Getting data in Canada?

[Darren Lo]

I'm thinking I might want to chase into Canada later in the season, but am wondering how to get data up there -- does anyone have experience or recommendations? I usually tether to my cell phone (on AT&T) here in the US.

 

[Mark Blue]

Hey Darren, I once heard a veteran chaser say to buy a prepaid Telus SIM when you get there and swap it out with your AT&T card. You may want to check if AT&T has coverage up there on your plan. If not, I think Telus is the way to go.

 

[John Erwin]

I can't speak to how roaming arrangements work with U.S. carriers, however cell coverage in the extreme SE corner of Manitoba is anywhere from spotty to non-existent in some cases. Coverage is much better just north of the 49th further west in Saskatchewan and Alberta however. The main players here are Bell, Rogers and Telus.. although sharing agreements are starting to align so in many cases it's the same tower delivering all 3 in rural locations.

In addition pre-paid options here are generally very limited compared to what you might be used to, especially in regards to data. Been a while since I looked at that angle here however since I have a plan.

Best to consult with your carrier to find out what roaming will cost vs. going pre-paid.

(can somebody give me a like? Sheesh I can't be a noob forever!

 

[Mark Blue]

Excellent information John and we know its current since you live there. You're no n00b in my mind Mr. GPS!

The prepaid Telus comment I saw was last year on FB, but with as quickly as things evolve in the cellular industry, what's here today might be gone tomorrow. I'll ping Chris for you Darren over at RV Mobile Afficianados and see if he has any relevant advice.

Edit: Darren, do you by chance have the unlimited data plan (up to 22 GB per month) and also subscribe to DirecTV? If so you have free roaming in Canada, but let me know.

 

[Darren Lo]

Thanks, Mark and John. I'm on a family plan with AT&T which complicates things, but apparently it turns out that I do have free international roaming in Canada. However, it's good to know about my other options just in case.

 

[Mark Blue]

I'm going to send you some info offline Darren about what my research has uncovered. I'll send it sometime this afternoon when I get home and will use the email address you have on file with us.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

I just have an international plan on my Verizon account that roams for $5/day in Canada. Uses my same data plan. $10/day other places (Canada and Mexico are the only $5/day countries)
https://www.verizonwireless.com/plans/travelpass-countries/

 

[Steve Polley]

I have used Tmobile for the sole purpose of its North American roaming as I do travel to Canada and Mexico annually. Tmobile is one of the few that will actually let you select which operator you roam on in Canada. In Sask and Alberta I have the option of picking one of the big 4 ( Telus, Rogers, Bell and Sasktel). All 4 of these carriers have excellent LTE coverage as well. In my experience, Telus seems to be the "Verizon" of Canada.

 

[Mark Blue]

That's interesting Steve as I was just reading this article an hour or so ago. They are really working hard and making strategic moves that might swing the pendulum in their favor in the future. It's good to hear there are more viable choices nowadays and thanks for sharing your firsthand experiences with chasing in Canada.

 

[Randy Jennings]

That's interesting Steve as I was just reading this article an hour or so ago.

That is exciting news Mark, but as you probably noticed there is a catch. According to that article "all that doesn’t mean that T-Mobile’s customers are going to have fantastic service overnight. 600MHz isn’t a frequency that’s been used for LTE anywhere in the world before, so no current devices support it." I also find all carrier coverage maps to be overstated. I have had TMobile for a while. I love the pricing and have had good customer service experiences. But I hate the coverage when chasing. Lots of those pink areas are no bars when chasing in rural areas. There are many chases where half of the chase I had no data or cell coverage even when the map looks like I should. I got a month-to-month Verizon hotspot this year for use during chase season and I have much better coverage. Crossing my fingers that TMobile's coverage area improves.

 

[Steve Polley]

Tmobile is in no way ready to be used for chasing on the plains but in Canada it works great.

 

[Mark Blue]

Definitely not guys, but I'm keeping my eye on them for the future. I remember when Sprint and Alltel were all the rage in 2005-2007 and look where we are today. Who knows what the landscape will look like in 3-5 years from now. By the way, I have Verizon right now but I'm keeping my eyes wide open when it comes to carriers launching on new bands with previously purchased lots of spectrum. You just never know.