Cell phones abroad

I have an Android phone, and my solution is to use the SIM manager within the phone Settings. Make the foreign-purchased SIM the primary, put the US SIM on Do Not Disturb and your problems should be solved. You can make exceptions to the DND for family and important customers if you need to allow selected incoming calls.

If you have an iPhone, you need to ask someone else. :o)

I don’t have a “global roaming” option on my iPhone. However when I use a SIM card or an eSIM it is necessary for me to turn on “data roaming” for that specific card in order for either to function properly.

Reccomend your turn off your US phone number until using WiFi calling back to the US as to not incur any roaming charges. I have an iPhone and turn off my AT&T line in Settings when boarding the plane. AT&T has an International Data Pass for $12.00 for each day ( max of 10 days charge per billing period) of use. This is less expensive that pay per use. Your carrier may have a similar plan.

This is the procedure when making free WiFi calls to the US.
1. Turn on Airplane Mode
2. Turn on WiFi
3. Turn on AT&T line to make US calls and download any text messages queued for the last 72 hours
4. After completion turn off AT&T line and turn off Airplane Mode

Another option is to use apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime (iPhone) or a Google App if not using an iPhone, These use data so the local SIM data can be used. I have yet to incur roaming charges using a local SIM and WiFi calling.

If you have access to wi fi, put your phone in airplane mode and turn on calling over WiFi. Works great and you just send and receive calls and texts as per usual.

Assume that you go on a two week vacation.

If you have global roaming with your US provider, you may end up spending thousands of dollars as you may pay $$ for each MB of mobile data used, each minute of calls and each texts sent or received.

If you sign up for an international roaming package from your US provider, you may end up spending hundreds of dollars as service providers may charge $12 to $16 per day for this service. You get charged for the whole day even if you only send one text.

If you turn off your US service and purchase an esim or sim, you may spend about $5 to $30 for the whole trip depending on the amount of mobile data that you purchase and whether or not the service includes calls and texts. Airalo (usually data only) and Orange Travel (data, calls and texts) are good examples. If your sim or esim does not have call or text, you can use an app like WhatsApp, TextNow, Skype, WeChat, etc for messaging, calls or even video chats by using the mobile data and any Wi-Fi. Your business, friends and family have to be on the same corresponding app.

If you avoid mobile data all together and rely only on free Wi-Fi e.g. at airport, hotel, restaurants, shops, museums, etc, you will spend $0. However, this is quite limiting because you will have no access to Wi-Fi if you are driving or walking in the streets.

Good luck.

funpig- Great summary of options!

vikilgore, you didn't say if having your "normal" cellphone number is important. Most of my friends could call or text to a TextNow or a Google Voice number (I use both), if necessary. Some elderly family might not be able to deal with a different number, they may only know how to select your name and press "Enter". Or, if you called them, they would not remember that it's you, and they might not answer. So keeping your "normal" number active may be desireable. They would simply call your "normal" number. The cost for that depends on the service provider:

1. If you do not have Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile, you probably have no other options.

2. AT&T has an expensive daily option (see funpig reply), and they have a 7 day option for $35. You would get calls, texts, and I think, 15 Gb. of data. My wife has done that.

3. T-mobile has better options IF you have the right plan. If you are in one of a list of 11 countries, you do nothing, your phone just works normally, and you get 5 Gb. of data. If you are not in the 11, but in one of the other 204 countries, you get calling and texting, and unlimited data, but it is very, very slow, and may not work for what you want to do, such as download maps. If in one of the 204, you can pay $50 for 30 days of high speed data, calls, and texting.

4. Verizon - as funpig described. I haven't used them.

Two other comments: if your cellphone is not unlocked (such as when Verizon gave you the phone), you will not have the option of buying a sim card or esim. And also, buying the sim/esim and activating it can be a bit complicated in another country, and burn up an hour the morning you arrive in another country. If you can buy a sim or esim in advance, that would be best.

Good thread, good info from everyone.

