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Travel sim cards

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Jeff Watt:
I know the topic of cell phone coverage has been coved before, but I want to throw out a question - more  to other Canadian members - what if any data(phone)service is being used. I have never used the 3G part of my iPad in the US. So far when I have been travelling I have used my Rogers phone plan for calls only - no text or data as it is ridiculously expensive. So looking at swapping out the sim card and putting in one from a US carrier.

I am looking for suggestions for the following applications:

An iPad
A wifi ranger,
An iPhone 4

I can unlock my iPhone and my iPad is unlocked so I can purchase a sim card from one of the US companies. Some have pay as you go, others are x minutes or data/$.

Thanks

Jeff

Bob Stone:
Jeff I don't have swapping out SIM card experience. For data I have been very happy for the past four years using a Verizon MiFi card at 3G soon to be upgraded to 4G. ($10/Gig, suspend service when back north of the 49th). With this data plan I've used both Skype and FaceTime on the iPad.
 I found Rogers roaming service dismal in the SW unless near larger cities.
Just today it was announced that Verizon has been approved to buy two small Canadian companies and provide a significant competition to the Canadian big three. Hopefully Verizon will consider some type of international service to make roaming charges somewhat more reasonable.

Keith Oliver:
I tried to swap out the sim card in my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone.  In BC, when buying the phone and a 3 yr Telus plan I was told it could be done.  In Palm Desert, the T Mobile store that tried it determined that it couldn't be done.  In 2 more yrs, I will try something else.  For now I am using a Magic Jack (tied to my laptop) for phone and a Time Warner internet service while in the US and just keep paying and paying for the unused Telus plan while i am south.

Jeff Watt:
Keith,

I am thinking of getting a US based carrier sim card when in the US as my Roger$ contract is near completion, and for only $40 I can have My iPhone unlocked from the Roger$ network.

I may try this fall when we venture to Oregon for the rally. My iPad is theoretically unlocked as I bought through the apple store, so I should be able to put a sim card from any carrier into it. I don't want to have to pay for the months when I am not in the US, so a monthly plan or a fixed data amount plan.

Bob,

Also looked at mifi plans, which would also work. Do you have a mifi unit (multiple devices can use it) or a card that is dedicated to one device? Supposedly the wifi rqnger is designed to let me plug a card/stick into it and then it is a router using the card's data.

Jeff

Keith Cooper:
the issue may be compatible spectrum with Rogers or it is possible T-Mobile is using SIM lock technology. Suggest you look at SIM's from AT&T , AIO or the MVNO's running on AT&T's network (TracPhone, StraightTalk, etc.). AT&T uses Rogers as a roaming partner in Canada.

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