Which Services/Apps To Replicate Skype's "Calling To U.S. Landline And Mobile Numbers"?

[rwilem]

Skype's imminent shutdown has spurred users to scramble to find alternatives, and soon. There've been many suggestions and  recommendations about what to replace it with, in these forums and comments, articles elsewhere.

 

But many services/apps are not really appropriate, not quite geared for what my Skype replacement needs are.

 

I've had a Skype subscription, without a 'Skype number', for years. It allowed unlimited dial-out calls to the U.S., to landlines and mobile numbers, auto-billed at $2.99 a month. Good deal, good service.

 

I used Skype just about exclusively for these dial-out calls via the app on the phone. I don't use it on the computer.

 

That is all I want to replace. Whatsapp, Line, Facetime, Messenger, etc., no, they don't do it.  So many of the suggestions to replace Skype focus on other things. And many are geared more toward business, or promote themselves as such.

 

I am searching only for a replacement that'll allow phone calls to U.S. landline numbers--necessary for calls to financial institutions and service companies, government offices and businesses--and mobile numbers. 

 

Don't need video calling, don't need texting, don't need other international calling (only calls to the U.S.), don't need to receive calls (so no need to have a 'my number'), don't need it to receive codes.

 

I get it that many Skype customers who have accounts that provided them with a phone number are now in a quandary. They want to keep the phone number, understandably so, and get the number ported to a different service. I don't need to, though.

 

Many articles what to replace Skype with tend to feature how the replacements work using desktop, rather than mobile.

 

It's a bit bewildering trying to sort through the seemingly hundreds of options that exist.

 

Google voice would be great, but I've not been able to successfully create an account (yet), even working together with a friend in the U.S. 

 

TextNow and TextFree (both which give users a U.S. number, by the way) are also difficult to get set up. Again, working with a friend in the U.S., but have not gotten it going. And if they are able to determine your location/device outside the U.S., or VPN use, the account gets zapped. (I may not be tech-savvy enough on these matters.) The same applies for a number of other U.S. call oriented apps, such as TextMe and Talkatone.

 

In the past few weeks I have learned about SIP for the first time. Maybe that's the answer, but I still need to learn more about it.

 

'Softphones' in association with a SIP account seems a possibility. I see reports of scam operations out there, though, every time I look into a provider. It's quite a wild, wild west out in the VOIP world.

 

If anyone knows of a basic, no-frills service/app, able to facilitate calls to U.S. landline/mobile numbers, at low rates, something that would be competitive to a soon-to-be-defunct Skype 'U.S. subscription', please feel free to share. If you've got the tip on how to get some of the above-mentioned apps set up for working here, that is good too.

[mrwebb8825]

LINE is free 100% of the time. Audio, VDO, Group Chat and texts. Only thing on your list it doesn't do (correct me if I'm wrong) is landline. Do people really still have those?

There's also Microsoft Teams.

Someone else will have to help with LL.

[gamb00ler]

1 hour ago, rwilem said:

Google voice would be great, but I've not been able to successfully create an account (yet), even working together with a friend in the U.S.

I have a friend who is also seeking a Skype alternative.  I'm trying to help him get a GV number set up.  He's on Android but I'm on IOS so what works for me doesn't for him.

 

What is the problem that is preventing you from creating a new GV number?

[topt]

1 hour ago, rwilem said:

If anyone knows of a basic, no-frills service/app, able to facilitate calls to U.S. landline/mobile numbers, at low rates, something that would be competitive to a soon-to-be-defunct Skype 'U.S. subscription', please feel free to share.

If you have read any of the other threads n this subject then you would already know the answer......

MyTello, Localphone, Viber etc

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

What is the problem that is preventing you from creating a new GV number?

Seems to be several. Some of the friends already have a Voice account, so they're not able to make a second one, as their mobile number, which is needed to receive the code for creating the account, is already tied to a Voice account. Google limits Voice to a single account per mobile number. ("Got an extra Sim card laying around?" Haha. Wouldn't make a difference anyway. Everyone's on a 'plan' with their phone locked to a provider.)

 

There might also be an issue of where the google account which is going to be used was created. That seems to have caused an issue, of whether a google account--not the Voice account--was created here or created in the U.S. Haven't solved that yet.

