Wireless in Canada

[outlander]

I am moving up to Alberta next week for at least a year. I am sticking with verizon wireless from the states because all my friends and family are on that network down here. I just added Canada as a feature though so no rooming up there for most places.

My question is that I would like to get a new phone before I go up. My old Kyocera has held up good but the thing is like 4 years old. I figured the best thing to do would be to just add a new phone and number to my current plan so I can double up on phones in case one goes bad. I won't be able to update the phone while I am up there, but I will return home from time to time. Ok, back to the question. Would it be better for the new phone to be a tri mode phone? Is digital available up in Canada outside of major cities? And basically if anybody has any suggestions for phones that would be good also.

Thanks

[ZaphodB]

I'm not sure what provider you have, but Rogers Wireless have Alberta absolutely plastered with GSM signal (1900 MHz). They won a tender from the oil-rich Alberta government to provide province-wide coverage.

Telus and Bell (the CDMA carriers) have better coverage than your average province too, but Alberta means beef and Rogers. If you're going to be out in the oil fields in the north, you might want tri-mode, but otherwise digital should do you fine.