Roaming in Canada

[xpanmanx]

Hi, I'm traveling this week and I need some help with using my Treo 600 in Montreal, Canada.

I called CS last Friday, while I was still Stateside, and asked for the International Roaming service to be added to my account. I was told it would take 2-3 days, and I would receive an SMS when the work was complete. As of 8:00AM yesterday I had received no such message.

Now I'm in downtown Montreal. If I turn on my radio with digital roaming switched off, I get no connection.

If I switch on digital roaming I get an "R" connection, but *2-Talk gets me a message which says that number has been disconnected or is no longer available. My phone appears to dial out to the states with a normal 10-digit phone number, but I only did this accidentally, once, and I hung up before the call went through (hopefully). My phone will also receive calls but I have not answered them for fear of roaming onto some strange carrier's network.

Can someone help me get my head around this?

Thanks,

Tim ==

[Brooose]

You are roaming on Bell Mobility or Telus in Montreal. *2 will not work. You need to call 611 to get Sprint CS. You don't need any special service but you will be charged something like 65c/min for roaming. There is a $3/month Canada roaming option that reduces this rate to 30c/min. There is no Sprint in Canada so you are going to be roaming while you are up there. It's no big deal. Text messaging should work too while you are up there. Don't think your data will yet, though. You need digital roaming on for your phone to work there, however, because again there is no Sprint in Canada.

[xpanmanx]

Thanks.

So, then, I just turn on Digital Roaming and go about my business? Do I need to dial a carrier code, or anything other than 1+ the number?


The Sprint plan is +$3US per month and it reduces your roaming costs to $0.20US per-minute. Or it might be $0.30US, I can't recall exactly. But it's less than $0.65US if you pony up the $3US per month.

How can I be sure that things are working correctly and that I'm not being billed some exhorbitant roaming charge by the Canadian providers?

[Warjock]

I'll be in Canada for 2 weeks soon. What is my best bet to use my phone and stay in contact at the lowest possible cost? I take it Data is a no go no matter what.

[Brooose]

Thanks.

So, then, I just turn on Digital Roaming and go about my business? Do I need to dial a carrier code, or anything other than 1+ the number?


The Sprint plan is +$3US per month and it reduces your roaming costs to $0.20US per-minute. Or it might be $0.30US, I can't recall exactly. But it's less than $0.65US if you pony up the $3US per month.

How can I be sure that things are working correctly and that I'm not being billed some exhorbitant roaming charge by the Canadian providers?


Just dial a number as you would normally. You will need to do 10-digit dialing for local calls and 1 plus the number for long distance. Sprint charges the roaming price to you regardless of who the carrier is that you are roaming on. Check your bill. Sprint has agreements with the 2 big CDMA players, Bell and Telus. They are who you are roaming on in Montreal. I believe Bell is the preferred network partner right now. At any rate, you don't need to worry about anything extra showing up on your bill AFAIK.

[Brooose]

I'll be in Canada for 2 weeks soon. What is my best bet to use my phone and stay in contact at the lowest possible cost? I take it Data is a no go no matter what.

If you have an EVDO phone, you may be able to data roam at no extra charge. Also SMS should work too and your messages will come out of your text messaging bucket so if you have unlimited SMS, you are all set. Also, get the $3 Canada roaming option and then your calls are 30c/min instead of 65c/min

[pardesi_bhai]

roaming is free on a lot of the new plans

[Brooose]

roaming is free on a lot of the new plans

That's only within the US. Last I checked, Canada was still a separate country. :)

[jschu22]

I hear its dangerous to go roaming in Canada. You might get eaten by a bear or something.

[Brooose]

I hear its dangerous to go roaming in Canada. You might get eaten by a bear or something.

Just ask Stephen Colbert. After all, the number 1 threat in America, let alone Canada is always BEARS!!! Those mindless killing machines only want to eat your young and....they are adapting to the environment. Polar bears and grizzly bears are mating....

[S11208]

Thank God I still got 1 of my at&t wireless phones, It includes:

1050 A/Time Minutes
Unlim. N&Weekend Minutes @ 7pm for : $0.00
Unlim. Mobile to Mobile (Cingular & At&t)
6way Calling
all for $39.99
and The North American Package: $9.99

I can roam on any gsm network in: u.s, u.s.v.i, hawaii, alaska and puerto rico and not get charged additional for it. The north american package that i have, makes me roam anywhere in canada on any network and i wont get charged additional for roaming. And when i use my anytime, n&weekends or mobile 2 mobile mins its like makeing a local call here in the u.s at no addional charge.

