iPad AT&T Canadian 3G coverage

[lashobe]

We are joining the Desolation Sound entourage and have a iPad as back up nav. Does anyone know if AT&T has 3G coverage along the way if one purchases international? Would appreciate any feedback on short term 3G coverage available without a subscription in British Columbia coastal waters.

 

[BaseCampAnne]

Another question re the Desolation Sound Trip:

Is there a recommendation to carry any extra water and fuel if hoping to be out for a couple of weeks? I am imagining fueling up probably will be less challenging once we arrive and spread out...

Also I am wondering if some folks will have an "open calendar" once we arrive? I hope to hang out awhile since it takes a lot of time and fuel to get up there and it is a beautiful area to practice boat camping "on the hook."

Thanks in advance for any feedback 🙂

 

[Lobo]

3G coverage is available for a lot of the area your cruise will take you. Howver -- it is from Canadian providers. If you do not get a "Canada plan" from your USA provider you will probably have to refinance your boat to pay your cel phone bill -- a nice reminder of your cruise. Contact your USA provider and get a Canada plan. Don't expect on having the same service levels in the wilds of BC as you have in downtown USA. For communicating with the folks back home you might find texting better as it can function on a weaker signal. The main providers in Canada that your USA provider may use include Bell and Telus.

Plan "B": Turn it off and enjoy the bliss!

Dave

 

[JamesTXSD]

One thing we did while in the Trent-Severn part of Canada we purchase a Virgin Mobile "pay as you go" phone. We have a good OLD plan with Verizon that we didn't want to give up. Making any kind of a change to our plan meant the old plan would go away. It was less expensive to get a "Canada coverage" phone than to add (and change) our current plan. No, we didn't have data on that phone, but we were able to find wifi in quite a few places. When we cruised Desolation Sound and the areas around that, we had a few nights without data, but once off the hook and into marinas, some type of wifi (at a cost) was available.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

PS We mostly wanted the phone so family could contact us, in case of emergency.