North America – Phone Travel Wiz

Canada - known for its stunning nature, its love for Maple Syrup, and, of course, its politeness. Even the mooses are polite (actually - they are not. Be careful around them). Being home to the largest land border globally, together with the United States, there are plenty of things to see and do in Canada. However, unlike some other large nations that host various climates, from blazing hot to freezing cold, Canada's are always on a cooler side (or permanent cold when staying up north). So better dress up when visiting this literally cool nation. What is not cool, however, are expensive international roaming rates. In fact, I often call (standard) roaming rates criminal because those bills do be feeling like you are getting robbed on the highway. Luckily, it is possible to get yourself a Canadian SIM card. Most often, using local SIM cards, like a Canadian one, will be much cheaper than international roaming or using an international or travel SIM card. But how much will a SIM card in Canada cost? You can buy a Canadian SIM card for 10 CAD (8.15 USD) or 20 CAD (16.30 USD), depending on the operator, in the official stores of the operator (like Rogers, Telus, Bell & Freedom Mobile stores), or various retail partners (such as electronic stores). 1 GB of data will cost you at least 29 CAD (23.60 USD). Cannot see the video above? Watch it here or on YouTube. To many, these prices will sound expensive, which they are. Not only is getting a SIM card quite pricey, but plans can cost you an arm and a leg. Okay, it is not that expensive, but you will be surprised how expensive phone plans are in Canada. Unless you are from the United States, Bermuda, or remote island nations like the Falkland Islands, St. Helena, or Ascension Island, things may feel like they are on a discount. There is a lot to learn about getting yourself a SIM card in Canada. In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Canada. Let's get started. Original publication: 18th of October 2019. Last updated: 9th of June 2021. Table of Contents Can You Buy a SIM Card in Canada? Everyone visiting and living in Canada can buy a SIM card from any of the Canadian operators without any restrictions. Although SIM card registration is not a thing in Canada, SIM cards do have to be activated in-person or online. Moreover, your phone needs to support the frequencies used in Canada. Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Canada? You can purchase a Canadian in the official stores of the Main Operators (Rogers, Telus, Bell & Freedom Mobile), the flanker brands (such as Fido & Virgin Mobile Canada), or third-party resellers, such as grocery stores, electronic shops, and convenience stores. Although it is possible to order SIM cards online, they have to be delivered to a Canadian address. Moreover, most operators accept only Canadian debit and credit cards. Furthermore, delivery can take between 2 to 5 workdays in the metro areas and up to a few weeks in the remote parts of Canada. It is also possible to buy SIM cards at select Canadian international airports. However, the selection is minimal at most airports. Sometimes, only one SIM card is available at an unfavorable starter price. Chatr Mobile, Lucky Mobile, SpeakOut (7-Eleven), and Telus SIM cards can be found at a handful of Canadian international airports. You can buy a Canadian SIM card at the following international airports: Montréal-Trudeau International AirportToronto Pearson AirportVancouver International Airport Cannot see the video above? Watch it here or on YouTube. You can expect to pay the following for Canadian SIM cards: Rogers: 10 CADChatr Mobile: 10 CADFido: 10 CADTelus: 20 CADKoodo Mobile: 20 CADPublic Mobile: 10 CADBell Canada: 10 CADLucky Mobile: 20 CADVirgin Mobile Canada: 10 CADFreedom Mobile: 10 CADPC Mobile: 10 CADPetro-Canada Mobility: 10 CADPhoneBox Canada: 10 CADSpeakOut 7-Eleven: 10 CAD Do note that (third-party) retailers are allowed to charge more for SIM cards than mentioned above. Moreover, some operators charge a connection fee of up to 30 CAD on top of the SIM card price. Can You Use Your Phone in Canada? GSM technology is used for mobile communication services in Canada, meaning that you need a GSM-supported phone. All CDMA networks were shut down on or before the 30th of April 2019. Luckily, there is a 99% chance your phone supports GSM anyway. Canada uses traditional American frequencies, which are mainly used in the Americas (North-, Central- & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2). Other parts of the world (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe, and Oceania – ITU Regions 1 & 3) use European frequencies, which are different from the American frequencies. By Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) - Own work, using this file by Denelson83, CC BY-SA 2.5 If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in Canada. If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU regions 1 & 3) and have a low/medium-end device without Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in Canada or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G). If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in Canada (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE. Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Canada © OpenClipart-Vectors Canada has four Canada-wide mobile network operators (Main Operators), six flanker brands directly owned by the Main Operators, and four MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) offering prepaid services. These Canadian operators are your options: RogersChatr Mobile (Rogers Flanker Brand)Fido (Rogers Flanker Brand)TelusKoodo Mobile (Telus Flanker Brand)Public Mobile (Telus Flanker Brand)Bell CanadaLucky Mobile (Bell Flanker Brand)Virgin Mobile Canada (Bell Flanker Brand)Freedom MobilePC Mobile (Bell MVNO)Petro-Canada Mobility (Rogers MVNO)PhoneBox Canada (Rogers MVNO)SpeakOut 7-Eleven (Rogers MVNO) The following frequencies are used in Canada: 2G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz3G: 850 MHz, 1700 MHz & 1900 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 12, Band 13, Band 17 & Band 29), 850 MHz (Band 5), 1700 MHz/2100 MHz - AWS (Band 4 & Band 66), 1900 MHz (Band 2 & Band 25) & 2600 MHz (Band 7 & Band 38)5G NR: 600 MHz (n71), 1700/2100 MHz - AWS (n66), 2500 MHz (n41) & 2600 MHz (n38) You can learn more about frequencies in the video below. Cannot see the video above? Watch it here or on YouTube. To check whether your phone will work in Canada, check out this page by Will My Phone Work. Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above). If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know. A Note About 4G HSPA+ © louvainlaneuve9 Before 4G/LTE was being rolled out in Canada, some operators thought it was a great idea to market HSPA+, which is 3.75G, as 4G HSPA+ to confuse or trick customers into thinking that they were getting 4G/LTE experiences. 