Cell phone networks

[Flakkarin]

Hi, I've just moved to Alberta form the UK, and am having a little trouble understanding the cell phone system and finding the right network and plan for me!

In the UK, it's free to receive all calls, whether local or from abroad, as long as you are in the UK when you take the call. I'm ideally looking for something similar here - I will obviously receive calls from friends and family in Europe, and would like not to have to pay to hear them!
I currently have a Fido pay as you go sim, and finding it painfully expensive.

Any advice is very welcome

 

[Leon]

So you would like your family to pay international plus cell phone rates to call you? That's very nice

The system in Canada doesn't work like that. Actually it's the same in the US as well.

In Canada, the privilege of having a cell phone is that you pay to call other people and you also pay to receive calls. The people who call you do not have to know if it's a cell phone or home phone number that you gave them. They pay a local fee to call you regardless.

What you can do regarding cell phone plans is shop around for a plan that suits you. Some companies will offer you free incoming but you can be sure you'll be paying for that in your monthly fee. Also if you have a monthly plan, many companies will add this $6.95 access fee every month which you don't pay if you are on a pay as you go.

If you want to keep using your UK phone, you can do that with a Fido or Rogers SIM but if you go to another company, they don't use the GSM system, rather something called a CDMA system and you would need to buy a phone from that company and it will not have a SIM, it will be programmed for you at the store.

If you later want to change companies, the new company will want you to buy one of their phones so it's not good to switch often. Some people will get a phone cheap on a 2 or 3 year contract and then just look at it again when the contract it up. To find a fitting plan, you have to look at your phone use and research all the companies plans to find out which one suits you best. Then get a phone from that company and stick with that plan.

If you find no good plan for your current cell phone use, you might want to consider changing your phone use. You can get a landline without the bells and whistles for $25 a month. It will allow you to receive as many calls as you want for free and all your local outgoing calls are included too. This is what I ended up doing and just kept a pay-as-you-go phone for $10 a month for my very limited cell phone use.

 

[Flakkarin]

Wow, I wonder how people afford to keep cell phones here! I just came form living in Finland (so my folks are used to calling abroad) and the landline has become virtually obsolete because cell phones are so convenient and cheap.

I think i will get a skype phone number and voicemail, that looks to be the cheapest option overall, and just keep my pay as you go cell for emergencies.

Thanks for letting me know the score!

 

[Ra00]

Many thanks Leon. this is very informative and impressive

 

[joogle]

If you don't want to pay for overseas calls, use VoIP, that is voice over the Internet. You can download a program like Voipcheap, buy credit for $10 and you can make free calls virtually to all Europe (including landlines in the UK). I don't recall the last time I paid for overseas calls!

For cell phones, I would stay away from Telus and Rogers. They are nice only until you sign a contract with them.

 

[sridas]

hi,
thx leon for ur precious info. wat about two cells phone with same company?? if husband n wife use same comp cells. do they have to pay incoming call in canada??
cheers

 

[Leon]

It depends on your plan and company. You can get plans where you have up to 5 people in your circle you can call for free. Normally there is no special rate to call cell phones from the same provider vs. calling other cell phones or landlines because the other cell phone owners are also paying to receive the calls. Normally your monthly contract will have a certain number of minutes included and a whatever rate for the overage minutes. Possibly a high rate in the daytime and lower evenings and weekends. Pre-paid may give you a lower minute rate if you buy a large number of minutes to top up but the credits expire after a month or two unless you keep topping up. You basically have to make a plan of how you are going to use your cell and then surf the web to see which company fits you best or go to a mall where they all have pavillions and ask at each one what they can offer.

 

[Suin]

For cell phones, I would stay away from Telus and Rogers. They are nice only until you sign a contract with them.

totally agree. I have been using Rogers for a few months already - constant stress and dissatisfaction.

 

[Suin]

we use yahoo and msn for international calls - completely free and excellent connection.