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Lithp
Thay It...Thay It
join:2001-11-22
Beverly Hills, CA

Lithp

Member

Is it possible to have US cell phone but use in Canada?

I was wondering... If you live near the US border could you get a PO box in the US and get a cell phone and plan in the US that has unlimited North American calling and use it exclusively in Canada?

I often see ads for unlimited NA calling for 19.99 a month. That would be nice.

Are there technical or other limitations preventing this?

twizlar
I dont think so.
Premium Member
join:2003-12-24
Brantford, ON

twizlar

Premium Member

If you could reach the US towers, sure. If not you would be paying roaming charges out the ass.

BryceS
join:2007-09-17
Stouffville, ON

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American Roaming in Canada is peanuts compared to what the Canadian carriers charge for USA usage.
vintagewino
join:2003-07-22
Grimsby, ON

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vintagewino to Lithp

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to Lithp
Wishful thinking!!!

A Canadian going States-side might be better off to buy a pay-as-you-go phone whilst you're down there, and vice versa.

Once you cross the border from US into Canada, your home network will bet billed by one of our very few carriers. It's called Roaming charges. Your US carrier will then respond to you in kind, and bill you for the roaming use - except I guarantee you ain't gonna like it!! It would be roughly $1/minute. Roaming charge + airtime + LD charges.

The same goes when a person with a Canadian carrier goes to the US.

All "perks" from your home carrier disappear whilst you're out of your home network.

The only possible exception, is if you're VERY close to the border, and you're on your home network (not roaming). And THAT, you have to watch.

Edit: I forgot - it has nothing to do with the billing address. It's which tower the phone is communicating with with respect to your cellular network.

elwoodblues
Elwood Blues
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join:2006-08-30
Somewhere in

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Thats why my phone is unlocked. On a recent trip to the US I went into an AT&T store and bought a pay as you go deal,I just wanted the SIM card.

Put in mine and voila, I'm now on AT&T not Robbers

I should note that this is for GSM phones only, CDMA, while technically can unlocked.. not really worth it.

Quake110
Premium Member
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON

Quake110

Premium Member

said by elwoodblues:

Thats why my phone is unlocked. On a recent trip to the US I went into an AT&T store and bought a pay as you go deal,I just wanted the SIM card.

Put in mine and voila, I'm now on AT&T not Robbers

I should note that this is for GSM phones only, CDMA, while technically can unlocked.. not really worth it.
Yup, exactly my situation. I often go to Spain and Morocco.

I put a Maroc Telecom or Telefonica card in my unlocked GSM phone and voila, I'm a Spaniard or a Moroccan. No roaming charges.

I have to say that GSM phones are a blessing.

dirtyjeffer0
Posers don't use avatars.
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join:2002-02-21
London, ON

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it isn't impossible...where i work, we recently cancelled about 8 Bell phones and have them hooked up with Verizon...our $400/month Bell plan (lots of minutes, calling features and RIM data plan) is now only about $100...multiply that by 8 phones and you have some pretty substantial savings...now, all the phones have a number based out of Michigan somewhere (probably whatever is local to Port Huron), but that doesn't matter to most of our customers anyway...the North America plans that the US carriers have are significantly less expensive than the ones we have in Canada...we have a few Rogers ones that are due for renewal later in the year and i think they are going to dump them too.

Quake110
Premium Member
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON

Quake110

Premium Member

Wow... Which demonstrates how badly we need competitions in this saturated wireless market.

dirtyjeffer0
Posers don't use avatars.
Premium Member
join:2002-02-21
London, ON

dirtyjeffer0

Premium Member

said by Quake110:

Wow... Which demonstrates how badly we need competitions in this saturated wireless market.
well, keep in mind, it costs a ridiculous amount of money to put up cell coverage across a country that only has 32 million people...the US has over 20 million in New York City alone...

AR

join:2000-09-21
Toronto, ON

AR to Lithp

to Lithp

I've been using my US phone in Toronto for over 4 years now -- 9.99/month for no roaming in NA.

Lithp
Thay It...Thay It
join:2001-11-22
Beverly Hills, CA

1 edit

Lithp

Member

Wow. It appears that it is possible. Can someone tell me how exactly to do what I propose. If I live in Vancouver BC? What do I need to get started?

