will my phone work in canada?
Do you have to go on a business trip or are planning a vacation to Canada soon? Check out these cell phones that can be used in Canada. We’re going to share some tips and tricks for getting across the border to our neighboring country up North, and still being able to use your phone just the same way you would back in the states.
Don’t make the same mistake I made on a short road trip to Thunder Bay. We crossed into Canada and looked down at our phones a few minutes later and realized “uh-oh.” It’s a good thing for the car GPS we had in order to get us back to the border!
We will acknowledge the best ways to get cell phone service in Canada without the large bills that come attached with data usage when you’re out of the country. We are going to take a look at some of the best SIM cards and cell phone plans for usage in Canada.
Pack your things, camping gear, or business suits, and come along, we’re headed north to look at cell phones that can be used in Canada.
Now you’re probably wondering right off the bat, do US cell phones work in Canada. The answer is yes, there are basically two options for this to happen. One is a basic “burner” SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. The other option is an international calling plan that is put in place by your cell phone service provider.
TrueMove H is the first option, a burner SIM card. If you are thinking about whether or not US cell phones in Canada work, make sure to check out TrueMove H. This is one of the top options for temporary cell phone service in Canada.
They have one of the widest 4G LTE Networks and 3G roaming networks in Canada.
There is 6GB of data for 15 days packed into the pre-paid SIM card. Calls and text messages are not included, so either an international call plan would need to be set by the provider.
If you are just going to be using the data for directions or email, this SIM card is a perfect option for you. If you are looking for more options, check out these top SIM cards for purchase on Amazon.
Cost: $40
Grab one of the most powerful networks SIM cards through the T-Mobile website or with ease on Amazon. One of the best signals throughout the United States is now available throughout Canada as well. You’re going to want to use this burner SIM card in Canada.
There is 5GB of data, along with unlimited texts and calls for 15 days. Take the hassle out of having to worry about buying a new phone in Canada or trying to unlock your phone.
A simple and easy SIM card replacement and poof you’re ready to explore Canada! See the reason why people choose T-Mobile for cell phone plans and cell phones that can be used in Canada.
Cost: $70
See Related: 11 Security Products You Didn’t Know You Needed
Are you wondering about your AT&T service in Canada? Well not to fear, because AT&T also covers a good portion of Canada as well!
The prepaid SIM card is preloaded with 30GB of data with unlimited texts and calls for 30 days.
We can’t claim that AT&T is the fastest in the US, but it will provide you with fast and reliable networks in many parts of Canada. That is definitely something you’re going to want when exploring new territory.
Cost: $80
Make sure to get World Nomads travel insurance for any new adventure, it’s one of the smartest and easiest ways to make sure you’re covered while being out of the country.
You are also probably wondering about another one of the top carriers in the US, Verizon. Does my Verizon Wireless service work in Canada?
Let me answer that for you. Verizon has some of the best cell phones that can be used in Canada.
Verizon has its system set up a little bit differently than a SIM card. There are no SIM card options available through Verizon themselves.
There have been reports of third parties selling Verizon SIM cards for use in Canada, but we don’t recommend going that route.
You’re probably still wondering, does Verizon service work in Canada? Well, that depends on your plan. You’ll want to consult with your carrier before the trip abroad. With TravelPass, your US wireless plan travels anywhere you do.
Use your phone just like you would anywhere back in the states with 4G LTE speeds. You will only be charged by each call or text you make.
A TravelPass session lasts 24 hours depending on how much data you are using during the day. Other than that the standard rates apply as they would back in the United States.
Cost: $5 per day
Verizon Wireless also offers a prepaid cell phone plan. It offers 15GB at $45 per month.
This makes things easy if you don’t want to stick around on Verizon for long, or are just using the phone for travel.
Always make sure to book a flight through Scotts Cheap Flights, especially when going up north!
See Related: 10 Best Travel Hangers for Business Trips
Many people are choosing to buy a cheaper phone on a plan with no contract or warranties or anything like that. Especially when traveling, this makes things much easier in some aspects.
When you buy a phone under a contract from a big network, most of these phones are going to be locked to that carrier.
There are ways around this, including reading your carrier’s contract very carefully.
If you do not want to void any of these specific requirements, it is much easier to get a prepaid phone on a no-contract plan.
