Chapter 11 · Topic 11.3 · Phone & Mail
Best mobile plans for Canadian snowbirds in Florida
Paying $20/day in Canadian roaming fees for a 5-month Florida stay costs more than $3,000. This guide compares every option, from cheap annual US prepaid plans to eSIM dual-number strategies, so you choose the right setup before you leave.
Direct answer · 60-second summary
The 60-second version
For a 4 to 6 month Florida stay, Canadian roaming plans are expensive ($15: $20/day or $45: $75/month with bundled plans). Better options: US prepaid SIM (T-Mobile or Mint Mobile, $15: $50/month, no SSN) added as a second line while keeping Canadian plan on a cheap hold/suspend; or eSIM on dual-SIM phones (run both Canadian + US numbers simultaneously). Critical rule: never port your Canadian number to a US carrier, you need it for CRA, banking, and provincial health. Recommended setup: Canadian plan on minimum maintenance ($15 to 25/month suspend or lowest tier) + Mint Mobile or T-Mobile US prepaid SIM ($25 to 40/month) for Florida daily use. Total: ~$40 to 65/month vs $300 to 600/month in roaming.
Acronyms used in this guide
- eSIM: Electronic SIM embedded in your phone (no physical card)
- MVNO: Mobile Virtual Network Operator (uses big carrier towers at lower price)
- 2FA: Two-factor authentication (SMS codes)
- CRA: Canada Revenue Agency
Your three options compared
Option A: Canadian roaming plan
Rogers, Bell, and Telus all offer US roaming packages. Day passes typically run $15: $20/day and are automatically activated when your phone connects to a US tower. Monthly roaming bundles (available on some Fido, Koodo, and Virgin plans) cost $40: $75/month with limited data (usually 1 to 3 GB). For a 4-month snowbird stay, even the cheapest monthly roaming bundle totals $160: $300, and the day-pass model at $20/day × 150 days = $3,000. This is the most expensive option and not recommended for stays over one month.
Verified fact: the structural choice is between paying your Canadian carrier's U.S. roaming by the day, switching to a Canada-US plan that includes U.S. usage, or putting a U.S. SIM or eSIM beside (or instead of) the Canadian line for the season; all three families of offers exist at the major carriers, and the per-day roaming products bill only on days actually used in the U.S. Sources: Rogers and Bell plan and roaming pages, and the CRTC Wireless Code page, consulted June 10, 2026.
Typical range: June 2026 pricing observation: Canadian per-day U.S. roaming runs about 12 to 16 CAD per used day (a 150-day winter at daily rates would exceed 1,800 CAD); Canada-US plans price roughly 10 to 30 CAD per month above domestic equivalents; U.S. prepaid SIM or eSIM plans with generous data commonly run 25 to 50 USD per month. Carrier pricing moves quarter to quarter: confirm on the carrier pages the week you decide.
Option B: US prepaid SIM (recommended)
Add a second physical US SIM while your Canadian SIM stays in your phone (dual-SIM phone required) or in a drawer at your Florida home. You keep your Canadian number fully active for banking, CRA, and provincial health alerts, while your US number handles all Florida calling and data. Cost: $25: $50/month for T-Mobile or AT&T prepaid. Mint Mobile 3-month plan runs ~$45: $60 total (about $15 to 20/month).
Option C: eSIM dual SIM
If your phone supports eSIM (iPhone 14 and newer, many Android flagships), you can download a US carrier profile digitally and run two active numbers simultaneously. Your Canadian SIM stays in the physical slot; the US eSIM is downloaded via the carrier's app. T-Mobile, AT&T, Mint Mobile, and Google Fi all offer eSIM plans. This is the most elegant solution for snowbirds with compatible phones.
What to do with your Canadian plan during the season
Most Canadian carriers offer a plan suspension or seasonal hold option:
- Rogers / Fido: vacation hold for up to 90 days, ~$15/month; number stays active; incoming calls go to voicemail.
- Bell / Virgin: seasonal plan reduction available on request; move to cheapest available plan.
- Telus / Koodo: Koodo offers self-serve tab/plan reduction; Telus allows plan downgrades.
- Videotron: contact customer service for seasonal options.
Alternatively, downgrade to the cheapest plan available (~$15 to 25/month), many carriers have bare-minimum plans that keep the number active with limited data, which is all you need for the occasional Canadian roaming day or receiving calls when briefly in Canada.
