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Receiving calls and SMS(text messages) while overseas

opium911
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Hi,

 

From my understanding is that there are no "International roaming" add-ons.

Therefore, I would not be able to receive and send calls or text messages from my cell phone when I am overseas.

 

1) Now let's say somebody in Canada calls me on my number and sends me a few SMS(text messages), I know I would not be able to see them or receive them while I am overseas for the 2 months for example.

But when I come back after the 2 months, will those calls and SMS(text messages) show up on my phone as soon as I step into Canada even though they were sent 2 months ago?

2) Also will they show up as having been received the day I step into Canada or with the date they were sent on for example 2 months ago?

 

 

Thanks.

12 REPLIES 12

@Superapoon 

No. Outside of the US where you can still receive incoming text messages without a roaming plan or choose one or more of the US 10 day roaming plans to be able to send and recieve texts, calls and/or data.

 

You can however download the fongo app ( works both on wifi and mobile data) or the text now app and call forward your pm number before you leave Canada to your text now or fongo number. You will then recieve all of your incoming calling to your pm number on your text now or fongo number while on wifi. If you get a local sim card and use the fongo app your calling will be almost seamless. SMS text forwarding is possible but requires your pm sim card to be left in Canada in a working phone that is left on at all times preferably left charging.

Superapoon
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

if i go Hk, do i still receive the text message from canada friends? is any charges ?

koodonomore
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

I want to say that when I was on Koodo - after being out of country for 3 weeks, I could come home and receive a flood of text messages from the time when I was away.

 

And the issue is that I can't really control people sending me SMS while I'm away.  It would be nice not to miss them.

I think it's pretty normal for mobile networks to hold SMS messages only for a couple days max if the device is unreachable... Otherwise use phone calls which can go to voicemail and retrieved remotely, or email... With free youmail.com your voicemails can even go to email with text transcription...

koodonomore
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Don't need to go overseas - even into the backcountry for 10 days, I have missed SMS messages after I return.  Being a safety item, I don't want to leave the phone at home to receive messages and prefer to have it with me, turned off.  It would be nice if messages could be retained for a longer period while the phone is out of coverage (when the plan is still active and paid for).

dabr
Mayor / Maire

@opium911  Speaking from personal experience being overseas for a month last year, I received zero messages even though I have several alerts set up for bill reminders etc per month.  Also none of the missed messages showed up once I returned. 

I do hope Public Mobile will in the future have at least incoming messages whilst away but until then you're out of luck.

sunflowershine
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

@opium911 wrote:

Hi,

 

From my understanding is that there are no "International roaming" add-ons.

Therefore, I would not be able to receive and send calls or text messages from my cell phone when I am overseas.

 

1) Now let's say somebody in Canada calls me on my number and sends me a few SMS(text messages), I know I would not be able to see them or receive them while I am overseas for the 2 months for example.

But when I come back after the 2 months, will those calls and SMS(text messages) show up on my phone as soon as I step into Canada even though they were sent 2 months ago?

2) Also will they show up as having been received the day I step into Canada or with the date they were sent on for example 2 months ago?

 

 

Thanks.


@opium911 If you are away for two months, will you suspend your account (not paying any charges while you are away)? People can leave voicemail to your account for sure as long as your account is active. 

If you are paying for your service and your SIM card is with you, you will not receive any message or call as No Roaming services for international for PM. 

If you are away for that long, you can think about having a free calling app in your phone, such as TextNow or Fongo (like a voip phone). You have a phone number when you set up this free app. You can reach out people in North America for FREE as long as you have wifi or data oversea. 

You can change your phone to the cheapest plan ($10) while you are away. So it keeps your voicemail and texts records too. 

@srlawren, hmm, I'm not too sure how long they are stored.

 

I think voicemails are 10 days or so with most PM plans. Texts should be less than a month, if I remember correctly, maybe a week or two.

mimmo
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@opium911  it also depends on what you do with your plan. are you goingto let it expire while you are away and then renew before the 90 day suspended limit runs out?  if you let it expire you will not get any calls or sms and people calling you will get number not in service or something similar.

 

if you plan to renew your plan while away.  I have in the past put my sim in an old phone left it plugged in and turned on.  and i then have forwarded calls to my fongo number, and installed a sms to email or sms to sms app which forwards my sms.

 

edit this link might help: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/Traveling-to-Australia/m-p/164869/hig...

the call forwarding can be done while in canada and does not require the sim to be in canada, only the sms forwardingrequres a phone and sim to be active in canada

 

@opium911 

 

I've merged your two message threads into one so that's it'll be easier for you to find your answers in one place.

 

As srlawren stated, there is a time limit for text messages to get delivered to you.  I don't have the exact amount of time off the top of my head, but I can say with almost certainty that after 2 months, you will not receive them. The same goes for voicemail.  Voicemail messages are only saved for a set amount of time.

srlawren
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@opium911 wrote:

Hi,

 

From my understanding is that there are no "International roaming" add-ons.

Therefore, I would not be able to receive and send calls or text messages from my cell phone when I am overseas.

 

1) Now let's say somebody in Canada calls me on my number and sends me a few SMS(text messages), I know I would not be able to see them or receive them while I am overseas for the 2 months for example.

But when I come back after the 2 months, will those calls and SMS(text messages) show up on my phone as soon as I step into Canada even though they were sent 2 months ago?

2) Also will they show up as having been received the day I step into Canada or with the date they were sent on for example 2 months ago?

 

 

Thanks.


1) You will recevie any voicemail notifications and *recent* text messages.  I think the network only holds them for a few days before giving up if they are undeliverable.  @sheytoon do you know the threshhold before the system dumps undeliverable SMS?  You wil not get any missed call notifications like on some networks (Rogers/Fido I think does this).  

 

2) if there is delivered receipts requested on the SMS, you mean?  Good question but I would think those would show the date it actually got to your device.


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duffer900
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@opium911 wrote:

Hi,

 

From my understanding is that there are no "International roaming" add-ons.

Therefore, I would not be able to receive and send calls or text messages from my cell phone when I am overseas.

 

1) Now let's say somebody in Canada calls me on my number and sends me a few SMS(text messages), I know I would not be able to see them or receive them while I am overseas for the 2 months for example.

But when I come back after the 2 months, will those calls and SMS(text messages) show up on my phone as soon as I step into Canada even though they were sent 2 months ago?

2) Also will they show up as having been received the day I step into Canada or with the date they were sent on for example 2 months ago?

 

 

Thanks.


I could be wrong, but I would say it would be the same as your phone being off. Unless they leave a voice mail, I don't think there would be any notice of calls or texts. Carriers don't store this anywhere waiting for you To connect back on their network. I could be wrong, but that would be my guess. I can't test this, as I can't afford a flight out of Canada lol. 

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