I’ll be traveling to Canada soon. Has anyone tried the “North American Connect” add-on for BI in Canada?
Specifically, will I be able to make and receive calls, and use data?
I looked at the BI Reddit group, where some claimed roaming in Canada did not work, which was supposed to be enabled under the Early Access program.
I don’t have a definitive answer for you but think some context regarding the Boost Infinite subreddit may be helpful to those reading.
Boost Infinite offers 3 different network SIMs:
In theory, the “North America Connect” add-on works on any of Boost Infinite’s SIMs. The reality seems more complex, perhaps, explaining the variety of experiences reported in the Boost Infinite subreddit. “Early Access” Boost Infinite subscribers would, generally, have AT&T network SIMs.
The other thing I’ve noticed on the Boost Infinite subreddit is “North America Connect” is reported to work better in Mexico than in Canada. This might have to do with AT&T operating a cellular network in Mexico where it does not in Canada.
Finally, one fellow RWusers member has tried using Republic Wireless by DISH service in Canada unsucessfully:
@mwgardiner, to date, that remains the case on Boost Infinite, correct?
If I were still using Boost Infinite and traveling outside the U.S., I would have a plan B.
As of July of last year my RW/BI line went inert when I crossed the border. I will be visiting Canada again at the end of next month. I will find out if it works then.
Just to be safe, I will spend the €4 ($4.27 at todays’ exchange rate) on a 7-day 1GB North American data eSIM profile from Manet Travel. This is €1 less than last year. The people I most want to hear from have access to some of the same chat/VoIP apps and the data will suffice when I am off WiFi on my Mint line. The cost of the Manet North American and Canada plans is identical at the 7-day 1GB point. Going the NA route lets me start with the profile in the US and then run tests on the BI line after I reach my destination without having to worry about stopping to change phone settings. If BI is still broken, I just switch back to the eSIM for the rest of the trip.
Last year Manet Travel charged the same for NA and Canada across the board. This year the Canada plans are cheaper than the NA plans above the 7-day 1GB point.
if @psteckler has an eSIM capable phone, a Canadian/North American eSIM might be a good idea.
If the phone is not eSIM capable and they travel a lot, then Using an eSIM profile on your non-eSIM phone might be helpful. Just be sure to check the directions on compatibility issues.
As an aside note: A data connection and Waze navigation can be a very good thing. The 401 expressway in Ontario is notorious for traffic jams and construction. Waze easily saved me an hour or more each way on my last trip by routing me around jams.
I called BI Customer Service, and they claim that with North America Connect enabled, I can call / receive calls in Canada, to / from the US and Canada.
Still, it would be good to know if anyone here has direct experience with that add-on.
My Plan B is to use Skype when connected to WiFi.
The most important thing is, I don’t want this to happen to me:
As I now understand that BI uses multiple networks, this may depend on if they have a single roaming partner Canada or if it depends on the network your BI phone runs on. Another factor is if the carrier you are on allows WiFi calling on your model of phone. AT&T will only allow it on a phone they (or a cooperating MVNO) sold you, regardless of what the plan says, T-Mobile will allow any capable phone as long as the MVNO contracted for WiFi calling.
Now that should work. I used Skype on a tablet to call RW/Dish when I was previously failing to have Canadian service. If you use them, just about any VoIP point-to-point app should work. Things like WhatsApp, Signal, Viber. and such will be able to reach others with the same app.
Capture some screen shots of your account options showing the North America Connect. If they manage to foul things up, that is your lever against them.
In my experience, this is overly broad.
I used both a factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note20 and a factory unlocked Google Pixel 6a with Republic Wireless by DISH AT&T network service. Neither phone was purchased from AT&T or an AT&T blessed MVNO. WiFi calling worked on both phones. It is true AT&T has historically maintained a whitelist of compatible phones and has been known to be picky about which features are supported on a specific phone but phones don’t necessarily need to be purchased from AT&T or intended for use on AT&T’s network for WiFi calling to be supported.
Conversely, there were a number of Motorola phones supported for WiFi calling on Republic Wireless by DISH T-Mobile network service that lost WiFi calling capability when Republic’s old secret sauce was removed. T-Mobile is not nearly as “uncarrier” as it was prior to the Sprint merger and now plays some of the same games historically played by AT&T and Verizon.
I guess that AT&T is being uneven in behavior then. My phone is on the “approved” list, but I didn’t buy it from AT&T. Mint/T-Mobile, WiFi calling works, BI/AT&T, nada.
Now phones targeted at RW losing WiFi calling when the RW backend went offline doesn’t surprise me in the least. I actually expected that to happen. Those may have never had standard carrier WiFi to begin with, or had it patched out to not interfere with the RW way of doing things. Even if it were possible to fix that with an OTA patch, the manufacturers may not have considered it worth the effort. YMMV I guess.
AT&T has two lists. The first, last updated in February of 2024, speaks to compatibility with AT&T’s cellular network. A phone being on this list is not a guarantee a specific service capability such as WiFi calling will work.
The second list does speak to specific service capabilities but was last updated in March of 2022. Generally, a newer model of the same brand would have the same service capabilities as older models of the same brand but there is still no guarantee of that.