4G HSPA+ is not 4G/LTE - it is a lie. To this day, some operators mention or highlight their 4G HSPA+ coverage. Whenever an operator is guilty of doing this, I will clearly highlight this throughout the guide. Although the four Main Operators (Rogers, Telus, Bell & Freedom Mobile) do have true 4G/LTE now (even LTE-A: Long Term Evolution - Advanced), this 4G HSPA+ trickery is still going on to this day. Somehow, this lie is not limited to Canadian operators. Many operators throughout the Americas, notably Digicel, straight up lied about their 3G or HSPA+ networks being 4G/LTE. As history likes to repeat itself, American operators AT&T & Verizon have been caught lying about their 5G networks. T-Mobile USA was told to town down with their 5G reliability advertisements. At least the Canadian operators have a bit more class in terms of 5G marketing... for now. 5G in Canada © Mohamed Hassan The Canadian Main Operators held 5G trials back in 2016. Bell was the first operator to demonstrate a pre-commercial 5G system with Nokia. Rogers was the first to commercially launch 5G in the urban hubs of Canada, including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver on 2500 MHz (n41). The other Main Operators followed, and they later got access to the 600 MHz (n71) spectrum. Right now, Rogers seems to have the broadest 5G coverage, covering more than 130 cities and towns throughout Canada. The auction for the 3500 MHz (n78) spectrum was scheduled to take place in 2020. However, due to COVID-19, the Canadian government decided to postpone the auction to the 15th of June 2021. This is important because 3500 MHz will be the backbone of 5G in almost all countries setting up 5G networks now and in the future. That is because the spectrum is "at a balancing point between coverage and capacity that provides the perfect environment for the earliest 5G connectivity", according to GSMA. All the other 5G frequencies currently in use in Canada sacrifice speed for broader coverage (the lower the frequency, the greater the range but slower speeds). Even though 5G is up and live in Canada already, 5G will not be available to prepaid customers in the near future. A Note About Regional Operators in Canada Canada has a few regional operators (Ice Wireless, SaskTel & Vidéotron) active in one or multiple provinces. However, they do not have native Canada-wide coverage like the Big Three (Rogers, Telus & Bell). These regional operators (Ice Wireless, SaskTel & Vidéotron) are often competitively priced if you stay in the province they operate in. However, you will not be saving a lot of money by going with the regional operators because... well... you are still in Canada. The regional often have a national roaming agreement with the Big Three. However, speeds are often throttled because the Big Three prioritizes the traffic of their own customers over roaming customers. Because you need to be in a province where the regional operator is active to get one of their SIM cards, I will not cover them in-depth in this guide. However, you should consider them if you are visiting or staying in their operations zone. Regional operators offering prepaid services: Ice Wireless (Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut & part of Quebec)SaskTel (Saskatchewan - nationwide roaming on Bell & Telus)Vidéotron (Quebec & part of Ontario - nationwide roaming on Rogers) However, rumors and reports have surfaced that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) may force the Big Three to let the regional operators use their networks. If that happens, then the SIM cards of the regional operators could be purchased nationwide, which could lead to some savings. Best SIM Card in Canada If you want to buy the best SIM card in Canada, I recommend going with Telus or its flanker brands (Koodo & Public Mobile). Telus has the fastest and most extensive network in the country. Telus has also won the Speedtest Awards Fastest Mobile Network four years in a row. You can also consider Bell and its flanker brands (Lucky Mobile & Virgin Mobile). Telus & Bell have a network sharing agreement, allowing customers of both operators to share each other's networks. Be advised that prepaid speeds with flanker brands are often throttled to 3G speeds (3 Mbps) even when you get access to their 4G/LTE network. SIM Card Registration in Canada SIM card registration using your passport information is not needed when buying a SIM card in Canada. However, if your purchase your SIM card from a third-party reseller, you will need to activate the SIM card on the operator's site or by visiting their (partner) stores. Online activation, however, often requires the use of a Canada-issued debit or credit card. That is why you are better off activating your SIM card in (partner) stores. Taxes & 911 Emergency Fee in Canada Canada is one of the few countries where the price tag's price is not the final price you pay. You have to pay a federal Goods and Service Tax (GST) of 5% and a Provincial/Territorial Sales Tax (PST) or Retail Sales Tax (RST) - or Quebec Sales Tax in Quebec (QST) - between 0% and 10% on top of your purchase. This means the final price can be 15% more than the listed price, depending on the location of your purchase. Some provinces and territories moved to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) system where both the federal and regional taxes are listed as one tax and not separately. All these taxes affect all purchases, including buying a SIM card, recharging your card, and buying plans. Because the taxes differ per province and territory, the prices listed in this guide are without tax. However, below is an overview of the sales tax rates of the provinces and territories. Remember, you have to pay the federal GST rate of 5%, even if the province or territory has no regional sales tax itself: Province/TerritoryTypeProvincial Tax RateTotal Tax RateAlbertaGST0%5%British ColumbiaGST + PST7%12%ManitobaGST + RST7%12%New BrunswickHST10%15%Newfoundland and LabradorHST10%15%Northwest TerritoriesGST0%5%Nova ScotiaHST10%15%NunavutGST0%5%OntarioHST9%13%Prince Edward IslandHST10%15%QuebecGST + QST9.975%14.975%SaskatchewanGST + PST6%11%YukonGST0%5% GST: Goods and Service Tax HST: Harmonized Sales TaxPST: Provincial/Territorial Sales Tax QST: Quebec Sales TaxRST: Retail Sales Tax Additionally, you will be charged a monthly municipal or provincial 911 emergency services fee to cover the costs for said services. This fee ranges between 0.41 CAD to 1.88 CAD depending on the province you are in and will be charged directly by the operator. Although the 911 fee only applies to those on a plan inclusive of calling and texting, some operators will also charge the fee on data-only plans (even though those are exempt from this fee for now). A few operators charge a flat fee of 1.25 CAD, regardless of your plan and your location. Canada Speeds, Internet Prices & Insights North America is not known for having cheap mobile data rates. In fact, Northern America is the most expensive region for mobile data - especially for prepaid. Honestly, sometimes, I think it may be better to rely on WIFI connections when in Canada because the prices are criminal - mostly because of the oligopoly in the Canadian telecom market. Yes, that is the case in many countries around the world. But price fixing is incredible here. And the illusion of choice does not make things better. So, how expensive is mobile data in Canada? The average price for 1 GB of data in Canada is 5.72 USD, much less than the North American average of 8.21 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD. Now, you may be thinking I was exaggerating a bit earlier because there are many countries with a much higher average for 1 GB (more than 40 countries). Plus, Bermuda is not playing any games with an average price of 1 GB of almost 20 USD. But you should know that the North American average is the highest in any region in the world when using Cable.co.uk's definition of regions. Source The thing is, the Canadian telecom market focuses more on postpaid customers or users on a plan. Prepaid customers, like you and I, will have to pay a premium for prepaid service in Canada. You have to spend at least 29 CAD to get 1 GB of data on a prepaid plan (with Freedom Mobile). For comparison, spending a few dollars more can get you truly unlimited (and unthrottled) data in Taiwan. Do you want 2GB or 2.5 GB of data? Be prepared to spend at least 35 CAD. Paying 50 CAD for 5 GB is not unheard of in Canada either. For reference, the American average for 1 GB of data, which include North-, Central-, and South America plus the Caribbean, is 4.61 USD Source So, you will pay top-dollar prices for data. Are the speeds any good? Canada's average mobile download speed is around 94 Mbps, placing Canada in the top 15 fastest countries in the Global Index. Source Source Those are incredible speeds! Almost double the world average. Source As we learned earlier, 5G is not available to prepaid customers yet (and will not be for the forseeable future), so you