Driving abroad

Will your Canadian phone work in the US?

Your phone can work across the border if the device and plan support it. Check coverage and the price for your particular line before leaving. The carrier’s name alone does not answer the question.

Facts checked September 2026. Every number links to its source; prices and rules change, so confirm the day you travel.

Check the plan, then the daily option

Prices reviewed September 24, 2026, in Canadian dollars. These are the daily options, not quotes for every account.

Carrier	Published US option	Check first
Rogers	US daily roaming, CA$16 per day.	Whether your plan already includes the US or a trip pass costs less.
Bell	Roam Better, CA$13 per day, ending at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.	Whether you have a Canada/US plan. Roam Better can reduce speed after 5 GB per day.
TELUS	Easy Roam US, CA$16 per day.	Whether US use is included. TELUS also sells multi-day US passes. Check its site for current prices.
Freedom	US use is included on qualifying plans. Check the rate for your specific plan.	Your plan’s country list and data allowance. Do not assume an older plan has current inclusions.

Rogers roaming options · Bell Roam Better · Bell roaming FAQ · TELUS Easy Roam · Freedom roaming terms.

What starts a charge?

Bell says avoiding its roaming charge means turning off data roaming and not making or answering calls or sending texts. Airplane mode is another option.

Do not treat every carrier’s “day” as 24 hours from arrival. Bell’s daily period ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Check the clock, activation trigger and expiry for the exact pass you buy.

Bell roaming FAQ.

The network can change before the border

Your phone can connect to the other country’s network near the border. Bell explicitly warns about Canadian phones picking up a US network while still in Canada. Check the displayed network rather than waiting for the customs booth.

If you do not want cellular roaming, change the settings before approaching the border. Ask your carrier about manual home-network selection. It can leave you without ordinary service when that network is out of range.

Bell roaming FAQ.

Airplane mode and Wi-Fi

For a Wi-Fi-only trip, turn on airplane mode and then enable Wi-Fi. Check that cellular service remains off, including any second SIM. This also means ordinary cellular calls and texts will not arrive.

Do not assume your carrier’s Wi-Fi Calling is an internet call with no charge. Check its billing rules or use an internet messaging app over Wi-Fi. Turn airplane mode off if you need to attempt a cellular emergency call.

Bell roaming FAQ.

Download the route before leaving

In Google Maps, download the full driving area while online. Offline driving navigation needs the route inside the downloaded area. Offline maps do not supply live traffic or alternative routes.

Save your accommodation address and the mile-marker guide. Read the border-crossing checklist before leaving.

Driving into Canada · Driving into the US · Phone use in Canada · Phone use in the US · Canada hub · US visitor-driving guide · Find your mile marker · Cross-border rental rules

British Columbia · Alberta · Ontario · Quebec · Nova Scotia · Northwest Territories.

I-5 at Blaine · Border wait times.

Google Maps offline help.

911 still needs a connection

The National 911 Program says phones without an active service plan can call 911. They still need a usable network connection. Without active service, the call centre may not get your location and cannot call you back.

Give the road number, direction and known mile marker or exit. Read the location-reporting guide. A mile-marker app does not place the emergency call for you.

National 911 Program.

Know exactly where you are — live

Your mile marker shows even offline. Live DOT alerts and the nearest camera on your route are part of MileCheck Premium and need a connection to update. Runs on CarPlay and Android Auto.

iOS App Store Google Play