Actually, it's easier to remember this url:
www.bell.ca/roam.

CU

re: roaming access numbers

Is there something in GSM which prevents those local roaming numbers ?

or do networks feel that the roaming access numbers are costing them too much
in potential revenus (long distance charges) and thus have no incentives to
implement them ?

(whereas in the past,  Cantel, Bell made more money on the per minute charges,
which could help pay for those roaming numbers. But now, with per minute
charges down, perhaps the networks can't justify the extra costs of roaming
numbers and prefer the extra revenus from the unnecessary long distance calls.

Does the cellphone owner save on the long distance/roaming charge or does
the person calling him/her save on the long distance charge (or do both of
them save on it)?

I don't know much about cell technology but what if someone calls one of
those roaming numbers and the person that they are calling has already left
or gone back to their home city? Does this work? Who pays for the long
distance/roaming in this case?

Also, I thought that your nearest service provider's transmitter HLR
(registers the phone on their network) so if I'm lets say in Toronto with my
Fido phone, the nearest Fido transmitter in Toronto would know that I am
there and relay my calls there. Is this correct?

Too bad Fido doesn't have the roaming access numbers... but they have so
much other services/plans that the other carriers don't have (unlimited GPRS
plan, unlimited incoming calls plan, billing by the second for monthly
plans, etc.).

MDCI in Winnipeg doesn't charge much for these.  They're free if you don't
subscribe to them as your land line long distance carrier, and free, aside
from a minimum $5 monthly charge, if you don't.

http://www.mdci.ca

I'm just a subscriber.

Jim