[Total Heckler]

For all of you guys who have been up there, what is the best way to be able to use your phone with AT&T service up there?

I was thinking turning off mobile services and only using wifi and skype on my phone. But that means I am pretty limited to areas where wifi is available for anything. Is it worth switching to a international plan for the 10 days I am there?

Any tips/tricks to not get totally screwed with a giant bill would be awesome.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

at&t canada access sucks for americans...its expensive and you dont get anything...

i turn off data on my iPhone when in canada, our house has wifi, and limit the hell out of texts...

call them they have a 50 txt - 60 min plan or something for a small price

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

actually dont do anything and stream netflix the entire time.

 

[drkenan]

actually dont do anything and stream netflix the entire time.

For real though, when I went I would turn on my phone once a day and send/receive text messages. They're $0.50 each. Internet should be easy to come by.

 

[cableguy]

I did that the 1st time and was a waste. Too busy riding and hanging anyway. Use Wifi and texts which are like 0.20-25 cents.

 

[bdamschen]

I did that the 1st time and was a waste. Too busy riding and hanging anyway. Use Wifi and texts which are like 0.20-25 cents.

That's what I'm talking about. I didn't even bother with a phone when I went, you'll be too busy riding/partying to worry about checking your voice mail or posting on ridemonkey

 

[DHJUNKIE]

verizon says texts in canada are free for US users.. least thats what i just did when i was there.. i just texted home a few times so we shall see if they charged me.

 

[spornographer]

i just went recently...with the plan i have (friends and family maybe?), incoming texts were free and i bought 50 outgoing texts for $10 (i think). w/o that plan, the texts were .50 a piece. turn off data roaming and even cellular data just to be safe. wifi is the way to do it. you can skype via phone on wifi for free, too. they had a calling option that took the price per minute from .79 to .59 (or something like that) and i didn't bother with it.

[edit: photo texts are not available to send or receive w/ data roaming/cell data turned off]

 

[djjohnr]

If it doesn't cost too much I'll just switch my plan next time. I was just there and it was 1.95 a min for calls and 14.95 a meg for data. I turned off data roaming and kept it in airplane mode unless I was at the hotel w/ wifi. Next time I'll just get an add on plan for the trip.

 

[ChrisKring]

I just checked the text that AT&T sent me when I crossed the border on the way up there 3 weeks ago. $15.36/MB for data. I turned data off instantly. We got caught in a traffic jam just south of Vancouver so I turned data on and looked at Google maps and blew threw 300Kb in less than a minute so I shut it back off. Once in Whistler, there is enough wifi that you don't need cell data.

Not sure how much the package is for Canada data. If you call AT&T, they will be happy to sell t to you. It's $200/month for up to 200MB of data when I travel to Europe for work. You need to tell them what countries you will be in otherwise they will charge you even more if you use data in another country. They do prorate it though if you shut the package off once you get home.

It doesn't matter anyway though because who are you going to call when you're in Whistler. You should be riding 10am to 8pm. After that, you just will want to eat and sleep. I also recommend Tommy Africas on Friday or Saturday night.

 

[CLos]

You can also use an international calling card and save $$. Pick them up at
any Wal-Mart ect, and then dial the# on the card directly from your cell phone then whoever you need to call. You can call people from the lift and let them know how it sucks to be them because you are at Whistler and they are not!!! Once it runs out just pick up another.

 

[meattray]

they have plans that include canada just change your plan you can receive call but not data. its not much more a month but you can change your plan back once youre back

 

[stoney]

turn your phone off while there. check you email from the lodge.

 

[Full Trucker]

Ya'll gun bein WHISTLER. Ya ain't need a got dayum phone... turnnem shiz off an ride ya bike, for Chrissakes.

 

[wildcard]

get a rogers (cell company) pay as you go SIM card and swap it out... Roaming is not cheap and it sucks not being able to use your phone.

T-mobile has Wifi calling and any time you are on wifi, calls and texts are free, even if roaming internationally. I did that last time, but next time I am just going to get a local SIM card, swap it and not worry about it.

 

[Total Heckler]

I want to keep in touch with my wife while I am there and she is at home (those of you who are married will understand).

It sounds like I am going to try and just use the Skype app on my phone for text and voice calls. I may pick up a international calling card too just in case the Skype thing doesn't work out.

But from what it sounds like it shouldn't be too big a problem assuming that there are wifi networks available throughout the resort.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

[stoney]

I want to keep in touch with my wife while I am there and she is at home (those of you who are married will understand).

It sounds like I am going to try and just use the Skype app on my phone for text and voice calls. I may pick up a international calling card too just in case the Skype thing doesn't work out.

But from what it sounds like it shouldn't be too big a problem assuming that there are wifi networks available throughout the resort.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Wait, you're married and WANT to keep in touch with your wife? You're doing it wrong.

 

[morethanjake543]

There are plenty of wifi spots near the lifts for you to get your cuppa and skype on. I bought ten dollars of skype minutes and got by with a few small conversations from that coffee shop right next to the glc. I was only there for a week but it worked out.

When are you going up? I've been off the forms for a bit with start-up business, but I'm finally getting back up to whistler around the 29th. Woo.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

I want to keep in touch with my wife while I am there and she is at home (those of you who are married will understand).

That's only because you've been married a short time. When you have been married for a while it's a welcome break

 

[Total Heckler]

haha you guys are funny.

Got the bike packed up last night with all of my gear. Still doesn't feel like I am finally going to Whistler after 6 years of planning trips that fell through.

 

[drkenan]

haha you guys are funny.

Got the bike packed up last night with all of my gear. Still doesn't feel like I am finally going to Whistler after 6 years of planning trips that fell through.

Are you doing the ole' take-my-bike-apart-put-it-into-2-suitcases trick? I did that last time and it worked great but I'm thinking of actually shipping mine when I go in September.

 

[Total Heckler]

I broke it down and put it in a bike box with my gear. Checking it as luggage. It is only $50 each way on Alaska Air.

 

[drkenan]

Are you and Da Peach gonna meet up for a little game of grab-ass?