Cell phone use at WDW

[KNovacovschi]

Originally Posted by Tiger926

Help with Data Roaming to US on Blackberry Bold

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

My daughter just got a new BB bold as well and we shop in the states on a regular business but am unsure how the roaming charges work with BBM. She is with Rogers as well and was just wondering if you have found the answers to your questions. I've been trying to find out but have had no luck. I personally have an iPhone and am with Bell so not sure how Rogers works.

Thanks.

[Susan595]

Well I've been and back and I can tell you my phone was USELESS even if there was Wifi and I'm with Bell. Even my Undercover Tourist app line checker thing I purchased was useless to me, talk about ticked off ! I couldn't even use my phone at the Detroit airport, it just sucked lol. I called them before I left and they could have sold me a package the cheapest one was 30 bux, it was a limited amount of texts and I dont have a clue for data plan I'm guessing not that great because the guy didn't suggest doing it. So ya, phone be ok for taking pictures that's about it Soon as we were on the bridge poof it was gone.................I couldn't understand why when there was free wifi at my hotel why it wouldn't work even then, makes NO sense to me at all.
Editing to add BBM's wouldn't even work it was a total useless tool for me to even take.

[Tiger926]

Originally Posted by Susan595

Well I've been and back and I can tell you my phone was USELESS even if there was Wifi and I'm with Bell. Even my Undercover Tourist app line checker thing I purchased was useless to me, talk about ticked off ! I couldn't even use my phone at the Detroit airport, it just sucked lol. I called them before I left and they could have sold me a package the cheapest one was 30 bux, it was a limited amount of texts and I dont have a clue for data plan I'm guessing not that great because the guy didn't suggest doing it. So ya, phone be ok for taking pictures that's about it Soon as we were on the bridge poof it was gone.................I couldn't understand why when there was free wifi at my hotel why it wouldn't work even then, makes NO sense to me at all.
Editing to add BBM's wouldn't even work it was a total useless tool for me to even take.

Sorry about that...

We are in the US at least 2-3 times per month, and our phone is hit and miss unless we take out battery and restart the phone, and then it's fine.

We have 2 Blackberry Bolds, and sometimes it works fine without doing the battery switch, so we always do a test BBM to make sure. We are with Rogers, and they aren't much help, as they are saying it's the US carrier - AT & T usually, and sometimes Verizon. But, like I said, if we do the battery thing, we are good to go!

This only has to do with BBM as it uses data. Texts are through the phone system, and so we have no issues ever with texts.

Hope this helps, Tiger

[eculmone]

[BLBCB]

First question - what are the risks of unlocking an iPhone? I think that is the right term, meaning I can use a different SIM card in it.

Second question - how do you get a US sim card to use down there?

[Sillyminny40]

Oh I just noticed this sticky after posting below! This is just too darn complicated for me. Maybe walkie talkies. I miss being fully covered all over North America. LOL!

[kelliott66]

Originally Posted by Sillyminny40

Oh I just noticed this sticky after posting below! This is just too darn complicated for me. Maybe walkie talkies. I miss being fully covered all over North America. LOL!

This is what I have discovered and am trying this trip.........
1) I am buying a pay as you go android phone in Walmart in the US.
2) All US major carriers - AT&T, Virgin etc have unlimited talk/text/data for around $50.00 pay as you go, so I will buy a pay as you go card for that amount
3) I will download the android markets free app for turning my android phone in to a wifi hotspot
4) Voila: I will have unlimited talk/text and mobile browsing on my phone while at Disney....PLUS i will be able to use my laptop without paying the daily internet access rate at Bay Lake Towers (where I am staying), and it will allow up to 4 users at a time so my dear family can use it as well for their IPOD touches etc.

for any techie out there.....does this make sense? I think it does, if I am wrong let me know.

My reasoning is that I can get a pretty good deal with VIRGIN as I buy the phone for $100, I get a free minutes card worth $50, the apps from the app market are free that I need and not paying the $70.00 plus taxes it would cost for Internet access at the hotel, brings me to cost of about $30 for a week of unlimited talk/text to my family in disney as well as unlimited internet and I can use the line app on my nook colour, our IPODS etc. Much cheaper than purchasing walkie talkies.

[Tiger926]

Originally Posted by Sillyminny40

Oh I just noticed this sticky after posting below! This is just too darn complicated for me. Maybe walkie talkies. I miss being fully covered all over North America. LOL!

Walkie talkies don't really work as too many people on the same frequencies.

Originally Posted by kelliott66

This is what I have discovered and am trying this trip.........
1) I am buying a pay as you go android phone in Walmart in the US.
2) All US major carriers - AT&T, Virgin etc have unlimited talk/text/data for around $50.00 pay as you go, so I will buy a pay as you go card for that amount
3) I will download the android markets free app for turning my android phone in to a wifi hotspot
4) Voila: I will have unlimited talk/text and mobile browsing on my phone while at Disney....PLUS i will be able to use my laptop without paying the daily internet access rate at Bay Lake Towers (where I am staying), and it will allow up to 4 users at a time so my dear family can use it as well for their IPOD touches etc.

for any techie out there.....does this make sense? I think it does, if I am wrong let me know.

My reasoning is that I can get a pretty good deal with VIRGIN as I buy the phone for $100, I get a free minutes card worth $50, the apps from the app market are free that I need and not paying the $70.00 plus taxes it would cost for Internet access at the hotel, brings me to cost of about $30 for a week of unlimited talk/text to my family in disney as well as unlimited internet and I can use the line app on my nook colour, our IPODS etc. Much cheaper than purchasing walkie talkies.

