SIm leaving for Canada in a few days and I have some questions

**chris538** · 11-21-2010, 02:47 PM

Im**

I'm going to be leaving the United States in a few days and will be heaving to Montreal for the week.

This will be the first time with me leaving the country with my blackberry and I have a few quesitons regarding what I should do when I cross the border.

One question is, should I turn my at&t service connection off when I am there and use Wifi? Will i be able to make calls, receive messages and such when im on Wifi there?

Please help me on what I should do with my phone to prevent any un-wanted charges! But so I can still use it ( I know I can, I just don't know how to do it)

Thanks!

**Rootbrian** · 11-21-2010, 03:39 PM

Wifi won't let you make calls, you'll have to get the phone unlocked to use another carrier's pay and talk SIM.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**chris538** · 11-21-2010, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Rootbrian

Wifi won't let you make calls, you'll have to get the phone unlocked to use another carrier's pay and talk SIM.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Ok, thats fine, i dont need to make calls anyway. What about SMS? BBM?

So Should I turn off the at&t connection when I get there?

What should I do exactly?

**Rootbrian** · 11-21-2010, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Chris38526

Ok, thats fine, i dont need to make calls anyway. What about SMS? BBM?

So Should I turn off the at&t connection when I get there?

What should I do exactly?

For calls, you'll get roaming charges, same per SMS sent/received. If you disable the mobile connection, phone and sms won't be usable.

BBM might work, if it doesn't, data will be useless as you'll have a GSM or lowercase 3g or edge symbol. I suggest removing your SIM prior to crossing the boarder and sticking to wifi for browsing. BBM won't work.

Your best bet is to get a pay and talk SIM and save a great deal of bothering with changing settings. There should be plenty of stores to have your blackberry unlocked at prior to leaving for canada.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**chris538** · 11-21-2010, 05:34 PM

Ok. All I want I want to know is this. When I cross the border, should I take out the Simcard, or turn off At&t Connections, or both????? I will be able to get on wifi when im there the whole time. All I want to know is, can i get emails with wifi. I know sms will cost money but I wont use it also. I will be using bbm and that does work on wifi.

With what I said, I feel I should be fine right.

**Rootbrian** · 11-21-2010, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Chris38526

Ok. All I want I want to know is this. When I cross the border, should I take out the Simcard, or turn off At&t Connections, or both????? I will be able to get on wifi when im there the whole time. All I want to know is, can i get emails with wifi. I know sms will cost money but I wont use it also. I will be using bbm and that does work on wifi.

With what I said, I feel I should be fine right.

It really all depends on the carrier your roaming with any ways. It is a smart decision to turn off the mobile network when roaming to possibly keep your existing servicebooks. I know what it would feel like to loose them.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**xDAKx** · 11-21-2010, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Chris38526

Ok. All I want I want to know is this. When I cross the border, should I take out the Simcard, or turn off At&t Connections, or both????? I will be able to get on wifi when im there the whole time. All I want to know is, can i get emails with wifi. I know sms will cost money but I wont use it also. I will be using bbm and that does work on wifi.

With what I said, I feel I should be fine right.

Quick answers to both:

Email over WiFi - Provided your WiFi indicator goes from a "greyed out" status to a bright white status, Yes.

BBM over WiFi - Again, Provided the indicator goes to bright white, Yes. BBM will work over WiFi.

It would be wise to turn off your mobile connection (Manage Connections < Uncheck "Mobile Network") to prevent any unwanted or unexpected SMS messages, however this will cause any calls you get while this connection is off to be routed directly to voicemail.

**chris538** · 11-21-2010, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by xDAKx

Quick answers to both:

Email over WiFi - Provided your WiFi indicator goes from a "greyed out" status to a bright white status, Yes.

BBM over WiFi - Again, Provided the indicator goes to bright white, Yes. BBM will work over WiFi.

It would be wise to turn off your mobile connection (Manage Connections < Uncheck "Mobile Network") to prevent any unwanted or unexpected SMS messages, however this will cause any calls you get while this connection is off to be routed directly to voicemail.

Ok thanks! This is what I wanted to know and what I was planning on doing but wasnt sure.

But doing this wont affect anything right? When I come back to the usa, I will be able to just turn on the at&t network, and it should be all back to normal right?