Well, it surprised those who made the decision to remove Republic’s proprietary technology at the time. The presumption was since all My Choice supported phones were factory unlocked devices (whether purchased from Republic or from a third party retailer), they would just work inclusive of WiFi calling. Unlike the earlier Moto DEFY XT, E1, E2, G1, G3, X1 and X2 models used for 1.0/2.0 plans, My Choice supported phones did not use modified firmware. That was the whole point of Republic 3.0/4.0.
I’m back from Canada now. Since I was in WiFi range most of the time, I ended up using my Google Voice account for calls. I was able to send and receive calls on my tablet, with no associated charges.
I was in Canada over the weekend, my Boost Infinite line went inert when I crossed the border. While I was getting some car work done, I set up a small WiFi network in the waiting room and used an Android tablet and Skype to call Boost Infinite. I ran the service rep through what hasn’t worked for the last three years (basically, everything they’ve tried) and managed to convince them that the only fix was to completely reprovision the line. This was Wednesday. The back-end folks sent me an e-mail saying they were going to do that. It is now Monday and I haven’t heard anything further.
I won’t know if they’ve done anything until my next Canada trip, some months hence.
I used an eSIM profile for data so I could use Waze and VoIP apps. (You’d think I didn’t trust BI to do it right. 
)
Well, today I received a call on my Skype line from Boost, for some reason it rang once and went to voice mail. The voice mail was too static-filled to understand.
They then sent me an e-mail stating that the IT team has successfully added the necessary codes to the line. I will not be able to check this until my next trip in August, and, given my experience so far, I will still use an eSIM profile to get to my destination before testing if they actually addressed the problem.
I had given them the Skype line because they couldn’t call me in Canada with things as they were. That they didn’t try to call my Boost number is surprising. Even if they thought I was still in Canada they could have left voice mail, and if I’d returned to the US (which I did Monday) they would have reached me immediately.
I’ll either add an entry in August or post a new item with the results.
Beware of posting when tired from a trip.
When I said I set up a small WiFi network in the waiting room, I should have said that I have a travel router that all my devices are paired with, and I connected the travel router to the shop WiFi, and my devices connected to the travel router automatically.
Travel routers are handy gadgets.
In the past I have simply used whatever WiFi I found myself in when outside the US, communicating via WhatsApp or Signal. However, I have been needing to navigate to places and text fellow travelers in Canada as well as Portugal, outside of WiFi. I have found the Airalo eSIM mobile app relatively inexpensive and easy to use. I pick which country I am traveling to, select the amount of data I will need for what period of time, about 6 or 8 bucks per gig per week. The company brokers with local/national providers for data only — no voice. I buy and install the eSIM before arrival, and activate the eSIM upon arrival. So far, so good.
The navigation thing is my major issue when in Canada. I could start a trip in Waze while on WiFi, but then I don’t get traffic alerts and re-routing. This is critical when driving on the 401 in Ontario.
VoIP apps are handy for this sort of travel. On my next trip to Canada, I’ll be testing forwarding my primary line (Mint/T-Mobile) to my Google Voice number. They quietly added VoIP to the Voice app a while back, and I only noticed it last month,
An irritating new trend for me is that an increasing number of eSIM providers will only allow you to download and install eSIM profiles via their custom apps. I use a physical chip that can turn an eSIM profile into a physical SIM, and I scan a QR code using the app from the esim.me folks. Apps meant to work with built-in eSIM modules cannot access this chip, and the providers I have tried so far that have an app that can program eSIMs directly will not send a QR code. (I think. If the directions don’t include QR codes as an option, I assume they don’t do it.) This limits my choice of providers.
I presently buy eSIM profiles from an outfit called GlobaleSIM, which has an app, but you buy a profile with it and it displays a QR code. I buy the code with my daily driver phone, then scan the QR code using a phone I can program the the esim.me chip with, then swap the esim.me chip into my regular phone. A bit roundabout, but it works. GlobaleSIM allows temporary voice service, but I don’t really see the point. Manet Travel managed to break their web site so I had to find another provider.
There was a pause here while I looked up Airalo. Apparently they do support QR code, they just don’t make it obvious. Something to consider for the future.
On the other claw, if Boost has indeed fixed Canada roaming (after 3 years of mucking about) I may not have to worry about this issue in future. We’ll see.
Full disclosure, just entered Canada a few minutes ago and Canadian data kicked in via Airalo.
The other somewhat annoying reason for needing data in Canada has to do with EV ownership. Most charging station brands have their own proprietary apps. These require cellular data to operate. So I will soon be charging my EV via an unknown charging station, using data for station ID and payment purposes.
I hope your charging experience works. I know that some financial apps will refuse to operate on eSIM providers that route traffic through distant countries. So far, both of the providers I’ve tried block VPNs which would have solved the problem for me. It turned out as a nuisance level problem for me. It might be a bigger problem for you if your car does not support ID through the charge cable. Your wording leads me to think you are not driving a Tesla, which is plug-and-go for their chargers. You may have to use a credit card at the charger, if it will allow use without an app. Payment via app may depend on which provider you got through Airalo.
Good luck.
EV charged great on tho first try! It is becoming easier to charge after driving not-a-Teslas for the past five years. Some stations are plug and charge as Teslas have been.
