Sometimes the shoe is on the other foot

[JPSmit]

So, you have more than once heard me rant about Canadian Cell phone and internet being among the highest in the world. We have an oligopoly with two main and one slightly smaller company dominating the market - and, unlike the USA they won't wholesale bandwidth to smaller competitors.

So, this week I am helping with a National Women's Conference our denomination is hosting. Today I was driving international guests to the event. One group was from Africa - Nigeria, Ghana & Kenya. The woman from Nigeria comes out first and, as we are chatting, she looks around and asks, "where can I go to buy a Sim card for my phone?" And I had the great pleasure of having to explain that Canada is so much more backwards than Africa that we can't do such things.

Sometimes the show is on the other foot.

 

[Gliderman8]

? I thought Rogers and Telus both offer SIM cards.

 

[JPSmit]

? I thought Rogers and Telus both offer SIM cards.

and they may do (Of course my phone has a sim card) but Europe and I presume Africa - they sell them at the airport and on the street corner like we might buy phone cards - which aren't available at the airport either.

 

[Gliderman8]

Of course it's more convenient to purchase at the airport but
aren't the sims available at a Rogers retail store?

 

[Boink]

I bought a SIM card for my Android phone (S6) in Italy (just a month ago)... easy at the "TIMM" store. Got an Italian number, 1000 minutes and, ta-da, 30gb of data! Yes, 30... all for just 30 Euros. It's my first time doing this on a journey.

 

[Basil]

Sometimes the shoe is on the other foot, but on the other hand...you've got different fingers.

 

[GTP1960]

I bought a SIM card for my Android phone (S6) in Italy (just a month ago)... easy at the "TIMM" store. Got an Italian number, 1000 minutes and, ta-da, 30gb of data! Yes, 30... all for just 30 Euros. It's my first time doing this on a journey.

that's good info!
i didn't know we had that option.
I signed up for a month international service from ATT for about $60.00, but promptly went over my data limit and got hammered with a $200. Tag-on.

 

[Boink]

After I saw what Verizon wanted (too much), I investigated the SIM change option. It's important, though, that your phone is "un-locked" (the S6 comes unlocked) and that the phone is capable of GSM or tri-band (and most newer ones are). The only down-side was that international calls (i.e., back home) weren't super cheap... but acceptable. Again, the main thing was the massive data I got. Although I had 30gb, I don't think I used more than 3gb (and that was with heavy navigation and such). Pretty easy to pop the SIM card out (though they did it for me at the shop). The only thing to be sure to confirm is that all works for you before you leave (call in and call out and that data is working)... because at first I was having problems that they promptly resolved.

 

[GTP1960]

The only down-side was that international calls (i.e., back home) weren't super cheap... but acceptable.

I use this wifi calling app. Called viber.
as long as you have wifi you can call or text for free (or at least really cheap.)
if I recieved a regular call I wouldn't answer. I would call back on viber.

 

[Boink]

I use this wifi calling app. Called viber.
as long as you have wifi you can call or text for free (or at least really cheap.)
if I recieved a regular call I wouldn't answer. I would call back on viber.

Yes, I have used that too. Frankly, though, I don't call home unless it's REALLY important... afterall, I'm trying to get away!