Using my US cell in Canada

Thanks Ufkak, I have a 3GB data plan, and I hardly use any of it, so I think it might work with the limited amount of calling I would be making. It would be using it to confirm reservations, call about my AirBnB stay arrange at tour, etc.

As the Google Fi, could I use the iPhone I have now? And do you know who their carriers are?

All the best, David.

First off, ANY calls made on AT&T outside the country will fall into roaming and international rates. That starts at $1 a minute and goes up fast. Data is charged at $2 a megabyte regarless of your regular limits. This includes any calls you would normally make here in the US to toll free 800 lines. So using your 800 calling pin will mean you get billed twice for the call.

AT&T does offer a plan for $10 a day (only charged on days when you make calls) that is an add on to your existing plan. You get unlimited text and calls for that price to, within, and between, a long list of countries and your normal data usage limits.

AT&T also offers other plans that include Canada and Mexico as local calls.

You really need to talk with AT&T to find out which option works best for you.

You could use Skype, or other similar call software. You would only want to use this will on WiFi, not on roaming data, as the price is high. So not much use unless you will only be making calls while in a shop or hotel that has WiFi available.

Email or What's App options for your confirmations? Using wifi as much as possible means less data and roaming charges. I honestly don't use the phone part of my smart phone when traveling.

Thanks Marie, et al.

Last time I was traveling in Canada, I rented a phone for Canadian use, about $5-6 a day I think. Not the best option, but I didn't have a personal cell at the time. It was useful, and needed a few times, but it was an older flip phone model, so the wi-fi / internet options were not good.

Now that I have my own cell, options are different. Consumer Cellular is whom I have my plan with. I have ATT as my carrier, but I can switch to T-Mobile at no charge. I have read that T-Mobile has much better and cheaper options for calls within, or to and from Canada, so maybe the best option will be to simply switch my carrier before my trip.

I'm sort of inclined to do that anyway, since the ATT coverage in my area has gotten noticeably worse these last few weeks, though Consumer Cellular keeps insisting that I have 'great coverage.'

All of the is in the future of course, when I might actually be able to travel to Canada.

David

You reallllly should be talking to ATT for the latest information. All international program tend to be a little tricky. Ask them.

Consumer Cellular is whom I have my plan with

You really need to be talking to Consumer Cellular about the costs and options for usage in Canada.

What ATT and Tmobile offer on their direct to user plans may not be what is available to you as a Consumer Cellular customer. So just changing your sim card may not be what you need to do.

You are looking for information at the wrong place. If you want to know what ATT offers, go to their website.

They have specific international plans that include Canada for not much more money. You can always sign up for one of those before your trip and then cancel it when you get back.
FYI- as someone who lives in spitting distance of Canada (well if I can spit across the Strait of Juan De Fuca), sometimes Canadian cell towers will pick up instead of US cell towers. If that happens to you while in the US, just call ATT and they will take charges off.

OK, so you do NOT have an AT&T phone, you have a Consumer Cellular phone. (AT&T provides the network for Consumer Cellular, but they are not who you pay for the service and have the plan through.)

You will, at minimum, have to talk to Consumer Cellular to have international access turned on for your account as it is disabled by default. If you do not, your phone will not do anything outside the US.

You need to talk with Consumer Cellular to see what their plans allow for, what options you have, and of course what it will cost you.

David,

You should have no trouble at all using your AT&T phone in Canada. Most (all?) cell networks have very reasonable rates for roaming in Canada, and the same is true when I roam in the U.S. The rates are cheaper than international roaming in Europe. You'll probably find the experience quite seamless.

As someone else mentioned, AT&T would be your best source of information on the exact costs. You may also find this helpful - https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/canada-roaming.html .

David, if your iPhone is unlocked, good short-term options for Canadian cell service include purchasing a T-Mobile prepaid SIM before you leave the US or a 7-11 SpeakOut SIM once you arrive in Canada.

Some T-Mobile US prepaid plans include roaming in Canada, or offer it as an option. You'd be looking at USD 40-50 for one month. You can order a T-Mobile prepaid SIM card from T-Mobile's US Web site. You can add money online or by phone. You can select most prepaid plans online, but some plans and options require calling in — as does making a new plan active immediately, rather than on a monthly anniversary. Be sure to mark the plan for non-renewal, so that your balance won't be drained. After your plan ends, the SIM card remains active in the US (but not for roaming in Canada), with small per-month and per-minute charges.

In Canada, 7-11 sponsors a popular prepaid cell service called SpeakOut. You can buy their prepaid SIM card at any 7-11 store in Canada, including the handy location on the arrivals level of Pearson Airport in Toronto. (Exception: SpeakOut does not operate in the Province of Québec.) You'd be looking at CAD 40-50 for one month. Because the SpeakOut Web site only accepts credit cards with Canadian billing addresses, Americans have to buy "top-ups" at Canadian 7-11 stores (where US credit cards work fine). The top-up is a long cash register tape with a code that you redeem on the Web site. After topping up, you choose a plan. Be sure to mark the plan for non-renewal, so that your balance won't be drained. After your plan ends, the SIM card remains active, with a per-minute charge for calls. SpeakOut never works in the US.

Your iPhone is unlocked if you bought it from Apple and paid the full, retail price, or if you bought it from carrier, kept your service active for the required time period, and then requested that the carrier unlock your phone. If your iPhone is still locked, you will not be able to switch the SIM card.

We have Verizon as our carrier and they gave us coverage in Mexico and Canada for free. Included it in our plan.

Second vote for Verizon, it was a couple of years ago but I added Canada/Mexico for one bill cycle and had no issues. I was concerned about being WhatsApp dependent because what if I could not get wifi?