moving and keeping phone number from another province

[Sherry1313]

I have moved to NB while ago but kept my phone number from Ontario. I remember that I changed my region when I moved to the new province. But some of my friends in NB that do not have Canada wide plan say that they are charged when they call me.

How can I check to make sure my region has been set to NB? 

Thank you!

[computergeek541]

@Sherry1313 

506-756 numbers are issued by Aliant.

[Sherry1313]

Thanks for your reply!

- can i get 506-756-... number through freephoneline.ca? 

- if I forward the number to my ON number, Can I cancel it?

[LurganIeUk]

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@gwhitema wrote:

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@LurganIeUk wrote:Voip.ms is my land line using an ATA box and runs a 5 set wireless Panasonic phone set. I have the Zoiper app on my iPhone. 

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How is that going ? I was thinking of going with either Voip.MS or Fongo home phone. The problem with fongo is that you dont get all the fun features and flexibility of Voip.MS. Just the only thing i am scared about Voip.MS is it not working and the ATA adapter being a headache. What ATA adapter do you have ?

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@gwhitema 

All is good with voip.ms. I have an UNLOCKED Linksys PAP2T. Yes so many things you can do with voip.ms. They have good documentation and support. The ATA is not a headache. Set it up and screen print all of your settings and you will likely never look back. Voip.ms is in US$ and you have to pay GST only. My home bill is about $12.75 CDN per month. That includes $4.25 for unlimited inbound and $1.50 for 911. I do have the Zipper app on my iPhone but you have to leave the App running all the time and be on either data or internet all the time. The only bonus to use.....if you are out and about and have Internet nearby you can make calls. I have routed all inbound landline calls to our PM accounts. 

[gwhitema]

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@LurganIeUk wrote:Voip.ms is my land line using an ATA box and runs a 5 set wireless Panasonic phone set. I have the Zoiper app on my iPhone. 

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How is that going ? I was thinking of going with either Voip.MS or Fongo home phone. The problem with fongo is that you dont get all the fun features and flexibility of Voip.MS. Just the only thing i am scared about Voip.MS is it not working and the ATA adapter being a headache. What ATA adapter do you have ?

[Nezgar]

@LurganIeUk wrote:

Choose what wisely?

I meant choose the iOS app or Desktop App wisely during freephoneline.ca account signup. Once you choose, you can't change it.

Not sure what you mean. I do have an unlocked box for VoIP.ms

I mean that you have to pay extra to unlock freephoneline.ca to use with a SIP device or ATA. With voip.ms you do not.

$15 plan for VoIP.ms?

I meant you could use the callback DID feature at voip.ms to conserve outgoing minutes with the $15 plan at Public Mobile, which has unlimited incoming minutes - though at the cost of voip.ms incoming+outgoung rate combined. (about 1.4c/min)

[Nezgar]

@Sherry1313 

Your Ontario Phone No: 289-700 appears to be Hamilton, originally Freedom Mobile.

506-756 serves Petitcodiac NB. I'm not terribly familiar with the area but it looks like Moncton in the local calling area: https://bellaliant.bell.ca/small-business/long-distance/info/free-local-calling-areas

Try registering at https://www.freephoneline.ca/ and see if you can get a number in Moncton. Once you've gone through the setup, you can configure it to forward to your Public Mobile number in Hamilton, giving people in the Moncton/Petitcodiac NB area the option of calling you at that number that is a local call for them. As long as you make at least one outgoing call with the desktop PC application every 3 months, you can keep it going for free.

Another paid option that requires no app is to sign up for voip.ms, register a DID number in Moncton, and configure it to forward to your Hamilton number. It will cost about 1.4c per minute, and 40c/month.

Lastly, if you want to give up your Hamilton number, and change your Public Mobile service to use a Moncton number, you can do that for free from the self-serve portal. Choose "Change Number" from the overview page, and choose NB-MONCTON. A quick check via my own self-serve login shows me numbers available in 506-233, and 506-889.

[Sherry1313]

Thank you ALL for answering my question. Based on the very helpful information you all provided, I need to clarify some points so that I can get some more advice to make a decision:

1- I have a Canada wide plan with PM. 

2- When I moved to New Brunswick and changed my region to NB, I wrongly thought that people of NB who don't have Canada wide plans, won't be charged when they call me. 

3- I want to keep my previous Ontario Phone No: 289-700-**** if possible

4- People who don't have Canada wide plan, either on their CELLPHONEs or on HOME-PHONEs are charged when they call me. I want to solve this problem.

5- New Brunswick area code is 506 and the number of the local area I live is 756. So In order to cover people calling me both through cellphones and home phones, I think I need to change my number to 506-756-**** either virtually through the app/s you mentioned and forwarding that number to my ON number, or changing my ON number, or getting a new PM sim card with a number starting with 506-756. 

6- If I want to change my number or get a new PM sim card, can I get a number starting with 506-756? I know Bell has access to 576 but I like to stay with PM.

Thank you very much!

[computergeek541]

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@Satton420 wrote:

You can download an app on wifi to call people who are long distance.

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Assuming that Sherry1313  has a Canada-wide talk plan, this wouldn't be a way to make it so that the member doesn't have to change phone number. The issue with the person who is calling Sherry1313 possibly needing to pay long distance if the number isn't changed.

