Which SIM to use for US/Canada?
 

Hello, I will be traveling to the US and Canada in a couple months' time and I am unsure of which service to use while there. I would like to have a single US number that I can use in both the US and Canada.

I had planned on taking a friend's lead who on her own travels to the US and Canada had used Ekit Simple Calling, which in the past had served her quite well. However, she recently told me that Ekit no longer works in Canada (due to contract disputes between carriers, or something).

I thought about just trying any of the other global providers (e.g., Telestial) but I had noticed that a number of them just seem to be part of one big company, so if one service fails to work in some country, who is to say that any other service would be different?

So not being confident about using a global SIM, I figure that I have to use a local (over there) prepaid service such as AT&T Go Phone. But we will be going to Canada first and some internet searching seems to indicate that such a service can be activated only while in the US (something like upon activation a PIN is sent by SMS but you won't receive it unless you're in the US) and that refilling the account with an overseas credit card is not permitted. But I really don't know what is true.

So I don't know what to do! :confused:

Can anyone clarify if Go Phone will work for me, or provide any other suggestions?

Thanks and happy travels everyone!

and that refilling the account with an overseas credit card is not permitted. But I really don't know what is true.
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i bought a AT&T prepaid card and some credit last year at a local AT&T-store with my Austrian credit card without any problem.

regards from austria

Piranha Mobile isn't bad and now it supports direct dial in both countries. While not quite as cheap, isn't Wind Mobile (Canada) only $0.25 a minute in the US?

Tru?
 

You can consider Tru. You could get one while in GB with a UK number and then add a US number for a month for a fee. See if the rates and pricing are acceptable.

I am sure he meant refilling online with an overseas credit card. I have never heard of an issue with anyone using their overseas issued credit card to topup while int he US. Same goes for US travelers abroad. No problem topping up abroad with our credit cards. It's just like using it for regular purchases while abroad. The issue is topping up online with an overseas issued issued credit card.

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i bought a AT&T prepaid card and some credit last year at a local AT&T-store with my Austrian credit card without any problem.

regards from austria[/QUOTE]

[/QUOTE]

In person use of a credit card wherever the card is issued is not a problem. What is a problem both for US citizens with US credit cards or foreigners with foreign credit cards is if you attempt to do a transaction by phone. If the transaction you're attempting by phone is with a card foreign to that country there's a good chance that (at least in some countries) that you will not be allowed to use that card.

Seeing as how willydat is from Austria, I can confirm that I can't buy vouchers online from Austrian carriers using a Canadian credit card even when I'm in Austria on an Austrian IP. I have to go to a phone store or equivalent.

A few years ago Hofer/Yesss would let me buy SIMs online providing I gave them an Austrian mailing address. Then a couple of years ago they stopped even that.

I suspect the reason has to do with fraud prevention.

As for LaurenL's situation, if all you require in Canada is voice calls and texts, you can buy a SpeakOut SIM for $10 at any 7-11 store (see Prepaid Cell Phones | No Contract Phones | SpeakOut? 7-Eleven® Canada ) Add the minimum $25 airtime and you can place/receive calls and send/receive texts at "reasonable" (for Canada) rates. Data is more problematic. 7-11 doesn't operate countrywide. I believe a similar offering is available from Petro Canada Mobility at their gas, er, petrol ;), stations Prepaid Cell Phones - Petro-Canada Mobility Prepaid Cell Phone Plan

AFAIK no Canadian carrier offers prepaid, no-contract, unrestricted data service. SpeakOut offers "unlimited browsing" for $10/month, however, you'll need a proxy or VPN to remove most of the non-browsing restrictions.

BTW free WiFi is now very widely available in both Canada and the US at places like restaurants, hotels, libraries, etc. And unlike in many places in Europe, they don't ask for a phone number on which they can SMS you a password so you don't face the catch-22 situations I faced last week in Germany with only an Austrian SIM.

Your best deal for data in Canada are iPad SIMs. You can get many of them to work in other data devices. I've get 5 gigs a month from Telus for $35. When I don't use it, it is $5 a month. My wife is working in Canada at least one week (sometimes two) every month right now.