LVDell

I'm heading to Montreal this week for the F1 race and I'm trying to figure out how I'm supposed to be in contact with my family back home in the States. I checked my cell phone carrier (ATT) and it looks like I would need to sign up for a new rate plan that allows me to make calls abroad. I'm only going to be gone for 5 days so I'm not going down the rabbit hole of changing my rate plan.

So........

What do y'all do when traveling abroad?
What are my options?

jyoteen

do you have an iphone? Download the skype app and communicate through that. I'm sure there will be hotspots abound as well.

I was wondering if i'll have to put my phone in airport mode so it's not pinging the network and racking up charges for international data

Topaz330ci

get a long distance card... just use that and only that.

I'll be in Montreal also!! Weather looks good too. Crazy event!

roadsession

I have the Int'l data plan on my ATT phone and I have roaming on my Verizon phone so i just get roaming charges on a per use basis.

You could buy a prepaid phone there in Canada

I've done that when I've gone abroad on vacation in Japan or Europe - I buy a prepaid phone there and use it for local calls and to call home etc.

pongobaz

wow, it's really not that complicated guys. When I travel to the US with my iphone, I do 2 things:
1- make sure that data roaming is off so that it's not pinging for email and apps...but keep the wifi on to take advantage of free hotspots
2- I call or text my Canadian carrier and add blocks of roaming minutes that I can use locally in the US or to call back to Canada without long distance and roaming access charges. I think it was $15 for 40 min (valid for 30 days) which was more than enough for the 2 days I was away.

I'm pretty sure that your US carriers offer the same for lots less.
BTW: Same thing when I go to Europe.

No HTwo O

AT&T should let you sign-up for the Int'l Call Plan for the month, then cancell the next month. This will be cheaper in the long run if you use about 60 minutes. Regardless, your minute rate in Can. will still be higher than your USA rate.

SWK6Cup

LV Dell:
I can confirm No HTwo O's input. When I would travel form Boston to Montreal, I would call ATT and ask to have signal/access for Canada. If my memory serves me correctly, the charge was $19.99 and you keep it active for one month then cancel. When you get across the border, the first time I would try the phone it wouldn't recognize the signal, but after a time or two, everything worked fine.
Scott

LVDell

Thanks for all the responses everybody!

I am going to check into everything mentioned here and make sure I get the option that makes the most sense for me. It seems that as long as I have wifi service, Skype would be the best "free" solution.

LVDell

So it looks like Skype is the winner. Totally, 100% free since my wife and I both have an iPhone and now have Skype on it. We just tested it out and it is very clear and dare I say, sounds better than a normal cell call. The only catch is I must have wifi to make the call which is no problem since I really just need it to call her from the hotel room at the end of the day.

chsu74

I believe you just call up AT&T customer service and say that you would like to activate International calling. It should be free and takes 24 hrs for it to take effect.

There is also another International rate plan you sign up for $3.99 called World Connect so you get a discount rate off their roaming charge. Intl roaming charges are not cheap. I typically pay $2.99 per minute traveling around the world but Canada should be around $0.60 to $0.70 per minute. You can get the actual rates via the AT&T website.

Its nice to have the phone plan activated and not activate data just for emergency. Cancel the intl plan after you get home and all is good.

LVDell

Chao....you are correct, but then I have to add the int'l calling package on top of that so I don't pay something like a million dollars a minute. Just a hassle for a 5 day trip. Last time I tried to change my rate plan mid cycle it took a year to get sorted back out. @!(*#^!&@#^ AT&T!!!! Love my iPhone, hate AT&T.

WiFi and Skype on the iPhone will be all I need to say goodnight to the wife and kids.

Pac996

T-mobile you can change back and forth for allowing international with no fee. You might be able to alter your plan online like with t-mobile.

spiderv6

Just SWITHCH OFF ROAMING or you will get screwed on the data plan stuff......

See you at the race

LVDell

Have int'l calling is free, but to keep from paying a million dollars a minute, you also need an int'l calling rate plan add-on. I can do all of that online. For what I need it for, Skype is the winner......free calling from any hot spot.


Just made sure that was OFF so I don't get one of the $24,000 bills like you read about every once in a while

Rob996

dont turn on your phone and have a real vacation!!!

enjoy the race..