Internet And Cell While In Canada

[shelia.williams]

We will be traveling through southeast Canada and over to the New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia this summer and need to figure out how to get Internet and cell service while we travel.

We have Verizon service with a hot spot and our iPhones. What will be our best options to have connectivity while we travel as my husband works while we are on the road and we will need to make some arrangements for him to have access.

Thanks.

[BillAdams]

You can sign up for the Verizon Canadian add-on for VOICE! You will not be able to afford to use Verizon cellular Internet service while in Canada. Unless you can find a way to sign up for some short-term Canadian cellular service as an American -- then you are going to have to use park or business Wi-Fi but nothing cellular on the data side.

[rossboyer]

Three years ago, we used our iPhones which are our internet connections. We did add temporary Canadian service from AT&T. Only trouble we had is that there are long stretches of dead areas where the isn't any coverage. Most towns, we had coverage. Whitehorse has something funny. We incurred a $0.50 minute surcharge there.

[KenBram]

While on a trip to Alaska, I contacted Verizon and they told me the cell service for voice was $20 more per month and I should call and switch as I cross into Canada. No need to take it out any sooner. BUT, data was going to be $129 per month. What they did not tell me, was this this charge was for only 500mb! i unknowlingly ran up a bill to over $800 in less than 2 weeks! But they cut it in half and I only had to pay $400! Their attitude was horrendous!

[lewisedge]

There are several Web-based vendors including Amazon that sell Canadian SIM cards. You can find them with one of the major Web search engines using "Canadian SIM cards for travelers" in your search request. They're invariably less expensive for calls and data than using your USA-based cellphone provider.

[karenandcollins]

Since you have Verizon you can add Canada to your plan for a minimal charge. Don't bother with the wifi, it's extremely expensive. Most of the campgrounds we used while traveling there 5 years ago offered wifi, either at the sites or at the office. I would imagine even more of them do now. We were in Western Canada last summer & had wifi at almost every campground we used. If wifi is important, make sure you search for that when you look for a campground. Have fun. It's beautiful up there.

[BeBrief]

Provided your cell phone uses a simm card and is unlocked, try https://www.speakout7eleven.ca/why-prepaid-phones/travelling-to-canada, this service uses Roger's Cellular network. Their data plan is only $10 extra a month for 100 mbs, not very fast, but there is always a McDonalds near by ...

[dwclarke57]

KarenandCollins is right - I added Canada to my Verizon plan several years ago and have just left it on there ever since as I go there a few times each year. Voice is not expensive, but data is - but where I go in Western Canada there are tons of places that offer free wi-fi. Enjoy your trip.

[kethering]

While traveling in Western Canada last summer, I purchased a SIM card for my IPad. I believe it was $30 per month for 2g of data. It would have been much cheaper if I had had a Canadian credit card and done automatic withdrawal - we were there for slightly over a month. Our tow car has OnStar and we could make all our calls without extra charges. Most of the campgrounds had wifi, but it was often very, very slow and often impossible so the extra bit on my IPad was great for those times .