day. Can't wait.