 

Then some, especially iphone users there (and of my friends there almost no one uses an Android phone, they all use iphones) are hesitant about the whole process of making a Google account, downloading the Voice app, and making the Voice account, in whatever order the accounts are made, then receiving the code...lot of people, my friends, older folks, are just not versed in this stuff.  (And my older friends in U.S. are all on 'unlimited talk and text' plans these days anyway, so the idea of the need for other calling apps doesn't really register. Even when you try to explain it.) 

 

I'll add, some people in the U.S. are just very hesitant about their numbers being used for things. I know that they have been dealing with spam calls over the years, and really have an aversion to the spam-o-sphere. Folks are just plain tired of all the spam and want to mitigate it. Understandable. Not easy to overcome concerns (unfounded or not) their number being used in this manner might result in them being vulnerable to spam calls, or worse, or a security risk. I don't know. But it's been tough to get Voice going. Not giving up yet, though.

 

 

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, topt said:

If you have read any of the other threads n this subject then you would already know the answer......

MyTello, Localphone, Viber etc

I have read through the posts in the other threads. And I agree, those three are among ones that look promising.

 

Have you used any of the three? Off the top Viber seems like the one that might correspond best with what I had with Skype.

[ukrules]

VOIPStudio has its own softphone app, allows calls to landlines and works on Android / IOS.
 

The issue you might have with these SIP systems is that it is kind of compulsory to have a number attached - well it's not - but a lot of phone companies will simply reject the call if it arrives with no number attached. So they will assign you a number - which is where the issues can begin - they will want proof that you're from where you say you're from - I had issues with that

 

Then when it comes to paying - they require the bank account to be in the same country that you're currently in - because in this world apparently nobody ever travels around the world and sets things up while on the move - I got it sorted only by doing a direct bank transfer - I guess they're paranoid about chargebacks from the fraudsters - which is fair enough as I know the world is full of scammers.

Anyway - suggest you give VOIP Studio a go and try out their app - if the app is no good then something like Zoiper will also work on phones.

 

 

[StandardIssue]

GOOGLE VOICE does that same thing + you get a free phone number. Global calls can be made for a charge that you put on deposit with GOOGLE VOICE

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

Then when it comes to paying - they require the bank account to be in the same country that you're currently in - because in this world apparently nobody ever travels around the world and sets things up while on the move - I got it sorted only by doing a direct bank transfer

Thank you for your reply. I've seen your thread and posts on VOIP on the forum. You have an abundance of knowledge and expertise in VOIP technology, you are the go-to guy on VOIP in this forum. Even if some of the info is going over my head, I'm still learning a lot from your contributions. I had not really known anything about SIP until a few weeks ago. Yet, it's been around for a long time already. And seems to have a lot of potential to be the answer here, for being able to make the calls to numbers in the U.S., and at a good rate.

 

That said, the tech seems to be more oriented toward heavier duty, for businesses and calling from computers. I'm strictly mobile, not making calls from a computer but from a mobile phone. But it is good to see some niche for mobile calling in the SIP eco-system.

 

Anyway, the bank transfer mode of payment you mentioned here isn't an attractive option, for me at least. I'd just prefer to use a credit card. I assume there are going to be some SIP providers (or clients, is that the term?) who accept payment on a U.S. credit card.

 

I have downloaded the Linphone app, and a couple other 'work with SIP' apps, but haven't proceeded with any of them yet.

 

Callcentric is another outfit, and I saw that customers can 'rent' a phone number, which comes at a cost of about $3/month. OK, something to consider. If you want a number, which I really don't need.

 

I made some of my last Skype calls yesterday. I told one customer service rep at some point during the call that I was calling on Skype, from here. She was surprised. I asked her what was showing up on her end as to where the incoming call was from. I did not hear a clear reply, and it wasn't that important anyway, as we just carried on with the business at hand.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

I guess they're paranoid about chargebacks from the fraudsters - which is fair enough as I know the world is full of scammers.

Oh yes, the scammers are out in force. Skype worked like a charm. There were even many months when I didn't make any calls, but it was worth it to have the subscription and keep it because when you did need it, it was there and was reliable. That's what I'd really like to replicate.

[ukrules]

15 minutes ago, rwilem said:

I had not really known anything about SIP until a few weeks ago. Yet, it's been around for a long time already.

 

Yeah me too, I never touched SIP in all these years because Skype just worked perfectly for what I wanted.

There are apps for the phones but choosing the right provider with a package is the key part. Now they would have accepted my UK credit card but wanted photos of both sides of my signed credit card including the 3 digits on the signature strip (illegal to store that on their end) and also a copy of my passport - so I chose the bank transfer.

