recommendations for Canada | cheap international calling

[inquisitor]

Hello world,

A friend of mine is heading to Toronto in mid September and he will need to place calls to Germany.
So is there any prepaid offer in the Canada for international calling at all? Can I get and activate a SIM already from Germany so he could know his number before departure?

regards,

Inquisitor

[bylo]

You can buy a Rogers or Fido SIM via eBay, e.g. these and then buy airtime at many stores here. I don't know if the SIM card comes preactivated with a phone number or if you have to do that while in Canada.

Overseas calls from Canada using any cellphone provider are very expensive, however, you can buy inexpensive prepaid long distance cards locally at many stores. Look at e.g. Phone Card Depot. I've never dealt with them but their Search Card Rates function will show you many of the cards that are available here.

Added: You can activate a Rogers SIM online here. Calls to Germany are CA$0.75/minute or ~€0.50. Prepaid long distance cards are less than 1/10th of that. Local air time is CA$0.25/minute (using a CA$20 airtime refill.) Note that air time is charging on both outgoing and incoming calls.

[inquisitor]

Thank you. Do you know if Betamax' access numbers (e.g. 6134820907) are reachable from Rogers or Fido?

[bylo]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

if Betamax' access numbers (e.g. 6134820907) are reachable from Rogers or Fido?

I can try for you using a SpeakOut SIM which runs on the Rogers network. 613 is Ottawa. Do you have a Toronto access number (AC 416 or 647)?

[inquisitor]

Unfortunately they have only numbers in Alberta (4037756654), British Columbia (6044841960), Manitoba (2044809844), Ontario (6134820907) et au Québec (5149073186).
Are all the advertised prepaid rates only valid for local calls in Canada?

[bylo]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

Ontario (6134820907)

I was able to reach this number using a SpeakOut (Rogers MVNO) SIM.

Are all the advertised prepaid rates only valid for local calls in Canada?

Yes. Ottawa is long distance from Toronto so the per minute charge will be higher.

[VladS]

I don't think long distance is included with any of the current canadian prepaid offers.

As for calls to Betamax gateways, I was able to call the JustVoIP Toronto access number from both Fido and SpeakOut phones.

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by VladS

I don't think long distance is included with any of the current canadian prepaid offers.

Not yet. I'm hopeful Wind changes that, and that competitive pressures force that to become the new norm.

[VladS]

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

Not yet. I'm hopeful Wind changes that, and that competitive pressures force that to become the new norm.

I have my doubts Fido/Rogers will ever smarten up. In the mean time they're reducing the local calling areas: http://fido.ca/web/content/ld/local_calling_areas

[inquisitor]

Thank you guys. After all I ordered a Fido SIM from eBay, since their rate to Germany of $ 0.44 seems reasonable and after topping up $20 my friend can reach the poivy access number for just $ 0.20.
There's only one question left: Do I get it right, that the "Unlimited incoming calls" tariff does only include incoming calls that originate from the same area code, so incoming calls from Germany would not be included?