Cell phone use at WDW

[Pumba's Truth]

Originally Posted by LYNNEL2003

I will have to check with Rogers but I found their packages very expensive. I also thought I saw it mentioned on the website that the package had to be purchased for 3 months but I could have misunderstood. I will have dh check with them just in case. I need to be able to text him while in the parks so I need to find my best option without going overboard on price since we have 2 phones to purchase these add ons for.

A friend of mine just got a $1600 phone bill from Rogers for her trip to Florida so I want to be sure to avoid that!!!

Thanks!

After a couple of trips down south of some waaaaay over the top pricing, we opted for a CommonCents plan that we found in Wal-mart. Worked out great for us.

The cool thing is that you can get it registered as a local phone number to where ever you are.

[ABCanada]

Originally Posted by LYNNEL2003

I will have to check with Rogers but I found their packages very expensive. I also thought I saw it mentioned on the website that the package had to be purchased for 3 months but I could have misunderstood. I will have dh check with them just in case. I need to be able to text him while in the parks so I need to find my best option without going overboard on price since we have 2 phones to purchase these add ons for.

What you want to add is a "Travel Pack" which is a one time add good for up to one month.

Her is the link:
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/ad...lwithyourphone

Click on the highlighted "U.S. Travel Packs and Add-ons" and drill down to US Text and it is explained.

" U.S. Text Messaging Travel Packs - plus there's no charge for received text messages
Purchasing a U.S. Text Messaging Travel Pack makes using your phone while traveling more affordable than ever! With a U.S. Text Messaging Travel Pack you make a one-time purchase of text messages that you can use in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands). These Travel Packs are valid for one month from the date of purchase. If you run out of travel text messages1, you can keep on sending messages at the reduced rate provided by your Travel Pack until your one month is up!2 Remember to add one to your voice plan before you leave!"

[Kurby]

does Bell have that kind of travel pack?

[ABCanada]

Originally Posted by Kurby

does Bell have that kind of travel pack?

Looks like they have something similar but a bit more expensive. They call it a Travel Bundle.

http://www.bell.ca/shopping/PrsShpWl...#tabCont6-tabs

[newfiegirl]

Can I purchase a walmart calling card (I live in Newfoundland) and just use the pop century regular phone??? Or do i need to get a calling card from say walmart in the US?

[pampam]

Originally Posted by newfiegirl

Can I purchase a walmart calling card (I live in Newfoundland) and just use the pop century regular phone??? Or do i need to get a calling card from say walmart in the US?

Not sure if you have a No frills, Value Mart etc in Newfoundland or not. If not, check out a Presidents choice long distance Card on the internet. You can't beat 4 cents a minute, and you can call from your Pop room or any pay phone.

[tribus121]

Originally Posted by newfiegirl

Can I purchase a walmart calling card (I live in Newfoundland) and just use the pop century regular phone??? Or do i need to get a calling card from say walmart in the US?

i would all so recommend the PC phone card you can get them at the super store and save easy .

[KeroKero]

Sorry didn't feel to read through the whole thread (it's huge). My blackberry (Telus) is unlocked and I usually just change SIM's when I travel. I've never done it in the States, as I don't find the Telus rates that bad when in the US - this time I'm looking to change my SIM. Is there somewhere at MCO I can get a SIM from a US carrier? Or would I have to get one elsewhere before I get to my resort?

[SmilingGrump]

There's a couple of other options for keeping in touch that work for some people:

1 - Google - if you have a gmail account, you can make calls from your gmail account to anywhere in Canada or the US for free through to the end of 2011 (there's a little "Call Phone" icon on the left). I've never tried it using my cell phone and a free wi-fi zone so I'm not sure if that works, but I've used it frequently via laptop. In fact, that's how my DW and kids kept in touch with me while they spent last summer in Arizona. Fees for overseas calls are VERY reasonable.

2 - Skype - similar to Google, but requires both callers to have Skype. Allows free skype to skype calling anywhere in the world.

They're not the most convenient options, but they're free. I still wind up getting a US package for my Rogers phone because of work, but this way I'm able to really limit the minutes I need to buy.

[scoop]

anyone with koodo use their phone down there or not worth it?

