Best unlocked inexpensive phone for Canada?

[easyrider]

I just had a lovely chat session with AT&T.

It looks like I can get an unlocked GSM phone, then port my number over from Boost, then use that as a GoPhone for $60 per month that will work in the US and Canada. No need for two SIMS. And I really love my Samsung Galaxy S4 (yes, I know, it's old).

That was our set up while driving through Canada. The AT&T pre paid iphone worked pretty good. I haven't tried our Tmobile service in Canada yet. From what I hear it suppose to work but I am bringing the AT&T pre paid iphone anyway as back up if we head to Yellow Knife.

Bill

 

[am1]

I am using the att go phone anywhere in North America plan and depending on where you are it is the *****. It roams on Rogers and if it were to roam on Telus would work great. I have an iphone 5 which may be part of the issue but the technical support would not say that. Only thing worse then the signal has been the customer service. Was suppose to be called back twice by a supervisor and nothing. I am not even sure some of them realize that Canada is a different country and uses different carriers then the United States.

 

[wackymother]

I am using the att go phone anywhere in North America plan and depending on where you are it is the *****. It roams on Rogers and if it were to roam on Telus would work great. I have an iphone 5 which may be part of the issue but the technical support would not say that. Only thing worse then the signal has been the customer service. Was suppose to be called back twice by a supervisor and nothing. I am not even sure some of them realize that Canada is a different country and uses different carriers then the United States.

So it doesn't work right? (I'm trying to interpret the *****.)

I'm going to try the T-Mobile plan this time. Going to the T-Mobile store with my friend today. I'll let you know!

 

[am1]

So it doesn't work right? (I'm trying to interpret the *****.)

I'm going to try the T-Mobile plan this time. Going to the T-Mobile store with my friend today. I'll let you know!

Works great in some places and where I am staying it it slow when it does work at all.

 

[wackymother]

I'm back from Toronto! Pleased to report that my T-Mobile phone worked perfectly for texting and voice.

BUT I only get 50MB (or something like that) of "roaming data." We went to Pennsylvania last week and I blew out my entire month's worth of roaming data. Needless to say, Toronto was roaming.

So I had no data unless I was on a wireless network. I had to hover outside a Starbucks a few times.

Still, this is good enough for my purposes. We're planning another trip up next month, so it's good to know that I have something that will work and that I need to hoard my roaming data.

 

[moonstone]

Glad you had a good trip. Next time turn off the data part on the phone and just turn it on for brief periods when there is no wifi available. That will still enable you to make & get phone calls (which will incur a roaming charge if outside the "home" area) or make/receive text messages but wont eat up all your data.

Many places have free wifi besides Starbucks, even outdoors in some parts of downtown (ie:Yonge/Dundas Square) so you can just use that for free and save your data.

Last year my sister spent 2 weeks in Florida with her phone turned off to avoid any roaming charges & she doesn't even have a smart phone, just an old flip phone with no data package! She really didnt understand the roaming part at all.

~Diane