If you are in Toronto, ON Canada, for the TBEX Convention, then this post has immediate meaning, if not, it will the next time you visit Canada. Here’s why.
One of the first things I do when I visit a country is figure out how am I going to stay connected with the world. Sure there is complimentary or paid WiFi, but what happens when I’m out touring a vineyard or taking a bus tour, etc.? I need connectivity. So with that in mind, I get a local SIM card for my phone for each country I travel. There are other options that will be addressed in a future post, but for now, this works. Here are the options for Canada.
As soon as I got off the train at Union Station, I headed to the Toronto Eaton Centre after consulting with the Concierge at The Fairmont just across the street form the station. He had advised that there are several offerings there for a SIM card.
I did a quick rendezvous since I only had about 45 minutes. The winner is Telus as they have 1GB for 30 CAD, plus the price of the SIM card (10) and taxes. Total cost: 45.20 CAD. They were even nice enough to activate it for me; yay! A close second is fido, who offers 35 CAD for 500MB. They both had options for voice and texting, but I did not buy that option. I can go to any place that sells top ups if need be.
I forward my phone to my Skype number, so I just need Internet connectivity and I’m sorted.
Now, this is one of the most expensive local SIMs I’ve ever bought, but its the best option here in Toronto and its cheaper than the $10/MB that T-Mobile will charge to my U.S. phone.
I was equally pumped when I looked at my bill and saw this image (she had verbally mentioned my pre-happy birthday (May 31) as I had to give her my license to sign up). I thanked both Claire and Khadeen and went on my merry way. maximum customer service! Love it.
How are your communicating in Toronto, ON Canada? Please leave a comment below.
PS: Use an ATM to get cash instead of a currency exchange as even with the ATM fee, you will get a better exchange rate.
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