That way you can get your phone unlocked without voiding anything and receiving penalty payments.
There is a number of phone unlocking service companies. We will provide you with a list of companies with the best phone unlocking service.
See Related: 16 Best Travel Backpacks
By far the most affordable option, Mint Mobile offers 10GB of data for the small price of $20 per month. With unlimited talk and text, this network offers both 5G and 4G LTE networks.
Grab a prepaid phone, unlock it, and be on your way up north without any hassles! Use a burner SIM Canada card to allow usage in a good range of Canada.
Make sure if you’re staying in Vancouver to stay at Fairmont Pacific Rim, and always make sure to book with Booking.com for the greatest deals.
All cell phones are not going to work in Canada. Their processors will simply not be able to handle the different types of networks available to Canada.
This is why unlocking a newer style phone, or having a Canada SIM card at the ready is going to be much easier for traveling purposes. The biggest hurdle in getting your phone to work in Canada isn’t always the carrier.
It sometimes can be the actual phone itself. If you’ve had your phone for a number of years, or many many years (I know some of us still have a flip phone out there), chances are your old phone is not going to work.
Technology has changed tenfold, even just over the past ten years, cell phone coverage and service have come such a long way. It is quite impressive how far we have come over the last thirty years as far as cell phones and cell phone coverage goes.
Technology is ever-changing, especially in the US and Canada, so it is hard for older phones and earlier technology to keep up with the rapid pace and changes of the 4G LTE and 5G networks.
Make sure to check out Skyscanner for all the best deals on flights up north.
See Related: Ways to Save Money for Travel
The biggest hurdle in getting your phone to work in Canada isn’t always the carrier. It sometimes can be the actual phone itself.
If you’ve had your phone for a number of years, or many many years (I know some of us still have a flip phone out there), chances are your old phone is not going to work.
Most 4G phones are now going to work in the Canadian provinces, but not all of them. iPhones are good at keeping their phones up-to-date with the latest technology, security, and processors. This means up to a certain phone, your iPhone will absolutely work in Canada.
As long as all of the above-mentioned circumstances are intact. iPhone 6 through 14 should be ready to rock and roll if they are either unlocked, have an international cell plan, or have a Canadian SIM card ready to be inserted.
Your carrier should provide you with a map of coverage throughout Canada, and it would be wise to check on the coverage.
Make sure you will have enough coverage as to where you are headed in Canada. The further north you get, the less reception and carrier services are likely.
See Related: 15 Best Travel Lenses
Now, this article is not meant to be an iPhone versus Samsung piece by any means, but of course, these are going to be the top two contenders in this category.
Samsung is making some of the highest technologically advanced phones, competing with, of course, the iPhone.
But none of this matters. No matter which phone company you choose as long as you can travel with it and it is Canada-friendly, that’s all that matters!
Samsung has a range of Galaxy models with the most recent being the Galaxy s21, with the s22 coming soon. Any ranges of Galaxy’s all the way back to the s7 and above are capable of roaming the networks in Canada.
This gives you a huge range of options to choose from, on a ton of different carriers. Grab an unlocked Galaxy today and head to Canada with zero issues. (Just don’t forget your passport.)
See Related: Best Travel Routers
The underdog of the tech world, Nokia, sneaks underneath the competition without making much of a sound, except in Canada. Apparently, there has been an overwhelming response for the Nokia brand of phones throughout Canada.
With a fair price point for even their top options of phones, Nokia has branded five of their phones for customers that live in or are traveling to Canada.
Most Nokia phones already come unlocked, no matter who the carrier is. This is a huge perk because this means you don’t have to go through the hassle of trying to unlock it yourself!
Better yet, since these phones are geared toward Canada and the networks they use, you shouldn’t have any problems connecting to any of the numbers of networks that roam throughout Canada.
The five phones that are available are the old-school Nokia 3310 3G, Nokia 1, 3, 5, and 6.1. Any of these are going to be Canada-ready!
To prevent you from becoming out of touch with your family, friends or coworkers, we have put together this guide on the frequency bands Canadian carriers use. This will help you prepare for your trip and decide whether to bring your own phone and get a SIM card while in Canada or buy a new phone.
