Prepaid SIM - Canada
Feb 3, 2014, 9:34 pm
#31
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
Should I really entrust my internet access to a person named Finkface? Anyway, thanks for the excellent advice, I'll give it a shot. As for this:Here's a useful post from another forum on the topic of speakout APN settings.
And it is my dog's nickname. He has a finky face when he scratches himself.
Feb 16, 2014, 1:18 pm
#32
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Corvallis
Programs: AS MVP, A3 Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 186
I'm currently working in Canada, home is the USA.
After a $400 phone bill for data and voice w/ Sprint, I picked up a Koodo pre-paid SIM.
$15/month for unlimited text then calls and data are purcahsed in blocks called "boosters" Cheapest data I could find up here, $35/gig without overage costs, just buy another. Voice was reasonable, $25 for 500 minutes, calls to USA cost 2 for 1.
I then setup my sprint phone to forward to a Voxox online account, and Voxox forwards to my Koodo number. Calls are received seamlessly from either my US or AB phone number. btw, Voxox is free.
After a $400 phone bill for data and voice w/ Sprint, I picked up a Koodo pre-paid SIM.
$15/month for unlimited text then calls and data are purcahsed in blocks called "boosters" Cheapest data I could find up here, $35/gig without overage costs, just buy another. Voice was reasonable, $25 for 500 minutes, calls to USA cost 2 for 1.
I then setup my sprint phone to forward to a Voxox online account, and Voxox forwards to my Koodo number. Calls are received seamlessly from either my US or AB phone number. btw, Voxox is free.
May 29, 2014, 5:34 pm
#33
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
Anyway, we're planning another trip to Canada in August. Starting in Halifax, with a bit of driving around Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Maps will be extremely handy, and of course I'll do a little social media, texting, etc. Not an emergency, but it is handy to keep in touch with the people who watch the dog, and the woman who will be looking in on the house (and cats).
So I dug out my iPhone 4, which still had the Fido SIM in it. Found out my Canadian number, logged in online (their website was down for a few days), and just called.
As luck would have it, my number/SIM will expire 2 days after we arrive. So I can drop into a Fido shop in Halifax, get a voucher, top up, and I should be fine (for another ~10 months evidently).
Not an entirely big deal, but it will save C$10 for the SIM (which I got for free anyway), and hopefully a little time/frustration with getting all setup. There is an option to change the number; not really sure it matters.
Anyone know if there are any Canadian SIM cards that don't expire (or longer), and where you can use a US Credit Card to top up?
May 31, 2014, 4:57 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
My wife and I currently split a Telus flex-data iPad SIM (which permits) tethering. It is $35 for 5 gigs a month but only $6 a month in the months you don't use it. There are some steps along the way.
Normally, this is enough for us. This month, she'll be working in Canada for three out of four weeks and I have like three days over there which conflict.
Normally, this is enough for us. This month, she'll be working in Canada for three out of four weeks and I have like three days over there which conflict.
May 31, 2014, 6:16 pm
#36
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: NUE
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, SK Diamond, ITA Volare Club Executive, TK Elite
Posts: 365
Really? 
Not even close enough!
Does it apply to all prepaid offers?
Not even close enough! Does it apply to all prepaid offers?
Sep 19, 2014, 9:21 am
#38
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MIA/SJU/MCO
Programs: AA LT PLT; DL GLD, UA nothing, B6 Mosaic; Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 3,331
I'm gonna bump this thread to see if there's any new recommendations? I don't need voice or text, so I think that the similicious 1gb plan for me is the best deal.
Sep 19, 2014, 10:57 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: Accor Platinum, Marriott
Posts: 175
mkt, I intend to use Similicious next trip to Canada. Last month I used Virgin mobile (data only) and while the coverage was excellent, setting up the service was quite time consuming. Similicious seems more straightforward.
Oct 1, 2014, 9:48 pm
#40
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 7
Tethering an iphone doesn't work on Speakout
Don't make the same mistake I did and spend extra money on extra data (I purchased 1GB of data via one of their 30 Day Value Plans) on the assumption you can tether an iphone via Speakout.
Once activated by Speakout, there doesn't appear to be a way to change the APN settings on an iphone. I'm using a legitimately unlocked (2 years past the start of an AT&T contract) iphone 4S running iOS 8.0.2.
When I clicked "set up personal hotspot" (which is blue and available for clicking, by the way), I get a response of "To enable Personal Hotspot on this account, contact Rogers."
Instead I contacted Speakout (since they are the ones who took my payment) and advised them that their website claims:
"Unleash the full potential of your smartphone with a pre-paid data add-on, or as part of your 30 Day Value Plan. You will be able to send and receive MMS messages (plus MMS sending fee of $0.50. Incoming MMS are free), check your email, access the Internet, visit your phone's app store and download apps (separate app fee may apply), use most messaging applications, and use any of your existing apps that require network access.”
