[QUESTION] International Services

[Kailunee]

I'm planning a trip to Japan in late April for 12 days and was wondering how I could add any international services (data, calling, and/or text) to my current plan. 

Thanks in advance for any help! 

[Smcanada99]

Thank you! @srlawren really appreciate your response!

[srlawren]

@Smcanada99 you will get zero service from PM while in Europe, and that includes not receiving any text messages.  The messages should queue up and get delivered to you upon your return to Canada. The senders will not be notified, they will think you are ignoring them, unfortunately.  You may want to warn anyone that tyically texts you that you will not be able to view or respond during your travel period.  Inbound calls will go straight to your voicemail.  You could potentially dial into your voicemail from abroad using any phone that has the ability to dial a Canadian number, by dialing your own phone number and then pressing... it's either "*" or "#" but I can never remember which one!... once you hear your outgoing message start, and entering your voicemail PIN.

[Smcanada99]

Guys I am going to England Will I receive incoming text while in England or not? If not what happens to the texts that are sent to me? Will the sender be notified that their text was not sent or they are just lost? If they send me texts while I am in England can I set up auto reply that I am away in anyway?

What happens for the incoming calls while I am in England if not forwarded to another number. Will the callers here voicemail or will they here the subscriber is not available?

Thanks in advance and prompt response much appreciated!

[Mass_Deduction]

One correction, Rogers maxes out Roam Like Home charges at $50 per bill in the U.S., or $100 per bill in other supported international destinations. Just be wary of your trip straddling two different billing cycles, or of you going over your data allotment! With Public Mobile, your data simply stops working if you go over (unless you've purchased a data booster); with Rogers, your overage can keep climbing and climbing.

Until recently, Public Mobile didn't even have U.S. roaming. Since Telus and Koodo offer international roaming, perhaps Public will some day too.

[Clee88]

As others have suggested, its better to get a local sim when you arrive. 

Not sure about Japan but when I went to Korea and Taiwan they were selling a 10 day sim only service right from the arrivals terminal.

[texwood]

I think you are better off getting local SIM.  Check out this article:

https://tokyocheapo.com/business/internet/prepaid-cheap-japan-sim-card-options/

[Luddite]

https://personal.iroam.com can be purchased in Canada and roams globally BUT some rates, especially data, are expensive. On the other hand you can get the SIM at Staples and activate it before you leave. No idea what a local SIM would cost, and be sure to confirm your phone is compatible.

[arkw]

Depending on your group, getting a data SIM card or a wireless hotspot device is a great idea. We've done both, one as a group of 2, and once in a group of 5. 

There are some that ship you the sim card, while others have you pick up at the post office at Narita.

Have fun 🙂

[dohadotahmed]

Yes currently unfortunately no service outside of canada and USA. Hope pm will bring international roaming add on soon.
The best thing is try take a fongo number and set your all public mobile call forwarding to fongo number. If you have data or wi fi in Japan then you are not going to miss any call.

[CaNuCk07]

@Kailunee  Calvin is correct.  I was in europe last summer, i brought my unlocked iphone 6 popped in a vodafone sim card and worked like a charm.

Way cheaper than any of our crap here too.  20 euros for the month, rogers wanted $10 a day for "roam like home" and you use your own data!  what a joke,  $250 from rogers to use in europe.

[CalvinW · Accepted solution]

Sorry to tell you, but Public Mobile doesn't offer any service outside of Canada and the US.

Your best bet is to get a SIM card in Japan.