Best Unlimited Cell Phone Plans in Canada for December 2024

Who Needs Unlimited Mobile Data?

Smartphones are used for various reasons. Some need their phone to stay connected with their loved ones. Others use their phones as a work device. There are also people who whip out their smartphones to engage on social media or play online. The data you need depends on how you use your phone on a daily basis. You need unlimited data if you’re a:

• Heavy User

If your phone is an extension of your day-to-day life, then unlimited data is best for you. You’re a heavy user if you use your smartphone for just about anything. It’s your work device. It’s also your social gadget. It’s likely that you also use your phone to play online games. The average student usually fits into this category, so you can check some student cell phone plans too.

• Streamer

Get an unlimited plan if you use your phone to stream movies or music all the time. If you’re someone who has mobile Netflix access, a 2 GB or 4 GB plan per month won’t work. You’re also considered a streamer if you play Spotify or Pandora all day long or watch YouTube videos endlessly.

• Traveller

When you go all around Canada or overseas all the time, you’ll need a constant internet connection to access your emails. With unlimited data, you’ll have tethering and hotspot options. You don’t have to rely on public connections anymore when you’re working away from the office or are having a grand vacation.

How to Get Unlimited Phone Data

Comparing plans is the first thing you need to do. Stackup.ca has a tool that can make the process easy and fast. It’s important to do a comparative analysis so you can get your money’s worth. Also, it’s the best way to evaluate if you actually need an unlimited plan or not, and if you do, which plan suits your needs and budget. There are three standard types of unlimited cell phone plans: postpaid, prepaid, and mobile hotspot.

Postpaid Plan

This is a mobile phone plan with a recurring monthly cycle. Payment for the plan is also per month. The postpaid unlimited plan is your ideal choice if you use a lot of data, but don’t want to break down the usage to gigabytes. It’s likely that you’re also already aware of the kind of user you are – heavy or streamer.

Prepaid Plan

Prepaid unlimited data is less expensive than postpaid if you’re able to get the phone and prepaid plan at the same time. The best thing about an unlimited prepaid plan is you’re not tied to a contract. A credit check is also unnecessary. You don’t even have to pay an activation fee. The only downside to this plan is you have to shell out cold cash when you buy the device.

Mobile Hotspot

An unlimited option for the mobile hotspot plan is best if you need a WiFi connection all the time. This happens when you travel a lot, or you have an unstable internet connection at home. Most unlimited cell phone plans are bundled with text-and-talk unlimited features. Check and compare carriers to see if you can find a provider that offers discounted rates for talk or text time when you prioritize mobile data in the tier.

How to Choose Which Carrier Has the Best Unlimited Data Plan for You

Selecting a carrier is arguably the trickiest part of choosing which unlimited plan works best for you. Network coverage varies – some from block to block, others even just from building to building. It’s important you check the status of network providers in your neighborhood. Stackup.ca provides tools to make this task fast and easy. You can sort the information you need by location, by payment type, by providers, and by coverage maps. The site has details on network capacities and consistencies.

For faster and easier comparison, Stackup.ca also has a list of the top ten unlimited cell phone plans in Canada. If you play online video games, stream music or videos on your phone, and use social media all the time, unlimited mobile data is the way to go. Look for a plan that also offers generous text-and-talk usage, so you get the best of both worlds. Before choosing a plan, it’s important you compare carriers’ rates and features. It’s also important to compute your monthly text, talk, and data usage. This way, you’ll have an idea of how much data you truly need. To find the best unlimited cell phone plan for you, use Stackup.ca comparison tool here.

What does unlimited data really entail?

Unlimited data plans are not as unlimited as you might think. That’s because after you use up a certain amount of data, you’re “de-prioritized,” which really slows down your data stream. On average, consumers use around 6GB of data per month. There’s no need for unlimited data if you’re an average user. Just figure out your usage, and purchase a 4GB, 5GB, or 6GB plan to suit. Truly unlimited data does not exist, so it’s important for you to understand what carriers are referring to when they advertise the service. Reaching the data cap actually occurs more quickly and more often than most people think.

The “unlimited” data cap varies from carrier to carrier, and when you reach it, de-prioritisation kicks in. You can still stream videos and other media when you’re de-prioritized, but it isn’t as fast and it’s certainly not in HD. Nobody ever actually reaches the point where the carrier takes away their ability to stream on an unlimited data plan. So in a way, it’s still unlimited, but with conditions.

Conclusion: 

Carriers sold a lot more smartphones than they thought possible in 2010. This naturally raised the demand for the unlimited cell phone plans that were then being offered. Back then, people wanted access to unlimited data. Seven years later, with more streaming services, more social networks, and free talk and text apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, the demand for unlimited data has increased exponentially. Carriers today are offering unlimited data plans in certain areas, bundled with unlimited talk and text.

You can reap big benefits if you subscribe to a plan like that. These plans give you ample data along with talk and text with no limits. It’s a sweet deal, and you come out on top because you’re not actually paying for “unlimited.”