Solution is to get a canadian voip phone and phone number that you can connect to any high speed internet. When its connected to the internet it will act like as if its in canada ie if your voip phone number has a toronto area code, anybody in toronto can call your voip phone number as if its physically in toronto and you will receive the call as if you are in toronto even though its physically in England. Same goes true for the other way, you can make calls to toronto like its local even though you are physically in England.
Sooo check out some voip providers.

Check out DCI Wireless http://www.dcitelecom.com/dciw.....eless.html

Their monthly plans are the cheapest around, starting at $10/mth + an additional $6 if you want voicemail.

The info on their website is very sparse but mentions that you can use the phone in 150 countries, but does not mention the costs. Fees for calling long distance when you are in Canada are very inexpensive compared to most cellphone companies, so perhaps the costs when receiving calls in the UK may be reasonable as well.

The phone selection is very sparse as well, but it's GSM so you can bring your own phone.

That may be a good alternative for you, since none of prepaid companies offer int'l roaming.

Bylo said:

it costs approx $4 to make or recieve a call whilst in Canada so not worth it to use our UK phones.

Well that's not what you asked about before.

P>

It isnt what I asked about, I know! I was just saying to phone a canadian number it costs about $4 and if a Canadian number phones us it costs about the same, thats all! I know how to make cheep calls home.

it costs approx $4 to make or recieve a call whilst in Canada so not worth it to use our UK phones.

Well that's not what you asked about before.

If you want to make inexpensive calls to the UK from Canada, after you get your SpeakOut phone (or SIM) sign up for yakCell and/or yakCallback. You'll need a credit card for billing. That lets you call UK for 5¢/minute to a landline or 29¢/minute to a mobile (plus SpeakOut's usual 20¢ airtime.)

Thanks again Looby

A couple of services to look into are http://www.bramatelecom.com and http://www.tollfreeforwarding.com

I have never tried them, nor am I recommending them over other similar services, it's just that they are ones that I'm aware of that may fit your needs.

7-11 Speakout (GSM) - Canada only
PetroCanada Mobile (GSM) - Canada only
Virgin Mobile (CDMA) - Canada only
Bell Mobility (CDMA) - Canada + US only
Telus (CDMA) - Canada only
Rogers (GSM) - Canada + US only
Fido (GSM) - Canada + US only
PC Telecom (CDMA) - Canada + US only
Bell Solo Mobile (CDMA) - MAYBE allows calls when you're outside North America, website mentions international roaming (at $.99 per minute plus long distance charges of maybe another $1/minute to the UK) but it doesn't specifically mention that it allows international roaming with their prepaid plans, so check with them.

I highly doubt that you can use your Bell Solo prepaid outside North America since Bell, PC Telecom, and Virgin do not, and they all use the same Bell network, but you can check with them to make sure.

Why not try and get a VOIP number that can be redirected to your number (landline or mobile) while in the UK, and to a Canadian prepaid cellphone of your choice while in Canada? That way you only have to give them one number and you get the best of both worlds. The additional cost of the call being redirected to you should be considerably less than the ripoff roaming charges a Canadian cellphone company would charge you while you're in the UK.

get the 7-11 speakout wireless once you arrive in Toronto as it lasts 365 days.
I would just buy international calling cards as that will be the cheapest way to check your messages.

Any one else that can give me an answer that actually read the question?

Have a look at T-Mobile's PAYG in the UK. Yes, roaming in Canada will be expensive but if you get a Canadian PAYG plan you will either pay even more to pick up messages from Canada while in the UK or you won't be able to do so at all.

If you don't have a GSM phone, buy an unlocked quandband phone in the UK. You can use that in both Europe and NA. You will also need to buy a SpeakOut SIM from someone on this site or via eBay. (Unlike T-Mob in the UK, 7-11 here does not sell only the SIM.)

If you already have a 900/1800 phone for Europe, for Canada (and USA) you will need either to get a quadband or buy a 850/1900 phone such as offered by SpeakOut.

There may be slightly better ways to do this but international roaming, especially in Canada, where one company has a monopoly is quite expensive compared to domestic PAYG.

FWIW when travelling in Europe I use either a Mobal or United Mobile SIM, however, they too are quite expensive.

Looby said:

We live in England and are coming over in May to house hunt. We could do with buying a pay as you go phone that we can use from the UK to pick up messages
etc.

Any one else that can give me an answer that actually read the question?