Spending the winter months in the US

[LindaW13]

What services are available? 

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@LindaW13

 Nor did I at first....you can test it out ahead of time. Download textnow. Choose a canadian number. Then go to your phone app and tap the 3 dots at the top right corner of your screen. Settings>> Calls >>Call forwarding >> To test choose "unanswered" but for your trip choose "always forward" then enter your new textnow number.

Then from another number call your pm number and don't answer it until you see it  ringing your textnow app....then answer the call or leave yourself a message. You can then access your textnow voicemail to retrieve your message. You can play around and test forwarding your pm number to all of the options so you can see how it works. Reset the call forwarding options to default (pm voicemail #) by dialing ##004#.

A more indepth explanation can be found here by @Nezgar :

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Out-of-service-area-or-on-Airplane-mode/m...

[LindaW13]

This sounds like what I'm looking for... I need to receive calls from docters etc. while away. I'm not sure I completely understand how that works though.

[JL9]

This is definitely the best route along with voip apps! Would advise against roaming plans with PM if you are gone that long as it will cost a fortune.

[hTideGnow]

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@LindaW13 wrote:

Can I still us my phone number with Mintmobile?

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Hi @LindaW13   MintMobile is another local service in US, they will assign you another phone number.  But important part is they have Data on the plan and you can then use different app to talk to friends/family in Canada or check email, etc

[BKNS27]

@LindaW13 

No sorry you can’t use your number on Mint Mobile but it is a low cost cell carrier in the US. Tello is another low cost cell carrier in the US but again you will have to get a new number.

I would suggest you download the WhatsApp app so you can use your number but your other party would also need to download the same app so you can call or text through wifi free of charge.

[Des_mt]

@LindaW13  

To use the service in US, you will have to buy roaming add-on.  But they are in 10 days per add-on and it will be very expensive if you keep using roaming that way

Maybe you can check with Local data prepaid plan in US?  Also, put PM service for suspension while you are away to save money?   But you still need to reactivate once every 90 days to keep the number

[softech]

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@LindaW13 wrote:

Last year we were with Bell and it was costing over $200 a month! So anything would be better than that I think.

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Yes, buy the local US Data, probably $30 US a month.  Then use the VoIP app to make and receive calls.  Change PM to $15 plan  So, the cost would be just around CAD $60 per month.

If you want to save more and don't mind the trouble, put the PM service on suspension.  Then come back on the 85th day and reactivate a month on the $15 plan.  Then let it suspend again after the month and repeat that until you are back in Canada

[darlicious]

@LindaW13 

Voice Over Internet Protocol its a phone provider over the internet so you need either wifi or mobile data for it to work. Fongo has very few ads but only free incoming texts. Textnow has lots of ads but free calling and texting. There are others but most here use one or other....

Edit:

Go to the playstore and download one of them to try....I use mine to check voicemail.

[LindaW13]

Last year we were with Bell and it was costing over $200 a month! So anything would be better than that I think.

[softech]

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@LindaW13 wrote:

Sounds good but I know nothing abour voip lol

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@LindaW13   It is just an app, but like a real phone

Try TextNow. After download, when you setup , you will get to choose a phone number (almost like cellular phone).  People can call you like a real phone.  Your app will ring and you can answer the call using the app.  You can also use the app the dial any regular number and talk like a real phone.  

And.. you can use the app to text as well

try it out first, you will like it  🙂

[LindaW13]

Sounds good but I know nothing abour voip lol

[darlicious]

@LindaW13 

You can choose the $15 plan for your pm phone. Call forward your pm number to a voip canadian phone number with textnow or fongo. Remove your pm sim card before you leave Canada so it doesn't connect to a US tower and erase your call forwarding and set it back to the default settings. Then activate with mint and your pm calls will ring thru to your app on your phone with mint mobile.

[dabr]

@softech   Yes, the pricing for 10 days is very reasonable but I know there are plenty of customers who would prefer a bit more flexibility for the length of those packages.  Besides more longer term options, it would be nice if there were options for one or two days of roaming.  However, I'm not holding my breath for any changes for the roaming.  😊

[softech]

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@dabr wrote:

 for longer than the current 10 days.  However, even that is very unlikely to happen.

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They might not, it's great money to get every 10 days.  If it is a month term, the price could be too scary and drive people away

I guess we will be happy if they can fix it without the 24 hours wait for rebuying the same thing, or people can buy earlier themselves if all used up , or people would have the call cut off if 2 voice roaming add-ons were bought.. oops.. the list goes on  🙂

[dabr]

@MrSpock   I doubt very much PM will ever offer the snowbird plan again.  The best we can hope for is that they may get around to offering roaming options for longer than the current 10 days.  However, even that is very unlikely to happen.

@LindaW13    You would get a different number offered by Mint Mobile which is not connected to your PM number.

[softech]

They better clear up the situation with 3G/VoLTE first.  So far we heard that it will be there end of Sept, but no confirmation.  If there is no VoLTE, they might even need to kill the US voice roaming option

[MrSpock]

@LindaW13 keep your fingers crossed that they bring back the Canada US plan back that they had here precovid before you go away in the winter 

[dabr]

@LindaW13   As you are able to receive text messages without purchasing any roaming option, perhaps just purchase one of roaming packages when you need to respond to any text messages since they are only available for 10 days and would be expensive option for longer stays in the US. 

[LindaW13]

Can I still us my phone number with Mintmobile?

[dust2dust]

You can receive texts without doing anything. You can't reply. For talk you will need a talk roaming add-on or in a bundle. And they go for 10 days.

Adding - to the subject line, you would be much better off with a US service. But it would be a different number.

You could get a voip app and then forward your number to that number. Then do NOT connect to a US tower or remove the sim and you can connect to wifi or that US service with data and use the voip app.

[LindaW13]

Or at the very least retrieve any messages.

[LindaW13]

I need to be able to receive any important calls on my number, 

[darlicious]

@LindaW13 

10 Day US Roaming Add ons or try mintmobile.com with plans starting at $US $15/4gb unlimited calls, texts in the US and to Canada and Mexico. ( 90+day plans)

[softech]

@LindaW13   Sorry, PM does not have specific plan for US

To use the service in US, you will have to buy roaming add-on.  But they are in 10 days per add-on and it will be very expensive if you keep using roaming that way

Maybe you can check with Local data prepaid plan in US?  Also, put PM service for suspension while you are away to save money?   But you still need to reactivate once every 90 days to keep the number