Travelerguy,

I have been playing around with TextNow at home and thinking about using it on my next trip. It occurred to me that it should be possible to forward my usual cell phone number to my TextNow number. When I am abroad, anybody back in Canada should be able to telephone my cellular number and it should call forward to my TextNow number while I'm overseas. And if I wish to phone home, I should be able to make a call from TextNow to anybody back in Canada. Is this correct?

I assume that you do not have Google Fi as your cellular provider, but, if you
have them, then you don't need to do anything at all. Fi provides worldwide
roaming for free; the cost of the data you consume is the same whether in
New York or Timbuktu.

funpig - great idea!

I just logged into TextNow and then Google Voice, and both of them allow transferring numbers in and out of their accounts (we don't want to do that). And Google voice allows me to link my Google Voice number to my cellphone number (TextNow doesn't). So I just had my wife call my Google Voice number and my cellphone rang, and I answered it as normally (except it uses the GV app, not the phone's native phone app). So I could give my GV number to friends and they could call free, and I could return the call for free. But:

What you propose sounds like a better idea I hadn't though of. I'm not familiar with forwarding my cell number, have never done it. But I forward my landline phone to my wife's cellphone, and she got the occasional junk call when in Ireland last month, so that worked. Another advantage is that with you forwarding your cellphone number, you could get 2FA texting while overseas, needed for more and more secure logins nowadays.

I think what needs to be checked is, does your carrier forward calls internationally? They probably do, but do they bill your account for that? They are processing the call with their system, so they may want money for that. I'm very happy with my T-mobile account giving me free texting and $ .25 / minute calling, but other service plans or other carriers will have other pricing.
UPDATE: I just checked with Tmobile and what they say is:
-You can't forward calls to international numbers.
-You can only forward calls to 10- or 11-digit numbers.
-Forwarding while roaming depends on the host country's network capabilities.
This last one may be the problem as you might be considered to be roaming?
I also saw a posting which claimed that no carriers would forward texting.

This is getting more and more complicated...

@shoeflyer
I am in Canada and Google Fi/Voice is not available.

@travelerguy

I am not talking about transferring or "porting" a number from one service to another which takes a bit of effort. Call forwarding is very easy to enable and disable.

The TextNow number is a local Canadian number. Therefore, call forwarding my Canadian cell number to TextNow should work even though I receive the call over Wi-Fi (or mobile data) while abroad, right?

[My overall situation is more complicated. I have a cheap home land line number which I provide to business clients, casual acquaintances, strangers, etc. I have cell phone number which I keep private and never give out out except to close family and friends. I am hoping to use TextNow for receiving free international calls. For example, a person calls my landline (free). This is call forwarded to my cell number (free). This is further call forwarded to TextNow (should be free). And I receive the call in Europe or Asia, etc. While abroad, I should be able to phone back to Canada using TextNow. All I need is free Wifi or a mobile data esim/sim. What do you think?]

Regarding 2FA, I have not figured out how to text forward from cell number to TextNow number. Can this even be done?

It is possible to designate your TextNow as a 2FA verification number with your bank. However, TextNow says they charge extra for this verification service. From what I've read, it does not always work. Plus, I'm not sure I like the idea of my security verification codes being routed through TextNow's server or system.

Fortunately, some of my banks give me the option to send verification codes to my email.

While abroad, I should be able to phone back to Canada using TextNow.
All I need is free Wifi or a mobile data esim/sim. What do you think?

I'm pretty certain that should work, as it is really VOIP, and not using the cell network (other than for data)

Regarding 2FA, I have not figured out how to text forward from cell
number to TextNow number. Can this even be done?

Seems like there are 2 kinds of texting. 1. "Normal" texting, using your phones texting app and the cell network of your carrier. And 2. Apps like TextNow, Textfree, GoogleVoice, etc... which just use data.
I'm pretty sure the "normal" texting cannot be forwarded, because carriers don't support it. And texting to your "normal" cell # while you are in Europe would only work if your carrier (like Tmobile for me) supports it. Seems like your carrier would need agreements with the carriers in Europe, and that means a more expensive plan or an add-on.

