I hate when my SP phone calls appear on my hotel bill. Is there a place I can buy a prepaid cell phone in downtown montreal? How much would such a phone cost?
Question on disposable cell phone
- Thread starter Big Daddy
- Start date
Big Daddy,
I'm not from Canada, but TKO is right you can get prepaid phones at Futureshop (Bestbuy to us Americans) or at a lot of other places. Here in the States you can even get them at 7-11 (a convenice store chain). The phone itself is the big cost though, you might be able to do it cheaper if you already have a phone.
Here is the info I can offer you. Your phone number and bill are tied to the "sim card" chip inside your phone. You can use a prepaid "sim card" in the same cellphone if you already have one, but there are some restrictions. The cellphone service providers (Rogers, Fido, etc.) lock the phones so that they only work with their branded "sim cards". They give you the phone at a discount and they don't want you switching to some other provider and keeping the same phone, but it can be done. A Fido prepaid "sim card" should work right away in your phone, if it is also a Fido phone originally. Just turn the phone off and swap the "sim cards" (behind the battery most likely) and restart it, now you have a whole new number and the calls won't go to your regular cellphone bill.
If you want to use a different providers prepaid card in your phone, it is more complicated. You must have your phone "unlocked" from your original service provider, don't worry it will still work fine, it will just accept other "sim cards" without complaining. Depending on your current phone and your current providers rules it could be free and painless, or it could be a bit of a challenge. My provider here in the States (T-mobile) will unlock your phone for free if you have been a customer for over 1yr in good standing. But, you need to call up their customer service number and ask for it explicitly (most providers are not this generous here in the USA, but it never hurts to ask). Some phones you can unlock yourself for free (many older Nokias) others you will probably need to pay a few bucks. If you can't do it yourself, it can be done online through some websites for a reasonable fee or you might have to take it to a local cellphone shop in person (not where you bought it most likely, try Chinatown I would guess or some other independent cellphone shop). Once unlocked you are ready to go with any "sim card".
If you need more help with this, feel free to PM here and I will try to help you as best I can.
SOX
I'm not from Canada, but TKO is right you can get prepaid phones at Futureshop (Bestbuy to us Americans) or at a lot of other places. Here in the States you can even get them at 7-11 (a convenice store chain). The phone itself is the big cost though, you might be able to do it cheaper if you already have a phone.
Here is the info I can offer you. Your phone number and bill are tied to the "sim card" chip inside your phone. You can use a prepaid "sim card" in the same cellphone if you already have one, but there are some restrictions. The cellphone service providers (Rogers, Fido, etc.) lock the phones so that they only work with their branded "sim cards". They give you the phone at a discount and they don't want you switching to some other provider and keeping the same phone, but it can be done. A Fido prepaid "sim card" should work right away in your phone, if it is also a Fido phone originally. Just turn the phone off and swap the "sim cards" (behind the battery most likely) and restart it, now you have a whole new number and the calls won't go to your regular cellphone bill.
If you want to use a different providers prepaid card in your phone, it is more complicated. You must have your phone "unlocked" from your original service provider, don't worry it will still work fine, it will just accept other "sim cards" without complaining. Depending on your current phone and your current providers rules it could be free and painless, or it could be a bit of a challenge. My provider here in the States (T-mobile) will unlock your phone for free if you have been a customer for over 1yr in good standing. But, you need to call up their customer service number and ask for it explicitly (most providers are not this generous here in the USA, but it never hurts to ask). Some phones you can unlock yourself for free (many older Nokias) others you will probably need to pay a few bucks. If you can't do it yourself, it can be done online through some websites for a reasonable fee or you might have to take it to a local cellphone shop in person (not where you bought it most likely, try Chinatown I would guess or some other independent cellphone shop). Once unlocked you are ready to go with any "sim card".
If you need more help with this, feel free to PM here and I will try to help you as best I can.
SOX
Thanks, Sox. I live in US and I have a t-mobile phone with the SIM card. I also have some old T-mobile phones that I had used previously which I haven't gotten rid off. I am a T-mobile customer since 2001.
