How do I get a SIM, internet and call home?

Get a Canadian number in your first days: landlords, banks and employers will ask for one. Mobile plans cost more than in the UK, so it pays to compare. Home internet is ordered separately and can take a week or two to install.

The carriers

The sister brands (sometimes called flankers) use the same networks for less money, with fewer extras. Coverage is strong in cities and along main highways but thin in the north and in parts of the countryside, so check the coverage map for where you’ll live and drive.

Your first SIM

Prepaid plans are the easy start: you pay each month in advance, with no credit check. Postpaid plans bill you monthly and may need a credit check or a deposit if you have no Canadian credit history.

• Check your UK phone is unlocked. In Canada, phones must now be sold unlocked and carriers can’t charge to unlock them
• Most new phones support eSIM, so you can set up a Canadian number before or as soon as you land
• Plans are sold by data allowance. Calls and texts within Canada are usually unlimited; long-distance and US roaming vary
• Look for promotions around Black Friday and back-to-school, when carriers cut prices
• Taxes are added on top of the advertised price

Check live prices on the carriers’ websites

Your rights under the Wireless Code

The CRTC (the telecoms regulator, like Ofcom) sets the Wireless Code for mobile contracts.

• Contracts can’t be longer than 2 years, and you can leave at any time; early cancellation fees are limited
• A 15-day trial: cancel a new contract free if you used less than half your monthly limits
• Data overage charges are capped at C$50 a month and roaming at C$100 a month unless you agree to more
• You must get a plain-language contract and a summary of key terms

Home internet

Home internet is sold by Bell, Rogers, Telus, Vidéotron and smaller independent providers. Ask your landlord which providers serve the building: in some apartments only one or two can install. Order a week or two before you move in. Many providers bundle TV and mobile, and prices often jump after a promotional period ends, so note the date.

The time difference

Canada spans six time zones. Canada’s clocks change on different dates from the UK’s, so the gap shifts for a few weeks each spring and autumn. UK clocks go back on 25 October 2026 and Canada’s on 1 November 2026.

A 9am call in Toronto is 2pm in the UK; an evening call from Vancouver reaches the UK after midnight, so weekend mornings are the easiest time to catch family.

Calling home and your UK number

• The emergency number is 911 (not 999), free from any phone
• Numbers starting 1-800, 1-888 and similar are toll-free within Canada and the US
• To call the UK from Canada dial 011, then 44, then the number without the first 0
• Wifi calling and messaging apps are the cheapest way to keep in touch
• UK roaming in Canada can be expensive: check your provider’s rates
• Many UK banks send security codes by text. Decide whether to keep a cheap UK plan, or switch the bank to app-based security, before you go
• If a problem with your provider isn’t sorted, complain free to the CCTS (Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services)