should not expect extremely fast speeds outside of the metropolitan areas. However, you should also know that many operators actively throttle prepaid speeds. Not only are speeds often limited to 3G speeds, which is 3 Mbps (although true 3G/HSPA+ can be much faster) on 4G/LTE networks, some operators and MVNOs do not allow prepaid customers to even use 4G/LTE, making reliability worse than those on 4G/LTE. So not only will data be expensive, you may not be able to take full advantage of the networks because you are using a prepaid SIM card. I remember the first time I was in Canada, 2015, I was shocked at how expensive data was - at least, for prepaid (I had two Chatr Mobile SIM cards - 40 CAD for the plan and a 2 GB add-on for 25 CAD - so 65 CAD total). When writing this, six years later, things have barely changed. You can find many videos on YouTube of (exchange) students or new immigrants being appalled about how pricey (and bad) mobile data is in Canada compared to their home countries. Now that you know all of this, the price shock should be less severe. North America Roaming in Canada Many American and Mexican operators offer free roaming or roaming at attractive rates than standard Pay As You Go roaming rates. Do note that if your operator offers free roaming in Canada, you may have a roaming (data) allowance or may be roaming at reduced speeds (often, that is 128 Kbps, which is extremely slow). Even then, I would recommend checking whether your operator offers such a feature, as mobile data for prepaid customers is costly in Canada. Currency in Canada Canada uses the Canadian Dollar with the symbol CAD (which will be used throughout this guide). However, prices are often listed as just $ - sometimes also as C$, CA$ & Can$, but those formats are rather rare. For example, 25 CAD = C$/CA$/Can$/$25. For reference, below are some exchange rates between CAD and USD (US Dollars): 1 CAD = 0.80 USD10 CAD = 8.05 USD100 CAD = 80.65 USD If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card. Their fees are MUCH lower than banks, and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks). I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Euros, my main currency, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. Open a Wise account FREE! Canadan Prepaid SIM Cards Below, I will guide you through Rogers, Chatr Mobile, Fido, Telus, Koodo Mobile, Public Mobile, Bell Canada, Lucky Mobile, Virgin Mobile Canada, Freedom Mobile, PC Mobile, Petro-Canada Mobility & SpeakOut 7-Eleven, and go through: Background informationMobile coverageSIM card types, prices, and availabilityRecharge / top-up informationCombo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs) With that being said, let’s see what Canada has to offer to us. Rogers © Rogers Rogers Communications, simply known as Rogers (or Rogers Wireless), is the largest operator in Canada (when counting the subscriber numbers of its Flanker brands Chatr Mobile & Fido that offer cheaper services than Rogers itself). However, it is only slightly ahead of the competition. Rogers uses the following frequencies: 2G: 850 MHz (to be phased out on the 1st of January 2022)3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 12, Band 13 & Band 17), 1700 MHz (Band 4) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)5G NR: 600 MHz (n71), 1700 MHz/2100 MHz - AWS (n66) & 2600 MHz (n38) This is what you will learn about Rogers: * Coverage* How to Get a Rogers SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Rogers Rogers has extensive coverage throughout Canada. At the time of writing, Rogers has the widest 5G range in Canada. However, prepaid customers cannot take advantage of 5G at this time (and not in the coming few years either, probably). Even then, Rogers' coverage is great in the metro areas, cities, and many populated towns. Coverage in densely populated or remote areas may be lacking, just like the other Canadian operators. Rogers covers about 20% of Canadian land while covering more than 97% of the population (in other words, 97% of where Canadians live). Below is the coverage map provided by Rogers. Source Below is Rogers' general availability and 4G availability concluded by the Speedtest Best Mobile Coverage Canada Awards of 2020. Source Below is the Rogers coverage map produced by the Speedtest app. Source SIM Card Price - Rogers You can get a Rogers SIM card for 10 CAD in Rogers Stores and Partner stores, including electronic shops and phone stores. Topping Up & Recharging - Rogers Rogers top-up vouchers are available in Rogers stores and many other retailers (like grocery stores and electronic shops), starting from 10 CAD to 100 CAD. © Rogers It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued cards are accepted. Below is an overview of Rogers' top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up ValueValidity10 CAD30 days 20 CAD30 days 30 CAD30 days 40 CAD30 days 100 CAD365 days To activate your Rogers top-up voucher, dial *114*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *114*123456#. You can also top up by calling +18005759090, dialing *611 or *868. You can check your balance by dialing *225. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Rogers Rogers has the Talk, Text & Data Plans and the Wireless Internet Add-Ons. Talk, Text & Data Plans - Rogers The Talk, Text & Data Plans are combo plans with data, minutes, and SMS. The following Talk, Text & Data Plans are available: PriceDataLocal Minutes (Daytime)Unlimited Local MinutesLocal SMSValidity50 CAD500 MB100 minutesYes 2Unlimited 130 days 65 CAD1 GB 150 minutesYes 2Unlimited 130 days 1 for international use too2 unlimited local minutes – evening: 18:00 – 7:00 & weekend: 18:00 & 7:00 Wireless Internet Add-Ons - Rogers The Wireless Internet Add-Ons are data add-ons for the Talk, Text & Data Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans. You can get one of the following Wireless Internet Add-Ons: PriceDataValidity1 CAD10 MB24 hours5 CAD60 MB7 days 10 CAD100 MB30 days 15 CAD250 MB30 days 20 CAD500 MB30 days 30 CAD1 GB 30 days 50 CAD2 GB30 days APN/Internet Settings - Rogers Name: RogersAPN: internet.comUsername: wapuser1Password: wap Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Chatr Mobile © Chatr Mobile Chatr Mobile, also known as simply Chatr or Chatr Wireless, is one of Rogers' flanker brands targeting entry-level/budget-minded customers. To learn about Chatr Mobile's frequencies, jump back to Rogers' frequencies. This is what you will learn about Chatr Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a Chatr Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Chatr Mobile Chatr Mobile is a Rogers flanker brand. Chatr Mobile is directly owned by Rogers and uses the Rogers network - it does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Rogers' network is extensive but not as widespread as Telus' and Bell's. Below is the Chatr Mobile coverage map. Source SIM Card Price - Chatr Mobile Chatr Mobile SIM cards are available for 10 CAD in Chatr Stores or Retail Partners, such as electronic shops and convenience stores. Topping Up & Recharging - Chatr Mobile Chatr Mobile top-up vouchers are available in Chatr Stores and many other retailers (like gas stations and convenience stores), starting from 5 CAD to 50 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued cards are accepted. Below is an overview of Chatr Mobile top-up values: 5 CAD10 CAD25 CAD40 CAD50 CAD To activate your Chatr Mobile top-up voucher, dial *233*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *233*123456#. You can check your balance by dialing *225. Dial *100# to see your account information. