Is worth getting roaming access when traveling to US for only a week?

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

That depends entirely on how much you plan to use your phone. I was surprised how quickly fees rose on a weekend in Vegas a couple of years ago. Prices are now a bit lower, but a roaming package can be cheap insurance. On the other hand, we were three weeks in the USA last fall and did not bother with a roaming package, but also made few calls, and subsisted on WiFi and Ham Radio for communications.

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

That depends entirely on how much you plan to use your phone. I was surprised how quickly fees rose on a weekend in Vegas a couple of years ago. Prices are now a bit lower, but a roaming package can be cheap insurance. On the other hand, we were three weeks in the USA last fall and did not bother with a roaming package, but also made few calls, and subsisted on WiFi and Ham Radio for communications.

[xl · Accepted solution]

Agree totally based on potential usage.

• accept roaming charge for a handful of minutes
• Telus US passes if you think your consumption will be less than 300mb
  http://mobility.telus.com/en/BC/US/how-to-000009.shtml
  http://www.telus.com/wireless/travel/index.jsp?zone=us&country=USA#travel-passes
• go crazy with 9gb of data on an unlocked phone with a Roam Mobility sim card! Roam Mobility has different packages of a day, weekend, a full week or a month. I used it while Vegas and it worked great until I went to the Grand Canyon.
  http://www.roammobility.com/compare/telus
  http://www.roammobility.com/talk-text-data

[ET]

Hi, depending on your needs, I think xl and NFtoBC both made really good suggestions.