ga1lf

I have cancelled my monthly contract and got a pay as you go SIM but with the same provider (orange). Now my phone is getting on a bit, so is it worth paying £15 to get the thing unblocked, so that I can buy a new SIM in Canada? Are the phones themselves cheaper here, so would it be worth buying a new one?

Souvy

The mobile phone system here is rather different to that in the UK. There are very few providers and they are years behind Europe. I discovered this recently when I wanted to upgrade to a phone with GSM capability. My provider (Telus) could only offer a Blackberry (expensive to buy and use). Bell Canada was the same. That essentially left Rogers and Fido, although a new one has just started up. I went with Rogers, which uses SIM cards.

The phone I got was promoted as "new". It's the same as my son in the UK has. It's his mum's old one. I suggest you buy the phone in the UK and get a SIM card here.

dontrush2

Yep, what he said ^

I no longer have a mobile ( which I do miss ) but I dont want a contract and PAYG are very limited to the area in which you get them. For example, some of the providers will work in an area, some wont have coverage, even though you are standing right beside a mast. You also have to consider geographical location. Lots of dead spots where even contact phones wont work. When i moved I brought my unlocked Motorola triband, and although I can see a mast from my house, it wont do a damned thing!It now lives in a dust covered box. You also find that a lot of mobiles here dont have sims like yours, but instead have the info locked into the phone. I had considered buying a 7 11 PAYG phone but where I live there is no coverage for them, Bell and some other provider have it all sewn up. My advice is to flog your phone as it stands, and do your research into what fits your needs here. You may find that you will get a PAYG that does your job or you might have to go contract.

twotoast

There is another option for the 'pay as you go'. 7-Eleven Stores also have their own mobile phone systems based on the Rogers network. The info is at http://www.speakout7eleven.ca/ and one user has set up his own website at http://www.speakoutwireless.ca/ which talks a lot about the mobile industry in Canada and also looks at the pros and cons.

Right now, if you buy a $100 airtime card, you get $59 off a phone. The airtime minutes last for 365 days, but if you purchase new minutes within that period, the outstanding minutes roll-over for another 365 days.

The phones are quite basic, but a lot cheaper than Bell/Telus/Fido etc., and having been on contract for the last 5 years with Bell - these 'pay as you go' phones are like a breath of fresh air

bsmith

....and even with pay-as-you-go, you have to use your credit by a specified date or it is wiped. (don't think they've done that in the UK for years?)

Oink

Get a PAYG phone from 7-Eleven. THey give you a free phone if you buy $100 worth of airtime. Its 25cents a minute.

Partially discharged

Is the mast that you can see for the mobile company that your phone is linked with?

Oink

Here's the link.

Speak Out Phones

MarkG

Our PAYG credit doesn't expire so long as we put $100 a year on the phone; of course that means we currently have about $150 on there because we don't use it much.

brummi

I had my Motorolla RAZR unlocked in UK and brought it with me. I got a SIM on a month by month contract with Fido. I've never had any coverage problems in Alberta, BC or Saskatchewan. My monthly bill is usually around $30, which is very reasonable I think.

I have to agree that they are years behind here with rate plans etc. I still find it hard to beleive that you can be charged for receiving a call, and also charged for being able to see who is calling!

There is a new provider called Wind. Might be worth checking them out (I've not heard much except they are cheaper than the rest). Hopefully a bit more competition in the market might wake these companies up!

Trophy

Also try KOODO.