[xpanmanx]

Thanks, guys.

[mikeh20]

starting June 1st there WILL be data roaming in Canada...look for more information on sprint.com starting june 1st.

[mrmarshmellow]

My understanding was it costs $1.50 per min to roam in canada and text messages do not work. This is from sprint e-care. Can anyone verify it normally only costs .65/min and .30/min if you add the $3 package? Can you add the $3 package before the trip and cancel it when you go back for a proated amount (i.e. 2 weeks = ~$1.50).

Also, I hear EVDO data works in Quebec. Does EVDO or text messaging work in Toronto?

[mowog]

Last June my wife and I did a Canadian trip. I called sprint and for something like $15/month there was (Is?) a Candadian roaming plan that lets you use half of your plan minutes for calls while in Canada for no charge. The only charge is when you're way out in the boonies and get a tone and message instead of the call going right through. We used it for only 10 days and dropped it when we returned home. We were roaming the entire time. I read it on the boards and haven't ever seen it in print on the Sprint site. It worked great for us. Maybe a search of Canadian roaming will pick it up.

Bob

[Brooose]

Last June my wife and I did a Canadian trip. I called sprint and for something like $15/month there was (Is?) a Candadian roaming plan that lets you use half of your plan minutes for calls while in Canada for no charge. The only charge is when you're way out in the boonies and get a tone and message instead of the call going right through. We used it for only 10 days and dropped it when we returned home. We were roaming the entire time. I read it on the boards and haven't ever seen it in print on the Sprint site. It worked great for us. Maybe a search of Canadian roaming will pick it up.

Bob

That is the Canada Roaming Option that works like the old Free and Clear America. It is supposed to be only for Corporate Liable Business Accounts but other people have been able to get it. It is a terrific plan if you call up to Canada a lot or do a lot of roaming there because for $15 all of your roaming and long distance calls to Canada are covered.

[mikeh20]

ya ive been trying to get that forever...with no success. If anyone has any info on how i can get it that would be great...thanks!

[kekoa808]

Last time I woke up, Hawaii was still a part of the U.S. unless the Hawaiian Monarchy over threw the U.S. Government.

Yikes, I better head to Iolani Palace

[Sprint_Gold]

Anyone can use their phone in Canada, you will be roaming, call made or received will be billed an additional $.65/min

Anyone can add "Canada Roaming" at $3/mo, this reduces the rate to $.30/min

[SL-10]

That's only within the US. Last I checked, Canada was still a separate country. :)
Yep, it sure is. *looks at map* :lol:

[MountainDew]

BTW puerto Rico is also part of the USA even though some won't agree :( "Feels left out" and another thing, sprint IS free in the US Virgin Islands but guess what, if your talking on the boat ON THE WAY that roaming will get you a really nice charge :P

[BobDobalina]

Thought I'd give this a bump. Are the rates and fees for roaming in Canada the same these days?

Does this include data access as well? Heading to Montreal this weekend and would love to be able to use Google Maps on my phone :fingers:

[diver236]

Thought I'd give this a bump. Are the rates and fees for roaming in Canada the same these days?

Does this include data access as well? Heading to Montreal this weekend and would love to be able to use Google Maps on my phone :fingers:

I'm on my way to Toronto, and just got off the phone with Sprints International Support department (1-888-226-7212. Press option 2). The Canadian calling plan $2.99 and $0.20 per minute.

I was told texts are $0.20 per text (incoming and outgoing), and data is $0.002 per kb. There are no plans to reduce these costs.

Hope that helps, enjoy your trip.

[elosogrande7076]

I'm on my way to Toronto, and just got off the phone with Sprints International Support department (1-888-226-7212. Press option 2). The Canadian calling plan $2.99 and $0.20 per minute.

I was told texts are $0.20 per text (incoming and outgoing), and data is $0.002 per kb. There are no plans to reduce these costs.

Hope that helps, enjoy your trip.

Ouch.....thanks for the heads up, i am going to Toronto next month and was wondering about this before i started my next billing cycle.....good to know, i thought i would at least be able to use my phone for test or data.....does anyone know if i use my phone as a GPS device (not using telenav but Iguidance) will i still be charged? Maybe i can at least use it to help us get around

[BobDobalina]

Thanks very kindly for the intel!

[HTCphone123]

Yeah if your plan done cover it the roaming will be a huge charge. Call and see if you can add it.

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