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If you don’t want to read the details, skip straight to our Recommendation
Once your done reading this, be sure to check out our comparison: Lucky Mobile vs Public Mobile vs Chatr Mobile
Table of Contents
Chatr Mobile Overview
While Chatr’s beginnings date back to 2010, it’s important to understand the role Mobilicity played in the brand developing itself.
While there were many bidders for Mobilicity’s assets, Rogers ultimately won and purchased them in 2015.
Within less than a year, Rogers rolled out their plans to shut down Mobilicity which involved moving subscribers to comparable brands at their discount carrier, Chatr, as well as rebranding many of Mobilicity’s retail locations to Chatr branded stores.
Chatr Mobile, originally known as Chatr Wireless, is Rogers Communications’ foray into the discount mobile carrier segment.
Starting in 2010, Chatr offers plans based on the zone concept.
As of late 2018, Chatr Mobile has removed the ‘zones’ concept along with Lucky Mobile and now offers regular plans that are not confined by zones along with brand new nationwide plans.
Chatr Mobile Coverage & Network
Since Chatr essentially operates on the Rogers network, you can count on getting good reception nationwide, thanks to the strength of the Rogers reliable network.
Chatr only offers 3G data service, so the bands that work on Chatr are noted below.
Keep in mind that if you’re going to bring your own device, it must work on one of these frequencies.
- HSPA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz frequencies
Chatr Mobile Coverage
Below is a map of Chatr’s nationwide coverage.
An interactive map is on the Chatr site here which gives you a clear depiction of the different coverage zones.
Previously Chatr offered Zone plans hence the legend still noting ‘In-Zone Plans’ however Chatr is now moving forward with a more generic approach to their plans, focusing on different tiers in terms of talk, text, and data.
This essentially is the broad, basic nationwide coverage as seen in the purple on the map.
It covers cities and rural areas and probably includes where most people will ever go.
Chatr Mobile Coverage Map
Chatr Mobile Plans
Please note the below plan prices may vary in Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
Chatr offers these budget-friendly plans:
Call display, call forwarding, and group calls are included in all plans.
| Price | Talk | Text | Data | Voicemail | Auto Pay Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15 per month | 100 Canada Wide Minutes & Unlimited Incoming | Unlimited International Text | None | $0.40 per minute to retrieve | 250 MB per month |
| $25 per month | Unlimited Canada Wide | Unlimited International Text | None | Included | 500 MB per month |
| $25 per month | Unlimited Incoming Canada Wide | Unlimited Text | 500 MB at 3G speed | $0.40 per minute to retrieve | 500 MB per month |
Chatr also has the following Unlimited Canada-Wide Plans:
Voicemail, the International talk saver, call display, call forwarding, and group calls are included in all plans.
| Price | Talk | Text | Data | Auto Pay Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35 per month | Unlimited Canada Wide | Unlimited International Text | 1 GB at 3G speed | 500 MB per month |
| $40 per month | Unlimited Canada Wide | Unlimited International Text | 4 GB at 3G speed | 500 MB per month |
| $50 per month | Unlimited Canada & US | Unlimited International Text | 8 GB at 3G speed | 500 MB per month |
Data Overage: If you hit your monthly data allotment, you can continue to use your data on these plans however Chatr does throttle down bandwidth to as low as 64 kilobits per second vs 3G which is 3 Mbps so you’ll want to try to stay within your allotment.
International Talk Saver
Chatr Mobile has preferred International calling rates for plans as noted above.
While a full list of rates by country can be found on their website, a couple of examples:
- China: $0.02 per minute
- Greece: $0.01 per minute to landline & $0.03 per minute to mobile
- India: $0.03 per minute
- Philippines: $0.13 per minute to landline & $0.17 per minute to mobile
Chatr Mobile Roaming
Chatr does not extend its parent Rogers’ Roam Like Home feature to customers and instead charges on pay per use.
You’ll want to be extremely careful if roaming with your Chatr device as rates are extremely high.
Full rates are available on the Chatr website but as an example, if you were traveling to Italy, rates are:
- $2.50 per minute for talk
- Incoming text messages are free
- Outgoing text messages are $0.40 each
- Data is $30 per MB
Yeah, quite steep!
