Data connection in Canada

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Fri, 21 May 2004 08:23:46 -0700, Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org> wrote:

>On a recent train trip across most of Canada (Vancouver to Montreal), I
>tried both the voice side and the data side of my phone (VX4400B with
>North America's Choice plan).
>
>The voice side worked in all the major cities and a number of smaller
>ones. There were large stretches of relatively unpopulated area with no
>service.
>
>I didn't expect dialing #777 for data service to work, but I thought
>that dialing my ISP directly might. However, that worked only in
>Winnipeg, and nowhere else.
>
>What's different about Winnipeg? What Canadian carriers does VZW
>contract with in different parts of the country?
>
>
>
>==
>Jack Hamilton
>jfh@acm.org
>
>==
>In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and security.
>And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and security.
> Edward Gibbons

In Western Canada, the carrier is Telus. And yes, dialing #777 does
work just fine. And the best deal is the 10 dollar add-on to AC or
Singlerate.

Bob

www.arcatapet.net/bobgiddings

Current email at:
bobgiddings0 at yahoo dot com

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Bob Giddings <me@privacy.net> wrote:

>On Fri, 21 May 2004 08:23:46 -0700, Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org> wrote:
>
>>On a recent train trip across most of Canada (Vancouver to Montreal), I
>>tried both the voice side and the data side of my phone (VX4400B with
>>North America's Choice plan).
>>
>>The voice side worked in all the major cities and a number of smaller
>>ones. There were large stretches of relatively unpopulated area with no
>>service.
>>
>>I didn't expect dialing #777 for data service to work, but I thought
>>that dialing my ISP directly might. However, that worked only in
>>Winnipeg, and nowhere else.
>>
>>What's different about Winnipeg? What Canadian carriers does VZW
>>contract with in different parts of the country?
>>
>>
>>
>>==
>>Jack Hamilton
>>jfh@acm.org
>>
>>==
>>In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and security.
>>And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and security.
>> Edward Gibbons
>
>In Western Canada, the carrier is Telus. And yes, dialing #777 does
>work just fine.

Not for me - I got an authentication error.

>And the best deal is the 10 dollar add-on to AC or
>Singlerate.

What would I ask for to get that when I next visit Canada? I don't see
anything on the VZW web page that shows "add Canada" other than North
America's Choice. Is it available only to subscribers from certain
areas?

>Bob
>
>www.arcatapet.net/bobgiddings
>
>Current email at:
>bobgiddings0 at yahoo dot com


==
Jack Hamilton
jfh@acm.org

==
In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and security.
And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and security.
Edward Gibbons

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Fri, 21 May 2004 18:04:35 -0700, Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org> wrote:

sniip
>>In Western Canada, the carrier is Telus. And yes, dialing #777 does
>>work just fine.
>
>Not for me - I got an authentication error.
>
>>And the best deal is the 10 dollar add-on to AC or
>>Singlerate.
>
>What would I ask for to get that when I next visit Canada? I don't see
>anything on the VZW web page that shows "add Canada" other than North
>America's Choice. Is it available only to subscribers from certain
>areas?

All I can tell you is that I asked for any option that extended
service to Canada at a Radio Shack in Lander,Wyoming, while on
vacation last August, and they got on the phone with Verizon and said
that for 10 bucks extra they could add Canada to my plans. I used the
phone for data just like in the states, and it worked in every little
town in BC I drove through. Dialed #777. At that time I was on the
QNC network rather than Express. I was told the carrier agreement was
with Telus. I was up there and on Vancouver Island for about a month,
and it worked fine the whole time. I can only vouch for all of BC
and Lake Louise. Because there was no roaming in Canada, the AC plan
actually improved when I crossed the border going north. When I got
back to the US in September, I cancelled the Canada Calling add-on.

It is not on the web site, but then lots of things are not on the
website. They only advertise what they are pushing recently, but if
you ask, they will tell you about it. I enquired again last week here
in Texas when changing my plan, and it is still offered. It's a great
deal for 10 bucks a month, and you can add and drop it without
affecting the plan you're on. It's a feature, not a plan.

Funny story about Verizon information. The only place I couldn't get
data was in Jasper, Alberta. I could get out on voice, so I called
Verizon data service and the "tech" told me that I couldn't get data
service in Canada. I asked for his supervisor and got the same story.
I then informed them that by that time I'd been getting it for 3
weeks. "That's impossible." Sigh. Right, I called you up just to
lie to you. I hung up.

I told this story to a verizon store manager later, and he said when
that happened to him, he just called back until he got someone else.

I suggest you find a store where they seem to know something, then get
a card and call back there for help, instead of calling the 800
numbers. It's all hit or miss. They just yank these people off the
street, and most of them only know what was in the last training comic
book they were handed.

