Local area
Airtime
Cellular Phone Subscription
Feature Bundles
"Long distance" calls
Voicemail Service
Using Your Own Foreign Phone with a Canadian Subscription
Things You Must Check Before You Subscribe
Canada and the United States use the same international country code: +1.
The continent is divided into telephone areas (area codes) and each one has a three-digit area code. The island of Montréal uses the 514 and 438 area codes. Montréal suburbs (North and South shores) use the 450 area code.
The subscriber number then follows with 7 digits.
A Montréal telephone number will therefore look like this: (+1) 514 XXX-YYYY
| NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW | |
| 911 | Emergencies (Ambulance, Police, Fire) |
| 811 | Info-Santé (Health information) |
| 611 | Customer service of telecom operator |
| 411 | Directory assistance (or also: [XXX][1] 555-1212) |
| 311 | City hall |
| [XXX]†- 310 - 4141 | Sûreté du Québec (Provincial police) or from a cell phone: *4141 |
[1] Replace [XXX] by the area code of your location.
Recap of the Telephony companies:
| Bell www.bell.ca 514-310-BELL |
| Télus www.telusmobilite.ca 1-866-558-2273 |
| Virgin Mobile www.virginmobile.ca 1-888-999-2321 |
| Solo www.solomobile.ca 1-877-999-SOLO |
| Koodo www.koodomobile.com 1-866-99-KOODO |
| Vidéotron www.videotron.ca 514-281-1711 |
Fido |
| Rogers www.rogers.com 1-877-ROGERS-1 |
Local AreaIt is important to know your local area. From a landline phone, all calls to a local number (in Montréal, all numbers within the 514 and 438 area codes and some in the 450 area code) are free and unlimited. Numbers called “toll free” (1 800, 1 888, etc.) are also free and unlimited from a landline phone (or a public phone). AirtimeEach call that you make AND that you receive is calculated as part of your airtime. There are several options and rate plans that include unlimited incoming calls to avoid paying for calls that you receive.Make sure that you are aware of the calculation method used by providers, as it can increase costs.. Cellular Phone SubscriptionBeware of advertisements! Some charges are not included in cellular phone rate plans:
In conclusion, with a rate plan quoted at “$30”, you have to expect to pay at least $55 a month. Therefore, always add about $25 or $30 to the quoted price for the various essential features, mandatory fees and taxes. Feature BundlesThis is a group of features offered at a reduced rate. Some bundles can be interesting, for example when you want voicemail, call display and other services. Some include SMSs. “Long Distance” CallsCalling a number outside of your local area entails long distance charges.. Please note that there are optional “long distance plans” available, which are long distance minutes prepaid at a reduced rate. Voicemail ServiceTo have a voicemail service on a landline or cellular phone, you must pay additional charges or subscribe to a feature bundle that includes voicemail. Beware! Calling your voicemail is considered a local call and is billed accordingly. |
To be able to use a foreign phone with a Canadian subscription, you must make sure that:
1) the phone is GSM triband
2) the chosen provider is a GSM provider with SIM chips (see table page 3)
3) the phone is SIM-unlocked. In some cases, it is only a matter of calling the provider to which the phone is locked to obtain an unlocking code. (In France, this request is free if you have been a subscriber for over 6 months.)
How Can I Call my Family in my Country?To make low cost overseas calls, here are a few tips: Skype to Skype calls are free. Skype to overseas landline phones are cheap. There are also Skype rate plans providing unlimited calls to international landline phones. |