[LurganIeUk]

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@Nezgar wrote:

@LurganIeUk - freephoneline.ca ive only used their PC app.

On your computer?

Once you choose that you cant get the mobile app I think.

Yes I now see an iOS app. 

Choose wisely when you sign up.

Choose what wisely?

🙂you dont need an ATA - but you can purchase an 'unlock key' to do that.

Not sure what you mean. I do have an unlocked box for VoIP.ms

Not worth it when the likes of voip.ms have no such fee and document how to set it up as well.

 But there IS a fee for VoIP.ms. For DID, inbound, outbound and 911. And they have fantastic documentation and email support. And you have “set up” to call countries other than Canada and USA. 

Im currently playing with voip.ms without any ATA or VoIP phone - they have lots of other cool features without those even for pennies.

Voip.ms is my land line using an ATA box and runs a 5 set wireless Panasonic phone set. I have the Zoiper app on my iPhone. 

Menu structure, voicemail, fax receive, toll free number, callback dialout (possibly great for $15 plan with unlimited incoming calls!)

$15 plan for VoIP.ms? I pay my the minute outgoing and $4.25 a month for unlimited incoming. I have tons of numbers blocked and is so nice to block each and every PITA scam spam caller. Most of our calls a valid now. You have to upload your phone contacts to see a name in caller ID. Currently all inbound calls are set up to also call forward to both of our mobile phones....first one to pick up the other two stop ringing. Also if land line is in use the 2 mobile phones will take other calls as well....you can answer or not answer and VoIP.ms voicemail will kick in. You have to assign voicemail default but never the less is worthwhile to also set up their voice mail too. There is a special code to reduce your inbound channels to one only and a number of steps to take to make the call forwarding work effectively. Any questions PM me. 

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[Nezgar]

@LurganIeUk - freephoneline.ca ive only used their PC app. Once you choose that you cant get the mobile app I think. Choose wisely when you sign up. 🙂 you dont need an ATA - but you can purchase an 'unlock key' to do that. Not worth it when the likes of voip.ms have no such fee and document how to set it up as well.

Im currently playing with voip.ms without any ATA or VoIP phone - they have lots of other cool features without those even for pennies. Menu structure, voicemail, fax receive, toll free number, callback dialout (possibly great for $15 plan with unlimited incoming calls!)

[LurganIeUk]

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@Nezgar wrote:

If you setup a freephoneline.ca number in your new area, you can set it to forward to your Ontario number so that there is a number people can call you at without long distance. 

For this free Fongo service do you need an ATA box? Or is there an APP to make your cell phone into a softphone? Do you call forward from the fongo Account?

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[Nezgar]

If you setup a freephoneline.ca number in your new area, you can set it to forward to your Ontario number so that there is a number people can call you at without long distance. You have to make at least one outgoing call every month or 2 to keep it active.

Otherwise for a few dollars per month you can setup a similar paid service with voip.ms. Then you can also have some fun by presenting a menu with options to reach you and other things instead of a simple forward...

[gblackma]

@Sherry1313 FYI sales tax is based on the area code of the number. Not on where you currently reside. In this instance this benefits you  since you will pay Ontario tax saving 2% per 30 day cycle. Stay safe. 

[Satton420]

You can download an app on wifi to call people who are long distance.

[Pawprints1986]

Another work around potentially is for them to text you then you call them with your Canada wide... If you're like me and really want to keep your same number 🙂 would depend how okay they are with that though

[wetcoaster]

@Sherry1313 

You could consider getting a fongo number for your new local area and use that over WiFi or data on your Public Mobile ON plan. So your NB and your ON friends could call you local.

If you want to you can forward calls from one number to the other - be aware that call forwarding is considered an outgoing call and counts towards limited minutes if you are on the $15 (or grandfathered $10) PM plan.

[jimbobs]

Phone number, as selected or ported by you, determines the region.  So if you have an Ontario number in NB, calls to that number are LD. Some callers may not be charged for those calls but that is a function of their plan.

[LurganIeUk]

Just an FYI....sales tax is based on the province that the number resides in. 

[Naepalm]

@Sherry1313 The issue is that you have an Ontario number. You will need to pick a new phone number for your region if you want your number to no longer be long-distance for your friends in NB. You could entice your friends to switch to Public and get a Canada wide plan : ) or switch to a NB number.

[geopublic · Accepted solution]

@Sherry1313  The region gets set automatically by you phoner number. If you want to change your region you must change your number.

[ShawnC13]

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@Sherry1313 wrote:

I have moved to NB while ago but kept my phone number from Ontario. I remember that I changed my region when I moved to the new province. But some of my friends in NB that do not have Canada wide plan say that they are charged when they call me.

How can I check to make sure my region has been set to NB? 

Thank you!

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It is by Area Code.  If you didn't change your number there shouldn't be an issue but people calling you from your new province would pay long distance if they don't have Canada wide calling

[hairbag1]

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@Sherry1313 wrote:

I have moved to NB while ago but kept my phone number from Ontario. I remember that I changed my region when I moved to the new province. But some of my friends in NB that do not have Canada wide plan say that they are charged when they call me.

How can I check to make sure my region has been set to NB? 

Thank you!

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 You can change your number to reflect the province you reside in in the self serve area.