Canadian Sim Cards

wantonnoodle

Hi,

I'm off to Canada at the end of August for 3 weeks (holiday - yay!!) travelling around Alberta and British Columbia. We have family over there so some of the time will be spent with them, and some on our own.

We thought it would be best to get a cheap canadian pay as you go sim card to keep in touch.

Having done some research, it would appear that the best one around is the Speak Out card from 7-eleven Canada. However, I can't see how I can get one before we travel (short of asking family to buy it and ship it over) as the website doesn't ship outside Canada. Does anyone know if there is anywhere on the net that sells these cards to people outside Canada, or if there is a better deal to be had?

We already have an old 3G handset that we can use, so don't need a new phone. Some of the Canadian networks only appear to offer 4G (LTE) sim cards, so that limits the choice.

Any help greatly appreciated.

mcfisco

Can't you just walk into a 7-Eleven when you get there and buy one?

wantonnoodle

Thanks for your response. We could buy when we get there, but we would need to advise family of the number, and it would be easier and cheaper to do that by email from the UK given we would need to let more than one person know.

Bob_the_Saver

wantonnoodle wrote: »

Thanks for your response. We could buy when we get there, but we would need to advise family of the number, and it would be easier and cheaper to do that by email from the UK given we would need to let more than one person know.

Mad thought,

Send ONE sms to family member in UK with the number from Canada who also has email and possibly a TELEPHONE. he/she/it/they can the email/call the others spending their hard earned money rather than yours, very MSE.

Personally I only contact the family if I have to (one dies and possible dosh in will, that sort of thing) even if I'm in the same country. You're only away for 3 weeks.

mcfisco

wantonnoodle wrote: »

Thanks for your response. We could buy when we get there, but we would need to advise family of the number, and it would be easier and cheaper to do that by email from the UK given we would need to let more than one person know.

As you're buying it to contact family members, you'll have to bite the bullet and spend the money actually contacting them at some point or other, they will then have your number.
Sending a few texts to people is hardly going to break the bank and you'll have to use the credit up at some point or lose it.
Or, just text one of them and ask them to email everyone?



I don't reckon any of the above would be dearer than sending a SIM from Canada pre trip.

wantonnoodle

OK, never mind. Thought it was worth a try as you can buy prepaid US sim cards in the UK - just wanted to see if anyone knew if you could do the same for Canada.

mcfisco

wantonnoodle wrote: »

OK, never mind. Thought it was worth a try as you can buy prepaid US sim cards in the UK - just wanted to see if anyone knew if you could do the same for Canada.

You can but probably not a 7-Eleven deal
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=canada+sim&_sacat=0&_from=R40