To work in Canada, your phone:
For a quick compatibility check, check out Will My Phone Work:
Some providers also provide their own compatibility checking tools:
For a more in-depth, precise confirmation that your phone is compatible, here’s how to find exactly what protocols and frequencies your phone supports:
You should be to track down the model number and IMEI from your phone’s settings or owner’s manual:
Visit www.imei.info and enter the IMEI of your phone. The results should show the frequency bands it supports.
Compare the bands your phone is compatible with to those supported by Canadian carriers listed in the tables below.
The compatibility with a mobile network is determined by the phone’s operating frequency bands and protocols/standards, the frequencies and standards supported by the provider and your proximity to the provider’s service territory. These factors determine the accessibility of a mobile network and greatly affect the speed at which data is sent and received.
For example, to access the LTE network, you’ll need an LTE-compatible device, a LTE SIM card from a service provider that supports LTE and be in a region where they provide LTE coverage.
In Canada, 2G and 3G phone technologies using GSM and CDMA frequency bands are being phased out. All carriers serving the provinces have shut down support for GSM, with the exception of Rogers Wireless which will end support effective December 31, 2020. Major mobile network carriers such as Telus and Bell discontinued their support of CDMA networks in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
The following are the frequency bands used by each mobile network operator:
SIM cards can be purchased at the airport (at inflated prices), at carrier kiosks in malls and shopping centers as well as online directly from carriers. The major carriers are Bell, Rogers and Telus, but cheaper options are often available through their discount brands such as Public Mobile, Koodo, Chatr, Fido and Freedom Mobile.
With your unlocked device, simply purchase a SIM card from one of the carriers above. You should be able to get one for around CAD $10 and setting it up should be straightforward.
You may want to consider ordering a SIM card online before you leave and have it delivered to a Canadian address. While this may seem convenient, this option can quickly become inconvenient if the delivery time doesn’t line up well with when you arrive in Canada.
To activate the SIM card, contact the carrier you purchased it from or visit one of their stores. Once activated, insert it into your phone and follow the carrier’s activation instructions.
A SIM card from Telus costs CAD $20, CAD $10 from Rogers, Lucky Mobile and Chatr and $0 from Virgin Mobile and Koodo. The cost of the SIM card itself is consistent and not a good indication of the value of the plans offered by the provider.
Canada is known to have some of the highest phone plan prices in the world. Based on our comparison of the best prepaid cell phone plans in Canada, a BYOP phone plan from a discount provider with 5GB of data and unlimited Canada-wide minutes and texting costs between CAD $40 and $50.
Pay-per-use and calls to the US range from $0.40 to $0.60 per minute.
In Canada, you can choose between prepaid and postpaid service. The service provided by both options is the same, the only differences are when you pay and the rates you pay. For prepaid service also known as pay-per-use, payment is made up front for a specific amount of service ie. number of minutes, texts or GB of data. When you run out, you must top-up your account.
For postpaid services, customers sign up for a plan that has a specific package of services that renew monthly. They get a bill with the same charges (unless they incur overage charges by exceeding the allotted limits) at the end of each month, whether or not they used all the minutes/data available to them.
Mobile phone service, or cellular, or cell phone service in Canada is the same as the U.S.A., but different from that in the rest of the world. If using your phone from home, roaming charges can be expensive. Check with you service provider if they offer any roaming packages.
Canadian carriers use the same formats as in America: CDMA (Verizon and Sprint) and GSM/HSPA (AT&T, T-Mobile) so your handsets and tablets will work seamlessly when you travel north; it is just that service will cost you more money unless you understand how to exploit variables and layers for optimum pricing. Most carriers in Canada are 3G, although the major cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and many more to follow) have launched LTE 4G service in the 700 MHz band which is compatible with the AT&T frequencies and protocol in the United States.
The AT&T and the generic iPad 3 will work on Rogers and other carriers in Canada. Read my article on the different frequencies and LTE compatibility. The Verizon iPad will work in Canada on 3G GSM carriers and CDMA carriers, but at high data costs.
If you are a U.S. cellular customer and travel to Canada, you will be paying for roaming voice and data service at a much higher rate than at home. Verizon charges $.69/minute and $2.05/MByte for data. If you have an international data plan on Verizon, as I do, any overage charge ($2.05/Mbyte v. $15 or $20/MByte) costs much less than everywhere else in the world.
