Best plan for Canada and US travel

[ruthb]

I will be frequently traveling to the US for extended periods, so I want to switch to a plan where I can receive my Canadian calls and texts in the US, call US and Canadian numbers, and have data in both the US and Canada.

i was looking at the $50 plan that has US and Canada call and texts but is the 10gb data available in both US and Canada or just Canada?
thanks 

[darlicious]

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@Nezgar wrote:

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@darlicious wrote:

Text messages cannot be forwarded by this method but there may be a method to forward texts to an email? @Nezgar or @popping  may be able to advise in this area.

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AFAIK forwarding texts in the tranditional sense is not possible... The only way I know of is by way of an app left running on a phone at home, which forwards texts while still in Canada.

Otherwise, services like voip.ms, textnow, etc allow you to do texting from a separate number over wifi....

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@Nezgar  

I was given these suggestions but have't tested anything out but this is right up your alley...

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Travel-abroad/m-p/702869/highlight/true...

[softech]

.. i would not go with Fonus myself... 

https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/carriers/telus-no-relationship-fonus/

https://mobiletawk.com/2019/11/is-fonus-a-phony-phone-company/

[cmobile]

Search "Fonus sim card" in amazon.ca .  Activate it with a Canada number (437, 438 or 289), forward all your calls on old phone to this new number.  

[softech]

any Android text forwarding app that you know that is reliable and safe (yes, don't want it forward all my text to some unknown servers at the same time  🙂  )  ?

[Nezgar]

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@darlicious wrote:

Text messages cannot be forwarded by this method but there may be a method to forward texts to an email? @Nezgar or @popping  may be able to advise in this area.

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AFAIK forwarding texts in the tranditional sense is not possible... The only way I know of is by way of an app left running on a phone at home, which forwards texts while still in Canada.

Otherwise, services like voip.ms, textnow, etc allow you to do texting from a separate number over wifi....

[Triguy]

@ruthb 

You might consider using mintmobile.com.

[LurganIeUk]

It may do. Zoiper is not Voip.ms specific and does list many carriers but not all. The settings are 1/10th or less vs the ATA box...so give it a try. 

[softech]

@LurganIeUk   would Zoiper work on a Freephoneline.ca setup?  I have Freephoneline account, using a ATA box at home.. 

[darlicious]

@ruthb 

Unfortunately currently the roaming options offered by pm are not ideal for your travel plans. Many here hope pm offers in the future a similar plan to the limited time offer during the summer of 2019 that consisted of:

1. $60 US/Canada roaming plan
2. Unlimited US/Canada roaming calling and international SMS/MMS texting
3. 8GB data plan in Canada
4. 2GB data plan in the US

Alas....one can always hope they bring back some version of this plan. For your current needs consider how these options may be able to help you achieve your roaming goals without having to use 10 day roaming plans back to back on both phones at least.

1. You can recieve incoming pm texts without a roaming plan.
2. An account suspended via lost/stolen before midnight eastern on the evening before renewal will retain active voicemail. Call from another phone and press * once connected. Enter your 4 digit voicemail pin # to access your voicemail.
3. Scheduling a plan change to the $15 plan then forwarding calls from your pm phone to your fongo app phone # will allow you to recieve your pm calls to your fongo app on your phone in the US while on wifi or mobile data. The pm sim card must remain in Canada in a safe place.
4. Text messages cannot be forwarded by this method but there may be a method to forward texts to an email? @Nezgar or @popping  may be able to advise in this area.
5. Look into mint mobile. They offer unlimited calling/ texting to/from the US/Canada/Mexico with 3 month plans starting at US$15/3gb p/month up to $35/unlimited data p/month. They also offer a 7 day money back guarantee. Combined with a call forwarding option with fongo and/or texting with textnow(wifi only) may fufill your needs.
6. Having a dual sim or esim+single sim phone could make these options more flexible with your two phones that will be with the pair of you while in the US.

Most other first or second tier providers (ie. telus/koodo) offer US roaming using your current plans features at $9 per day and capped at $120 per month+plan cost+overages if incurred. Pm charges your minimum plan cost $15+3×$20/10 day roaming add on (or less?)=$75 per month.

[og2]

Hi,

I would think about looking at esim data plans and forward calls/combine it with the textnow app.