Where do I buy a prepaid "sim card"? I think I should be able to use it in one of my old T-mobile phones (I have one Nokia and one Samsung).
Where do I buy a prepaid "sim card"? I think I should be able to use it in one of my old T-mobile phones (I have one Nokia and one Samsung).
Big Daddy,
T-mobile will hook you up. Just call customer service and tell them you will be travelling outside the States and you need your phone unlocked so you can use a local sim card. They will tell you what to do and then you will need to wait a few days for them to get back to you. Basically you punch some special combo of keys into your phone and then read them a code that shows up on the screen, they will get back to you in a few days with another code that you punch into the phone which will unlock it.
Your best bet for prepaid Canadian sim cards here in the States, is to use Ebay. Search "fido prepaid sim card" or "rogers prepaid sim card" and obviously check the feedback and auction history to make sure you are dealing with someone who is legitimiate. Ebay will have the lowest price, but I'm sure you can buy them in person in Canada too if you want to wait until you go up there again. Just make sure your phone is unlocked first becasue that can take a week or so of waiting for T-Mobile.
The cards always come with a few minutes included rightway (60 or 100 usually), but sometimes they expire after a certain period of time so read the fine print. Then you can just "recharge" your prepaid minutes when ever you need more over the phone with a credit card or in person with cash at a local shop in Canada that is affiliated with that service provider.
I do this all the time when I go to Europe and Asia, but I have never actually done it in Canada.
Hope that helps.
SOX
T-mobile will hook you up. Just call customer service and tell them you will be travelling outside the States and you need your phone unlocked so you can use a local sim card. They will tell you what to do and then you will need to wait a few days for them to get back to you. Basically you punch some special combo of keys into your phone and then read them a code that shows up on the screen, they will get back to you in a few days with another code that you punch into the phone which will unlock it.
Your best bet for prepaid Canadian sim cards here in the States, is to use Ebay. Search "fido prepaid sim card" or "rogers prepaid sim card" and obviously check the feedback and auction history to make sure you are dealing with someone who is legitimiate. Ebay will have the lowest price, but I'm sure you can buy them in person in Canada too if you want to wait until you go up there again. Just make sure your phone is unlocked first becasue that can take a week or so of waiting for T-Mobile.
The cards always come with a few minutes included rightway (60 or 100 usually), but sometimes they expire after a certain period of time so read the fine print. Then you can just "recharge" your prepaid minutes when ever you need more over the phone with a credit card or in person with cash at a local shop in Canada that is affiliated with that service provider.
I do this all the time when I go to Europe and Asia, but I have never actually done it in Canada.
Hope that helps.
SOX
When you activate a Virgin Mobile phone in Canada, they ask you for a name. Has anyone been successful in giving a fake name?
In the US, when you activate a pre-paid Tracfone, they do not ask you for any personal info at all. It is truly anonymous ... aside from the surveillance camera at Wal-Mart, of course.
In the US, when you activate a pre-paid Tracfone, they do not ask you for any personal info at all. It is truly anonymous ... aside from the surveillance camera at Wal-Mart, of course.
dont forget to pay cash also
even when u buy sim or phone card
and dont call anybody u know since they can trace back to you...
cash for everything...
i already when to a rogers store and buy a phone with card
and since i paid cash they never asked my name...
even when u buy sim or phone card
and dont call anybody u know since they can trace back to you...
cash for everything...
i already when to a rogers store and buy a phone with card
and since i paid cash they never asked my name...
Radio Shack $50, $75. Use some a creative name & address. Rogers cards are $10 for 30 days 30 minutes. For $100 you get 300minute for 300 days.
$25 & $50 cards are good for 30 days & 75 minutes & 150 minutes.
http://www.radioshackisback.com/en/index.asp
$25 & $50 cards are good for 30 days & 75 minutes & 150 minutes.
http://www.radioshackisback.com/en/index.asp
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