We all know that mobile phones (called cell phones in Canada, or cell) are the best way to keep in touch when you’re on the road. What you might not know as a tourist is, that cell phone rates in Canada are shockingly expensive and rank as some of the highest in the world. Therefore, I suggest you decide on your phone strategy way before you leave home.
I have put together a basic cell phone guide for Canada to save you frustration, time and money and to make your Canada visit a good one.
Different countries and cell companies use different technologies and frequencies and your phone has to be compatible with them to work. Most cell phones are on GSM (Global System Mobile) technology on 3G and 4G/LTE. If this is the case for your phone it should be no problem to use your phone in Canada. If your cell phone company uses CDMA (Code Division Mobile Access) you will be out of luck and your phone will not work. Call your local cell phone service provider and get the details.
Yes, it actually is. When using your cell phone plan from home you will be charged high rates for every call you make, every call you receive, every text you send and for the data you use. Check with your cell phone provider at home to find out what type of international plan they offer.
Be advised that even special international plans might be expensive and of poor value. Many of these plans are targeted towards those travellers with corporate expense accounts. I’ve had a few European guests over the years that paid hundreds of dollars in monthly cell phone fees while they enjoyed the Canadian backcountry life.
For quite some time I didn’t have a clue what it was all about, having a locked or unlocked phone. Travelling to other Countries made me learn fast.
If you decide to take your mobile phone to Canada, you better make sure that it is unlocked. With a locked phone, you will be stuck paying your cell phone company’s roaming rates as soon as you land in Canada until you arrive at home again. This could break your bank account!
Canada just passed a new law that all cell phones sold in Canada must be unlocked and no unlocking fees can be charged. But that’s just in Canada; find out about the policies in your country.
Contact your provider about your phone, whether it’s locked and if it is locked, how you can get it unlocked.
An unlocked phone can be used anywhere in the world. It enables you to replace your home SIM card with a local SIM card of the country you are travelling in. Don’t panic, these days most cell phones are built to work in most countries, and therefore your phone will probably work in Canada just fine.
The process on how to unlock a phone varies with each cell phone provider. There is a good chance that your phone can get unlocked without any problems. Policies differ in each country. In some countries, cell companies are required to unlock prepaid phones after a year and contract phones after they are paid off. In any case, your first step is to contact your cell phone provider.
If your cell phone provider refuses to unlock our phone, the best way is to contact a third-party service that specializes in unlocking cell phones; you can find them all over the world. You can also locate unlocking services online. It’s smart to research the service before paying out any cash.
When you land in Canada with an unlocked phone, acquiring a SIM card is a cheap and simple process. The cost of a SIM card in Canada is around $10 and you pay approximately $50/month for a useful amount of calls, texts and data.
The major national providers in Canada are Rogers, Bell and TELUS and you can find their stores at every shopping mall and often at airports. Each provider has slightly different rate plans.
Instead of going to a mobile phone store where they will try to sell you their brand, drop in at Walmart or, Best Buy Canada. Both stores offer all the various brands; they will try to get you the best deal and usually are helpful and knowledgeable.
Chatr is a hassle-free provider, especially recommended for travellers. They offer affordable, flat fee prepaid plans with no surprises, no credit checks and no term contracts. I suggest you check them out.
If your cell phone isn’t going to work in Canada, or you can’t get it unlocked, you still have a few options:
Don’t depend on having cell phone reception outside of major centres. Canada is sparsely populated, especially the northern part of the country. In many areas, cell service is non-existent once you’re out of town, and definitely not when you’re in the middle of nowhere. You will find dead spots even in populated areas, so never totally depend on your cell phone.
Please note that in Canada it is prohibited by law to use a cell phone, texting or surfing the web while driving a motor vehicle.
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Yrene lives in the Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada, and is the founder of BackcountryCanadaTravel.com. She was born in Switzerland, lived and worked on different continents and has travelled the world. Yes, that's me, an Entrepreneur, wilderness nut and animal lover who prefers off-the-beaten-track places. I write about things I love. Mostely.