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Chatr Mobile Chatr Mobile has the Talk, Text & Data Plans and the Data Plan. Do note that data speeds are throttled to 3G speeds, 3 Mbps, even while using Chatr Mobile's 4G/LTE network. Talk, Text & Data - Chatr Mobile The Talk, Text & Data Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Talk, Text & Data Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity25 CAD500 MBUnlimitedUnlimited 21 month35 CAD2 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 21 month40 CAD4.5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 21 month50 CAD10 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 21 month55 CAD10 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 1 for calls to the United States too2 for international use too Data Plan - Chatr Mobile The Data Plan is a plan with 500 MB of data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited international SMS. PriceDataLocal SMSValidity25 CAD500 MBUnlimited 11 month 1 for international use too APN/Internet Settings - Chatr Mobile Name: Chatr MobileAPN: chatrweb.apn Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Fido © Fido Fido is one of Rogers' flanker brands after purchasing Fido back in 2004. Fido's target market is Millennials. To learn about Fido's frequencies, jump back to Rogers' frequencies. This is what you will learn about Fido: * Coverage* How to Get a Fido SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Fido Fido is a Rogers flanker brand. Fido is directly owned by Rogers and uses the Rogers network - it does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Rogers' network is extensive but not as widespread as Telus' and Bell's. Below is Fido's coverage map. Source Do note that Extended Coverage, which is Rogers roaming on the Telus and Bell network, is not available to prepaid customers. That is one reason why the Speedtest app's coverage map shows weaker coverage with Fido than Rogers itself. Source SIM Card Price - Fido You can buy a Fido SIM card for 10 CAD in Fido Stores and Partner Stores, including phone shops and electronic shops. Topping Up & Recharging - Fido Fido top-up vouchers are available in Fido Stores and many other retailers (like drug stores and post offices), starting from 10 CAD to 100 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued credit cards are accepted (NO debit cards). Below is an overview of Fido's top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up ValueValidity10 CAD30 days 20 CAD30 days 30 CAD30 days 50 CAD60 days 100 CAD365 days To activate your Fido top-up voucher, dial *114*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *114*123456#. You can also top up by dialing *868. You can check your balance by dialing *225. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Fido Fido has the Prepaid Plans and Data Add-Ons. Prepaid Plans - Fido The Prepaid Plans are combo plans with data, local minutes, and (international) SMS. The following Prepaid Plans are available, which can be activated by calling 611: PricePlanDataLocal MinutesSMSValidity15 CADTalk & TextN/A75 minutes75 SMS 11 month15 CADNo Calls 250 MB250 MBN/AUnlimited 21 month25 CADTalk & TextN/A250 minutes250 SMS 11 month25 CADNo Calls 500 MB500 MBN/AUnlimited 21 month35 CADTalk & TextN/A1000 minutes1000 SMS 11 month40 CADNo Calls 1 GB1 GB N/AUnlimited 21 month55 CAD750 MB750 MB500 minutesUnlimited 21 month60 CAD1 GB1 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 21 month70 CAD2 GB2 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 21 month 1 Canada-wide2 Canada-wide & international numbers Data Add-Ons - Fido The Data Add-Ons are, as the name implies, data add-ons for the Prepaid Plans. However, you can only purchase a Data Add-On on Prepaid Plans without data (Talk & Text 15 CAD, 25 CAD & 35 CAD). You can get one of the following Data Add-Ons: PriceData10 CAD100 MB20 CAD500 MB30 CAD1 GB APN/Internet Settings - Fido Name: FidoAPN: internet.fido.caUsername: fidoPassword: fido Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Telus © Telus Telus Communications, simply known as Telus (or Telus Mobility), is the second-largest operator in Canada. It also has the fastest network in Canada. It has two flanker brands that offer cheaper services than Telus itself, Koodo Mobile & Public Mobile, with conditions attached. Source Source Telus uses the following frequencies: 2G: Shut down3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 12, Band 13, Band 17 & Band 29), 850 MHz (Band 5), 1700 MHz/2100 MHz - AWS (Band 4) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)5G NR: 1700 MHz/2100 MHz - AWS (n66) This is what you will learn about Telus: * Coverage* How to Get a Telus SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Telus Telus has the best coverage in Canada. Source Telus shares its 4G/LTE and 5G network with Bell. However, both Telus and Bell have their own antennas, hardware, and core networks. Telus' equipment is better than Bell's, which is why there is still a slight difference in coverage and speeds between Telus and Bell. Telus has been rolling out 5G for a while. However, 5G is limited to postpaid customers - prepaid customers will not have access to 5G anytime soon. Telus covers about 29% of Canadian land while covering more than 99% of the population (in other words, 99% of where Canadians live). Below is the coverage map provided by Telus. Source Do not be fooled: 4G HSPA+ is not the same as 4G/LTE. 4G HSPA+ is a marketing gimmick - it is simply 3.75G. Below is Telus' general availability and 4G availability concluded by the Speedtest Best Mobile Coverage Canada Awards of 2020, which Telus won. Source Below is the Telus coverage map produced by the Speedtest app. Source SIM Card Price - Telus Telus SIM cards can be obtained for 20 CAD with 20 CAD in credit in Telus Stores and from other retailers, such as phone stores and electronic stores. Topping Up & Recharging - Telus Telus top-up vouchers are available in Telus Stores and from other retailers (like drug stores and post offices), starting from 10 CAD to 100 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued credit cards are accepted. Below is an overview of Telus' top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up ValueValidity10 CAD - 24.99 CAD30 days 25 CAD - 99.99 CAD60 days 100 CAD365 days To activate your Telus top-up voucher, dial #123, select option 1, and enter your Voucher Code. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial #123, select option 1, and enter 123456. You can check your balance by dialing #123. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Telus Telus has the Talk, Text & Data Plans and the Add-Ons. Talk, Text & Data Plans - Telus The Talk, Text & Data Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local minutes and calls to the US, and unlimited local SMS. The following Talk, Text & Data Plans are available: PricePlanDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity35 CADNationwide Talk, Text & Data 35500 MBUnlimited 1Unlimited30 days 45 CADNationwide Talk, Text & Data 452 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited30 days 50 CADNationwide Talk, Text & Data 504.5 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited30 days 60 CADNationwide Talk, Text & Data 608 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited30 days 1 for calls to the United States too (excluding Alaska & Hawaii) Add-Ons - Telus The Add-Ons are data add-ons for the Talk, Text & Data Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone data plans. You can get one of the following Add-Ons: PricePlanDataValidity10 CADData 10100 MB30 days20 CADData 20 500 MB30 days30 CADData 30 1 GB30 days APN/Internet Settings - Telus Name: TelusAPN: sp.telus.com Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Koodo Mobile © Koodo Mobile Koodo Mobile, also known as simply Koodo, is one of Telus' flanker brands. It targets younger customers. To learn about Koodo Mobile's frequencies, jump back to Telus' frequencies. This is what you will learn about Koodo Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a Koodo Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Koodo Mobile Koodo Mobile is a Telus flanker brand. Koodo Mobile is directly owned by Telus and uses the Telus network - it does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Telus has the best network in Canada and shares its network with Bell. Below is Koodo Mobile's coverage map. Source Do not be fooled: 4G HSPA+ is not the same as 4G/LTE. 4G HSPA+ is a marketing gimmick - it is simply 3.75G. SIM Card Price - Koodo Mobile You can get a Koodo SIM card for 20 CAD with 20 CAD in credit in Koodo stores and Partner stores, including grocery stores and gas stations. Topping Up & Recharging - Koodo Mobile Koodo Mobile top-up vouchers are available in Koodo Stores and many other retailers (like gas stations and convenience stores), starting from 10 CAD to 50 CAD. To activate your Koodo Mobile top-up voucher, dial *611 and follow the instructions. You can check your balance by dialing *611. