Hi all....

Anybody out there in Alberta able to give a bit of info about the mobile phones available and contracts etc? Have tried looking on the internet for ages but they just don't seem to have the same phones and offers over there.

We are thinking of buying a phone over here, having it unlocked and then using it over there, be it by contract on a Canadian SIM or just Canadian Pay as you go.

Their phones all seem very old......

Any ideas?

No idea if this is any help at all to you but here's Telus's offering in cell, Blackberry and PDA's

http://www.tphones.ca/digital-pcs/cell-phones/

This link may be of help too, or not.

http://www.wirelesswave.ca/phones.asp

Rogers Wireless

Telus

Bell


I use Rogers and their good enough..... only problem here is being locked into contracts for 3yrs if you want a new phone at discount. (I thought 12months was bad in the uk!)

If you get a phone you like in the UK, you can just buy a SIM pack for $30 I think.

For light cell phone use, these are probably the best pay as you go:


http://speakout7eleven.ca/

http://mobility.petro-canada.ca/default.aspx


The Unofficial 7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless Canada Consumer Page:

http://www.speakoutwireless.ca/

Buy a pay and go when you get here.

Be amazed at how stupid the tarrifs are regarding time limits on using your credit, paying to recieve texts and calls you didn't want.

Become suitably Canadianised to appreciate the innovotive new phones and plans on the market.

Go and get a Telus one on a 3 yr contract and suck it up like the rest of us

remeber you have to pay forincoming calls too!

Yeah I heard about paying to recieve calls- WHATS ALL THAT ABOUT??!!

Thanks for your replies. At least I've found what tariffs they have. Still think the phones they have are like the cheap ones on the shelves at tescos!

Starting to think we're quite spoilt with the phone we have in this country....

Yeah....It'll come off your free minutes..... But if you insist when you first sign up, the salesperson does have the option of granting you extra free minutes, free local incoming, etc, etc.....

They need the new business right now.... so don't be affraid to ask for what you want and walk away if they wont give

I am a 1 phone (land line) user. Had a pay as you go for a year but rarely had use for it. I spend less than $30/month including long distance (Yak)

I use my email more than I use a phone. Cell phones are a total waste of time and money for many of us.

Nothing iritates me more than some loud mouth on a cell phone.

Hi

Echo your sentiments, bought an unlocked quad band phone in Vancouver, $179 including Rogers SIM card (I take it to Europe and buy a SIM there for a local number) Pay $100 for Pay as Go, good for a year. Now I have phone for emergencies and making calls on the road. I don't give out the number (other than relatives)

Oh goody. We can start a cell phone Luddites club.

I hate the damn things.

Sign me up.

I refuse to own one.

I love mine . Never take a call on the thing tho. That's the secret.

The monopoly on the cell phones over here was controlled by Rodgers and Telus. Untill about a year ago if you wanted to change your service provider you had to change numbers which for most people in business is not practical.

So when my cell phone went up from $250m to over $500 due to a Rodgers error we changed to Virgin mobile which had just start over here.

The package is much better and I now pay only $130 per month for all emails, free incoming calls, free calls between 9-5 and upto 400 minutes out of that time.

I have used the phone in south alberta and bc with no coverage problems at all. i can really recommend Virgin.

The package is much better and I now pay only $130 per month for all emails, free incoming calls, free calls between 9-5 and upto 400 minutes out of that time.

As someone said earlier Helen, its about becoming "Canada-ized" which you have been "willing" to do. Price for your contract in UK around £30.

I can understand the costs being higher due to lack of competition / costs of setting up the intastructure, etc, but I just dont get the antiquated phones offered. They were bad when I was there in 2006, they seem to be the same phones.

The other option is if you're using it for emergencys / light use only. I'd consider a UK mobile from O2, Vodaphone. Both have reasonable overseas rates anc can be topped up on the www.