Are you able to call Canada for free? That's not technically part of the Canada Roaming Bonus, since the 15GB MSV includes calls to Canada. Retention had offered me the 10GB for $80 plan with Canada Roaming Bonus, but they said that still didn't include calls TO Canada.
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Carrier AT&T - Free Roaming in Canada?
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Are you able to call Canada for free? That's not technically part of the Canada Roaming Bonus, since the 15GB MSV includes calls to Canada. Retention had offered me the 10GB for $80 plan with Canada Roaming Bonus, but they said that still didn't include calls TO Canada.
No, I can't call Canada from the U.S. without incurring per-minute charges. The roaming bonuses only include calls to numbers in Canada/Mexico and to numbers the U.S. when in Canada or Mexico. Right now, there are two ways to be able to call Canada or Mexico from the U.S. without incurring per-minute charges that I'm aware of:
- Sign up for a MSV plan of 15 GB or higher
- Add unlimited Canada/Mexico calling from the U.S. for $5.00/month
If I ever need unlimited calling to Canada/Mexico from the U.S., I'd choose the second option, personally, because it's substantially cheaper for me to add the feature for $5.00/month than it is to jump up to the 15 GB MSV plan ($25/month more than what I'm paying now.) I don't need the extra data so it would be a waste of money.
Going of topic a little bit, but I remember having jury duty in downtown Detroit and during lunch break I decided to walk the waterfront that Detroit shares with Windsor, Canada. I decided to use my cell phone during that walk and at the end of the month I saw a Canadian roaming charge on my bill. I called my carrier at the time (I think it was Verizon) and they quickly said the call originated from Windsor, Canada and that it was nothing they could do about it. I said "What, you gotta be kidding for I was standing in the good old U.S.A when I made that call. I'm sure people who work downtown Detroit full time don't have this problem." After a quick pause the representative said that she would have to talk to her manager, so please hold. After a few seconds she came back and said that the call probably accidently bounced or used a Canadian cell tower and the charges would be drop. My point is these roaming charges are just another way telephone companies gouge their customers. 
Going of topic a little bit, but I remember having jury duty in downtown Detroit and during lunch break I decided to walk the waterfront that Detroit shares with Windsor, Canada. I decided to use my cell phone during that walk and at the end of the month I saw a Canadian roaming charge on my bill. I called my carrier at the time (I think it was Verizon) and they quickly said the call originated from Windsor, Canada and that it was nothing they could do about it. I said "What, you gotta be kidding for I was standing in the good old U.S.A when I made that call. I'm sure people who work downtown Detroit full time don't have this problem." After a quick pause the representative said that she would have to talk to her manager, so please hold. After a few seconds she came back and said that the call probably accidently bounced or used a Canadian cell tower and the charges would be drop. My point is these roaming charges are just another way telephone companies gouge their customers.
I have not experienced that problem at all in Downtown Detroit with T-Mobile. In fact, I had the opposite problem, after crossing the border into Windsor once, my phone was still hanging on to a weak and unusable T-Mobile signal for dear life before it eventually switched to one of the local carriers. Got to drive around Windsor completely lost for a bit until Google Maps could get a data connection and re-route me.
I've had a different experience with Verizon when crossing an international border by car as opposed to your experience with T-Mo. Usually within 30 seconds of driving away from the Customs booth, I've gotten a text message from Verizon welcoming me to the other country and reminding me of what the roaming rates are for calls and texts. I'm with AT&T again and I haven't crossed an international border since I switched back to them, but if memory serves from having them years ago, AT&T also sends a text when you cross an international border.
I've yet to have the issue where my call routes through an international cell tower when I'm still Stateside, but I'm sure it happens from time to time if the international tower has a stronger signal than the U.S. tower.
Thanks for confirming that. It is a bit strange that if you're in Canada near the border, you have to look at the phone to make sure that you are NOT connected to AT&T in order to make a call to a Canadian number. Before free Canadian roaming, you used to have to look at the phone to make sure that you ARE connected to AT&T.
Yeah, strange how that works now, isn't it? The way the industry is going (largely thanks to T-Mo), it wouldn't surprise me at all if AT&T and Verizon include Canada and Mexico roaming automatically on all their mobile share plans within the next year or two.
I believe the 15GB MSV plans have calling to Mexico and Canada now. (Not sure about lower plans).
You can add Canada Roaming Bonus for free by calling retentions at 611 and just asking, that gets you calling/texting in Canada and to the US and 1GB of data use. It's the same as the Mexico Roaming Bonus below, but you can't add it on-line (you can only see it after retention adds it).
Not sure if they still have Mexico Roaming Bonus that gets you calling/texting in Mexico and to the US and 1GB of data use. You could sign up on-line, but not sure if it's there any more, check with retentions if you don't see it.
They just added May 20th the New! Roam Mexico plan for 15GB MSV plans that gets you calling/texting in Mexico and to the US which uses your data pool. You can sign up for this on-line.
The new offering, effective 5/20 allows free calling and texting to/from anywhere in North America, as well as allowing you to use your contracted data anywhere in North America.
The only restrictions pertain to using more than 50% of your voice or data in Mexico or Canada for 2 consecutive months. If that occurs, AT&T may drop your no roaming in NA benefit.
From what I've read, the North America coverage is only for people on an Unlimited Plan. Others with >=15GB get Mexico, but for Canada will still need the roaming bonus. Additionally, the Mexico coverage is only within Mexico and from Mexico to US. Not US to Mexico.