• free unlimited calls and texts

You will need to forward and leave the sim cards in Canada. 

https://esimdb.com/region/north-america

http://textnow.com

[LurganIeUk]

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@ruthb wrote:

Thanks for all the suggestions, my issue is my number is used for my small business so I need to be able to receive or forward calls and texts sent to my Canadian number while I am away. 

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Consider VOIP.ms for your business line....for a land line?

Once on VOIP there are lot's of options. 

At home/business you would have a home land line set attached to an ATA box which is hooked up directly to your internet with a ethernet cable. This could move with you...but the softfone option would work too. 

You can make a cell phone into a softphone to receive VOIP calls using an App called Zoiper. So you could make calls anywhere in the world as long as you have wi-fi or data (<= haven't proven that yet!). 

We have all of our VOIP.ms land line calls forwarded to both of our Cell Phones. It works ok but there a some rules that you would need to know. 

Also I have 2 set ups on Zoiper for caller ID....one ID is for our land line number and the other is for my PM account. So if we were away in Canada I could call using the App with the PM caller id. Thinking that the person I called would call me at the PM number.  

[LurganIeUk]

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@ruthb wrote:

I am currently on the $40 Canada plan. If I take this to the US will I be able to receive Canadian calls and texts?

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While this is not your answer.  

If you have all Apple Products you can set up all devices to send and receive texts and/or iMessages. This works good for us....all devices in the house and all on Wi-Fi and of course the phone is connected to the PM network.

So there might be some holes in this set up if you are in USA and your phone is in the USA too. I have heard others say that your PM phone will receive texts in USA.....no plan?.....or USA plan??

[AE_Collector]

You might receive texts on the $40 plan in the USA but that is it. No calling or texting either. The $50 plan simply has unlimited Calls from Canada to Canada and from Canada to the USA IE: Long distance calling to the USA from Canada is included. 

AE_Collector

[ruthb]

Thanks for all the suggestions, my issue is my number is used for my small business so I need to be able to receive or forward calls and texts sent to my Canadian number while I am away. 

[esjliv]

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@ruthb wrote:

Thanks for the quick reply, our trips will probably be up to 60 days each (and 2 phones) so that may add up quickly.  

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@ruthb 

Yes, that would certainly add up!.

Best to get a SIM for USA travel.

If you are away from Canada for 60 days at a time, you can auto-suspend your service by removing Autopay, and let it going into suspension. This will you will not get charged while away. 

Just make sure you reactivate BEFORE 90 days. After 90 days you lose your account and phone number.

If you have a balance in your Available Funds area to stop payment on next renewal you will need to report your phone lost/stolen. You can have it in this status for up to 90 days as well.

Read up here: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/ns/get-help/articles/lost-or-stolen-phone

[softech]

60 days is not a short time and it could be pricy with any roaming plan.

You might want to check US Data SIM instead.  It is a lot cheaper.   But yes, the drawback is you wouldn't be able to receive phone calls and text sent to your PM phone.  If you are not using SMS for 2FA, you might also consider registered forr TextNow or Fongo app.  You will get a Canadian number which you can forward your PM calls over.  

[ruthb]

I am currently on the $40 Canada plan. If I take this to the US will I be able to receive Canadian calls and texts?

[ruthb]

Thanks for the quick reply, our trips will probably be up to 60 days each (and 2 phones) so that may add up quickly.  

[esjliv]

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@ruthb wrote:

I will be frequently traveling to the US for extended periods, so I want to switch to a plan where I can receive my Canadian calls and texts in the US, call US and Canadian numbers, and have data in both the US and Canada.

i was looking at the $50 plan that has US and Canada call and texts but is the 10gb data available in both US and Canada or just Canada?
thanks 

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Hello @ruthb 

The $50 Plan is for use while you (your device) is in Canada ONLY.

You can be on any Public Mobile plan and travel to the USA. But in order to get services while you are in the USA, you will need to purchase Roaming Addons, which last for 10 day intervals.

So if this meets your needs, it may work for you. 

But, for example, if you are in USA for 2 days, than back to Canada for a week, and so on like that, it may not be the best mix of you. The Roaming addons start as soon as you buy them and last only 10 days.