[KellifromCanada]

Re: Telus Mobility Customers

I was just on the phone with Telus Mobility (Alberta) to find out about cell phone use this January. I.haz.a.teenager. Feel.my.pain.

Ok - so since her existing texting plan on her iPhone is "unlimited", they are suggesting their $20 US Travel Text Pass which continues the "unlimited" texting with no additional roaming, for 30 days. Forgive my ignorance, but is that possible - texting without roaming?

Naturally I would want to confirm the rate again before we go. My BB has the same, so it will be $20 x 2 = $40.00 for unlimited texting, no additional roaming charges. I am okay with that. It means she can text her friends, we can text eachother, and dh. so that's good.

Now, the data plan "US Travel Pass" is not so attractive but even more so, confusing!!! For their $10 Data Pass we get $1.00 per MB.

How the heck do I estimate what a MB looks like in terms of actual usage??? On their website, it says 100 KB = "Facebook". Well, is that like, to click on FB and then click away? To leisurely visit FB and all your buddies???

Like, I know she'll want to look at FB. So, a normal day at home, she'll want to read her News Feed and send messages, and chat. For hours. Naturally, that wouldn't be happening at DW, but how can I figure out *what* she *could* be allowed to do, say, if we were to ok "some" data usage....maybe like 5MB per day. Or, maybe we should just buy internet for the room periodically, and she can use the laptop to access the interwebs but no usage of data on the phone. Room internet is $9.95 per day, right?

What to do ... what to do....

Kelli

[disneyfan2]

Kelli, I feel your pain. Same boat but I haven't spoke with Telus yet.. I have no idea how much data is used viewing Facebook, and I want to be somewhat prepared, or have DD forgo texting/Facebook for the week.

I really hoped to use the iPhone wait time apps but I'm afraid how much that will set me back...
Anyone else have some suggestions how to determine usage for these sites?? Ballpark anyways

[MikeyNS]

http://www.telusmobility.com/en/NS/m...lculator.shtml that's the Telus data calculator. You'll notice that a Blackberry uses a lot less data than other devices.

I think I mentioned this before, but if not here it is again..

We used our Telus BB in Florida for 10 days. Added the $10 US data plan. Did the touringplans mobile site quite a bit to check reported wait times, uploaded a few pictures to FB, cruised FB from time to time.. did a few emails, etc.
We used just under 9Mb of data. BB's are notoriously data efficient.

We added the $10US data plan.. so grand total it cost us $19 for data.
If we didn't add the plan it would have been $27. Not a huge difference.
There are apps that you can get to track your data usage, that way you can keep track of everything.
Hope that helps.

[KeroKero]

We're leaving day after tomorrow and after debating and researching we decided to use my Telus BB while we're there. We added on the US Voice Travel Pack for $20, and the $10 US Data Travel Pack so that we can use bbm. They didn't mention anything about unlimited minutes (which would have been nice), all I was told is that it brings my per minute/roaming minutes down for voice and data. So instead of $1.45/min for voice I'll be paying .25 and for data $1MB instead of $3. So I'll be paying an additional $30 for the month, I think I'll come out well in the end.

[Tiger926]

Help with Data Roaming to US on Blackberry Bold

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Have spent tons of time on phone with Rogers over the past few months since getting our new Blackberries, and they just can't seem to answer my questions, so here goes:

1. When roaming in US (visit Micigan 1-2x per month), phones switch to AT & T network. Can only receive BBMs -phones will not send BBMs out, unless we take out batteries and switch network service. My sis and brother in law have exact same phones, and they are on Telus, and no issues at all. Phones work as normal. Anyone else have this issue and know why it happens?

2. Can't figure out what my regular data roaming rates are? I just used 2.4mbs US roaming, and have no idea what that is going to cost? I think regular rates are $6mbs, and the travel packs give big discounts, as mentioned above.

Both hubby and I only use BBM while in US - no Internet and no apps in our phones at all to avoid heavy data roaming. Strictly BBM.

If someone here could help, that would be great, as I've spoken to Rogers, as well as their Blackberry specialists (we have Bold 9780), and they are no help.

Thanks so much, Tiger