Cell Phone

You can switch to freedom mobile, pay $80 a month, they have a plan that costs no extra to go to other countries. keep your current number. It’s much cheaper. As long as you don’t stay in DR permanently, and go back to Canada through the year.

coverage isn’t quite as good but worth saving a few hundred a month.

@michaelbatt1967

One of the concerns you may have to consider with "DR prepay" is your ability to receive banks or company text/notifications/calls on the DR number.

@michaelbatt1967

Welcome to the forums! 

Hi Mike,

I live on the opposite side of Canada. We are about 7000 kms apart in the summer. I am a snow bird for many years and I bought a Samsung phone for $200.00 here in La Romana. I am on a plan that costs $800 pesos a month (cheap but maybe you need more data). I easily call Canada if necessary. I keep my Canadian phone operational but do not use it down here. I just pay the monthly fee of $20.00 (Lucky Mobile) and let is sit while in the D.R. In both cases, wifi provides sufficient access for my needs.

I use Altice as my provider and they automatically debit my credit card each month. I have been doing that plan for 3 years. Never a problem.

@michaelbatt1967

Hi Mike, I am from Canada as well and also on Telus. I purchased an eSIM from Airalo with 5g data for 30 days $38 and it worked great - works on Claro and Altice . Used wifi where I stay so didn’t use up the 5g. You can buy less and top up if needed. Most newer phones are set up for eSIM. It is only data however and no voice or texting. However everyone uses WhatsApp app here and it works on cell data. I made sure any of my family/friends were on WhatsApp but most travel anyway. I also bought an unlimited calling plan from Skype that allows calls to landlines and mobiles from your cell phone. $5 or 6 unlimited calling, worked great. If you are not used to WhatsApp you need it here. It’s like FaceTime, phone, text, email all in one.

Mike, @tylerbruce7 mentioned a good plan from Freedom. Telus also has a similar plan also about $80 but that might increase the cost of your plan the rest of the year when you don’t need it. Telus rep suggested it to me but the cost didn’t make sense because my existing plan is ridiculously cheap. Maybe the differential wouldn’t be that different for you. Worth checking

@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56

Ps from Canada

Thanks everyone for the information. it was very helpful.

@michaelbatt1967

Do you have Freedom in NL? We are from Ontario and just switched. They had a really good deal going earlier this year for Worldwide Roaming + 75 gb data for ~$50 cdn./ month.

No we don’t. Our choices are basically Telus or Bell. Going to check with Telus about an international plan today. Just to see what they have.