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Wireless Roaming

Travel the world with Primus Wireless

Primus Wireless uses GSM technology, which is the world standard for wireless communications. With our roaming agreements, you can use your phone in over 160 countries to stay connected with family, friends, and business associates from almost anywhere in the world.

Primus Wireless customers enjoy:

  • Extensive global wireless coverage
  • Competitive roaming rates
  • Reliable services that follow you as you travel

United States Travel

U.S. roaming is automatically activated with your Primus Wireless service. From the East Coast to the West Coast, and almost everywhere in between, Primus Wireless offers you extensive coverage within the continental U.S., plus coverage in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Enjoy competitive rates from Primus Wireless!

(a) Coverage

GSM networks in the U.S. operate on the same frequency as in Canada (850 and 1900 MHz). This means that your Primus Wireless phone will work in the U.S.

Please note that your wireless services will work in the U.S. just as they do in Canada, but there may be locations where services may not be available.

The map below shows you approximate GSM coverage while in the U.S.:

Note: This U.S. coverage map is a general representation of wireless coverage. The areas shown are approximate and subject to change. Actual coverage may vary and reception depends on system availability and capacity, system repairs and modifications, customer equipment, signal strength, as well as topographical, environmental and other conditions. Wireless handsets used in moving vehicles without an installed handsfree car kit will not receive optimal service quality and will pose a safety hazard. The coverage area is based on the most recent public information available as of June 2005.


(b) Pricing (all rates are in Canadian dollars)

 Call Type Rate
 Local call (outgoing) Airtime + 95¢ roaming
 Incoming call Airtime + 95¢ roaming + 25¢ long distance
Long distance call within the U.S. and to Canada Airtime + 95¢ roaming + 75¢ long distance
International long distance call Airtime + 95¢ roaming + long distance
Text messaging
Send
Receive
20¢ per message
20¢ per message
 GPRS (Data) 5¢ per kilobyte, billed in 1Kb increments

Note: All calls made or received in the U.S. are billed on a per-minute basis and are billed in Canadian dollars. Roaming usage is not included with any monthly rate plan or feature. The charges associated with roaming in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on the Cingular Wireless or the AT&T Wireless network are the same as other U.S. roaming charges. International calls are based on the local U.S. GSM operator's rates. To call any country long distance other than Canada while roaming in the U.S., you must first activate international calling by contacting Primus Customer Service.

International Travel

Going abroad? Perfect! With Primus Wireless’ international coverage, feel secure knowing that you can keep in touch with the people that matter most to you.

Please note that international long distance is not automatically provided with your Primus Wireless service. To activate international roaming, you will need to call customer service at 1-800-806-3273 and may be subject to a credit check.

(a) Handsets


For most countries, you'll need a handset that works on different frequency bands than in Canada.



  Type of Handset Where the handset can be used
Quad-band
(850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
All countries except Anguilla, Ecuador, Japan, Montserrat, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, South Korea, and Turks & Caicos Islands.
 Tri-band
(900/1800/1900 MHz)
Anguilla, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Montserrat, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and more than 60 countries that do not require multi-band handsets
Tri-band
(850/1800/1900)
Anguilla, Ecuador, Montserrat, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos Islands, and countries that do not require multi-bands.
 GPRS (Data) Anguilla, Ecuador, Montserrat, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos Islands, and countries that do not require multi-bands.


Multi-band handsets are not required for roaming in Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the U.S. Roaming in Japan or South Korea requires special rental handsets.



(b) Roaming in Japan


Roaming in Japan on the Vodafone or NTT DoCoMo networks requires the use of a special W-CDMA (3G) handset and your Primus SIM card. You can rent these special handsets at Tokyo’s Narita airport or Osaka’s Kansai airport.


For more information on roaming in Japan, please visit Vodafone or NTT DoCoMo.



(c) Roaming in South Korea


Roaming in South Korea requires the use of a special CDMA handset and your Primus Wireless SIM card. The CDMA handsets can be rented at the airport when you arrive.


For more information on roaming in South Korea, please visit KT Freetel or SK Telecom.


(d) Coverage & Pricing (all rates are in Canadian dollars)


To make calling while traveling simpler, Primus Wireless has introduced 5 international roaming zones. In each zone, you’ll enjoy a flat rate per minute that depends on the type of call made (Local outgoing calls, incoming calls, long distance calls to Canada & the US, international long distance calls).

When roaming internationally, you are allowed to make local calls and receive calls. As well, you are allowed to make long distance calls back to Canada.

Please select a country from pop up PDF file to see the new roaming rates, and also to confirm that we have an international roaming agreement with your traveling destination. Check whether voice and/or data roaming are available.

Notes:
• Roaming usage is charged on a per minute basis and is rounded up to the next minute
• Airtime applies to all calls
• All charges are billed directly to your Primus Wireless account in Canadian funds. Foreign taxes may apply.
• GPRS data services are offered on a 'per-Operator' basis in countries where GPRS roaming is available. This means you must select the Operator on your wireless device to access GPRS services
• While international roaming is available in over 160 countries, please be aware that coverage is limited to the partner’s network footprint, and may not be available everywhere within a country.
• When you roam internationally, calls left in your Voice Messaging and other forwarded calls will be charged for two portions: the incoming call portion according to the country you are in and the outgoing call portion according to the network on which you are roaming. These charges may apply if you don't answer a call, have left the network coverage area, or have switched off your handset. To save on call forwarding charges while roaming, program your Primus Wireless phone to forward "all" calls (unconditional call forwarding) to your Voice Messaging service when you don't need to answer your calls. Don't forget, however, to re-program your Primus Wireless phone to forward calls "when unavailable" (conditional call forwarding) when you're ready to answer your calls again. You can also "cancel all" call forwarding, and your cell phone will simply keep ringing if you don't answer, but the unanswered calls will not go to your Voice Messaging service.
• International roaming charges may appear on your invoice up to 120 days after they were made.



How To Make a Call While Roaming:

  U.S. Dialing Instructions  
      Local Call: Dial (area code) and 7-digit phone number
      Long Distance Call: Dial 1 (area code) and 7-digit phone number
      Overseas Call: Dial 011 (country code) (city code) and phone number
International Dialing Instructions  
      Local Call: Dial local phone number
      Long Distance Call to
      Canada or the United States:
Dial + [plus sign] 1 [North America country code] (area code) and 7-digit phone number
       Long Distance Call to
       Another Country:
Dial + [plus sign] (country code)
and phone number


Terms and Conditions:
Primus Wireless cannot guarantee that 911 or other operator-dependent emergency services, data transmission or certain services such as Call Display, Text Messaging or others that are operator-dependent will be available wherever you travel. All coverage indications are approximate and subject to change without notice. Primus reserves the right to withdraw or change, at anytime and without notice, the products and services listed here as well as their pricing.

Call anywhere in the world for less!

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