I am trying to learn how to go wireless, so please be patient with this question.
When in Canada, any calls made from our cell phones are ridiculously expensive. I suspect the same to be true with wireless service. What do I need to get to use in Canada that will allow me to connect to the Internet without the wild charges? Are there such things as pay as you go wireless connections, like there are for cell phones?
If not, all communication ends at the border - so that can't be right.
With SOME providers they can be very expensive. AT&T has a "Canadian" package that locks in a (more expensive than at home but still reasonable) rate while traveling there and the cost is (I believe) only $5.00 a month (plus the locked in minute rate of course). I didn't use it because we make very few calls while on the road and it wouldn't save us much but with a lot of calls it can be a worth while upgrade. Maybe some of the other providers also offer similar plans.
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We just use out lap top to send out a quick note on where we are and what we are up too., the kids will usually have a couple note in our inbox so we know what’s up at home. If the people ( kids and a few close friends) at home need to get a hold of us because of an emergency they know they can call anytime and we will answer the phone, but we rarely use it. Also home also knows because of the sporadic cell service we have in Canada they may not hear back from us for a couple of days until we get cell service., so they will just leave a message to call home. We also don’t give out our cell number to anyone, the kids and a few very close friends are the only people with our number, this way we don’t get any un wanted calls.
This system for contacting home base that we use has works for us, but we don’t just yak on the phone like you see kids doing now a days
Soup
2006, Komfort 261FS
2007 Sierra SLE, 2500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Transmission
Iris, if by "wireless" you mean WiFi onto the Internet, it is just as available in Canada as in the US. In small communities, Canada has much better coverage than we do in small communities in the US. Some paid services at campgrounds, cafés, etc. but most I find is the free version. I think this past summer on the way to and from Alaska we went at most two days with out Internet connections when we wanted one. I tend to plan ahead as to when I need a "fix" of Internet, such as to pay bills, send emails and plan our trip to be where they is a good system, usually one of the larger communities.
Now if you mean by "wireless" the use of cellular service to connect to the Internet, then I have yet to find a plan that I consider reasonable in cost while in Canada. I have an AT&T aircard, a Sierra USB 875 model, that I have not even activated in the last couple of years. Too much good WiFi available where we tent to travel.
If we need to talk to the daughters we use a prepaid phone card from Sam's Club or Costco and use it at a pay phone, much easier to find in Canada IMHO. Our daughters and my wife and me normally communicate through emails while we or they are traveling. If one of us needs to talk to the other we will so mention it in an email. Then the traveler will call the other party.
On the subject of cost in Canada, there are numerous factors that come into play, several of them previously mentioned above, lower population, large country but another factor is that Canadians receive more services from their government than we in the US receive. Not to get political but Canadians receive and understand they have to pay for the health care they receive in higher taxes, both direct and indirect taxes. The old philosophy of there is "no free lunch", is alive and well in Canada. I for one applaud them for it.
joe b.
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joe b. wrote: Iris, if by "wireless" you mean WiFi onto the Internet, it is just as available in Canada as in the US. In small communities, Canada has much better coverage than we do in small communities in the US. Some paid services at campgrounds, cafés, etc. but most I find is the free version. I think this past summer on the way to and from Alaska we went at most two days with out Internet connections when we wanted one. I tend to plan ahead as to when I need a "fix" of Internet, such as to pay bills, send emails and plan our trip to be where they is a good system, usually one of the larger communities.
Now if you mean by "wireless" the use of cellular service to connect to the Internet, then I have yet to find a plan that I consider reasonable in cost while in Canada. I have an AT&T aircard, a Sierra USB 875 model, that I have not even activated in the last couple of years. Too much good WiFi available where we tent to travel.
If we need to talk to the daughters we use a prepaid phone card from Sam's Club or Costco and use it at a pay phone, much easier to find in Canada IMHO. Our daughters and my wife and me normally communicate through emails while we or they are traveling. If one of us needs to talk to the other we will so mention it in an email. Then the traveler will call the other party.
On the subject of cost in Canada, there are numerous factors that come into play, several of them previously mentioned above, lower population, large country but another factor is that Canadians receive more services from their government than we in the US receive. Not to get political but Canadians receive and understand they have to pay for the health care they receive in higher taxes, both direct and indirect taxes. The old philosophy of there is "no free lunch", is alive and well in Canada. I for one applaud them for it.
Not sure of your destination but on my trip around Lake Superior this fall my ATT cell phone did not even work. I could not make a call at any cost. Wish I would have signed up for Canadian service prior to my trip.
R Ream
2008 Winnebago Voyage 35 L
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