Snowbird cell phone plans?

[Powerstroke2000]

I'm sure many of you have come across "what to do with regard to using a cell phone" while on the trip from Canada to the U.S., and I'd like to get some information from those of you 'in the know' on this topic please.

My thinking since my current contract on my smartphone is up this month, to have it 'unlocked' and pick up a sim card in the U.S. Now, I'm unsure if I need 'data', as my thinking is to just have a phone for if an emergency creeps up, and or to text to our family at home when we are south of the border. To make this easy, we have a 2 week vacation coming up and would like to somehow to be 'connected' (cell phone wise) so I'm basically asking what my options are here? Is it worth doing this with my current phone (once unlocked) or just buy one of the Walmart specials, and use that? My thinking was for 2 weeks, the Walmart solution would be more than needed, albeit more U.S. travel is in the picture in future months as well.

Would be nice to know what you folks do (Canadians going to the U.S.) for emergency and data/text type usage? For long term, I'm sure many of you would want data as well, but I don't believe data is needed for this short term trip?

Thanks in advance.

[michelb]

Best option will depend on how long you'll be in the US and what kind of service you use.

We probably make about half a dozen short trips to the US a year including maybe 4 of 1 or 2 weeks.

We've had Tradfone since around 07 and it works very well as just a phone. We put about $100 on it every year and don't worry about the minutes. For the past year, we've wanted to have data as well so also used an unlocked phone with a RoamMobility or T-Mobile SIM. Both on a 'pay per day' basis. RoamMobility costs a bit more (about $4/day) but includes calls / texts back to Canada and unlimited voice / text and nearly unlimited data. T-Mobile is cheaper $2/day or $3/day (depends on data speed) and has unlimited voice / text / data but does not include calls to Canada which I believe are charged at $0.49/minute. RoamMobility is convenient for Canadians since you can get the SIM card in Canada (although it won't work until you get to the US) and you add airtime in CND$. You can only get the T-Mobile SIM in the US. Neither offers roaming in Canada so once you cross the border, you lose cell service. One thing to keep in mind with RoamMobility is that for data, it uses it's own APN (needs to be setup on your phone), by default, because they use the T-Mobile network, most phones will automatically detect it as a T-Mobile SIM but data will not work and you have to set it up manually (I think it's just changing the APN name to 'roam' - not hard but you have to do it. Another big advantage for RoamMobility vs T-Mobile (this might vary by location) is that with RoamMobility, you can tether to the phone for internet access from a laptop - at least around Orlando, FL and Fort Myers, FL, T-Mobile disables tethering. (Tethering is basically sharing the internet connection of the phone as a wifi network that you can access from other devices (iPad, notebook, etc).

If you are in the US for more than a few weeks, the 'Pay-by-day' probably isn't worth it so you'll probably want to look at monthly plans.

[almcc]

I bought a cheapie ($2.99) LG Tracfone a few years ago at WalMart and I use the $99 plan to get a year of service to keep the same number. You can get bonus minutes by checking for codes on the net, I have about 1500 minutes banked as we are not heavy phone users.

I plan to keep the Tracfone for phone calls only but I just bought a Samsung Smart phone that's unlocked and takes SIMS, I want to use it for data and for use as a hotspot. I'm looking at the T Mobile pay as you go plan available at WalMart for $30/month that has 100 minutes/month and unlimited (whatever that means!) data. I'd be interested in comments from anyone using this plan. Thanks!!

[Paul_Clancy]

Roam mobility now offers a snowbird plan. Includes na wide calling , texting and 1gig data 39.95 /mo and must be bought in 3 mo package. Uses t Mobile network. I've used their sim in iphone 5 and works well.

[12rvjoe]

We will be using Roam Mobility on our next trip South. We haven't used it before but our son swears by them ... we'll see

[Macktee]

We use Cricket. 50/mo unlimited local, long distance, text. I also has enough data for what we need on that phone. Macktee

[alfredmay]

My Canadian friends use Tracfone. If you price it out Tracfone is cheaper if you are a limited user of phone service and Net 10 is cheaper if you use the phone a lot. You can purchase a Tracfone on sale for as low as $10 and some phones offer double or triple minutes. My Canadian buddy purchased a triple minutes phone two weeks ago in Texas for $10. These phones are sold at Radio Shack, Walmart and even some Dollar Stores.

[Cool_Canuck]

We've used Net10. About the least expensive @ $15.00 per month. We still use this for the wife. I've switch to a Tracfone which costs me $100 for 365 days of service. With a year of service, I keep the same phone number and it's active anytime I cross in to the USA. Neither work in Canada although you can call Canada through an 800 number.

Use to stop at the first Walmart we came to and buy a Net10 phone with 60 days of service for $29.95. Tracfone and Net10 have the same parent company, however, you cannot transfer minutes between them.

[riven1950]

Straight talk $45 per month unlimited

[Peterrrrr]

I snow bird and use "Net 10 no contract". Original phone purchased at Walmart. I buy the 1500 minutes for $100 ( over the internet) thus get 180 service days. Long distance back to Canada is 1.5 the minutes. With the 180 service days I have kept the same number for the last two winters, as it does not expire over the summer. We have never encountered any places where we have not had service with the phone. I do believe Net 10 and tracphone use what ever other service provider networks are available. Pretty sure I have seen a TV add to that affect.
We also use gmail phone to call anywhere in the US and Canada which is free.
For internet when we do not have WIFI or a parks WIFI is terrible, we use "Internet on the Go". This is available from walmart for $79 for the MIFI (5 device) hotspot device. We buy $45 3GB plans, where the data amounts never expire, as long as you use the device at least once a year. Check the coverage map to see if it gives you coverage in areas that you will be.

[RVUSA]

why not swing by a walmart and pick up a contract free phone. then toss it in the recycle bin when you leave.