AT&T charges $.59/minute if you buy a $5.99/month add-on package. AT&T also has various rate schemes with a prepaid amount that will reduce that rate from $.50/minute to $.25/minute if you intend on using a lot of minutes, otherwise it is not a good deal. Data on AT&T is $30/month for 120 MB, or $.25/ MByte. This is a Global Plan that is good in Canada and anywhere else in the world. You can pay $60/month for 300 Mbytes or $120/month for 800 Mbytes. All of these plans in my view are a rip-off and far more expensive than local alternatives when you arrive in a foreign country.
Sprint offers a $2.99 add-on that allows calls for $.20 per minute within Canada and back to the United States. Otherwise, calls are $.59/minute. Sprint charges $20/MByte on the CDMA network and does not offer GSM roaming service.
Voice calls placed on any of these U.S. carriers while roaming in Canada are the same price for in-Canada or Canada-to-U.S. numbers.
I was in Ottawa last weekend and had an opportunity to interview representatives of Rogers and Telus, two of the largest carriers in the country. I also spoke with personnel at the Apple corporate store with regard to the availability of service for non-Canadian citizens who need communications services while in-country on their iPhone.
Things have radically changed with regard to the availability of SIM cards and access to voice and data services. Previously you could not sign up for service unless you had an address in Canada and were a resident. Now, all of those rules have gone away and anyone can obtain inexpensive voice and data connectivity from the five predominant carriers: Rogers, Bell, Virgin, Telus, and Fido. Each has slightly different rate plans but it is still cheaper to buy a local SIM card, carry a second (and possibly a third) GSM phone, and have inexpensive communications.
There are a few basics you need to understand in order to save the most money and obtain the best communications services.
The concept of splitting communications functionality can save you a lot of money when you travel, regardless of the location. When I travel I always use two phones, and often three separate handsets to reduce my communications costs to almost zero. The equipment you carry depends on your usage patterns and priorities and whether you expect to make calls, receive calls, only send-receive emails, and need access to the Internet. Each component can be optimized for reduced cost but you have to understand the system and its various layers. If you only need to receive emails then T-Mobile Blackberry is the best carrier. They have a $20/month feature for unlimited global email. This option can be turned on and off so you only pay when you use it.
Regardless of where I am in the world, I need the capability to send and receive emails and attachments, access the Internet, place local and international calls, and receive calls to my Verizon U.S. number while roaming. All of this can be extremely expensive, as any corporation with traveling employees’ understands, even with special corporate rates. The occasional traveling consumer pays even a higher premium for connectivity unless they understand how to avoid the high carrier charges.
While in Canada I used a local SIM card for data and local voice calls. I used a second phone with an international SIM card from Telestial only for receiving calls from the U.S. I turned off my Verizon phone the moment I landed in Ottawa to avoid their high charges.
My first stop was at the Apple store at the Rideau Shopping Mall in downtown Ottawa. It turns out they may be your best resource for SIM cards because they now offer free cards for all carriers in Canada. In other countries, carriers often charge for their chips but not in Canada. They are micro-SIMS, which are designed for either the iPhone or iPad. While there are two different SIM cards (one denoted for LTE iPad services and one for 3G voice and data) they are, in actuality, the same electronics. Just the serial number is different and assigned to the class of service by the carrier, but either card will work. Remember that most of the Android phones require the regular SIM size, but most cards can be configured for either type of slot.
I obtained two SIM cards from Apple for Rogers communications because this carrier has the best coverage in the country. I had intended to obtain service for both my iPad and iPhone. Rogers is a GSM carrier and is compatible with the iPhone 4S and the iPad, regardless of the version (1,2 or 3). However, there is a caveat regarding the New iPad that I will cover later in this article. I then went to Rogers to activate service. After surveying all of the carriers, they have the best overall deal. For prepay. for $25.00 I obtained a 500 MByte data plan that is good for thirty days. Because I will be returning to Ottawa next week, the plan will still be active. Voice is priced at $.25/minute for the first five minutes, then just $.15/minute thereafter. Pay-as-you-go is the best alternative for travelers because there are no credit requirements, no local address requirement, and no activation fees.