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Koodo Mobile Koodo Mobile has the Base Plans and the Data Boosters. Base Plans - Koodo Mobile The Base Plans are combo plans with data, local minutes, and local/international SMS. The following Base Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity15 CADN/A100 minutes 1Unlimited 330 days 25 CADN/AUnlimited 1Unlimited 330 days 30 CAD500 MBUnlimited 1Unlimited 330 days 40 CAD2 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited 330 days 45 CAD4.5 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited 330 days 55 CAD8 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited 330 days 20 CADN/A100 minutes 1Unlimited 330 days 30 CAD1 GBN/AUnlimited 330 days 30 CADN/AUnlimited 2Unlimited 330 days 35 CAD500 MBUnlimited 2Unlimited 330 days 45 CAD2 GBUnlimited 2Unlimited 330 days 50 CAD4.5 GBUnlimited 2Unlimited 330 days 60 CAD8 GB Unlimited 2Unlimited 330 days 1 province-wide2 Canada-wide3 for international use too Data Boosters - Koodo Mobile The Data Boosters are data add-ons for the Base Plans. The allowance of a Data Booster does not expire and can be rolled over unlimited times when your Base Plan renews. Data Boosters can, however, not be purchased as standalone plans. You can activate one of the following Data Boosters: PriceData10 CAD100 MB 20 CAD500 MB30 CAD1 GB APN/Internet Settings - Koodo Mobile Name: KoodoAPN: sp.koodo.com Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Public Mobile © Public Mobile Public Mobile is one of Telus' flanker brands. Although it was initially launched as a self-service (digital-only) value brand in 2010 to increase competition in the Canadian telecom market, it was bought up by Telus in 2013. Public Mobile targets budget-minded customers. To learn about Public Mobile's frequencies, jump back to Telus' frequencies. This is what you will learn about Public Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a Public Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Public Mobile Public Mobile is a Telus flanker brand. Public Mobile is directly owned by Telus and uses the Telus network - it does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Telus has the best network in Canada and shares its network with Bell. Below is Public Mobile's coverage map. Source SIM Card Price - Public Mobile Public Mobile SIM cards are available for 10 CAD in mobile shops, convenience stores, and Koodo stores. Topping Up & Recharging - Public Mobile Public Mobile top-up vouchers are available in various stores, like grocery stores, mobile shops, and electronic stores, starting from 5 CAD to 60 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued cards are accepted. To activate your Publicr Mobile top-up voucher, dial *611 and follow the instructions. You can check your balance by dialing *611. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Public Mobile Public Mobile has the Plans and Data Add-Ons. Plans - Public Mobile The Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity15 CADN/A100 minutesUnlimited 130 days 25 CAD500 MBUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 35 CAD2.5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 40 CAD4.5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 50 CAD10 GB UnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 1 for international use too Data Add-Ons - Public Mobile The Data Add-Ons are, as the name implies, data add-ons for the Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans. You can activate one of the following Data Add-Ons: PriceData5 CAD200 MB15 CAD1 GB APN/Internet Settings - Public Mobile Name: Public MobileAPN: sp.mb.com Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Bell Canada © Bell Canada Bell Canada, simply known as Bell (or Bell Mobility), is the third-largest operator in Canada. It has two flanker brands that offer cheaper services than Bell itself, Lucky Mobile & Virgin Mobile Canada, with conditions attached. Bell uses the following frequencies: 2G: Shut down3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 12, Band 13, Band 17 & Band 29), 850 MHz (Band 5), 1700 MHz/2100 MHz - AWS (Band 4) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)5G NR: 1700 MHz/2100 MHz - AWS (n66) This is what you will learn about Bell: * Coverage* How to Get a Bell SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Bell Canada Bell has extensive coverage throughout Canada. Bell shares its 4G/LTE and 5G network with Telus. However, both Bell and Telus have their own antennas, hardware, and core networks. Bell's equipment is slightly worse than Telus, which is why there is still a slight difference in coverage and speeds between 'Bell and Telus. Bell has been rolling out 5G for a while. However, 5G is limited to postpaid customers - prepaid customers will not have access to 5G anytime soon. Bell covers about 29% of Canadian land while covering more than 99% of the population (in other words, 99% of where Canadians live). Below is the coverage map provided by Bell. Source Do not be fooled: 4G HSPA+ is not the same as 4G/LTE. 4G HSPA+ is a marketing gimmick - it is simply 3.75G. Below is Bell's general availability and 4G availability concluded by the Speedtest Best Mobile Coverage Canada Awards of 2020. Source Below is the Bell coverage map produced by the Speedtest app. Source SIM Card Price - Bell Canada You can buy a Bell SIM card for 10 CAD in Bell Stores and Partner Stores, including phone shops and electronic shops. Topping Up & Recharging - Bell Canada Fido top-up vouchers are available in Bell Stores and Partner Stores (like drug stores and post offices), starting from 15 CAD to 100 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued credit cards are accepted (NO debit cards). Below is an overview of Fido's top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up VoucherValidity15 CAD30 days 25 CAD60 days 50 CAD60 days 100 CAD365 days To activate your Fido top-up voucher, dial *114*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *114*123456#. You can also top up by dialing *868. You can check your balance by dialing *225. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Bell Canada Bell has the Prepaid Voice and Data Plans and Data Add-Ons. Prepaid Voice and Data Plans - Bell Canada The Prepaid Voice and Data Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Prepaid Voice and Data Plans are available: PricePlanDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity35 CADUnlimited talk and text + 500 MB 500 MB UnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 45 CADUnlimited talk and text + 2 GB 2 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 50 CADUnlimited talk and text + 4.5 GB 4.5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 60 CADUnlimited talk and text + 8 GB 8 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 1 for international use too Data Add-Ons - Bell Canada The Data Add-Ons are, as the name implies, data add-ons for the Prepaid Voice and Data Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans. You can activate one of the following Data Add-Ons: PriceData10 CAD100 MB20 CAD500 MB30 CAD1 GB50 CAD2 GB APN/Internet Settings - Bell Canada Name: BellAPN: pda.bell.ca Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Lucky Mobile © Lucky Mobile Lucky Mobile is one of Bell's flanker brands. It is one of the newer