If you’re one of the millions of Canadians who visit the U.S. every year, you’ve probably run into the perils of traveling with your cell plan.
If you’re paying per-use rates for roaming, checking your email and keeping up with social media while away from home could quickly cost as much as your vacation (like it did for this poor dad) when your cell phone bill rolls in.
Getting around these concerns used to require using a travel SIM with your unlocked phone or even purchasing a cheap prepaid phone when you arrived in the States.
But thanks to the CRTC’s Wireless Code, many carriers now are incentivized to offer roaming and travel packages that are actually worth using.
Whether you’re a snowbird spending the colder months in warmer climates or just popping over the border for a day trip, these travel bundles and add-ons will keep your phone costs low while you explore the U.S.
Just a few years ago, even roaming within your own country ran the risk of huge overage charges and even the possibility of service termination.
However, these days, most carriers in Canada have roaming agreements that allow you to use your phone just about anywhere in Canada without worry.
Freedom Mobile is one of the only carriers left where you might need to track your usage closely, but they also offer plans with looser roaming restrictions if you prefer.
Today, the big problem with roaming is when you travel abroad.
Crossing the border to the U.S. or hopping on a plane to Europe can cause some major financial woes if you use your phone much at standard pay-per-use prices with many carriers.
Saving Money While Roaming
If you’re looking to avoid bill shock while still enjoying your phone while visiting the States, most carriers offer add-ons and bundles to help lower costs. They typically cover periods from one day up to one month depending on the carrier and the exact add-on you choose.
This means you can enjoy your phone while travelling without the need to micromanage usage. As many add-ons and bundles now include unlimited calling (or large minute allotments) determining how much data you need will be essential to finding the best option for your needs.
Below you’ll find the best U.S. travel add-ons and bundles from Canadian carriers.
NOTE: Most roaming plans don’t cover usage in the air or on cruise ships. If you’re getting to the U.S. by boat or plane, it’s probably best to leave your phone in airplane mode until you’re safely on the ground or at the docks.
Carrier Name Feature Name / Terms
Bell
Roam Better: $8 per day - Using your data, enjoy Unlimited outgoing calls within the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and back to Canada, Unlimited incoming calls, Unlimited outgoing and incoming text messages.
First 500MB per day at full speed, rest limited to 512kbps. Also available with 100MB of standalone data per day.
More Info
Chatr
No Bundle: Pay Per Use
Incoming & Outgoing calls to Canada and the US: $0.50/min
Outgoing International Calls: $0.50/min + Long Distance charges
Incoming Texts: Free
Outgoing Texts: $0.15
Data: $0.05/MB
Outgoing MMS: $0.50/msg + $0.05/MB
More Info
Cityfone
US Individual Packs: $20 - $80: 25 to 100 roaming minutes, 100 to unlimited SMS, Up to 500MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
US Shared Packs: $30 - $90: 50 to 250 roaming minutes, 200 to unlimited SMS, Up to 600MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
More Info
Eastlink
easyTravel: $8 per day - Use the same plan in the US as you have at home.
3-Day US Combo Pack: $15 - Unlimited calls and texts in US, 300MB data
7-Day US Combo Pack: $35 - Unlimited calls and texts in the US, 750MB data
10-Day US Combo Pack: $50 - Unlimited calls and texts in the US, 1GB data
30-Day US Combo Pack 35: $35 - Unlimited calls and texts in the US, no data
30-Day US Combo Pack 80: $80 - Unlimited calls and texts in the US, 1GB data
More Info
Fido
Fido Roam: $8 per day - Use the same plan in the US as you have at home for up to 15 days per billing cycle
More Info
Fizz
Travel Data Addons: $3 to $5 - 250MB to 1GB of additional data
More Info
Freedom Mobile
1GB Freedom Nationwide + U.S.: $20/30 days - 1GB of LTE data to use on Freedom Nationwide or while roaming in the U.S.
Big Gig Roam Extra, U.S.: $5/day - Get 150MB to 3GB of data (depending on time paid for) plus unlimited local/back to Canada calling and global texting while roaming in the U.S.
More Info
Ice Wireless
Talk & Text 9: $9/month - $0.25/min for incoming and outgoing calls to Canada, USA & Mexico, Unlimited SMS to Canada, USA, & Mexico, $0.02/MB for data
Talk & Text 19: $19/month - 150 mins of incoming and outgoing calls to Canada, USA & Mexico, Unlimited SMS to Canada, USA, & Mexico, $0.02/MB for data
Talk & Text 39: $39/month - Unlimited SMS and Calls to Canada, USA, & Mexico, 1000 call forwarding minutes in Canada
Talk & Text 49: $49/month - Unlimited SMS and Calls to Canada, USA, & Mexico, 1000 call forwarding minutes in Canada, 1GB of data
More Info
Koodo Mobile
Easy Roam: $8/day capped at $100/billing cycle - Use your same plan while in the U.S.