I think your problem may have been that you didn't have National
Access enabled. I find that they drop that every time they change
your plan, and you have to ask for it back. It is free. Also this
"North America Choice" plan may not include minutes of use data. They
are really pushing separate data plans now, but you don't need them if
you have minutes of use. I had it on both America's Choice and
National Singlerate.

If you can't find someone to help you where you are, try putting a
different zip code in the website, get the number of a store, and call
there to try again.

I know. Ain't this a hell of a way to run a business?


Bob

www.arcatapet.net/bobgiddings

Current email at:
bobgiddings0 at yahoo dot com

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Bob Giddings <me@privacy.net> wrote:

>All I can tell you is that I asked for any option that extended
>service to Canada at a Radio Shack in Lander,Wyoming, while on
>vacation last August, and they got on the phone with Verizon and said
>that for 10 bucks extra they could add Canada to my plans. I used the
>phone for data just like in the states, and it worked in every little
>town in BC I drove through. Dialed #777. At that time I was on the
>QNC network rather than Express. I was told the carrier agreement was
>with Telus. I was up there and on Vancouver Island for about a month,
>and it worked fine the whole time. I can only vouch for all of BC
>and Lake Louise. Because there was no roaming in Canada, the AC plan
>actually improved when I crossed the border going north. When I got
>back to the US in September, I cancelled the Canada Calling add-on.
>
>It is not on the web site, but then lots of things are not on the
>website. They only advertise what they are pushing recently, but if
>you ask, they will tell you about it. I enquired again last week here
>in Texas when changing my plan, and it is still offered. It's a great
>deal for 10 bucks a month, and you can add and drop it without
>affecting the plan you're on. It's a feature, not a plan.

How did it appear on your bill? Is there are code plan that I could
know to ask for?

>I think your problem may have been that you didn't have National
>Access enabled.

I'd go for that explanation if it didn't work anywhere - but it worked
in Winnipeg, and back in the states. Maybe there's some other setting I
need on my account.

> find that they drop that every time they change
>your plan, and you have to ask for it back. It is free. Also this
>"North America Choice" plan may not include minutes of use data. They
>are really pushing separate data plans now, but you don't need them if
>you have minutes of use. I had it on both America's Choice and
>National Singlerate.



==
Jack Hamilton
jfh@acm.org

==
In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and security.
And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and security.
Edward Gibbons

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Sat, 22 May 2004 15:52:00 -0700, Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org> wrote:


>
>>I think your problem may have been that you didn't have National
>>Access enabled.
>
>I'd go for that explanation if it didn't work anywhere - but it worked
>in Winnipeg, and back in the states. Maybe there's some other setting I
>need on my account.
>

I should have said "enabled for data access".

I don't have any of those old bills now, so I can't help you with
codes. I got it by just describing it, as it was described to me.
Good luck. I may wish I'd not dropped it.

Bob


www.arcatapet.net/bobgiddings

Current email at:
bobgiddings0 at yahoo dot com

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Sun, 23 May 2004 14:26:48 UTC, Bob Giddings <me@privacy.net> wrote:

> On Sat, 22 May 2004 15:52:00 -0700, Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org> wrote:
>
>
> >
> >>I think your problem may have been that you didn't have National
> >>Access enabled.
> >
> >I'd go for that explanation if it didn't work anywhere - but it worked
> >in Winnipeg, and back in the states. Maybe there's some other setting I
> >need on my account.
> >
>
> I should have said "enabled for data access".
>
> I don't have any of those old bills now, so I can't help you with
> codes. I got it by just describing it, as it was described to me.
> Good luck. I may wish I'd not dropped it.

Perhaps yet another one of those "now you see it, now you don't"
options.

I asked a VZ rep about this about a month ago. He swore you could no
longer get the $10 Canada add on. His solution was to drop your
current plan. Sign on for North America's Choice while in Canada.
Then Drop NA Choice and re-instate your current plan when you return.

Only problem was, I have Single Rate National access with the old
promotion which includes 2000 free weekend minutes. Those weekend
minutes would not be available going back to the SRN plan.

I expect it would pay to quiz about a dozen VerizonWireless customer
service people about this.

--
Barbara

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On 23 May 2004 22:57:38 GMT, Barbara wrote:

> Perhaps yet another one of those "now you see it, now you don't"
> options.

No it's there.

> I asked a VZ rep about this about a month ago. He swore you could no
> longer get the $10 Canada add on. His solution was to drop your
> current plan. Sign on for North America's Choice while in Canada.
> Then Drop NA Choice and re-instate your current plan when you return.

Could this be because VZ would like to push AC to avoid roaming charges from
their parthers?

> Only problem was, I have Single Rate National access with the old
> promotion which includes 2000 free weekend minutes. Those weekend
> minutes would not be available going back to the SRN plan.

Correct.

> I expect it would pay to quiz about a dozen VerizonWireless customer
> service people about this.

Yep.