Help! Need free US roaming!

[Cathrine]

Stuck in US and need connectivity. Can’t return to job, can’t afford ongoing roaming. 

PLEASE MATCH THE SERVICE OF THE OTHER PROVIDERS.

[rhbcc]

There's Talkatone, textPlus , freetone, Dingtone and Textfun. I believe these are Android and iOS compatible.

[kselmak]

@Luddite  Yah I noticed that too

Was looking around, not too many have that

My Nexus was supposed to work but doesn't pass the IMEI check

Lots of people claim that you can use an old Sprint phone with dead sprint sim card in it and the activation goes through. Apparently value of those on eBay just went up

I think many of doogee global phones have CDMA 0 and 1

Well we'll see what happens when they finally get here.

Did anybody notice that fongo started selling sim cards?

2gigs for $20

[Luddite]

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@kselmak wrote:

Hi @Cathrine 

If you are stuck there check out TextNow sim
It's $10 and you get free calls and texts coast to coast (no need for WiFi they will do it over Sprint network). While there you can upgrade to 2 gigs of data for $20 and when you head back downgrade to the free service. Don't lose that Sim you can take it with you any time you go.

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@kselmak Textnow says: "Bring your unlocked CDMA phone"

[computergeek541]

@Cathrine 

An update to your request/suggestion, just in case you have been following the message board:

U.S. roaming add-on charges will be credited for these add-ons purchased and used until April 30th. While you do still need to pay for the add-on at first, you'll be issued an account credit within 7 business days. These account credits can be used as partial payment towards your next renewal.

[mpcdesign]

@Cathrine, I have adapted and pulled out the American information that I think that maybe pertinent to your situation from the original post that I posted a few days ago (man, it feels like a weeks ago):

• Charter and Comcast have announced that they will help families receive free WiFi access during the COVID-19 health crisis. Beginning March 16 Charter will offer the following for 60 days: Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and WiFi access for 60 days to households with K-12 or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.

• Comcast is pausing data plans for 60 days giving all customers unlimited data for no additional charge.
• Spectrum offering free internet during COVID-19 concern. Opportunity for Free Internet: All residents that live at serviceable Spectrum locations and have school children PK-12 are eligible for the free Spectrum Internet and WiFi for two months. The only stipulations are that they must have a parent or be 18 to call.
• Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi . Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots and then launch a browser.
• and if you stand around beside our outside a library, museum, restaurant or coffee shop, you could take their wi-fi too. Examples, McDonalds, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, etc

You could also use Google Hangouts, Slack, WhatsApp, Messenger, FaceTime, JoinMe Meetings and so on. 

[computergeek541]

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@Jb456 wrote:

Sorry not possible as Public Mobile is not like other providers it is a prepaid service and they have not announced anything do to current events.

You can download TEXTNOW app.

You get a Canadian number in your area which will allow you to call and text USA and Canada numbers for free over wifi. People can even leave you voicemail when you're not online.

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I would say that if Public Mobile chose to offer free roaming, they probably could.  it may not be a easy as compared ot how a postpaid carrier would do it with just have having the customer use the service but then just cancelling out the chrages, but the past has shown that Public Mobile is capable of adding free add-ons to customer accounts.  Any such solution may just not be as simple as at other brands. It would certainly be a nice gesture if Public Mobile were to add free U.S. roaming via add-ons (or via whatever method that they would need to use), but customers do need to remember that carriers are not required to give free service.

[kselmak]

Yes @Jb456 is correct if you are really low on funds at the moment, the app is free to download and use with WiFi.

I just assumed that you are staying for very long and that extending 10 by 10 days is crazy expensive long term.

But if you need it out and about and are not always in position to chase free WiFi, it's a great allternative

[killerofmusic]

Hey You can also use hangouts dialer app. Connect it to your own phone by verifying and not receive any roaming when you place calls on wifi. 

[Jb456]

@Cathrine  I understand in your post you can't afford outgoing Roaming..so don't let the $10 text now sim turn you off.

You can use the Textnow app FOR FREE over wifi anywhere in the world that you can connect to a wifi network. You don't need to pay $10 for that.

Stay safe

[kselmak]

Hi @Cathrine 

If you are stuck there check out TextNow sim
It's $10 and you get free calls and texts coast to coast (no need for WiFi they will do it over Sprint network). While there you can upgrade to 2 gigs of data for $20 and when you head back downgrade to the free service. Don't lose that Sim you can take it with you any time you go.

[Jb456]

Sorry not possible as Public Mobile is not like other providers it is a prepaid service and they have not announced anything do to current events.

You can download TEXTNOW app.

You get a Canadian number in your area which will allow you to call and text USA and Canada numbers for free over wifi. People can even leave you voicemail when you're not online.

[gblackma]

Sorry to hear that @Cathrine download the TextNow app and use it over WiFi to make/ receive/send calls and texts for free.