Quake110
Premium Member
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON

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said by AR:

I've been using my US phone in Toronto for over 4 years now -- 9.99/month for no roaming in NA.
Eh... interesting indeed. Please, more info

AR

join:2000-09-21
Toronto, ON

AR


This is with an original ATT Wireless (before it was bought by Cingular) plan. There's a feature called N.America feature for 9.99 that's (or was) available only to people with these plans. I don't think any other plan in the market provides this kind of feature.

But imagine -- no LD or roaming in N.America and Puerto Rico.

shaner
Premium Member
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB

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You'll need to go to a US cell store, analyse your options, pick a phone and plan, and hope your Canadian id is good enough to pass a US credit check. After that, you're good to go.

I have customers set up with both extremes. One travels to the US extensively and it was cheaper for him to pickup a Sprint phone for daily use. Another was an American student at the UofC and she has Canadian service from Bell with the bill sent to her Dad in Texas.

Lithp
Thay It...Thay It
join:2001-11-22
Beverly Hills, CA

Lithp

Member

do I need to have a US address> i.e. PO box or is it not necessary?

DKS
Damn Kidney Stones

join:2001-03-22
Owen Sound, ON

DKS to vintagewino

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said by vintagewino:

Wishful thinking!!!

A Canadian going States-side might be better off to buy a pay-as-you-go phone whilst you're down there, and vice versa.
Bell has a 100 min/mo plan for all of North America for $40.00 or .40/min.

shaner
Premium Member
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB

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said by Lithp:

do I need to have a US address> i.e. PO box or is it not necessary?
Most likely you don't. I've worked for Bell Mobility for 9 years, and I've set up lots of accounts with US mailing addresses.

Where you're going to have difficulty is passing a credit check. A Canadian with good credit doesn't automatically get credit consideration from US companies, and vice versa. Be prepared to put down a deposit.

Bender2000
Bite My Shiny Metal Ass
Premium Member
join:2002-05-06
J7W 8E4

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yes, if you have a US address, can get US credit and a great plan. I have a Canadian friend that's living in the statesthat allows him to use his phone in Canada as if it were a local call. I don't recall the provider he's with or how much he's paying, but that's gotta be pretty sweet.

Quake110
Premium Member
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON

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I guess my next trip would be Ogdensberg (one hour from Ottawa) and check out the wireless deals. Or not worth it?

Hydraglass
Premium Member
join:2002-05-08

Hydraglass

Premium Member

said by Quake110:

I guess my next trip would be Ogdensberg (one hour from Ottawa) and check out the wireless deals. Or not worth it?
If you're driving that far, you're better off driving 2 hours and go to Watertown. You'll find a MUCH bigger selection of carriers and choices and people worth talking to - Ogdensburg won't have much more than if you went somewhere in Ontario like say, Prescott, to find out the same information.

Lithp
Thay It...Thay It
join:2001-11-22
Beverly Hills, CA

Lithp

Member

As I look online i dont see any great deals for north american calling. but I'm sure I saw it on TV. Can anyone point me in the right direction- which companies offer these great deals??

elwoodblues
Elwood Blues
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join:2006-08-30
Somewhere in

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said by DKS:

said by vintagewino:

Wishful thinking!!!

A Canadian going States-side might be better off to buy a pay-as-you-go phone whilst you're down there, and vice versa.
Bell has a 100 min/mo plan for all of North America for $40.00 or .40/min.
Thats insane.. the iphone roaming plan from A&T is cheaper!

dirtyjeffer0
Posers don't use avatars.
Premium Member
join:2002-02-21
London, ON

dirtyjeffer0

Premium Member

said by elwoodblues:
said by DKS:
said by vintagewino:

Wishful thinking!!!

A Canadian going States-side might be better off to buy a pay-as-you-go phone whilst you're down there, and vice versa.
Bell has a 100 min/mo plan for all of North America for $40.00 or .40/min.
Thats insane.. the iphone roaming plan from A&T is cheaper!
i think we have something like this on our work lines, but they also have blackberry service on them too:

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