I am planning to go with Fido as my cell phone provider. Looking at their long distance options, I will have to pay to make calls. They have packages and it looks like I make 250 minutes worth of calls to the US for CA$5. CA$10 (about US$8) gets me 500 minutes. Now that just gives me long distance to the US without being charged long distance (which is CA$0.20/minute); it still also uses up my minutes. Luckily, according to their long distance FAQ, receiving calls just uses normal minutes.
Unfortunately cell phone plans still cost more in Canada compared to the included minutes than the US. I get 1000 weekday minutes for US$40. From Fido it will cost me CA$100 (US$81). For CA$65 (US$54) I get 500 minutes. Luckily evenings start at 19:00 instead of 21:00 like in the States. Plus you don't get the usual stuff like caller ID for free.
As for people calling me on their cell phones, here is the breakdown per carrier. For Verizon, if you have the "North America's Choice" plan, it's free. If you don't, the rates are US$0.49 for no international long distance package, or down to US$0.10 if you do.
For Sprint, with no plan the rates are US$0.42/minute with no perks, US$.20/minute with their International upgrade, or US$0.09/minute with their Canada plan.
For Cingular, it's US$0.59/minutes standard rate, US$0.19/minute if you get their international package, or free if you get their North America package. Oh, and more proof Cingular sucks: I had to use Google to find their international rate page.
So, it looks like I might not need to worry about a VoIP number if people have Cingular or Verizon and their North America plans. Sprint, as usual, freakin' blows for their pricing, but since the only people I (definitely) know are on Sprint are Henry and Channing, I don't care since those two never call me.
So, people need to let me know if they have the North America plan for their provider or any internationl option in order to make a call on whether I need to truly worry about getting a VoIP number or a ton of US minutes from Fido.
2 comments:
or you could switch to verizon and keep an american number :D with the north america plan :D
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j
w00t, well this kinda falls in my area = )
so what do you get within canada?
cause you could easily hook up a phone number (yes, US or toll free) to an asterisk box and forward it to your cell phone, or anywhere else for that matter.
And damn it, first i don't know you're working at google, then i don't know you're going back to "canadia"
Tux
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