I’ve constantly been on the lookout for an affordable way to stay on the grid while in the States—be able to make calls, texts, and get data. So far, this is the best option I’ve come across.
Canadian blogger from Calculated Traveller Mary Chong tested out two options: A Roam Mobility SIM Card, and a Liberty USA Travel Hotspot.
The SIM card plans go as low as $3.95 a day for talk, text, and data. You can also break it up if data is the only thing you want—it’s as low as $0.01 per MB. They also have a special snowbird plan starting at $39.95 per month.
The SIM card can easily be bought from a retail reseller or online on the Roam Mobility website. Just activate the SIM card, plop it into your unlocked phone once you reach the Canada/USA border, and you can talk and text to anyone in either country. You can also get unlimited data. Absolutely helpful for mapping your way to a restaurant or back to your hotel.
The Liberty USA Travel Hotspot is purely for Internet access. It’s a personal hotspot you can plug into your laptop or tablet to receive data from anywhere in the US. Why is this helpful when you can get free wi-fi at coffee shops or restaurants? Our top reason is security—having a personal, locked wi-fi signal means that no one will be able to access the information you’re downloading or uploading onto the internet.
Need more info? Read on to see what Mary has to say about both the Roam Mobility SIM card and the Liberty USA Travel Hotspot.