Needing to get a US phone number

[revgreen]

I planned this quite poorly... I am in need of a US phone number for banking, work, and various other uses. I already cancelled my old AT&T account a week ago. I didn't realize I needed an existing US number to sign up for Ring Central or Google Voice... What are my other options?

[wgdanson]

Skype!

[mahjongguy]

If you have a mobile phone here you could purchase a U.S. phone number from Skype (aka Skype In).

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, revgreen said:

I already cancelled my old AT&T account a week ago

 

Porting out from AT&T to Google Voice would have been a hot take. Maybe contact AT&T see if that's still an option.

 

I use Talkatone, and Google Voice.

 

Can someone back in the U.S. assist you, by forwarding an OTP for example, in registering for GV - then they just give you number gmail and pw?

 

More details on your requirements would help...budget, minutes/month, inbound, outbound, PC-based or mobile, you have broadband internet, texts in/out...

 

For example, GV does not support inbound SMSes from some bulk provider's gateways, including those from BofA.

 

I assume you're currently in Thailand?

 

 

 

 

[revgreen]

57 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

More details on your requirements would help...budget, minutes/month, inbound, outbound, PC-based or mobile, you have broadband internet, texts in/out... 

  

For example, GV does not support inbound SMSes from some bulk provider's gateways, including those from BofA. 

 

I assume you're currently in Thailand? 

 

Would like to keep it under 20 USD/month. Not too worried about minutes, maybe 100 or so. Mobile and PC is ideal, but prefer mobile if I have to choose. Texts are a must and it would mostly be used for 2FA as well as communicating with clients via text. Ring Central seems perfect, but they require a US number. So yes perhaps finding someone who can receive the authentication text would be the way to go.

 

Yes I'm in LOS currently

[mtls2005]

Still too many unknowns but a T-Mobile pre-paid SIM which roams here would satisfy 2FA + SMS for peanuts, $3/month.

 

How many texts per day/week/month? Who are the texts coming from? Standard 10 digit mobile users? Banks?

 

More detail is always better than none.

 

GV or Talakatone would be free for Client SMS.

 

Again, many, many, many, many options, but without a clear understanding of your requirements, a single recommendation is challenging.

 

Shooting in the dark is often ineffectual unless the gun is pointed at one's temple.

 

 

 

 

[revgreen]

16 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

How many texts per day/week/month? Who are the texts coming from? Standard 10 digit mobile users? Banks?

I dunno... a dozen per week? Roughly. Coming from banks and various 2FA numbers. Usually 4-6 digits. As far as "normal" texting goes I have an app that does that already, it just doesn't support automated messaging like I'm needing now.

[mtls2005]

On 5/20/2019 at 4:47 PM, mtls2005 said:

For example, GV does not support inbound SMSes from some bulk provider's gateways, including those from BofA.

 

FWIW, it seems like BofA OTPs now get delivered to Google Voice numbers. At least I was able to receive one for the first time ever this week.

 

 

 

 

[Thomas J]

I use T Mobile prepaid which is $3 USA per month but I had T Mobile before moving to Thailand and just switched to the Prepaid plan.  You might wish to call them via VIPER which is an app on your phone.  Internet Voice Phone Service.  $1.99 unlimited to the USA or 2 cents per minute and see if they would mail a sim card to you.  You may wish to call your old carrier since they already have your ID and other pertinent information.  PS if you are looking to have a USA number to verify SMS most will work but anything dealing with the U.S. government will not.  Even though I have a U.S. carrier, and telephone number plus use an VPN showing a US address they can detect that the SMS is going overseas. 

[mtls2005]

On 6/12/2019 at 10:22 PM, Thomas J said:

see if they would mail a sim card to you.

 

You would not be able to activate it here.

 

Better to send it to a friend/family member and have them activate it, enable international roaming, add value, subscribe to a plan, register for online web account management.

 

 

On 6/12/2019 at 10:22 PM, Thomas J said:

PS if you are looking to have a USA number to verify SMS most will work but anything dealing with the U.S. government will not.

Examples?

 

On 6/12/2019 at 10:22 PM, Thomas J said:

Even though I have a U.S. carrier, and telephone number plus use an VPN showing a US address they can detect that the SMS is going overseas. 

Nope. No way for an SMS sender to know that a service provider is going to send an SMS overseas. VPN's have no play here.

 

Think you're confusing web access, maybe?

 

 

I have no experience with 2FA/OTP with government agencies, but find Talkatone to work as well as any mobile number, with Google Voice coming in a close second.

 

Interestingly T-Mo now sometimes uses 2FA via SMS when I try to manage my account (using a VPN), so I have to pop the SIM in quickly (I choose AIS/2G) for quick network registration in my location) to gain access. 

[NCC1701A]

On 5/20/2019 at 2:48 PM, revgreen said:

I am in need of a US phone number for banking,

I use Tmobile. $3 a month. 30 SMS texts and 30 minutes talk which I never use except for toll free bank calls. 

 

I roam on DTAC, and sometimes AIS.

 

I gave up my Verizon service and transferred my phone number.

 

T-mobile has good customer service now. and understand international roaming issues.  

 

Skype for all other calls, or LINE.

[cmarshall]

All you need is a friend or a family member in the US, who is not interested in having his own Google Voice account.  Then you register for GV using the friend's landline or cell number and with him on the line.  Then that person gets a confirmation code from GV and tells it you which you then enter into your GV setup and you're done.  Now you have free GV.  The friend's number is part of your profile, but never gets referenced again in normal usage.