**chris538** · 11-21-2010, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Rootbrian

It really all depends on the carrier your roaming with any ways. It is a smart decision to turn off the mobile network when roaming to possibly keep your existing servicebooks. I know what it would feel like to loose them.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Well yea, I was planning on turning off the mobile network when I leave the country to prevent getting ownd by roaming charges.

But when I come back, I should be able to turn it back on and everything be back to normal right? Even while using email/bbm on wifi while im there.

**CNHabs** · 11-21-2010, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Chris38526

Well yea, I was planning on turning off the mobile network when I leave the country to prevent getting ownd by roaming charges.

But when I come back, I should be able to turn it back on and everything be back to normal right? Even while using email/bbm on wifi while im there.

Ya going to the Bell center to see Jesus Price?
Go Habs Go!

**Taz.** · 11-21-2010, 09:20 PM

I live in montreal. What I would recommend you is this. If you really want BBM and SMS. Go to a telus store. Get a sim card, activate it on prepaid, put let's say 30 dollars on it.

Buy: Data + Messaging 20. ( 250 MB of data and unlimited incoming and outgoing sms )
Messaging and DataÂ*|Â* PrepaidÂ*|Â* PlansÂ*|Â* TELUS Mobility

So you will have 10 dollars left on your account. You will be able to make and receive calls for 20 cents a minute. And since this is all prepaid you can leave back to the US without any problem of contracts, payments or what ever. The number you will get will be deleted automatically after 90 days of inactivity.

Any questions

?

P.S.: I am a Habs fan, I think you are too because of your avatar

GO HABS GO !!

**chris538** · 11-21-2010, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Taz.

I live in montreal. What I would recommend you is this. If you really want BBM and SMS. Go to a telus store. Get a sim card, activate it on prepaid, put let's say 30 dollars on it.

Buy: Data + Messaging 20. ( 250 MB of data and unlimited incoming and outgoing sms )
Messaging and DataÂ*|Â* PrepaidÂ*|Â* PlansÂ*|Â* TELUS Mobility

So you will have 10 dollars left on your account. You will be able to make and receive calls for 20 cents a minute. And since this is all prepaid you can leave back to the US without any problem of contracts, payments or what ever. The number you will get will be deleted automatically after 90 days of inactivity.

Any questions

?

P.S.: I am a Habs fan, I think you are too because of your avatar

GO HABS GO !!

Well its fine. All I need is wifi, so I can get my emails, and use BBM! I dont need sms/phone while im there. I can just use my computer via google voice if i need to make calls or use sms with my number for google voice.(which I have on my phone)

. And Wifi I can use both, but if im going to be in Canada longer next time I will def do what you said, it sounds like a good plan! Thanks!

**xDAKx** · 11-22-2010, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Chris38526

Ok thanks! This is what I wanted to know and what I was planning on doing but wasnt sure.

But doing this wont affect anything right? When I come back to the usa, I will be able to just turn on the at&t network, and it should be all back to normal right?

Yes, Provided your not popping another carrier SIM into your device when your in Canada, All of your settings will be fine, and your device will connect to AT&T per usual and work just fine, just like it was when you left.

**chris538** · 11-22-2010, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by xDAKx

Yes, Provided your not popping another carrier SIM into your device when your in Canada, All of your settings will be fine, and your device will connect to AT&T per usual and work just fine, just like it was when you left.

Ok cool, thankss! Do you know if google voice works on wifi by any chance?

**xDAKx** · 11-22-2010, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Chris38526

Ok cool, thankss! Do you know if google voice works on wifi by any chance?

Personally, I've never used the Google Voice app, However from what I've been able to find within the Google Voice discussion group, It seems that it will not work on WiFi, because certain modules that it requires are disabled when you disable the mobile network connection, This could have changed, and so your likely better off trying it and seeing for yourself.

**chris538** · 11-22-2010, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by xDAKx

Personally, I've never used the Google Voice app, However from what I've been able to find within the Google Voice discussion group, It seems that it will not work on WiFi, because certain modules that it requires are disabled when you disable the mobile network connection, This could have changed, and so your likely better off trying it and seeing for yourself.

Yea its not a problem, just was curious. I also did some searching and a lot of people said, using the google voice app alone without any other 3rd party apps, it wont work on wifi.