Technologie :
Smartphones
The telecom providers in Canada
the best prepaid SIM card in Canada

Use a local SIM card to reduce your roaming rates.

If you’re planning a trip abroad, as in Canada, and using loriginal SIM card, can be expensive.

Once abroad, switch over to for local SIM card to avoid roaming charges.

Whether you’re planning a short or lengthy trip in Canada, to keep down costs and save money is to switch over to a local SIM card.

Canada has voice, SMS and data plans on offer. You can get 1GB of data from Canada’s top telco providers for CAD$15 (US$11).

If you're planning a trip that includes multiple countries, think of flexiroam X .


Telco providers in Canada

There are four main telco providers in Canada: Rogers, TELUS, Bell and Freedom Mobile.

The SIM cards from all four networks are tested so they can be trusted.

Although there are many other SIM card options offered by the likes of Fido , Chatr , Koodo , 7-Eleven Speak Out/Petro-Canada , Virgin Mobile and PhoneBox, they are all operated as MVNOs Mobile virtual network operator, through the four main operators we have mentioned above.



Canada’s operators offer competitive prices and sell prepaid credit, which allow users to take advantage of cheap plans, tariffs and deals.

All networks offer customers 3G and 4G/LTE. Canadians call their SIM cards « SIMs» and there are no real rules and regulations when purchasing them.

Just make sure you show your passport and register your SIM card online once you have purchased it, using the address for where you’re staying.

It would be easier to ask the store assistant to do this for you to save time. SIM cards and credit can be purchased from supermarkets, stores, kiosks and main airports in Quebec, Vancouver, Toronto, Ontario, Ottawa and Montreal.




1. About Rogers

Rogers, along with its sub-brand Fido, is the largest operator in Canada and offers 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE services. 2G is slowly being phased out as 3G and 4G/LTE services become more widespread.

SIM cards can be purchased from official stores or approved sellers and can also be ordered online.

SIM cards are free of charge but credit must be added to start using them. Prepaid SIM card plans come without data so add-ons must be purchased.

The « Talk anytime» plan is the cheapest and can be purchased for $0.75 per month along with a minimum top-up of $10.

The following monthly data packs can be added:

cost ($)	10	20	30	40	50
memory (MB)	100	250	500	1000	2000
rate ($/MB)	0.1	0.05	0.06	0.04	0.025

Call 611 from your phone and select the desired plan or book online through your Rogers account.

The standard default data rate, once the package has been used, is charged at $1 for 10MB in 24 hours or $5 for 60MB in 7 days.

There is also a year-long prepaid SIM card deal that’s always on sale as a promotion. It can be purchased for $120 and allows 50 minutes calling per year, unlimited evening and weekend local calls and unlimited SMS within Canada.

Daytime minutes can be expensive, at least 50 cents a minute, and international calls and SMS are not included in this deal.


2. About TELUS

TELUS, along with its sub-brands Koodo and Public Mobile, is the second largest operator in the country.

It has good 3G and 4G services. Micro, mini and nano SIM cards can be purchased in official stores, at approved resellers or online for $15.

A $10 refund will be debited to the account once you have purchased a prepaid plan. TELUS also gives $5 credit every 30 days when you buy a rate plan or add-on of $15 or more during the first six months.

The standard default rate for data separate to plans or add-ons is $2 per MB.

The following prepaid plans which include data are available. The calls are local voice including free SMS :

1	Connect 37	250 MB	$37	150 mins
2	Hero45	500 MB	$45	300 mins
3	Elite67	1 GB	$67	500 mins

You can also add data packs to any prepaid SIM card plan:

$10 – 100MB
$25 – 500MB
$30 – 1GB

Overuse is charged at $0.15 per MB.

Dial *123 to activate your desired plan, or select the desired option online by using your TELUS account.


3. About Bell

Bell is the third largest operator in Canada. Be sure to check with the retailer that your phone is compatible with the network.

Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased from official stores, resellers or online.

Bell is the only provider in Canada that gives out data SIM cards for modems or tablets; they can also be used in phones.

Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased for $9.95 – credit will then have to be added. Data packs can be purchased either online or in stores, or can be updated using credit vouchers.

Plans renew automatically; to cancel call customer services or cancel online.

Overuse is charged at $0.15 per MB.

Daily pass (20 MB) – $2,
to be used within 24 hours

100MB – $10
500MB – $25
1GB – $30
2GB – $50

Credit can be purchased from most stores or online by using your credit card. Refill cards can be purchased in several different denominations from $15 valid for 30 days, $25 and $50 valid for 60 days, and $100 valid for a year. Once the time limit has been reached then the account will be closed.


4. About Freedom Mobile

Freedom Mobile is the smallest carrier in Canada and has limited network coverage.

Unless you intend on using this network in the large towns and cities then we strongly advise you select another provider.

Make sure you use Freedom’s IMEI number (your phone’s unique identification number) checker to see if your phone will be compatible with the network.

If you are lucky enough to be compatible, then Freedom offers the best plans and prices in the country. Freedom’s SIM card can be purchased for $10 in official stores, resellers or can be purchased online.

Credit can also be purchased in the same way:

$25 – no data,
unlimited local calls and
SMS

$30 – 250MB data,
unlimited local calls and
SMS

$40 – 4GB data,
unlimited local calls and
international SMS

$49 – 6GB data,
unlimited local and US calls and
international SMS

$59 – 8GB data, incl. 1 GB in the US,
unlimited local and US calls and
international SMS.


Make sure that when you use the Freedom network that there is a Freedom Mobile signal available. Sometimes you will roam on other networks and will not be able to use the above-mentioned plans when your phone is not in service.

Look out for «Home» at the top of your screen near the signal icon to be sure you are using it correctly.

Freedom also offers a data-only plan on 4G/LTE for $40 offering 10GB of data. Although this deal sounds phenomenal, the network can be rather congested which means you sometimes get no connection at all or the speed is ridiculously slow.