Yes, we brought our UK unlocked phones and inserted a Rogers pay as you go SIM card and works just fine. You can also get a FIDO SIM card, although they are owned by Rogers. These seem to be the only SIM cards one can get.
There are a few tarrifs to choose from too so not too bad a deal.

We will investigate contracts down the road, but for now we are connected.

Rob

Make sure they're Tri- or Quad-Band phones though!!! (or they won't work).
And get them unlocked in the UK - it's cheaper.

I kinda feel sorry for the guy (going back to the original post).

Fair enough, if he thought data calls were included in his package and Bell didn't cotton on and let him know that he was getting a ridiculous bill.

It wasn't like my brother who fell asleep on his phone for six hours, opening the browser...when he was on holiday in Lanzarote (from the UK).
A £2,000 phone bill made sure he didn't do that again.

With regards to Canada, I still can't believe that a country who have been at the forefront of landline telecoms technology (or have they?) are soooo behind when it comes to cellphones.

Outdated phones that you generally have to buy; 3 year minimum contracts; terrible coverage; paying for incoming calls and high rates for other calls; rubbish plans...

What the industry needs is some decent competition then things will start to change here.

Thanks for that

yeah they are quad thanks .

I took over my cell phone from the UK and put in a Rogers sim card and the coverage I got here was very poor. It was much better down towards Halifax but most newcomers don't really want to live in a big city, instead choosing to live outside one. I live up in New Glasgow and I only found out after I got my SIM card under a 12-month contract that the coverage here was poor.

So choose you cell phone provider carefully, especially is you live more rural. Don't believe the sales person. At Rogers call centre one person told me I should have great coverage where I live. I live on the outskirts of town and can only get rogers coverage in my study and master bathroom - all other rooms in my house are out of range . I get no coverage in the mall or at work - so the phone is completely useless to me.

I switched to Aliant last week and got this Motorola ROKR cellphone free on their Christmas special ($99 instant rebate). Got a better plan than Rogers for the same money.

More to the point - I love my new cellphone and have great coverage... WooHoo

If I go to my basement, I lose Rogers reception and flip over to international roaming (AT&T USA or T-Mobile US, varies). Expensive! I've had to lock the phone on to Rogers which is pain but saves wrong numbers getting an earful from me (too mean to pay extra for caller I.D., every call's a surprise!).

i don't even have a cell phone. i find that with me not knowing that many people here..and no family here etc..i dont realy need one. and that is including for work..even tho they would probably like it if i got one.

i looked at buying one..but when i saw the costs involved and the plans etc..i thought about it..do i realy need one..? i guess it would be handy for emergencies and such...but my husband has one for his work and we can just use that when traveling around etc.

so i wonder how much do we actualy need cell phones..? what dictates that we do...work..? emergencies..? phone addiction.? LOL....or is it just lifestyle and technology.

i cope fine without one..well at least so far

I have had a mobile/cell phone for about 12 years and consider myself a low user. Rarely send texts.

I wouldn't want to be without a cell phone though as I need to be in contact with my kids and husband (who mainly works out and about). My boys are 13 and 16 so don't drag them out with me when I go shopping etc like I used to have to do when they were younger.

Overall, makes family logistics so much easier and gives me more freedom to do my own thing when they are doing their own thing. I have the security of knowing that we can always contact each other no matter where we are

We've kinda done the opposite , we have cell phones but no home phone. we use the cells for everyday, but we've never really been big phone users. We have a UK skype in number for friends and family back in the UK

We have a Virgin Pay-as-you-go phone and use Skype for all our outgoing calls - both locally and to the UK. This works fine for us at the moment and seems cost effective