My iphone 4S's "full potential" is that I be able to tether (a.k.a. use as a personal hotspot), which I have done via AT&T for over 2 years. I just wasn't willing to pay AT&T almost $200 for a measly 800MB of data plus some cell minutes and some texting and thought $75 with Speakout would be a fair and economic solution for a 5 day Canadian trip.
I was wrong. Well... Speakout is an OK solution, I suppose, but had I known I can't tether I would have bought a 500MB data package (which is on sale at the moment at $20) rather than spend an additional $25 to get the 500MB margin of data that I thought I would need if I tethered. And let's face it... a kilobyte is a kilobyte whether I use it with tethering or without; however I do know that if I can tether I will use a bit more data thanks to easier typing -- yes, sad that this is why I tether but it is -- than I will if I am solely using the phone which is a pain to type on. Hence the 1GB that I ordered.
Anyway Speakout's promotional (in other words, where they try to sell you their services) web pages do not call out that you can't tether... but they do have that damned "full potential" wording. You have to look at the "Terms" page which is not really the first place I think to go when looking for what should be OBVIOUS caveats to find out they are anti-tether.
The extra $25 I spent is generally not considered to be a big deal, but when I think about the value of that in my solo 401K over the next 20 years, well, it kind of is.
Anyway, in my email to Speakout I advised them that they should really call out the fact that you can't tether in their promotional pages like all of their competitors do and that they really need to get rid of that "full potential" wording which I think is pretty damned misleading.
Their response? Here it is:
"SpeakOut Wireless does not support tethering or HotSpots. We do offer 100
MB Data feature and several Value plans with a Data Feature included. The
data feature is designed and meant for handsets. While some customers have
been successful in setting up their devices to allow tethering or creating
a hotspot, we are not able to assist with the set up nor can we support it."
In other words, they completely ignored my point about the "full potential" wording. In happier news, I'm betting the "While some customers have been successful in setting up their devices to allow tether or creating a hotspot..." language probably relates to Android users who can adjust their APN settings; Androids, rock on.
TL;DR: if anyone knows a way to get tethering to work with Speakout on an iphone, please post your awesome knowledge. If you don't know and plan to use Speakout data on an iphone, don't waste money on extra data for tethering.
Once activated by Speakout, there doesn't appear to be a way to change the APN settings on an iphone. I'm using a legitimately unlocked (2 years past the start of an AT&T contract) iphone 4S running iOS 8.0.2.
When I clicked "set up personal hotspot" (which is blue and available for clicking, by the way), I get a response of "To enable Personal Hotspot on this account, contact Rogers."
Instead I contacted Speakout (since they are the ones who took my payment) and advised them that their website claims:
"Unleash the full potential of your smartphone with a pre-paid data add-on, or as part of your 30 Day Value Plan. You will be able to send and receive MMS messages (plus MMS sending fee of $0.50. Incoming MMS are free), check your email, access the Internet, visit your phone's app store and download apps (separate app fee may apply), use most messaging applications, and use any of your existing apps that require network access.”
My iphone 4S's "full potential" is that I be able to tether (a.k.a. use as a personal hotspot), which I have done via AT&T for over 2 years. I just wasn't willing to pay AT&T almost $200 for a measly 800MB of data plus some cell minutes and some texting and thought $75 with Speakout would be a fair and economic solution for a 5 day Canadian trip.
I was wrong. Well... Speakout is an OK solution, I suppose, but had I known I can't tether I would have bought a 500MB data package (which is on sale at the moment at $20) rather than spend an additional $25 to get the 500MB margin of data that I thought I would need if I tethered. And let's face it... a kilobyte is a kilobyte whether I use it with tethering or without; however I do know that if I can tether I will use a bit more data thanks to easier typing -- yes, sad that this is why I tether but it is -- than I will if I am solely using the phone which is a pain to type on. Hence the 1GB that I ordered.
Anyway Speakout's promotional (in other words, where they try to sell you their services) web pages do not call out that you can't tether... but they do have that damned "full potential" wording. You have to look at the "Terms" page which is not really the first place I think to go when looking for what should be OBVIOUS caveats to find out they are anti-tether.
The extra $25 I spent is generally not considered to be a big deal, but when I think about the value of that in my solo 401K over the next 20 years, well, it kind of is.
Anyway, in my email to Speakout I advised them that they should really call out the fact that you can't tether in their promotional pages like all of their competitors do and that they really need to get rid of that "full potential" wording which I think is pretty damned misleading.
Their response? Here it is:
"SpeakOut Wireless does not support tethering or HotSpots. We do offer 100
MB Data feature and several Value plans with a Data Feature included. The
data feature is designed and meant for handsets. While some customers have
been successful in setting up their devices to allow tethering or creating
a hotspot, we are not able to assist with the set up nor can we support it."
In other words, they completely ignored my point about the "full potential" wording. In happier news, I'm betting the "While some customers have been successful in setting up their devices to allow tether or creating a hotspot..." language probably relates to Android users who can adjust their APN settings; Androids, rock on.
TL;DR: if anyone knows a way to get tethering to work with Speakout on an iphone, please post your awesome knowledge. If you don't know and plan to use Speakout data on an iphone, don't waste money on extra data for tethering.
