Canada - recommendation for a local SIM for 6 weeks

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steve2222

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Topic # 223539 5-Oct-2017 08:22

Going to Canada on holiday for 6 weeks.

Want to get a local (Canada) based SIM to use for that time.

Main requirement is data (WhatsApp, Skype, Google Maps and basic browsing) and the occasional local (Canada) voice call outbound.

Any recommendations for the best operator/deal.

Will only be used in and around Vancouver.

Thanks

PeterReader

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Geekzone

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Reply # 1877593 5-Oct-2017 08:22

Allow me to introduce you folks to our new travel community: TravelTalk NZ.

We hope to see you there!

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

wellygary

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Reply # 1877633 5-Oct-2017 09:25

2 people support this post

Prepared to be shocked.....

PhantomNVD

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Reply # 1877634 5-Oct-2017 09:29

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http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Canada

Looks like prepay will get you royally ruined 😬

Linux

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Reply # 1877637 5-Oct-2017 09:31

One person supports this post

I have used Rogers prepaid and no issues but not that cheap

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kiwifidget

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Reply # 1877680 5-Oct-2017 10:06

A year ago my luggage didn't make it to Canada with me.

Cost me a fortune in calls back to NZ trying to sort the problem.

I hope you find a solution.

Life is too short to remove USB safely.

KiwiSurfer

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Reply # 1878556 6-Oct-2017 16:33

Which NZ mobile network are you with? Vodafone has $5 a day roaming for on account customers which is pretty good value.

Rappelle

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Reply # 1878566 6-Oct-2017 16:42

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I'm living in Canada right now. If you're concerned about price (you probably should be... plans are f-ing outrageous here), then Freedom Mobile, Koodoo, Sasktel or Fido are good. Freedom has considerably more data for a good price, but their coverage can be a bit meh - however you can roam onto other networks when not in coverage. I personally use them due to the amount of data for price.

steve2222

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Reply # 1878631 6-Oct-2017 18:59

KiwiSurfer:

Which NZ mobile network are you with? Vodafone has $5 a day roaming for on account customers which is pretty good value.

Skinny

Kiwifan

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Reply # 1878708 6-Oct-2017 21:41

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We were in Canada for 6 weeks last year and went with Bell. The service in store and for coverage was great but the cost.... horrendous. I think we paid $10 for the sim, $50 for data, $5 to have money loaded on the phone to enable the data, taxes and a setup fee. Total cost just under $C85. Sadly even though the salesperson said the data was loaded and it showed in the Bell app someone in Ontario forgot to load it. 24 hours later I was back in store for an HOUR trying to sort it before they realised it hadn’t been set up, manually.

A week later after a few txts back to NZ the data dried up. Back to a Bell store to be told my $5 was almost gone and I had to pay another $15 to activate the data again. Sigh.

The day before we were ready to fly home the data ran out and was told it was another $10 for 100mb. Luckily I still had enough of the $15 so didn’t need to pay more. To ALL of our NZ telcos, thank you. You are so far ahead of our cousins up North it is scary.

Good luck with your trip. We love Canada but their telcos, not so much. If you get a better deal than what we got can you share in case we go back.

Cheers.