topic Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can? in Get Support

How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Natsu — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 07:01:42 GMT

Whenever I turn off my phone (which I do a lot), incoming calls are forwarded to my VoIP number. But not SMS: they are not forwarded and therefore only arrive when I turn the phone back on (and if I leave the phone off for several days, not all of the SMS will arrive) Anyway, naturally, I would like to set up SMS forwarding, but the kind of phone I use has no settings for that. So I am curious to hear if there are phones that have settings for SMS forwarding. Thanks in advance for any related information...

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

dust2dust — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 07:08:38 GMT

Where would you intend to forward the SMS's? Is your voip number running from a voip app that does talk and text?

There is an app for Androids that can forward texts to another number but the phone has to be on.

I don't know of phones that can forward texts without a specific app. I don't think any cell service offers text forwarding.

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

HALIMACS — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 10:24:03 GMT

@Natsu

Recommendation would be one of the following:

Re iPhone:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT208386

Re Android:

https://www.airdroid.com/parent-control/automatically-forward-text-messages-to-another-phone/#:~:text=Tap%20and%20hold%20the%20text,the%20message%20to%20several%20recipients.

-or-

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-automatically-forward-sms-to-email-on-android/

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

DDM69 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 11:55:51 GMT

I would check youtube or google for information on this including your model of phone.

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Natsu — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 20:06:26 GMT

@dust2dust

I would forward them to my VoIP number, which accepts SMS and emails a copy of them to the address I have specified.

About apps: yes, the phone is off a lot, so the SMS forwarding would have to work excactly like call forwarding, not involving any app, but "forwarding when not reachable" to a preset number

Technically this should be possible, but I have not yet seen it done - thus my question: maybe some else has seen it being done somewhere. 🙂

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Natsu — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 20:25:40 GMT

@HALIMACS

Very good, thanks!

I'll check out the site you mention (my dumb phone does not give me any options).

Added later: that site is about running an app to forward SMS. It's a different thing, not what I am looking for, which is "forwarding when the phone is not reachable " (i.e., "off")... 🙂

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Natsu — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 20:11:27 GMT

@DDM69

Well, I'd have to say "been there, done that". 🙂

Haven't found any related information online about my dumbphone (the brand is Ushining)...

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

fujiyama — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 21:52:05 GMT

As mentioned by dust2dust, carriers do not offer text forwarding so your only option is to use a smart phone with an app that can do this forwarding for you.

You will also have to keep the phone on for this to work but just leave it in Do not Disturb/Silent mode, with calls set to unconditional forwarding.

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

dust2dust — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:03:09 GMT

@Natsu- It simply doesn't work that way. SMS is a low level, small chunk of data being transmitted, basic method of communication. It's on the level of the system telling the phone to ring. That's sending a small chunk of data to the phone tapping it on the shoulder saying hey there's a call here for you so play the ringer. An SMS is much the same. Hey here's a small chunk of data. Hand this off to your texting app will ya.

There are no published control options to tell the SMS server or other nodes on the network to redirect incoming texts somewhere else. One would think it should be simple enough to implement but very few to no providers do.

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Natsu — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 07:11:28 GMT

@fujiyama

Understand, although that would not be an option in my situation (extended absences from Canada - my phone is at times off for a few weeks at a time).

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

dust2dust — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 07:28:41 GMT

Leave it plugged in into a timer. Say 12 hours on and 12 hours off. Or maybe 6 hours on and 18 hours off. Put the sim in a retired phone and leave the app running.

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Natsu — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 07:32:30 GMT

@dust2dust

Yeah, since VoIP providers forward SMS, I was thinking "regular" tel companies can do it, too.

Nevermind, I can keep doing what I have been doing until now, which is port my cell number to my VoIP provider before leaving the country and porting it back after returning. Thanks again for your comments...

Re: How can SMS be forwarded automatically, like phone calls can?

Grand_Total — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:48:23 GMT

@Natsu- Apologies for resurrecting an old topic. I too would like to be able to forward SMS messages. I tried setting up call forwarding, which I also want, and saw the attached screen on my phone which seems to indicate that SMS calls should be forwarded. However when I send an SMS message to my number it is not forwarded.