Oct 5, 2014, 12:11 pm
#41
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,209
Oct 5, 2014, 12:19 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
Someone needs to do a northbound version of "Roam Mobility." Vodafone Italy seems to be the best roaming deal for Canada at 3 euros a day for 500 megs and half an hour of talk time in and a seperate half hour outbound.
Jan 4, 2015, 12:44 pm
#43
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 3
Thank you for the great information here!
I am swamped getting ready for a last-minute trip and could really use some quick advice.
I need a prepaid SIM with high data (2G would be great) plus talk/text, that I can use as a hotspot for my laptop for 10 days in Canada. I'll be using an unlocked California-based Droid MAXX on Verizon.
I'm doing an emergency, busy trip --five days in Regina SK and five in Waterloo ON-- because I've got two family members unexpectedly in hospital. I will need to get work done online from houses that don't have wireless internet. I'll need to be reachable by voice, but I won't be having any long calls with people outside Canada. I'll be in cities, not driving between them.
For the purposes of this trip, I care about simplicity and convenience, and not so much about cost. I won't have time to do a ton of comparison shopping, buy stuff ahead of time on eBay, have things shipped to me, or anything like that.
From quick searching and reading the forums here, it looks like my best bet is Koodo, which has a plan for about $80 including 1G of data. (I can't use Sasktel because it's Saskatchewan-only. Can't use Similicious because they won't let you use your phone as a hotspot. I can't find a plan from Fido or Virgin Mobile that offers sufficient data. If Koodo will let me hotspot it'll be totally fine.)
So here are my questions:
1) Will Koodo let me use my phone as a hotspot? I can't find an answer to that question on their site.
2) Is there anything obvious I am missing? Either, that Koodo will pose some kind of problem I'm not seeing, or that there is something else that will obviously work and is better?
3) Is there anything I need to do or should do ahead of time, or can I just turn up at a Koodo shop? I don't have a Canadian credit card, just American ones.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer
Blah, I just realized the Koodo plan I'm looking at provides 1GB of data *at three cents per MB*.
I am really looking for a prepaid SIM with a flat-fee data plan for 1, 2 or unlimited GBs, plus talk. Does such a thing exist in Canada?
I am swamped getting ready for a last-minute trip and could really use some quick advice.
I need a prepaid SIM with high data (2G would be great) plus talk/text, that I can use as a hotspot for my laptop for 10 days in Canada. I'll be using an unlocked California-based Droid MAXX on Verizon.
I'm doing an emergency, busy trip --five days in Regina SK and five in Waterloo ON-- because I've got two family members unexpectedly in hospital. I will need to get work done online from houses that don't have wireless internet. I'll need to be reachable by voice, but I won't be having any long calls with people outside Canada. I'll be in cities, not driving between them.
For the purposes of this trip, I care about simplicity and convenience, and not so much about cost. I won't have time to do a ton of comparison shopping, buy stuff ahead of time on eBay, have things shipped to me, or anything like that.
From quick searching and reading the forums here, it looks like my best bet is Koodo, which has a plan for about $80 including 1G of data. (I can't use Sasktel because it's Saskatchewan-only. Can't use Similicious because they won't let you use your phone as a hotspot. I can't find a plan from Fido or Virgin Mobile that offers sufficient data. If Koodo will let me hotspot it'll be totally fine.)
So here are my questions:
1) Will Koodo let me use my phone as a hotspot? I can't find an answer to that question on their site.
2) Is there anything obvious I am missing? Either, that Koodo will pose some kind of problem I'm not seeing, or that there is something else that will obviously work and is better?
3) Is there anything I need to do or should do ahead of time, or can I just turn up at a Koodo shop? I don't have a Canadian credit card, just American ones.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer
Blah, I just realized the Koodo plan I'm looking at provides 1GB of data *at three cents per MB*.
I am really looking for a prepaid SIM with a flat-fee data plan for 1, 2 or unlimited GBs, plus talk. Does such a thing exist in Canada?
Last edited by gfunkdave; Jan 4, 2015 at 3:10 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts
Jan 4, 2015, 6:51 pm
#44
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,209
Jan 4, 2015, 8:41 pm
#45
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
I need a prepaid SIM with high data (2G would be great) plus talk/text, that I can use as a hotspot for my laptop for 10 days in Canada. I'll be using an unlocked California-based Droid MAXX on Verizon.
I'm doing an emergency, busy trip --five days in Regina SK and five in Waterloo ON-- because I've got two family members unexpectedly in hospital. I will need to get work done online from houses that don't have wireless internet
I'm doing an emergency, busy trip --five days in Regina SK and five in Waterloo ON-- because I've got two family members unexpectedly in hospital. I will need to get work done online from houses that don't have wireless internet
If so, it may just be easier to buy a wireless internet router and find another way to do phone calls when you are not at the house.
And many hospitals in US provide wireless internet, so I suspect they do in Canada as well @:-)
Oh, and sorry for your hospitalized relatives, never fun
