It doesn’t have to be stated that one needs a mobile phone with a great coverage and a data package.
In Canada, the phone service providers can be divided into four groups.
What a student may find it interesting is that most of the companies in the lower tiers are owned by one of the Big 3 companies.
Canada is the world’s 2nd largest country and large swaths of land are still uninhabited, so a good network is important. The Big 3 have the best network coverage. But they tend to pricey as well.
The 2nd tier companies also provide the same network coverage as their Tier 1 owners but data might be restricted. If you are living in rural areas of Canada, the coverage might be poor.
The regional providers may have great offers but if you are travelling between provinces check whether the network coverage is good.
There are other providers but they mostly operate in urban areas.
Which Service?
Generally, Canadian telecom prices tend to be on their higher side compared to many other countries.
Almost all service providers have special offers for students and they differ region to region, company to company. So, check whether any of the providers have flyers in your educational institution. Also, visit the provider stores locally.
Check their websites as well.
Key Features
- Almost all companies offer no-contract services
- There are pay-as-you-go options
- There are bring your own device (BYOD) options though check whether your phone from outside of Canada will work efficiently here, given the different frequencies.
- Whatever offer you get, ensure you pay on time. This will help you build your credit rating in Canada.