Hi all,
I will be travelling to USA later this month and need to have an active Australian number (mobile/landline number) while there.
The only use for it is to receive calls from Australia, I will not use it to make calls/data.
Any suggestions/providers/apps would be helpful.
Cheers
In addition, you can download a free app from the links on Mynetfones site - "Zoiper" IOS and Android
https://www.mynetfone.com.au/support/Setup-Guides/Downloads
Scroll down to the z section and see the download links
Install WhatsApp,free to talk and receive calls with Internet access :)
+1 for whatsapp, as long as you have internet access you can use call/receive whatsapp calls. Your number will still be the same for your contacts to call so they do not need a dedicated USA number, you can also keep in contact with everyone else who uses it
Can you elaberate more…I have WhatsApp but I need it for work purposes. Unknown people will be calling me for work purposes
Given carrier T supplied a bucket ~321-183min inc. in Freedom Plus offer, most may not find it an extra to call America, circuit switched.
For below $480/YR cheapskates like me I got with the $5 MNF inward dial idea plus enjoy last year's~ $1.60mo/300min discontinued Skype world plan.
Rates I'll look at today, include VoxOx Out(*)
United States +1 $0.000 - $0.010 and SMS $0.01
Canada +1 $0.010;
China +86 $0.018 - $0.047 and SMS $0.02!
Australia +61 $0.018 - $0.066
*Purchase able for nil extra from Google Play' sunk Local recharge + top-up credit balances TPP.
Similarly sensibly, I set my zone or DID, to the "+1" country where mobile terminate cheapest. Free US and Canada from, for instance a New York on Google Voice:
setup here before exiting Australia. As above, Telstra may call free.
Or get a sim only from Vodafone
$5 a day to use the plan in US this means people can call you as if you were in OZ
it also means you can use the plan inclusions while in US
Unlimited calls and texts within US
Unlimited cals and texts to Aus
$30 for a month
Toggle mobile global roaming sim. You can attach an Australian number to the service. It is free to receive calls in the USA.
Calls back to Australia are reasonable too.
Thanks for your help guys. I'll look into each one of these . should have probably mentioned that I need the aus number for work purposes and voice quality needs to be good I not perfect…so not sure whether calls over internet/VoIP would be good.
Will appreciate anymore input.
Cheers
Voip should be fine, been using it for over 10 years at home and when travelling. The ony issue comes when data access speed is slow, then you can get an echo or delayed voice.
I wonder how this small gem from "Australian Business Traveller" might serve:
There's a golden trick that tech-savvy travellers have been using for years to avoid global roaming fees.
Put simply, you divert yourAustralian mobile numberto a Skype number, which in turn diverts to your overseas mobile number.
As a result, youavoid global roaming feesaltogether.
You'll need to buy a SIM card at your destination for this trick to work.
http://www.ausbt.com.au/how-to-divert-your-mobile-through-sk…
resources
* Skype Online Number €15 (AUD$20) for 3 months.
* AU$7.99/month United States Unlimited mins
* related solution>
If you divert (Forward) your Roaming Moobile to your landline, and if an Australian caller calls your Mobile, your mobile will be charged the same cost as if it were still in Australia, at a rate that includes any plan, bundle or other discount you normally receive.
* Forward Immediate(enable):**21*(Skypephone number to forward calls to, including area code)*10#
Seems like a lot of hassle. Plus no SMS
The only use for it is to receive calls from Australia, I will not use it to make calls/data.
Suggested in another thread, that if you can leave phone connected to WiFi at relos place, then Android app Pushbullet looks able to push notifications to the cloud
How long are you there?
All the complex solutions are crazy if you're only there for a few days and most carriers allowing unlimited roaming travel packs for an extra $5-$10 per day.
Do you need SMS? Forwarding/VOIP won't support SMS
I'll be there for 28 days!
No need for SMS just want to receive calls.
OK solved it…for anyone interested here is what I am doing…
I am currently on The optus $90 home-broadband plan that also gives unlimited calls to USA
I was able to call divert my homephone number to a usa number and it Works! (the call centre assistant said it was not possible but it worked!)
So ill just give my work my homephone number if they want to contact me!
So free incoming calls!
THANKS ALL FOR YOUR INPUTS ;)
I'd:
grab a cheap VOIP DID number off someone like mynetfone. The whirlpool saver plan has no monthly fees and allows for the purchase of a DID (ie traditional landline phone number) for $5/year - see https://www.mynetfone.com.au/whirlpool/VoIP/Plans. Please check before signing up, but you should be able to receive calls without loading any additional credit onto your account. (there may be cheaper DID/VOIP providers, so might be worth googling)
buy the cheapest SIM card in the US that will give you mobile data for the period that you're there, allowing for any web surfing etc that you might do over there as well
install a VOIP softphone app on your (presumably?) smartphone. On Android, I use csipsimple, but there's plenty of others to choose from.
Then, if someone calls the DID, the call will be converted to VOIP and travel over the internet to your phone, so that the VOIP app will ring.
Assuming that you were going to buy a sim with data in the US anyway, this setup will only cost $5/year.