If you want a data plan for your iPad, the pricing is different. For $5.00/month, you receive a nominal 10 Mbytes. For $17.00, 250 Mbytes, and for $37.00, 5 GBytes. There are other variances of this plan, but there is a caveat if you intend on using an iPad 3 (the new iPad) on LTE. Rogers requires a monthly data plan for the iPad 3; you cannot use the prepaid plans because of LTE. For the iPad 1 and 2, the prepaid plans will work just fine. However, if you use another GSM carrier in Canada you should be able to use your iPad 3 with any SIM card to obtain 3G services.
How I set up communications when I travel for least cost routing
I have been using Telestial SIM cards for several years for international travel because their rates are some of the best in the industry. Their SIM cards always come with two phone numbers: one for the UK and one for the U.S. I never use their data capabilities, however, because of their often-high costs for Internet access. Inbound calls when in the U.S. or Canada are priced at $.19/minute, which is significantly cheaper than what Verizon or AT&T charge and almost matches local carrier costs. This rate only applies if callers dial your U.S. assigned number. If they call your UK number, no charge applies anywhere in the world because calling party pays all the charges.
Before I leave the U.S. I call-transfer my Verizon phone (dial *72 + number) to my U.S. Telestial phone number. All calls will then be routed to Canada to my Nexus GSM phone, which will log into a roaming partner of Telestial wherever I am. I installed my Rogers SIM in my iPhone 4S, but I could just as well use my Galaxy Nexus SII.
I had Rogers assign an Ottawa phone number to my SIM card and I use this for making and receiving calls on this number, essentially for local calls only. For placing any calls to the U.S. I log into Skype as a data call. With a 500 MByte data limit, I can talk for hours without exceeding this allowance. My iPhone works flawlessly with Google Exchange service for my corporate emails. For a total of $30, I can talk for several hours back to the United States on Skype, access the Internet, and send and receive my emails. Anyone can call me on my Verizon number for $.19/minute, and my clients in Europe can contact me without any charges accruing on my end.
What you need to know about Canadian Service
International travel can be overwhelming for first time travelers. One of the more complicated steps in planning an international trip is making sure your cellphone and other devices will work in the country you’re travelling to. In Canada, you’ve got a modern cellphone infrastructure that’s very similar to that used in the United States so it’s not as difficult as it might be in say, Asia or Africa. But will your US cell phone work in Canada? It’s not always clear cut but we’ll give you the information below to make an informed decision on how to get it done.
The biggest hurdle to getting your cell phone to work in Canada is actually your phone itself. If it’s older than a handful of years old chances are, it won’t work in Canada because the technology used has changed in that time both in the US and Canada. Newer phones that pitch themselves as “world phones” are likely good to go and you’re almost certainly on a 4G phone at this point. Luckily each major carrier has a tool that will instantly tell you whether your phone will work in Canada with their services. Rates and fees apply differently for each carrier so let’s go through them briefly and you can be on your way to booking that trip to Canada as soon as you check the weather.
Find Deals on Trips to Canada
This is not a comprehensive list of phones that will work for sure in Canada but if you have any of the following newer phones you’ll be set as far as hardware:
Verizon has a tool that lets you know whether your cell phone will work in Canada and what price you’ll be paying to do so. It will likely cost a bit more each day to use your Verizon phone in Canada. We did a test with our personal cell phones and were told that it would cost about $5 per day for the smallest plan and usage in Canada. But the good news is that your phone will likely work and Verizon has great coverage.
Verizon Trip Planner
Sprint also has a great tool for finding out whether your specific model of phone will work in Canada. Most populated areas on their Canadian coverage map seem to have Sprint available so you’re probably good to go as long as you have a phone that’s capable of using 4GLTE. Check out their tool to be sure:
Sprint Coverage Tool
AT&T includes free international coverage for areas including Canada for all of their Unlimited and Select Plans. For other plans you’ll have to give them a call and set something up and/or pay additional fees. Your phone also needs to be equipped with the latest 4GLTE technology. Luckily they also have a tool for figuring out which phones will work in Canada as well.
AT&T International Plans
T-mobile might have the best Canadian policy with their phones. It’s free for everyone! Of course, the coverage may be worse than the bigger carriers like Verizon and Sprint but we haven’t independently confirmed as much. Their coverage maps seem comparable to other US carriers in Canada. You’ll still need a phone capable of world travel such as the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. Here’s T-Mobile’s guide to travel in Canada with your phone:
T-Mobile International Plan
