US/Canada SMS & Simply Everything

[secretmethod70]

So I was recently caught by surprise when I found out my AT&T contract with unlimited messaging doesn't cover messages to/from Canada. My friend in Canada, however, gets unlimited messaging for both countries. I'm wondering, does Sprint's Simply Everything plan cover messages between US and Canada, or is it US only?

 

[jasonacg]

(short answer)
The fine print states that text messaging is within the US, to US-based phones only. Anything else is charged.

(my rant)
Sprint seems to be neglecting SMS when it comes to roaming services. I can purchase a plan that allows for data roaming outside the USA, I can get discounted roaming rates for voice calls, but there seems to be nothing to cover international SMS. I hope this oversight gets taken care of soon, especially since I'm planning to travel to Canada in the next few months. I'm there once every year, and my Sprint phone always goes with me, but this is the first time I'm going there as a Simply Everything subscriber. My old plan didn't charge me for the Canada to USA messaging, but for some reason, I just don't trust that the new plan will be so generous.

Don't expect to get a straight answer from Customer Care when you call. They don't always seem to understand how similar the networks are between the two countries, and some often mislead you into thinking that you need a different phone to go there. You don't.

 

[secretmethod70]

Well that's disappointing. At least I can take solace in knowing AT&T is no better.

 

[CoyoteBlue]

(short answer)
The fine print states that text messaging is within the US, to US-based phones only. Anything else is charged.

(my rant)
Sprint seems to be neglecting SMS when it comes to roaming services. I can purchase a plan that allows for data roaming outside the USA, I can get discounted roaming rates for voice calls, but there seems to be nothing to cover international SMS. I hope this oversight gets taken care of soon, especially since I'm planning to travel to Canada in the next few months. I'm there once every year, and my Sprint phone always goes with me, but this is the first time I'm going there as a Simply Everything subscriber. My old plan didn't charge me for the Canada to USA messaging, but for some reason, I just don't trust that the new plan will be so generous.

Don't expect to get a straight answer from Customer Care when you call. They don't always seem to understand how similar the networks are between the two countries, and some often mislead you into thinking that you need a different phone to go there. You don't.

MY rant:
I traveled to Canada on business, with my personal phone (Sprint); and got called on my personal phone from home office, and got it up the ... ahem... on the phone call (was over $100 in rates and roaming fees); and my company would not re-imburse since I did not take a 'company supplied' phone with me (which is a gunky, hideous, used like a cheap girl at a frat party Verizon phone)...

 

[jasonacg]

I looks like they've made some recent changes to the pricing structure for text messaging in Canada. If I read their site correctly, text messages to/from a US number, while in Canada, will now be included as part of a package. A US number sending or receiving a message from a non-US number, will still be charged.

Before I go, I'm going to add the roaming option, to drop voice calls to 20c/min. Since I now have such a data-heavy phone, I'll probably add their data roaming plan for $40, and drop it the month after I return. I figure that would still have to be far less expensive than paying by the kilobyte for a week and a half.

 

[Rigmaster]

Before I went to Canada, I checked with ATT and they pointed out that using my phone in Canada was possible but expensive. They had an agreement with Rogers to handle the calls, but the roaming rates were ridiculous.

I used to work with engineers who spent significant amounts of time in Canada. They advised to either do the add-on or, even better, just buy a prepaid phone in Canada. I didn't even see a prepaid sales location in Canada - wasn't looking hard for it, but they weren't just out there to be easily found.