Getting connected when you arrive
You’ll need a Canadian phone number within your first days — banks, schools, landlords and employers all expect one. The easiest options:
- eSIM: if your phone supports it and is unlocked, buy online before you fly and activate on landing
- SIM from a store: you can buy one at a carrier store after you land, but prices are usually better online
- Bring your own phone (BYOP): make sure it’s unlocked before you leave home
Price snapshot
Canadian phone prices change often — sometimes weekly. These are plans for bringing your own phone, checked in early October 2026:
| Brand | Example plans | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Public Mobile | $24 / 5 GB · $30 / 35 GB · $35 / 50 GB (5G) | Prepaid, online-only support, Telus network |
| Freedom Mobile | $35 / 10 GB · $40 / 70 GB | Lower prices than the big three; coverage strongest in cities |
| Koodo | $40 / 10 GB (student deal) · $60 / 100 GB | Telus network, in-store support |
| Fido | From $45 / 20 GB with autopay | Rogers network |
| Lucky Mobile, Chatr | From $19; about $35 / 30 GB with auto-pay | Budget prepaid brands |
Prices may require autopay or be limited-time offers. Check the carrier’s site before you buy.
Which should you pick?
- Tightest budget: Public Mobile’s $24–$30 plans are hard to beat if you’re comfortable with online-only support.
- Lots of data in the city: Freedom’s $40 plan gives a large data allowance. Check its coverage map for your city and campus — Freedom is strongest in larger urban areas.
- Best coverage outside cities, or in-store help: Koodo or Fido cost more but run on the Telus and Rogers networks.
Our pick for most students
For most students in Metro Vancouver, Freedom Mobile offers a good balance of price and data with no long-term contract. If you sign up through our link, we may earn a referral credit at no cost to you.
Avoid these mistakes
- Locked phones — ask your current carrier to unlock your phone before you leave home.
- Long contracts with a new phone — you may move cities or leave Canada; month-to-month is safer.
- Roaming on your home plan — it’s usually far more expensive than a Canadian SIM after the first day or two.