I do have an unlimited plan, and the "add on" was free. I also confirmed with two different AT&T reps (two separate calls to AT&T) that the calls/texts are to/from anywhere within North America - in the US to Canada, the US and Mexico; in Canada to Canada, the US and Mexico; and from Mexico to Canada, the US and Mexico.
Here's somethinf interesting: https://m.att.com/shopmobile/wirele...-plan.html?referrer=https%3A//www.google.com/
That chart shows free calls TO Mexico AND Canada, for those on just >=15GB plans. Seems unnecessarily confusing: If you're in Canada, and even if you have the Canada roaming bonus, you still can't call back to the US?
That chart shows free calls TO Mexico AND Canada, for those on just >=15GB plans. Seems unnecessarily confusing: If you're in Canada, and even if you have the Canada roaming bonus, you still can't call back to the US?
Yes, it is confusing. What you get depends on whether you're on AT&T's Mobile Share Value plan or its Unlimited plan. And the Unlimited Plan requires bundled TV service, at least according to the information shown on my account page. The fact that the benefits for Canada and Mexico for the Roaming Bonus plans differ adds to the confusion.
I have friends who live in that area and have regularly had that problem.
Going of topic a little bit, but I remember having jury duty in downtown Detroit and during lunch break I decided to walk the waterfront that Detroit shares with Windsor, Canada. I decided to use my cell phone during that walk and at the end of the month I saw a Canadian roaming charge on my bill. I called my carrier at the time (I think it was Verizon) and they quickly said the call originated from Windsor, Canada and that it was nothing they could do about it. I said "What, you gotta be kidding for I was standing in the good old U.S.A when I made that call. I'm sure people who work downtown Detroit full time don't have this problem." After a quick pause the representative said that she would have to talk to her manager, so please hold. After a few seconds she came back and said that the call probably accidently bounced or used a Canadian cell tower and the charges would be drop. My point is these roaming charges are just another way telephone companies gouge their customers.
Here's the link to the info on AT&T's website:
http://about.att.com/story/new_roaming_benefits_to_mexico_and_canada.html
And here's the pertinent part about calls and data usage "in and between Mexico and the United States". It appears that the AT&T unlimited plan is required for the Canadian roaming. Apologies for any confusion that I caused.
Ok, here is my story about the Mexico & Canada roaming plans.
I previously had the mexico 1gb bonus when I started service, and obtained the Canada 1 gb bonus through contacting the retentions department and having it added a few months ago.
On friday, I attempted to get the Mexico roaming bonus, first via the myat&t iPad app, then via the web site. In all cases, it was not showing any of the new plans. The only option was to change me plan from a 15gb to a new 15gb.
I called the normal customer service, and attempted to get them added over the phone. The customer service person was able to add the new Roam Mexico plan to both of the iPhones, but she were unable to add it to the iPad due to a computer error in their software (at least that is what they told me.) I was told to call back in a couple of days, and she restored the 1 gb mexico plan in the meantime.
Today, I called the normal customer service to attempt to get the new mexico service added to my iPad. At first, the customer service rep said I already had the mexico plan, she had confused with the old mexico bonus with the new roaming plan. Then she put my on hold and added what she says is the correct plan.
Looking at my account, I realized that she removed both the canada bonus, and the mexico bonus plan. She had then added the north american roaming data plan to my iPad, vs just the mexico roaming data plan. I did't think I was eligible for that as I have the 15gb plan, but I will gladly take upgraded north america plan vs my old 1gb canada & 1 gb mexico plan.
I previously had the mexico 1gb bonus when I started service, and obtained the Canada 1 gb bonus through contacting the retentions department and having it added a few months ago.
On friday, I attempted to get the Mexico roaming bonus, first via the myat&t iPad app, then via the web site. In all cases, it was not showing any of the new plans. The only option was to change me plan from a 15gb to a new 15gb.
I called the normal customer service, and attempted to get them added over the phone. The customer service person was able to add the new Roam Mexico plan to both of the iPhones, but she were unable to add it to the iPad due to a computer error in their software (at least that is what they told me.) I was told to call back in a couple of days, and she restored the 1 gb mexico plan in the meantime.
Today, I called the normal customer service to attempt to get the new mexico service added to my iPad. At first, the customer service rep said I already had the mexico plan, she had confused with the old mexico bonus with the new roaming plan. Then she put my on hold and added what she says is the correct plan.
Looking at my account, I realized that she removed both the canada bonus, and the mexico bonus plan. She had then added the north american roaming data plan to my iPad, vs just the mexico roaming data plan. I did't think I was eligible for that as I have the 15gb plan, but I will gladly take upgraded north america plan vs my old 1gb canada & 1 gb mexico plan.
Wow, strange. I was able to go into the myAT&T app on my iphone, and switch to the "New! Roam Mexico" plan really easily. I wonder why it wasn't available for you. Typical silliness that makes the life of the customer more of a pain than it should be.
I called to verify the 'free calls to Canada from US' part of the new roam Mexico plan, and the rep confirmed it. Odd they shoved that into a Mexico roaming plan, but I'll more than take it!
This is still the case - I just got Canada Roaming and an extra 5GB as well.
Be polite to retentions, and they'll help you out. B^)
Handy feature. Just got back from my week in Canada with no extra fees. Didn't come close to my data cap, and never missed a call or text. It was great!