International mobile phone in Canada
Hello
Our family is moving to Canada just before Christmas. My husband's job requires him to take/make international calls on his mobile. Has anyone found a decent plan in Canada for an international mobile phone service? Many thanks! |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by Scots_in_Canada
(Post 12361386)
Hello
Our family is moving to Canada just before Christmas. My husband's job requires him to take/make international calls on his mobile. Has anyone found a decent plan in Canada for an international mobile phone service? Many thanks! |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
I live near the OP's intended destination. Most of the calls I make on my phone are international ones though I find fewer and fewer people use voice for social or business communication so the volume of calls is much less than, say, fifteen years ago. The service is from Bell. It works well enough except that, if you make long calls, Bell interrupt to ask if it's really you. I don't suppose anyone replies "no, I'm not the account holder, I've stolen the phone".
If I only make one call a week, for half an hour, and it's to the UK, then the phone service costs around $250/month. Like car insurance, alcohol, banking and cheese, phones in Canada are expensive. |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
We use a phone card to call overseas. A $20 card gives us about 1,000 mins to the UK.
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Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by dbd33
(Post 12361796)
I live near the OP's intended destination. Most of the calls I make on my phone are international ones though I find fewer and fewer people use voice for social or business communication so the volume of calls is much less than, say, fifteen years ago. The service is from Bell. It works well enough except that, if you make long calls, Bell interrupt to ask if it's really you. I don't suppose anyone replies "no, I'm not the account holder, I've stolen the phone".
If I only make one call a week, for half an hour, and it's to the UK, then the phone service costs around $250/month. Like car insurance, alcohol, banking and cheese, phones in Canada are expensive. Freedom Mobile - either one of their plans or as an add on at $8 a month - International calls are 1c per minute to 200 destinations (including the UK). Calls to anywhere in Canada and the US (from your 'home zone') are included on the $49 and $59 plans, or up to 2500 minutes a month if in an 'away' zone. https://www.freedommobile.ca/network...tional-calling I agree though, if the employer requires them to make international calls then they should be picking up the bill. :) |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Not so much for business calls but we started using WhatsApp for texting and phoning, both verbal and video phoning family in the UK... Seems to work well. Just need your wireless data or your cell hooked up your usual plan or PAYG.
Well my mum has a weird inability to find the app when I want her to but stumbles across it when I don't. I got woken up by my current ringtone, the old Batman theme at high volume this morning, she didn't think that WhatsApp working :blink: She calls it What's Up btw :confused: |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by Siouxie
(Post 12361866)
Ouch!
Freedom Mobile - either one of their plans or as an add on at $8 a month - International calls are 1c per minute to 200 destinations (including the UK). Calls to anywhere in Canada and the US (from your 'home zone') are included on the $49 and $59 plans, or up to 2500 minutes a month if in an 'away' zone. https://www.freedommobile.ca/network...tional-calling I agree though, if the employer requires them to make international calls then they should be picking up the bill. :) I should make it clear that I don't think Bell is a reputable company, I'm not giving a wholehearted endorsement; their billing is dodgy and opaque, there's no customer service, there website is baffling. I always feel cheated. However, the alternative is dealing with Rogers. |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
We use Skype for all international calls, costs a fraction of using both a landline and mobile. I had to call the Halifax (building society) in UK the other week and a half hour call costs around $2.
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Re: International mobile phone in Canada
WhatsApp/Vibee is becoming more and more "mainstream" for calling. You can use it on a data connection. Everyone who you're likely to be calling will have a cellphone and probably a work cellphone number.
I find it hard to believe even companies would rather pay Canadian cellphone international charges if there is a cheaper option. |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by Snowy560
(Post 12362121)
WhatsApp/Vibee is becoming more and more "mainstream" for calling. You can use it on a data connection. Everyone who you're likely to be calling will have a cellphone.
One of the advantages with Skype is that you can top up an account and make calls to any number without the other persons needing Skype. if they do have the app (and it is more common now Microsoft has bought Skype and integrated it into office suite (old lync)) then it is free for Skype to Skype calls. |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Yes the other person needs the App. What I'm betting though is that quite soon more and companies/people will regard it as "standard" like Skype. Perhaps there will be a paid version if there isn't one I haven't looked. I often ask clients who live abroad if they're on WhatsApp and they usually are.
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Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by Snowy560
(Post 12362126)
Yes the other person needs the App. What I'm betting though is that quite soon more and companies/people will regard it as "standard" like Skype. Perhaps there will be a paid version of there isn't one I haven't looked. I often ask clients who live abroad if they're on WhatsApp and they usually are.
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Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by Engineer_abroad
(Post 12362125)
Out of interest does the other person need the app? As the OP will be calling businesses it can be quite awkward to ask someone else to download an app to talk to you.
One of the advantages with Skype is that you can top up an account and make calls to any number without the other persons needing Skype. if they do have the app (and it is more common now Microsoft has bought Skype and integrated it into office suite (old lync)) then it is free for Skype to Skype calls. |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
Originally Posted by dbd33
(Post 12361796)
I live near the OP's intended destination. Most of the calls I make on my phone are international ones though I find fewer and fewer people use voice for social or business communication so the volume of calls is much less than, say, fifteen years ago. The service is from Bell. It works well enough except that, if you make long calls, Bell interrupt to ask if it's really you. I don't suppose anyone replies "no, I'm not the account holder, I've stolen the phone".
If I only make one call a week, for half an hour, and it's to the UK, then the phone service costs around $250/month. Like car insurance, alcohol, banking and cheese, phones in Canada are expensive. Choosing between Rogers or Bell is like asking if you would prefer to die via lethal injection or a firing squad. |
Re: International mobile phone in Canada
EA: Not really I have clients in their mid forties.
Essentially, if you have a work (smart) cellphone there's no reason you can't use WhatsApp or Viber for contacting people in the context of work. It's an option. Doesn't have to rule out a non data required call but could save a lot of money. |
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