Which US carrier for your US SIM
- Mint Mobile: best value; T-Mobile network; $15/month for 5GB (3-month purchase); order eSIM online before departure; ideal for data-light users.
- T-Mobile Prepaid: $25/month (2GB), $40/month (10GB), $50/month (unlimited); buy at Walmart; best network for South Florida.
- AT&T Prepaid: $30 to 50/month; solid network; Walmart SIM kits available; good for Gulf Coast (Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota).
- Verizon Prepaid / Visible: $25/month unlimited; best rural coverage; order online only.
- Google Fi: ideal if you also travel outside US; billed per GB used (~$10/GB); no wasted data allowance; eSIM available.
Sources
Who regulates what
| Aspect | Federal CA (CRTC) | Federal US (FCC) |
|---|---|---|
| Your Canadian plan and roaming | Canadian carriers under CRTC rules; the Wireless Code caps surprise roaming with notifications and a default 100 CAD data-roaming cap unless you consent beyond | No role |
| A U.S. SIM for the season | No role | U.S. carriers under FCC rules; prepaid lines need no SSN and bill in USD |
| Keeping your Canadian number | Number stays with the Canadian line (keep it active or parked) | Not applicable; a second U.S. number rides beside it on dual-SIM phones |
A worked example: a 150-day winter, 2026-27
Diane and Marc, of Saint-Lambert, winter in Fort Myers from November 1 to March 31 with two phones. Option one, do nothing: two lines at a 14 CAD per-day roam rate, used most days, lands near 3,500 CAD for the season. Option two, two Canada-US plans at roughly 20 CAD per month over their domestic plans: about 200 CAD for the season, numbers unchanged. Option three, one Canada-US plan for Diane plus a 35 USD per month U.S. prepaid eSIM for Marc's data-heavy phone: about 100 CAD plus 175 USD. Typical range: all figures are June 2026 list-price observations for illustration; the decision rule is stable even when prices move: per-day roaming is for trips of days, not seasons.
Opinion: for a full season, the Canada-US plan is the default answer for the phone that must keep its Canadian number, and the U.S. prepaid eSIM is the default for raw data; per-day roaming across a winter is the one clearly dominated choice.
Common mistakes
- Wintering on per-day roaming. Day-rate products are built for short trips; over 150 days they cost multiples of every alternative.
- Cancelling the Canadian line outright. Banks, 2FA codes, and government callbacks still expect the Canadian number; park it cheaply instead.
- Buying a U.S. postpaid line for a visitor profile. Prepaid does the season without credit checks or SSN questions.
- Ignoring dual-SIM and eSIM. Modern phones carry both numbers at once; the either-or framing is obsolete.
- Letting data roam silently at the cap. The Wireless Code's notifications exist; read them rather than discovering the cap mid-month.
Pre-season checklist
- Decide per phone: keep number with a Canada-US plan, add a U.S. eSIM, or both (dual-SIM).
- Confirm your phone is unlocked and eSIM-capable.
- Price the season, not the month: 5 months times each option, in the right currency.
- Set up the U.S. line before heavy use begins; port nothing.
- Keep the Canadian voicemail and 2FA working; test both numbers the first week.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just use my Canadian plan all winter?
You can; the per-day rates make it the most expensive way to spend a season. Switch the line to a Canada-US plan for the winter or pair it with a U.S. eSIM.
Do I lose my Canadian number with a U.S. SIM?
No: the U.S. line is a second number beside yours on a dual-SIM phone, or the Canadian line sits parked on a minimal plan while the U.S. one works.
Prepaid or postpaid in the U.S.?
Prepaid: no credit check, no SSN, USD billing, and seasonal start-stop. Postpaid exists for residents; visitors rarely need it.
What about home internet at the condo?
Fixed broadband is its own subject (cable or fiber at the address, or fixed wireless); the phone plan question above stands on its own, and tethering a U.S. data plan covers light households.
Will my plan prices match this page?
Expect drift: carrier pricing moves often. The structure (per-day roam vs Canada-US plan vs U.S. prepaid) is the durable part; verify amounts on the carrier pages the week you decide.
Every figure, rate, threshold, and deadline in this guide is drawn from a verifiable primary source listed at the bottom of the page. The article is updated whenever the underlying rules change, with a fresh review date stamped at the top.
Disclaimer: Educational purpose only
This guide is for educational purposes only. Figures, rules, and procedures are drawn from public sources as of the date shown and may change without notice.
For any concrete decision, consult a licensed professional in the relevant jurisdiction, attorney, accountant, insurance broker.