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Verizon users traveling to Canada - Be Aware


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Verizon users be aware that Verizon has changed how some cell phones may work - or NOT work in Canada. Although a Verizon customer for many years, I received no advance warning of this change.

Background - We have two Verizon Pay as you go flip phones - cheap and convenient and meet our simple calling needs. We spend the summer in Canada and for thet past number of years our cell phones worked just fine in Canada on pay as you go roaming and less than $1. per minute.

Just arrived in British Columbia and neither cell phone works!!!! We have hundred of $$ prepaid credit on these phones and they are currently useless.

After spending time with customer support and reviewing teir web site, they have discontinued coverage in Canada for some models of phone - even though they worked in the past.

To find out if your phone will 'roam' in Canada, check out this Verizon web page. They have various roaming options, including pre-paid, but only on certain models.

https://www.verizonwireless.com/solutions-and-services/international-travel/

Now I have to wait until I get back to the USA so I can buy new Verizon cell phones that are on the 'approved' list, so I am without cell phones foe the summer.

Not a happy camper!

John

 

 

 

John
Titanium 29EX 29/34 Fifthwheel

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On the flip side, Verizon has made it easy for regular plans to have Canadian and Mexican coverage for $2 a day per device.

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Did some more digging. Verizon was using CDMA for voice comms, and the Canadian services (Bell, Telus etc) are shutting down CDMA in favor of newer technology -GSM and 4GLTE.

But if you have a smart phone with a SIM card, you still need to check your phone for roaming in Canada as there are many different frequency bands and your phone may not be compatible with the Canadian towers.

John

John
Titanium 29EX 29/34 Fifthwheel

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I was going to say this is not Verizon's fault, but you figured it out. All CDMA towers in Canada are in the process of shutting down, and you will only be able to use a LTE phone there going forward. This will also eventually happen in the US, and is already occurring to a degree. Most new towers that VZW is building in the US are LTE only.

I might suggest that purchasing a LTE compatible phone on ebay might be a good option for you.

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7 hours ago, hiljoball said:

To find out if your phone will 'roam' in Canada, check out this Verizon web page. They have various roaming options, including pre-paid, but only on certain models.

https://www.verizonwireless.com/solutions-and-services/international-travel/

Tx for the link!

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Very timely post. We just rolled back into Canada and the phones switched over fine but the jet pack didn't get a signal. 

We are on the unlimited plan with Canada included.  

Called V and found the jet pack we have 2 yrs old is CDMA. And now need the GSM unit. 

So are stuck for now. Will have to get a new GSM jet pack. They did offer to credit the account $10/ month while we are in Canada  hum....

Note: In Canada data is limited to 500 meg a day per device. But we knew that going in and are ok with it. 

Bill and Joan and 3 Collie pups

2001 Volvo VNL 770 "The Doghouse" Singled short, "ET" hItch VED12 465HP Gen 1 Autoshift 3.58 ratio  2005 Mobile Suite 38RL3  2011 Smart Passion loaded piggybacK

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On 4/3/2017 at 6:55 PM, billr said:

 

Note: In Canada data is limited to 500 meg a day per device. But we knew that going in and are ok with it. 

Where did you find that info?? We were in Canada last summer on unlimited plan. Worked great. But I am sure we went over 500 megs on any given day.

Vladimr Steblina

Retired Forester...exploring the public lands.

usbackroads.blogspot.com

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13 hours ago, Vladimir said:

Where did you find that info?? We were in Canada last summer on unlimited plan. Worked great. But I am sure we went over 500 megs on any given day.

Verizon changed plans in July, new rules for those who went on that plan, and then again in February, with the 500MB rule for Canada and Mexico.   

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For what it's worth they told me on phone last month when I switched plans and asked about the data limits in Canada. 

Bill and Joan and 3 Collie pups

2001 Volvo VNL 770 "The Doghouse" Singled short, "ET" hItch VED12 465HP Gen 1 Autoshift 3.58 ratio  2005 Mobile Suite 38RL3  2011 Smart Passion loaded piggybacK

Weigh-It Portable RV Scales http://www.weighitrv.com/

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just looked at my Verizon account. No way I could figure out what the data limits were, so I called an agent.

It is still unlimited. He said that is what unlimited means.....I don't think he heard my laughing!!

Thanks for the heads up so I could check....

Vladimr Steblina

Retired Forester...exploring the public lands.

usbackroads.blogspot.com

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