Roaming plans

[skeeter]

Currently there are offers for roaming packages from Telus Mobility; however, they are not comparable to the market of roaming plans. With companies like Roam Mobility one can purchase a day plan all the way up to a month with very reasonable rates. Currently Telus mobility doesn't offer anything other than a month, and the plans are not very cost effective. Extra information below.

I don't know about everyone else, but when I go to the US I usually go for a few days up to a few weeks. When in a foreign land I will use my gps, various maps, and my browser to finds things on the run. With 50MB of data I will be stuck with a useless phone quite quick. Compared to roam mobility who has just upped their data to 300MB a day for the same week I will get 2100MB of data that is 2GB of data. The comparison is not even close.

[xl]

Some thoughts....

• Love Roam Mobility
• The $3.95 you have is for ONE day.  The Combo passes are good for an ENTIRE month.
• You should also compare ATT... Roam Mobility offers no coverage in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming or Jellystone.
• Telus passes allow you to receive calls from your Telus number.  A SIM card swap would disable this.  Another option if you just want data is to use Roam Mobility with their Liberti hotspot.
• A SIM card swap requires you to have your phone unlocked.

[Dark_Knight]

It's a bit of an unfair comparison. As @xl mentioned, these options don't let you use your Canadian number. If you look at Verizon or AT&T's Canadian roaming rates, they are basically the same as ours are for US roaming.

Roam Mobility uses a Prepaid plan structure, which is almost exactly the same as if you were to go to T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon and purchased a Prepaid plan while you were in the US. I frequent the US use AT&T's tablet plan with my iPhone. It's $30 for 3GB of data and has better coverage than Roam (they use T-Mobile). 

Speaking of T-Mobile, they do offer 'free roaming' in a whole bunch of contries, but burried away in the fineprint, it indiciates that you don't get to take advantage of most countries/cities 4G networks. Instead, you get stuck on their 2G networks .

There are, and have been, a ton of options for people who aren't attached to their own phone number. For people who want to keep their number while traveling, you will always pay a premium. 

[xl]

One feature I like about Roam Mobility, compared to T-Mobile or ATT prepaid when in the USA.... the ability to call a Canadian number, especially a travel companion has only a Canadian SIM.  Just as Telus prepaid does not work in the USA.... USA prepaid does not allow me to call a Canadian number.

One workaround is the getting a calling card.

[NFtoBC]

My experience in Europe was that their cellular network was as balkanized as here in North America, but the countries are smaller. It was easier to manage within the allowances of a Telus international Plan than to purchase a fresh SIM in each country we entered, especially as we four were in three countries one afternoon.

We used GPS,  mapping, searches, messaging, and other apps, and STILL stayed within the allotment of the passes we bought. It took a bit of planning and frequenting the businesses (pubs) with free Wi-Fi, but it was easily managed.

When we travel to the Excited States, I rarely buy a pass, as the data, texts, and voice I use is frequently less than the cost of the pass; you just have to be frugal. My Telus phone does work in Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii and (in limited areas) in Yellowstone.

[tsizzle]

To summarize what others have said: Roam Mobility's rates are great, what they're really offering is foreign prepaid service at predefined rates, you cannot choose from multiple operators when you travel. This is really why Telus & Bell can't and don't offer these rates, a foreign carrier will not let them compete with their domestic prepaid business. Roam Mobility gets around this by providing them direct access to more markets.

[NFtoBC]

Note: Telus recently began offering a $7 / day US roaming option.

http://www.telus.com/en/bc/mobility/travel/us-easy-roam.jsp?INTCMP=Tcom_Home_Ban_US_Easy_Roam

[JenG]

I am going to the US for 5 days... what are my best options for data... does the $7/ day use my Canadian Plan data?  I am so confused on what to do lol... help please

[NFtoBC]

If you choose the $7 Easy Roam Plan, data use in the USA counts against your current plan. You can still buy add-ons if those meet your needs. You will have to select the plan before you travel. Details here:

http://www.telus.com/en/bc/mobility/travel/us-easy-roam.jsp?INTCMP=Tcom_Travel_CTA_US_Easy_Roam

[xl]

While I do use Roam Mobility for most USA trips.  Pay attention to coverage.  Roam Mobility does not work in....

-Alaska

-Montana

-Idaho

-Wyoming

-Jellystone

For these trips and Alaskan cruises, the Telus Easy Roam option is a great alternative!

Then again... while Alaskan ports work great with Easy Roam... not sure about ship's Connect At Sea cellular signal.  They are likely not operating out of the USA on their satellite.