Will My Cell Phone Work?
When you cross the border, chances are that your cell phone will work, provided that roaming is part of your plan, which it usually is, if you have a plan with a contract. 'Pay as you go' cell phones generally won't work, unless you tell your wireless provider about your trip beforehand, and not all providers will do this for contract-less phones.
Your Cell phone also has to support at least one of the 'modes' available. Unsurprisingly, Canadian carriers typically use the same modes and frequencies as US carriers.
No Coverage Areas
- between Baie-Comeau and Labrador City
- anywhere in Labrador except Labrador City and Happy Valley - Goose Bay.
- in small spots south of Matane along QC-132 and NB-17
- REPEAT: no coverage in Churchill Falls
Detailed Coverage, by Cell Band and Carrier
| Area | Carrier | Coverage Map |
Analog - TDMA |
US Carriers - virtually all. Requires analog-capable phone. | |
| Quebec | Bell | all up to Baie Comeau, plus Matane area |
| Quebec | Rogers | peripheral beyond Quebec City area (light colour on map) |
| Quebec | Telus | all up to Baie Comeau, plus Matane area |
| Labrador | Aliant | Unknown (likely in Lab City, HV-GB only) |
| New Brunswick | Aliant | Unknown (likely most portions along NB-17, all of TCH) |
| New Brunswick | Rogers | TCH corridor only |
Digital - GSM |
US Carriers - Cingular, T-Mobile | |
| Quebec | Rogers | until an hour before Baie-Comeau |
| Labrador | None | |
| New Brunswick | TCH Corridor only | |
Digital - CDMA |
US Carriers - Verizon, Sprint PCS, Qwest, at&t Wireless | |
| Quebec | Bell | spotty near Tadoussac (big hills), otherwise good to hour short of Baie-Comeau, plus Baie-Comeau area |
| Quebec | Telus | spotty near Quebec City to Baie-St-Paul, otherwise good to Tadoussac, plus Baie-Comeau area (should be indentical to Bell ???) |
| Labrador | Aliant | Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay ONLY |
| New Brunswick | Aliant | Most of NB-17, all of TCH-2 |
| Digital - iDEN | US Carriers - Nextel | |
| Quebec | MIKE | just past Baie St. Paul, plus Baie-Comeau area. |
| Labrador | None | |
| New Brunswick | None | |