So forwarding your cellphone # to TextNow should work anywhere, for voice. You could reply using TextNow, and the other party would see the TextNow number. If they called back to your TextNow number, that would be ok, as you would still get the call.

It is possible to designate your TextNow as a 2FA verification number
with your bank. However, TextNow says they charge extra for this
verification service. From what I've read, it does not always work.
Plus, I'm not sure I like the idea of my security verification codes
being routed through TextNow's server or system.

Yes, that's what I do. It costs me about $2 per week. It does work for me for 2FA. That's the main reason I pay that $8/month, the other reason is to have a reliable backup phone #. The $8 also locks my phone # so I don't have to call every 7 days to keep my number. For my "backup" phone, I actually bought ($3.99) a TextNow sim that gives me unlimited calls and texts as long as I'm near a Tmobile tower but I'm not sure that would work in Canada.

I don't worry about the verification codes going through someone else's system, as all the 2FA I've seen say "this code expires in 15 min." and I immediately use the code when I get it.

Fortunately, some of my banks give me the option to send verification
codes to my email.

Yeah, I'd rather do email, that's how my health care provider does it.

Incidently, I found that my Google Voice number would work for verifying a backup number for a different Google account, but would not work for other 2FA needs. That's why I have the TextNow number.

Travelerguide

Thanks. I am learning a lot from this discussion.

I searched and found SMS Forwarder app which can forward texts to another phone or computer. This would be another layer of complications. Needing 2FA verification during a trip is usually not necessary for me and I do have at least one bank account that allows email.

I only became interested in TextNow as a result of online discussions involving my third tier prepaid cellular provider, Public Mobile (PM). PM does not provide Wi-Fi calling and some customers with poor signals are suffering from dropped calls. I figured that call forwarding a cell number to a TextNow number would allow those people to make and receive Wi-Fi calls.

Google Voice is essentially a VOIP that works well with data-only SIMs. I use it for both incoming and outgoing calls, and outgoing calls from Europe cost about a penny a minute. A Google Voice number is free of charge. The Google Voice number also can receive texts.

Something to consider.

@Travelguy

Have you used TestNow while overseas e.g. Europe to make calls to and receive calls from the US?

On reddit, they say that TestNow can be used in this way, but once they figure out what you're doing, TestNow will deactivate your account.

funpig

funpig

Yes, I made one test. From Ennis, Ireland, I texted to my "regular" phone number (my regular number is Tmobile, so I had normal service in Ireland). So I used the TextNow app to text my normal Tmobile number. It worked fine, and I replied back from my "normal" number to my TextNow number, and it worked.

On the plane back to the U.S., I logged into the Wifi on the plane, got one hour of free wifi via my Tmobile account, and it gave me data. But I tried to text from TextNow and it didn't seem to work. I think that's because the wifi on the plane did not allow texting, just data. I could send from TextNow (data), but I couldn't receive a text with my normal phone number (texting).

Wow, de-activating an account seems kinda severe. I suppose it has to do with regulations regarding "roaming".

Travelguy, I think it is in their terms and conditions. The intent of app is for use in the US and Canada only. If the account is deactivated or banned, I don't think there's anything to stop a person from opening a new account under a different email address. I noticed that you can go into account settings and change the name or the email address of the account at any time.

funpig, I think you're right. TextNow must have a contract with Tmobile to use their towers, and since Tmobile has a lot of Europe presence, they may not want TextNow competing with them for European coverage, hence the Terms & Conditions. Kind of like some providers not allowing you to "roam" for more than 90 days or so. But I believe the only thing they truly know about you is your I/P address, and that changes with what device or wifi you use, so it might be hard to detect if you use a new email address to login. I'm pretty sure you don't have to "verify" that email address to create an account. I haven't.