More Info
Lucky Mobile
Roaming Not Available
PC Mobile
Roaming Not Available
Petro-Canada
Roaming Not Available
Primus
US Individual Packs: $20 - $80: 25 to 100 roaming minutes, 100 to unlimited SMS, Up to 500MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
US Shared Packs: $30 - $90: 50 to 250 roaming minutes, 200 to unlimited SMS, Up to 600MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
More Info
Public Mobile
U.S. Talk, Text and Data Bundle: $20/10 days - Unlimited Talk, International Text and 250MB Data
U.S. Talk Only: $8/10 days - Unlimited Talk
U.S. Text Only: $8/10 days - Unlimited Texts
U.S. Data Only: $10 to $20/10days - 250MB to 1GB of 4G LTE data
More Info
Rogers
Roam Like Home: $8 per day - Use the same plan in the US as you have at home for up to 15 days per billing cycle
More Info
SaskTel
Pay-Per-Day Rates: $6/day - 500MB of data, $3/day for unlimited calling with the U.S., Free messaging for included plans or $0.20 per message
R&R U.S. 40: $40/mo - 250 minutes, unlimited text, video, and picture messaging, and 1GB of data
R&R U.S. 60: $60/mo - 400 minutes, unlimited text, video, and picture messaging, and 3GB of data
R&R U.S. 80: $80/mo - 600 minutes, unlimited text, video, and picture messaging, and 5GB of data
More Info
Shaw Mobile
1GB Shaw Nationwide + U.S. & Mexico Data: $20/30 days - 1GB of Fast LTE data for use on Shaw Nationwide, and while roaming in the U.S. and Mexico.
100MB U.S. Roaming Pass: $10/30 days - 100 minutes, 100 text messages, and 100MB of data
1GB U.S. Roaming Pass: $25/30 days - 2400 minutes, 2400 text messages, and 1GB of data
2GB U.S. Roaming Pass: $45/30 days - 2400 minutes, 2400 text messages, and 2GB of data
More Info
SimplyConnect
US Individual Packs: $20 - $80: 25 to 100 roaming minutes, 100 to unlimited SMS, Up to 500MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
US Shared Packs: $30 - $90: 50 to 250 roaming minutes, 200 to unlimited SMS, Up to 600MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
More Info
SpeakOut
Roaming Not Available
Telus
Easy Roam®: $8/day capped at $120/month - Access to data from your monthly plan, plus unlimited talk and text.
More Info
Videotron
Daily Traveller Pass: $7/day capped at 10 days/month - Use your plan as you would at home.
More Info
Virgin Mobile
Roam Sweet Roam U.S.: $8/day capped at 20 days/month - Unlimited talk and text and access to the data from your plan. Also available with 100MB of data per day.
US Data Travel Pass - 50 MB: $10/3 days - 50MB of data
US Data Travel Pass - 100 MB: $20/30 days - 100MB of data
US Data Travel Pass - 1 GB: $50/30 days - 1GB of data
$40 US voice, text and data Travel Pass: $40/30 days - 200 U.S. voice minutes, unlimited text, and 200MB of data
$80 US voice, text and data Travel Pass: $40/30 days - 1000 U.S. voice minutes, unlimited text, and 1GB of data
More Info
Xplore Mobile
Data Travel Packs: $25 to $85/$30 days - 250MB to 1GB of U.S. data
Pay-Per-Use Calling: $0.75/min local calling, $1.25/min long distance calling
Pay-Per-Use Texting: $0.25 per text
More Info
Zoomer Wireless
US Individual Packs: $20 - $80: 25 to 100 roaming minutes, 100 to unlimited SMS, Up to 500MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
US Shared Packs: $30 - $90: 50 to 250 roaming minutes, 200 to unlimited SMS, Up to 600MB of data, Overage rates for talk range from $0.35 to $0.75/min, Data overages range from $0.20 to $1/MB
More Info
Each of these add-ons or bundles can save you a surprising sum over using your carrier’s pay-as-you-go roaming rates. Better still, most simply require you to login to your online account or call up customer service to activate them.
This means you don’t have to worry about unlocking your phone, picking up a new SIM, or adding any other last-minute complications to your travel plans.
Common Questions
1. What if I use all my travel bundle?
In most cases, carriers will allow you to purchase another travel bundle within the same period if you use your entire allotment. However, most will not apply a new bundle automatically and will instead switch you to pay-per-use rates should you use all your minutes, data, or messages.
This means it’s important to keep track of your usage or you might still find yourself with a nasty surprise waiting in your next bill.
2. What can I do if my carrier does not offer roaming bundles or travel add-ons?
While most carriers offer an option these days to help reduce your roaming costs, you have options that aren’t through your carrier as well if you’re looking to avoid insane pay-per-use rates.
If your phone is unlocked and compatible with US carriers, you can always sign up for a prepaid plan through a US carrier at a more affordable rate. Just be sure to check the rates for calls back home to Canada. Fortunately, many companies allow international texting to help with this.
You can also sign up for a travel SIM. This allows you to put in the SIM and enjoy low-cost usage in a variety of countries -- including the United States. Popular options include GoSIM, TravelSIM, and OneSimCard.
If your phone isn’t unlocked, your options decrease pretty drastically. But it might still be cheaper to pick up a basic prepaid phone in the States and load it up on minutes and data and just put it in a drawer when you get home.
3. How can I be sure my phone will work in the U.S.?
The United States and Canada share a range of common wireless frequencies. So if you want to use a travel bundle from your carrier and they have roaming agreements with a U.S. carrier, there’s a good chance your phone will work.
However, if you want to be completely sure, we recommend checking your phone’s supported frequencies at Frequency Check or Will My Phone Work. Then compare that with the information available at your carrier about their roaming agreements. Most will tell you who they partner with in the U.S. to provide service.
Key Takeaways
Roaming occurs when you use your phone on the network of a different carrier than you pay for your monthly service.
While domestic roaming is less of an issue these days, roaming fees when in other countries can add up fast if you don’t plan ahead.
Most carriers offer travel add-ons or bundles to help you save when travelling in the US and abroad.
You must monitor your roaming usage as using your entire allotment could result in reverting to pay-per-use pricing.
Roaming add-ons may not apply to in-flight or cruise ship usage.
Using an unlocked phone can provide additional options for reducing your roaming expenses.
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