Disney has free wi-fi now at Deluxe, DVC and Coronado Springs Resorts.

We had no issues with our wi-fi at Old Key West during this past trip.

Tiger

[kelliott66]

Originally Posted by Tiger926

Walkie talkies don't really work as too many people on the same frequencies.



Disney has free wi-fi now at Deluxe/DVC resorts and Coronado Springs.

We had no issues with our wi-fi at Old Key West during this past trip.

Tiger

Hi Tiger: Quick question about the free wifi: we are renting DVC points in March for BLT can you confirm if a non DVC member also gets free wifi?

[Tiger926]

Originally Posted by kelliott66

Hi Tiger: Quick question about the free wifi: we are renting DVC points in March for BLT can you confirm if a non DVC member also gets free wifi?

Sorry, I should have said Deluxe and DVC Resorts (as well as Coronado Springs) have free wi-fi.

Free wi-fi is not a DVC perk, so you will be fine!

Enjoy, Tiger

[M_T]

If your going to the US a lot you can get the OneRate package from Rogers. It allows you to use your DATA in the US. For an extra $10/month (3 years term). I saved a good amount by using Skype for calls and texting (iMessages help to for you iPhone users). I switched my 6gig plan to the 1gig onerate and made sure they did not restart my contract.

[pacostrano]

Hi all,

I'm new here and I saw that thread about using your cell phone in the US. Even Myself I was searching about that question because I have an unlock phone and I wanted to be able to use data in Disney World.

This evening I found this article on CBC because I was searching where I could buy a Sim Card for my cell phone in the US.

You can search on google for Roam Mobility

Sorry can't put URL because i don't have 10 post

This is a Canadian company in Vancouver that are in partnership with t-mobile for roaming in the US.

On the website that you can buy a phone, hotspot device or sim card them after you can had plan (voice/text/data) per day. It's will also give you a US phone number and you can call unlimited US/Canada

I hope this will help people like me to be able to use their cell phone in Disney. At least it's wayyyyy less expensive then Bell/Rogers/Telus for roaming service.

FYI: don't forget you need to have a UNLOCK Cell Phone and I don't work for the company too lol it's only to be able to give information to my fellow Canadians to be able to use there Cell Phones with low fees.

Sorry if I do spelling mistake I'm french Canadian lol

[pampam]

Originally Posted by pacostrano

Hi all,

I'm new here and I saw that thread about using your cell phone in the US. Even Myself I was searching about that question because I have an unlock phone and I wanted to be able to use data in Disney World.

This evening I found this article on CBC because I was searching where I could buy a Sim Card for my cell phone in the US.

You can search on google for Roam Mobility

Sorry can't put URL because i don't have 10 post

This is a Canadian company in Vancouver that are in partnership with t-mobile for roaming in the US.

On the website that you can buy a phone, hotspot device or sim card them after you can had plan (voice/text/data) per day. It's will also give you a US phone number and you can call unlimited US/Canada

I hope this will help people like me to be able to use their cell phone in Disney. At least it's wayyyyy less expensive then Bell/Rogers/Telus for roaming service.

FYI: don't forget you need to have a UNLOCK Cell Phone and I don't work for the company too lol it's only to be able to give information to my fellow Canadians to be able to use there Cell Phones with low fees.

Sorry if I do spelling mistake I'm french Canadian lol

It's greast to see your first post.

[Salinger]

Originally Posted by pacostrano

Hi all,

I'm new here and I saw that thread about using your cell phone in the US. Even Myself I was searching about that question because I have an unlock phone and I wanted to be able to use data in Disney World.

This evening I found this article on CBC because I was searching where I could buy a Sim Card for my cell phone in the US.

You can search on google for Roam Mobility

Sorry can't put URL because i don't have 10 post

This is a Canadian company in Vancouver that are in partnership with t-mobile for roaming in the US.

On the website that you can buy a phone, hotspot device or sim card them after you can had plan (voice/text/data) per day. It's will also give you a US phone number and you can call unlimited US/Canada

I hope this will help people like me to be able to use their cell phone in Disney. At least it's wayyyyy less expensive then Bell/Rogers/Telus for roaming service.

FYI: don't forget you need to have a UNLOCK Cell Phone and I don't work for the company too lol it's only to be able to give information to my fellow Canadians to be able to use there Cell Phones with low fees.

Sorry if I do spelling mistake I'm french Canadian lol

Roam is better than paying for a roaming package from any of the major Canadian carriers, but it's still a bit pricey (especially for data) and don't forget, unless your unlocked phone is from one of the new carriers (Wind, Mobilicity etc) you will only have data on "Edge" or 2G as T-Mobile's 3G network is not compatible with Rogers/Bell/TELUS.

That means, your phone will work to make calls, text and even data but the data speed will be excruciatingly slow.

I have an unlocked iPhone 4S. I buy a prepaid sim card from AT&T, cut it down to micro-sim (you can do it by hand or buy a punch on ebay/Amazon for $5) and then I buy the $2/day unlimited plan with a $15 or $25 data add-on. Works great, is super speedy and lets you do everything with your iPhone in the US that you do at home.

[Binoo]

Has anyone use this plan before? You can buy a GoPhone from them as low as $19.99 then join a $ 2 Daily Unlimited Plan. You only need to pay the day you use the phone. Unlimited calls, unlimited text.It sounds great for my upcoming trips. I am not sure if Canadian can join this plan. I wonder if I can buy it from Buffalo and get a Florida phone number. Any thoughts?