Chatr Mobile Phones
Chatr does not have term contracts nor do they have any type of tab system.
They have a variety of reasonably priced devices available to you in addition to having the option of bringing your own device.
A Chatr sim card can be purchased for $10 and the majority of the popular devices such as iPhones, Samsung Galaxy/Note series, Google Pixel, and Huawei devices will work.
You can purchase a used cell phone and bring it along with you to use on Chatr from various retailers and marketplaces.
You can also check out Kijiji, Amazon, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace.
Recommendation
- If you don’t need a lot of data, their $35 per month provides unlimited Canada-wide talk, unlimited International text and 1 GB of data plans with an auto pay bonus of 500 MB, so good value overall
- Decent International calling rates if you have a $25 per month plan or higher, again depends on where Internationally you would be calling
- No contracts, no credit checks
Be sure to set up Auto-Pay to get your data bonus if you select Talk, Text & Data plans.
Any downsides?
- 3G Data Speed – Be sure you understand how you’ll be using your data as 3G is not great for streaming video or anything that requires intensive download/upload speed
Other Trusted Mobile Carriers
Koodo
Koodo has been rated as one of the best customer service companies in Canada. If you need assistance with your phone or account, Koodo is definitely a company you can trust. So be at ease that you’re getting the best, and not the worst customer service, which is what we often do get with others.
Public Mobile
Public Mobile is Canada’s newest wireless carrier, and it’s also the cheapest. Public Mobile’s 3G speed is only 3mbps which may not sound very fast, but it’s still fast enough for most people to stream high-quality audio without any problems. Public Mobile isn’t as well-known as some major carriers, but with low prices, it’s sure to attract many new customers.
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile Canada is a good cell phone service provider which offer a variety of plans that include talk, text, and data. Virgin Mobile also have a good selection of phones to choose from. They use the Sprint network, which is one of the largest in the country. This means that you should get good coverage pretty much anywhere.
Lucky Mobile
Lucky Mobile is a subsidiary of Bell Canada and operates on the Bell network. Lucky Mobile is good in Canada because it has low rates, good coverage, and the ability to bring your own phone. Lucky Mobile is a prepaid service, so there are no contracts and no surprises. You can buy a Lucky Mobile SIM card at most convenience stores or order one online.
Freedom Mobile
Since Freedom Mobile is a new entrant into the space and competing with the Big 3 mobile carriers is no easy task, it seems like they are using lower price points as a tactic to help increase the number of subscribers. The lower price does not relate to the quality of the network by any means, as Freedom Mobile is heavily investing in bettering its network.
Chatr Mobile FAQs
Does Chatr Have Retail Stores I Can Visit?
- Yes, Chatr has it’s own retail stores in addition to cell support (some requests will incur overage fees) and online self-service options.
If I Have a Talk, Text & Data Plans (In-Zone), My Usual Zone Being Vancouver, so the Striped Orange Area on Their Coverage Map, Does That Mean I Have Unlimited Talk and Text Everywhere?
- NO! You’re unlimited Canada talk and text is only when you are in a zone, anywhere in the country. However, once you are out of a zone, per minute and per message rates will apply.
What Happens After My Finish My Allotment of Data in My Plan?
- The allotment of data in your Chatr plan is provided at 3G which is decent for email, light web surfing and a few other things. However, if you add a data top up, your speeds will be throttled down to 2G like speeds which is super slow to accomplish anything these days.
Does Chatr Have Good Coverage?
- Chatr has good coverage. The company’s coverage extends to nearly 97 percent of Canadians, according to a study by PCMag. And the wireless provider is expanding its reach: it recently announced it will be available in more than 600 Walmart stores across the country.
Can I Switch From Rogers to Chatr?
- Chatr and Rogers are both networks owned by Rogers Communications. They are just the same network, so there is no need to switch. Chatr network may be a bit cheaper, but there is no real difference in service.
How Fast Is Chatr Data?
- Chatr offers fast data speeds, reaching up to 3G speeds. This makes it a great choice for anyone looking for a fast and reliable connection. Whether you’re browsing the internet, streaming music or videos, or just need to stay connected with friends and family, Chatr has you covered.
