Planning your trip
Canada and USA eSIM: calling is not roaming
Understand US calling versus US roaming. Compare CanadianSIM’s current prepaid and monthly offers before a Canada–USA trip.
The essentials
What to know first
- Calling destination
Where the person you call is located.
- Roaming country
Where you are when you use the mobile service.
- Prepaid restriction
The current 20 GB and 90 GB packages are Canada-only.
In this guide
Calling a US number from Canada and using your phone while you are in the USA are different services. A package can include the first and exclude the second. Check both before planning a Canada–USA trip.
| What you want to do | Feature you need | Do not confuse it with |
|---|---|---|
| Call a US hotel while you are in Toronto | Calls from Canada to US numbers | Roaming after crossing the border. |
| Use maps while you drive in New York State | Data service in the USA | A Canadian data allowance or US calling allowance. |
| Receive native calls while staying in the USA | Voice service while roaming in the USA | Receiving app messages over Wi-Fi. |
| Send a message through an internet app | Internet access from Wi-Fi or a supported mobile data plan | Included traditional SMS. |
How CanadianSIM’s current offers differ
| Offer | Calls to the USA from Canada | Use in the USA |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid 20 GB / 30 days, CAD40 before tax | Not included in the advertised calling allowance | No US roaming. |
| Prepaid 90 GB / 30 days, CAD55 before tax | Included | No US roaming. |
| Rogers 100 GB, CAD40/month before tax | Not listed in the advertised Canada-wide allowance | US roaming is not included in this advertised offer. |
| Rogers 120 GB, CAD50/month before tax | Included | Canada/USA roaming is included, subject to the current plan terms. |
Sources: CanadianSIM prepaid plans and CanadianSIM monthly plans. The monthly offers are presented for qualifying longer stays of 90 days or more. A roaming feature is not a reason to ignore those eligibility and billing requirements.
Example: Toronto, then a weekend in Buffalo
The 90 GB prepaid package can cover the included call from Toronto to a Buffalo hotel. It will not provide US mobile data once you cross the border. Arrange a suitable US or multi-country service for that part of the trip, or another supported connection. Save the route and accommodation details offline before the crossing.
If you have a qualifying monthly 120 GB offer, read its Canada/USA roaming conditions and verify that the exact plan on your order includes them. Do not assume the same allowance applies to Mexico, a third country, a cruise or an aircraft connection.
Before changing countries
- List each country and the dates you will be there.
- Identify which line supplies data, native calls and SMS in each country.
- Review the selected plan’s roaming countries and the home carrier’s charges.
- Save installation and support instructions while you still have a connection.
- Check that automatic data switching will not choose a line with unintended charges.
If you need two mobile lines
Your phone must support the chosen combination of physical SIM and eSIM, and it must be unlocked for the intended carriers. The phone checker helps with the SIM-format checks. The dual-SIM guide explains the line-selection questions.
Questions before you buy
Does unlimited USA calling mean my data works in the USA?
No. Calling destinations and roaming countries are separate terms.
Will the CanadianSIM prepaid eSIM work in the USA?
The current 20 GB and 90 GB prepaid offers are Canada-only and exclude US roaming.
Can I keep using WhatsApp over Wi-Fi?
Internet apps can use a working Wi-Fi connection. That does not add native calling, SMS or roaming service to the mobile plan.
Sources and review
Checked October 16, 2026. Plan terms and device support can change. Use the current provider information when ordering.