Canadian schools + cell phone service

Parents Forum
1

<p>I figured I'd also post this here, since parents would be (I'd think) more knowledgeable. </p>

<p>I am seriously considering a Canadian school (if I am accepted). I am also purchasing a phone + plan (my circumstances require me to purchase one very soon), and I was wondering that IF accepted and IF enrolled, what carriers or plans work in the US and in Canada (Quebec)? Because I have to purchase a plan soon, I'd like to keep my options open (meaning that if rejected/if accepted but choose not to attend, I won't be stuck with a bad plan for 2 years). My parents live in the US, and I would need to call them from time to time, and I would probably need to call Quebec numbers as well (that's the dilemma). </p>

<p>I've looked into Cingular and Verizon, and it seems like the GSM network is more universal, but it has its downsides, too (cannot connect to non-GSM towers if stranded in a remote area, etc if I am reading this correctly). </p>

<p>Can anyone with first-hand experience (a kid at a Canadian school, for instance) or other knowledge suggest anything? I'm getting confused comparing different plans side by side, and since I don't even have an admissions decision yet I was hoping there is some compromise that cannot go wrong. </p>

<p>Thanks for any and all help!</p>

2

<p>MY D has the cingular North American plan whcih covers Canada-US-Mexico with no roaming & no long distance calling to & from & in those areas, but I don't think they offer it any more :(</p>

<p>You might look into a vonage phone for your main line, $24.99/mo for local & long distance phone service over your high speed internet connections, includes calling to canada. You could get a local number to your home town so every one there could call you with no charge, then you could get a little local cell phone in Quebec for people there to use.</p>