players in the Canadian telecom market. Lucky Mobile targets budget-minded customers. To learn about Lucky Mobile's frequencies, jump back to Bell's frequencies. This is what you will learn about Lucky Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a Lucky Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Lucky Mobile Lucky Mobile is a Bell flanker brand. Lucky Mobile is directly owned by Bell and uses the Bell network - it does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Although Bell shares its network with Telus, which has the best network in Canada, Bell's hardware is not as reliable as Telus', which is why Bell's network is not the best together with Telus. Below is Lucky Mobile's coverage map. Source SIM Card Price - Lucky Mobile You can get a Lucky Mobile SIM card for 20 CAD from Lucky Mobile Retail Partners, including electronic shops and phone stores. Topping Up & Recharging - Lucky Mobile Lucky Mobile top-up vouchers are available from Lucky Mobile Retail Partners, such as gas stations, pharmacies, and grocery stores, starting from 15 CAD to 100 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued cards are accepted. Below is an overview of Lucky Mobile top-up values: 15 CAD20 CAD25 CAD50 CAD100 CAD To activate your Fido top-up voucher, dial *111 and follow the instructions. You can check your balance by dialing *58249. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Lucky Mobile Lucky Mobile has the Plans and Data Add-Ons. Plans - Lucky Mobile The Plans are combo plans with data, local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Plans are available: PricePlanDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity15 CADCanada-Wide Data Only Plan - 500 MB500 MBN/AN/A1 month 15 CAD100 Minutes Canada-Wide Calling PlanN/A100 minutes 1Unlimited 21 month 25 CADUnlimited Canada-Wide Canada Plan - 500 MB500 MBUnlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 35 CADUnlimited Canada-Wide Calling Plan 2.5 GB 2.5 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 40 CADUnlimited Canada-Wide Calling Plan - 4.5 GB4.5 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 50 CADUnlimited Canada-Wide & US Calling Plan - 10 GB 10 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 1 Canada-wide2 for international use too Data Add-On - Lucky Mobile The Data Add-On is an Add-On with 2 GB of data. PriceDataValidity15 CAD2 GB1 month APN/Internet Settings - Lucky Mobile Name: Lucky MobileAPN: connectMMSC: http://mms.luckymobile.ca/mms/wapencAPN Type: default,dun,supl,mms Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Virgin Mobile Canada © Virgin Group Virgin Mobile Canada, just Virgin Mobile, is one of Bell's flanker brands. It targets teens (Gen Z) and Millennials. To learn about Virgin Mobile's frequencies, jump back to Bell's frequencies. This is what you will learn about Virgin Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a Virgin Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Virgin Mobile Canada Virgin Mobile is a Bell flanker brand. Virgin Mobile is directly owned by Bell and uses the Bell network - it does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Although Bell shares its network with Telus, which has the best network in Canada, Bell's hardware is not as reliable as Telus', which is why Bell's network is not the best together with Telus. Below is Virgin Mobile's coverage map. Source Do not be fooled: 4G HSPA+ is not the same as 4G/LTE. 4G HSPA+ is a marketing gimmick - it is simply 3.75G. SIM Card Price - Virgin Mobile Canada Virgin Mobile SIM cards are available for 10 CAD in Virgin Mobile Stores and Retail Partner stores, such as electronic shops and phone stores. Topping Up & Recharging - Virgin Mobile Canada Virgin Mobile top-up vouchers are available in Virgin Mobile Stores and Retail Partner stores (like drug stores and post offices), starting from 15 CAD to 100 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued credit cards are accepted (NO debit cards). Below is an overview of Virgin Mobile's top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up VoucherOnline Top-UpValidity15 CAD15 CAD - 24 CAD30 days 25 CAD25 CAD - 49 CAD60 days 50 CAD50 CAD - 99 CAD60 days 100 CAD100 CAD - 200 CAD365 days To activate your Virgin Mobile top-up voucher, dial #111 and follow the instructions. You can check your balance by dialing #999. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Virgin Mobile Canada Virgin Mobile has the Monthly Plans and Add-Ons. Monthly Plans - Virgin Mobile Canada The Monthly Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited local SMS. The following Monthly Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity15 CADN/A100 minutesUnlimited1 month20 CADN/AUnlimited 2Unlimited1 month25 CADN/AUnlimited 1Unlimited1 month30 CADN/AUnlimited 2Unlimited1 month30 CAD500 MBUnlimited 1Unlimited1 month35 CAD500 MBUnlimited 2Unlimited1 month40 CAD2 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited1 month45 CAD2 GBUnlimited 2Unlimited1 month45 CAD4.5 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited1 month50 CAD4.5 GBUnlimited 2Unlimited1 month55 CAD8 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited1 month60 CAD8 GB Unlimited 2Unlimited1 month75 CAD10 GB Unlimited 2Unlimited1 month 1 province-wide2 Canada-wide Add-Ons - Virgin Mobile Canada The Add-Ons are data add-ons for the Monthly Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans. You can activate one of the following Add-Ons: PriceDataValidity15 CAD250 MB1 month28 CAD1 GB 1 month APN/Internet Settings - Virgin Mobile Canada Name: InternetAPN: inet.bell.caMMSC: https://mms.bell.ca/mms/wabenc Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Freedom Mobile © Freedom Mobile Freedom Mobile, formerly known as Wind Mobile until 2016, is the smallest operator (6% market share) in Canada with nationwide coverage. Its native coverage is limited to mostly the metro areas. However, it is the cheapest operator in the country. Freedom Mobile uses the following frequencies: 2G: N/A3G: 1700 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13), 1700 MHz - AWS (Band 4 & Band 66) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)5G NR: Pending development This is what you will learn about Freedom Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a Freedom Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Freedom Mobile Freedom Mobile has limited coverage throughout Canada and has the worst coverage of the four Main Operators. Freedom Mobile covers the metro areas and large cities in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. It has a national roaming agreement (Nationwide) with Rogers, Telus, and Bell, where Freedom Mobile has no native coverage. Freedom Mobile covers about 1% of Canadian land. Regional operators, like Videotron and SaskTel, perform better than Freedom Mobile in that regard. However, Freedom Mobile is present in the metro areas, making them cover about 43% of the population (in other words, 43% of where Canadians live). Below are the coverage maps provided by Freedom Mobile. First, we have the 3G & LTE coverage map. Source Next, we have Freedom Mobile's Extended Range LTE coverage map. Source Below is the Freedom Mobile coverage map produced by the Speedtest app. Source SIM Card Price - Freedom Mobile You can buy a Freedom Mobile SIM card for 10 CAD in Freedom Mobile Stores and Authorized Retailers, including phone shops and electronic shops. Do note that an activation fee of 30 CAD applies when you activate a Freedom Mobile SIM card. Topping Up & Recharging - Freedom Mobile Freedom Mobile top-up vouchers are available in Freedom Mobile Stores and Authorized Retailers (like grocery stores and electronic shops), starting from 5 CAD to 40 CAD. It is also possible to top-up online. However, only Canada-issued cards are accepted. To activate your Freedom Mobile top-up voucher, dial *123# and follow the instructions. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *114*123456#. You can check your balance by dialing *123#. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Freedom Mobile Freedom Mobile has the Freedom Prepaid by Month Plans and Add-Ons. Freedom Prepaid By Month - Freedom Mobile The Freedom Prepaid By Month Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Freedom Prepaid by Month Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity14 CADN/AN/AUnlimited 21 month 24 CADN/AUnlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 29 CAD1 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited 21 month 39 CAD2 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited 11 month 99 CADN/AUnlimited 1Unlimited 11 year179 CAD5 GB/month (60 GB)Unlimited 1Unlimited 11 year 1 Canada-wide2 for international use too Add-Ons - Freedom Mobile The Add-Ons are data-only or data and call add-ons for the Freedom Prepaid by Month Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans. You can activate one of the following Add-Ons: PriceAdd-OnDataValidity15 CAD1 GB Freedom Nationwide Data Pass1 GB1 month 20 CAD1 GB Freedom Nationwide + U.S. 1 GB 11 month 25 CAD5 GB Freedom5 GB 1 month 30 CAD2 GB Freedom Nationwide Add-On2 GB1 month 45 CAD3 GB Freedom Nationwide Add-On3 GB 1 month 1 can be used in the United States too APN/Internet Settings - Freedom Mobile Name: Freedom MobileAPN: internet.freedommobile.ca Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. PC Mobile © PC Mobile PC Mobile is a mobile brand by President's Choice, which is a Canadian store brand. It is a Bell MVNO. To learn about PC Mobile's frequencies, jump back to Bell's frequencies. This is what you will learn about PC Mobile: * Coverage* How to Get a PC Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - PC Mobile PC Mobile is a Bell MVNO, meaning PC Mobile uses the Bell network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Below is PC Mobile's coverage map. Source Do not be fooled: 4G HSPA+ is not the same as 4G/LTE. 4G HSPA+ is a marketing gimmick - it is simply 3.75G. SIM Card Price - PC Mobile PC Mobile SIM cards can be obtained for 10 CAD in supermarkets. Topping Up & Recharging - PC Mobile PC Mobile top-up vouchers are available in supermarkets, starting from 15 CAD to 100 CAD. © PC Mobile Below is an overview of PC Mobile's top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up VoucherValidity15 CAD30 days 25 CAD60 days 100 CAD365 days To activate your PC Mobile top-up voucher, dial *7266 and follow the instructions. You can check your balance by dialing *123#. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - PC Mobile PC Mobile has the Plans and Add-Ons. Plans - PC Mobile The Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited on-net minutes, (un)limited local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Plans are available: PriceDataOn-Net MinutesLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity10 CADN/AUnlimited50 minutesN/A30 days 15 CADN/AUnlimited100 minutesUnlimited 130 days 25 CADN/AUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 30 CAD1 GBUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 40 CAD3 GBUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 50 CAD6 GBUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 1 for international use too Add-Ons - PC Mobile The Add-Ons are data add-ons for the Plans. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans. You can activate one of the following Add-Ons: PriceDataValidity10 CAD1 GB30 days 20 CAD2 GB30 days APN/Internet Settings - PC Mobile Name: Freedom MobileAPN: internet.freedommobile.ca Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Name: InternetAPN: pda.bell.caMMSC: http://mms.bell.ca/mms/wapencAPN Type: default,supl,mms Jump back to the Table of Contents. Petro-Canada Mobility © Petro-Canada Petro-Canada Mobility is a mobile brand by Petro-Canada. Petro-Canada's parent company, Suncor Energy, is one of the leading oil and gas companies in Canada. Petro-Canada Mobility is a Rogers MVNO. To learn about Petro-Canada Mobility's frequencies, jump back to Rogers' frequencies. This is what you will learn about Petro-Canada Mobility: * Coverage* How to Get a Petro-Canada Mobility SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | PhoneBox | SpeakOut Coverage - Petro-Canada Mobility Petro-Canada Mobility is a Rogers MVNO, meaning Petro-Canada Mobility uses the Rogers network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Below is Petro-Canada Mobility's coverage map. Source SIM Card Price - Petro-Canada Mobility You can get a Petro-Canada Mobility SIM card for 10 CAD in Petro-Canada gas stations. Topping Up & Recharging - Petro-Canada Mobility Rogers top-up vouchers are available in Petro-Canada gas stations, starting from 15 CAD to 100 CAD. Below is an overview of Petro-Canada Mobility's top-up values and the credit validity: Top-Up VoucherValidity15 CAD30 days 25 CAD120 days 30 CAD120 days 40 CAD120 days 50 CAD180 days 100 CAD365 days To activate your Petro-Canada Mobility top-up voucher, dial *888*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *888*123456#. You can check your balance by dialing *777#. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - Petro-Canada Mobility Petro-Canada Mobility has the 30 Day Plans with data, local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. Do note that Petro-Canada Mobility does not have access to Rogers' 4G/LTE network - you will be restricted to 3G use only. The following Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity15 CADN/A100 minutesUnlimited30 days20 CADN/A200 minutesUnlimited30 days25 CADN/A300 minutesUnlimited30 days35 CAD1 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days45 CAD3 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days55 CAD5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 130 days 1 for international use too APN/Internet Settings - Petro-Canada Mobility Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Name: Petro-CanadaAPN: rogers-core-appl1.apn Jump back to the Table of Contents. PhoneBox Canada © PhoneBox PhoneBox Canada, just PhoneBox, is an MVNO offering cheaper services than the Main Operators. It is a Rogers MVNO. To learn about PhoneBox's frequencies, jump back to Rogers' frequencies. This is what you will learn about PhoneBox: * Coverage* How to Get a PhoneBox SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | SpeakOut Coverage - PhoneBox Canada PhoneBox is a Rogers MVNO, meaning PhoneBox uses the Rogers network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Below is PhoneBox's coverage map. Source Do not be fooled: 4G HSPA+ is not the same as 4G/LTE. 4G HSPA+ is a marketing gimmick - it is simply 3.75G. SIM Card Price - PhoneBox Canada PhoneBox SIM cards are available for 10 CAD in PhoneBox stores or Retail Partners, such as gift shops or touristy places (tourist information & tour guides). Topping Up & Recharging - PhoneBox Canada PhoneBox top-up vouchers are available in PhoneBox stores in Toronto and Vancouver, or you can top-up online with (international) debit and credit cards. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - PhoneBox Canada PhoneBox has its Prepaid Plans with data, unlimited local minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Prepaid Plans are available: PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity22 CADN/AUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 35 CAD5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 40 CAD10 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 45 CAD5 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 55 CAD15 GBUnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 60 CAD20 GB UnlimitedUnlimited 11 month 1 for international use too APN/Internet Settings - PhoneBox Canada Name: PhoneBoxAPN: ltemobile.apnMMSC: http://mms.gprs.rogers.comProxy Server: 10.128.1.69Port: 80Authentication Type: None Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. If your SIM card was proved by Telus or Bell, use the APN settings mentioned on this page. Jump back to the Table of Contents. SpeakOut (7-Eleven) © SpeakOut SpeakOut, formerly known as 7-Eleven SpeakOut, is a mobile brand by 7-Eleven Canada. SpeakOut is a Rogers MVNO. To learn about SpeakOut's frequencies, jump back to Rogers' frequencies. This is what you will learn about SpeakOut: * Coverage* How to Get a SpeakOut SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Top-Up Methods & Options* Packages & Plans* APN SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to: Rogers | Chatr | Fido | Telus | Koodo | Public Mobile | Bell | Lucky Mobile | Virgin Mobile | Freedom Mobile | PC Mobile | Petro-Canada Mobility | PhoneBox Coverage - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) SpeakOut is a Rogers MVNO, meaning SpeakOut uses the Rogers network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure. Below is SpeakOut's coverage map. Source SIM Card Price - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) You can buy a SpeakOut card for 10 CAD in 7-Elevens. Topping Up & Recharging - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) SpeakOut top-up vouchers are available in 7-Elevens, starting from 25 CAD to 100 CAD. Each top-up, regardless of value, extends your SIM card's validity by 365 days. Below is an overview of SpeakOut's top-up values. 25 CAD35 CAD50 CAD100 CAD To activate your SpeakOut top-up voucher, dial *888*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *888*123456#. You can check your balance by dialing *777# or *777*1#. Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) SpeakOut has the Basic Plans and the Smartphone Plans. Do note that SpeakOut does not have access to Rogers' 4G/LTE network - you will be restricted to 3G use only. Basic Plans - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) The Basic Plans are combo plans with data, local minutes, and unlimited local/US-bound SMS. The following Basic Plans are available: PricePlanDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity10 CADUnlimited Text PlanN/AN/AUnlimited 130 days 10 CAD100 MB Data Plan100 MBN/AN/A30 days 20 CAD200 Minutes w/ Unlimited Text PlanN/A200 minutesUnlimited 130 days 25 CAD300 Minutes w/ Unlimited Text PlanN/A300 minutesUnlimited 130 days 1 for calls to the United States too Smartphone Plans - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) The SmartPhone plans are combo plans with data, unlimited local/international minutes, and unlimited local/international SMS. The following Smartphone Plans are available: PricePlanDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity35 CADUnlimited Talk and Text and 1 GB Data1 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited 130 days 35 CAD2 GB Data Plan2 GBUnlimited 1Unlimited 130 days 45 CADUnlimited Talk and Text and 3 GB Data3 GB Unlimited 1Unlimited 130 days 1 for international use too APN/Internet Settings - SpeakOut (7-Eleven) Name: SpeakOutAPN: rogers-core-appl1.apn Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Other Ways to Stay Connected When Traveling in Canada I would highly encourage anyone visiting Canada to get themselves a Canadian SIM card - you will be saving a lot of money when you do so. However, for some, getting a Canadian SIM card is not an option. For example, your device may be SIM-locked, meaning that you cannot use any SIM card other than the SIM card provided by your operator. There are other ways to stay online while in Canada, but they may not be cheap. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhLfhARWaJ0 However, these methods may be more expensive than getting a SIM card from the two local operators. International Roaming International roaming is the most convenient way to stay connected when traveling in other countries because you do not have to buy a new SIM card, have to deal with SIM card registration regulations, nor have multiple phone numbers to deal with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X7xGPry-Tc However, international roaming has proven to be expensive in many cases, especially compared to buying local SIM cards. That is why many travelers are not fond of international roaming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNXUQnX3Uww International roaming has its pros and cons. However, it is important to know how it works. This in-depth guide explains it all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSKtHeE0rVg Find out whether your mobile operator has attractive roaming rates for Canada here. Using an International SIM Card or Travel SIM Card International SIM cards are SIM cards made for the traveler in mind. Using them is often cheaper than international roaming. However, they are almost always more expensive than using a local SIM card. There are many other advantages and disadvantages of getting international SIM cards, which you can learn about here. Using a Mobile Hotspot (Pocket WIFI) Mobile hotspots, or pocket WIFI, are small devices that connect to the local operators of the country you are visiting. Mobile hotspots are ideal for families or those traveling in a large group, as they allow you to connect multiple devices to one hotspot without the need of each traveler having to buy a SIM card. You can either buy a mobile hotspot or rent one. Using Free WIFI Networks Using free WIFI connections is the cheapest way to stay connected because they are free. The major downside of trying to use WIFI hotspots is that you will have to locate them, and they are not available on every corner in Canada. Make sure to protect your internet traffic with a VPN so that hackers cannot steal your personal data. The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Canada Getting a SIM card from Telus, Koodo, or Public Mobile would do you well when considering a Canadian SIM card. Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other North American Countries Visiting other countries in North America? Check out my North America SIM card buying guide, covering other North American nations, such as: BermudaCanadaGreenlandMexicoUnited States Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world. Next Steps to Enhance Your Travel Experiences Looking for the next steps to enhance your phone travel experiences? Here is what to do: Check Out My Resource Page Looking for the best companies and gadgets to enhance your travel experience? Check out my travel resources page for the best companies to use when you travel! Save money with international SIM cards, on plane tickets, bus rides, cruises, and accommodation. Besides that, I also list services and items I use to make my life easier – and I believe they will help you too! Start Your Own Online Business - Make Money While Traveling Do you want to learn how I started an online business that allows me to generate income while traveling? In my starting an online business guide, I tell you which tools, services, and products I have for this site and my YouTube channel. If I can start a business about something I am passionate about (phone travel), then you can do it too! Learn About Your Phone Travel Options You can buy local prepaid SIM cards, international SIM cards, mobile hotspots, or roam internationally. Each of these options has its pros and cons. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you. Phone Travel Tips, Tricks & Hacks I have written many articles with tips and hacks to save money on mobile costs while abroad. You surely want to check them out! Sign Up for the Phone Travel Wiz Newsletter Sign up for my newsletter: Get an excel sheet of the best SIM cards of over 230+ destinations around the world! Moreover, I send you many tips and tricks on how to save money while traveling every now and then. Let's Be Social Did you know that I have a YouTube channel covering everything you need to know about traveling with your phone? A lot of useful videos are uploaded multiple times a week, and you do not want to miss out on them! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJrV0ZZBPv8 Learn More About Who Adu Actually Is Who is the guy behind Phone Travel Wiz? Well, find out on the Ernest Adu about page!