Using UK phone in Canada?

tyllwyd

My DD is going to Canada soon, and I am trying to find the best way for her to have a mobile phone that she can use when she's there (to keep in touch in emergencies, not for long chats home).


She's got a Motorola Razri, which I think is a dual band phone - does anybody know if there any chance that this phone would work in Canada?

grumbler

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4273 - it's quad-band, not dual.

http://www.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=Canada

Check her provider's roaming prices - they can be very high.
AFAIK, a local sim isn't as easy to get there as in UK, so I recommend getting Sainsbury's PAYG sim with 34p/min for receiving and making any calls (per 1 second billing) - make sure that data and data roaming are switched off.

tyllwyd

Brilliant, thank you! Yes, the charges look eye-wateringly high, but if the phone works that'll be enough for emergencies, she's on Tesco capped so it shouldn't be possible for her to run up big bills (I will check that with them though!), and she can keep in touch with her friends at home when she's on wifi.

d123

It actually doesn't look that bad getting a sim locally if she is going to be there more than a week or 2.

They have both networks and MVNOs now, and all appear to offer PAYG.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g153339-c163066/Canada:Mobile.Phones.In.Canada.html

For example Rogers:
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-products/plans#,Tabset1--2

7-11 MVNO
http://www.speakout7eleven.ca

eDicky

It's quite easy these days to get a PAYG sim in Canada. Chatr, Fido etc have stands in shopping malls where they will set up the phone for you. It can be useful for local people to be able to phone you without having to call a UK number.

jbainbridge

Just a thought - if its capped will she be able to use it at all? Check.

tyllwyd

jbainbridge wrote: »

Just a thought - if its capped will she be able to use it at all? Check.

Good thought! This is what they say on Tesco Mobile ...


'If you've got a Capped contract, using your device abroad isn't included in your monthly allowance, so you'll be charged every time you use it, until you reach your bill cap. When you reach your bill cap, you'll only be able to use it if you increase your safety buffer, which you can do in the mobile app or by calling 4444 from your Tesco Mobile device.'


I think that's a bit out of date because it's all called safety buffer now rather than bill cap, but I have upped the safety buffer while she's away. (She's only going for two weeks, so if she finds she does need a local sim she can buy a cheap PAYG phone there.)


Just found this
'If you pick a safety buffer of £40 or less, we'll limit the total amount you can spend on data, calls and texts abroad at £40 in your bill month. If you pick a safety buffer higher than £40, you're accepting that you could spend over £40 on data abroad. But we'll still apply the total safety buffer you've chosen for all minutes, text and data, whether you're in the UK or abroad. Before you travel, you might want to consider turning off data roaming. Data costs 45p/MB in the EU and £8/MB outside the EU'


£8/MB?? It's wifi only for her I think!

grumbler

Told you - make sure that data and data roaming are switched off