[84attendees] Sim cards

[Jamal Hadi Salim <[e-mail]>]

I did this little research for a friend of mine coming to the IETF.
Hopefully someone here will find it useful.

Everyone sells sim cards for $10.
Worth mentioning that in .ca any mention of price does not include taxes.
So add another 13% on top. I looked at the "best 3" providers mostly
focusing on voice.
All the stores are within short walking distance from both hotels.

Fido charges an extra $10 for "activation fee" (all kinds of telco thievery
go on here in Canada). Then you buy minutes. The best deal is $1/day
if you just want unlimited voice or $2/day to include text.
If you go for per-minute it is 30c/minute and 20c/txt.
Your minutes count for both incoming and outgoing.
I wasnt quiet sure about whether they charge extra for calling
elsewhere in Canada or US. I believe they do. Same with text to the US.
more details here:
http://www.fido.ca/web/Fido.portal?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=prepaidLanding_1_1&prepaidLanding_1_1_actionOverride=%2Fcom%2Ffido%2Fportlets%2Fpackages%2FplanPhoneBuyFlow%2FgoToPrepaidRates#day

Phone Frequencies: 850/900/1800/1900/3G800/3G1900Mhz

Wind
20c/min anywhere in north america. unlimited incoming calls.
15¢/text for north america. 25c/text to outside north america.
wind also has data plans.
Phone frequencies: AWS 2100/1700Mhz

 details here:
http://www2.windmobile.ca/en/Pages/Pay-Your-Way-Prepaid-Cell-Phone-Service.aspx

Another interesting one, 7Eleven Sim Card.
They have a special going on:
$20/400 minutes (which is 20c/minute); additional minute 25c
No extra charges for calling anywhere in Canada
free incoming text.
outgoing text 10c anywhere in north america. 35c elsewhere.
They run on the rogers network.
Phone frequencies same as Fido.

Recommendation if you are doing voice: Fido per day/service.
$10+$10+$1*num of days < $30 for the conference period.
If you want to do data, go with Wind.
If you are staying longer and will move outside the city centre go 7eleven

In regards to which phones to use - look at your phone before buying.
If you have a google nexus it should work on all these networks.

cheers,
jamal