 

I could have easily chosen to pay with my Thai bank card but that may have locked me into Thai calling plans - I'm not sure on that.

 

Anyway I got it up and running and it seems to do the job.

[rwilem]

33 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Now they would have accepted my UK credit card but wanted photos of both sides of my signed credit card including the 3 digits on the signature strip (illegal to store that on their end) and also a copy of my passport - so I chose the bank transfer.

 

Ouch! That is far too much to contend with. When you put it like that, with all the breach of your info, well...then a bank transfer is preferable. But even that leaves me skittish.

 

OK, I saw one outfit, can't recall off the top right now, but I can locate it, and I think it is SIP-connected. They were offering 500 minutes for $2.00. And not a monthly subscription type plan but a one-time purchase. I contacted support, asking if there was any expiry of the minutes, i.e. did they have to be used within a certain time frame or expire if they weren't used? Got a reply saying the minutes never expire. 500 minutes...that is probably enough for me to cover me for 6-8 months, if not longer. Now, is that a 'too good to be true' offer here?  I'll look a little closer at that one, see what the catch is.

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, StandardIssue said:

GOOGLE VOICE does that same thing + you get a free phone number. Global calls can be made for a charge that you put on deposit with GOOGLE VOICE

I know that. But I do not have a google voice number.

 

Have you been able to set up a google voice account while being in Thailand?

 

I've been trying, with assistance from a friend or two in the U.S., and still not able to get it going. If you have any advice on the steps to successfully set up a google voice account while overseas, and not present in the U.S., please advise, myself and others would like to know.

 

 

 

 

[StandardIssue]

What errors are you getting? Something about being in Thailand? If so use a VPN and then log into a gmail account you own and setup google voice

[steven100]

google My Tello ....     it works fine,  and you can call any land line or mobile anywhere. 

cheap rates.  

[gamb00ler]

8 hours ago, rwilem said:

Seems to be several. Some of the friends already have a Voice account, so they're not able to make a second one, as their mobile number, which is needed to receive the code for creating the account, is already tied to a Voice account. Google limits Voice to a single account per mobile number. ("Got an extra Sim card laying around?" Haha. Wouldn't make a difference anyway. Everyone's on a 'plan' with their phone locked to a provider.)

You can always create a brand new Google account.  I have about a dozen that I use for the free 15GB online storage.  Setting up GV is probably easiest if using a desktop/laptop.

8 hours ago, rwilem said:

Then some, especially iphone users there (and of my friends there almost no one uses an Android phone, they all use iphones) are hesitant about the whole process of making a Google account, downloading the Voice app, and making the Voice account, in whatever order the accounts are made, then receiving the code...lot of people, my friends, older folks, are just not versed in this stuff.  (And my older friends in U.S. are all on 'unlimited talk and text' plans these days anyway, so the idea of the need for other calling apps doesn't really register. Even when you try to explain it.) 

Instead of installing the GV app, you can do everything on the GV web page (voice.google.com).  You may have difficulty installing the GV app if you're in Thailand because it's not in the Thailand app store.  You may be able to install GV using the apk file independently from the Google store.  My friend is a little nervous about that aspect of installing GV.

8 hours ago, rwilem said:

 

I'll add, some people in the U.S. are just very hesitant about their numbers being used for things. I know that they have been dealing with spam calls over the years, and really have an aversion to the spam-o-sphere. Folks are just plain tired of all the spam and want to mitigate it. Understandable. Not easy to overcome concerns (unfounded or not) their number being used in this manner might result in them being vulnerable to spam calls, or worse, or a security risk. I don't know. But it's been tough to get Voice going. Not giving up yet, though.

I used only GV for the first couple of years after moving to Thailand.  Eventually I encountered a US institution that would not accept a GV number for some functions.  I then set up an UltraMobile PayGo number by buying a UM sim on eBay and having a US based friend swap in that sim so that the US mobile network can verify and accept the sim.  He mailed me the sim and I've been using it in an iPhone after I moved my local Thai service to an e-sim.  The UM sim costs about $15 and then each month about $3.15 which gets you 100 free minutes and 100 free SMS.  You must use the UM services on WiFi.  After getting the UM number set up you could use it to set up a new GV account.  I don't get any SPAM calls on my UM number but do get some SPAM texts.

[KannikaP]

14 hours ago, rwilem said:

I have read through the posts in the other threads. And I agree, those three are among ones that look promising.

 

Have you used any of the three? Off the top Viber seems like the one that might correspond best with what I had with Skype.

Isn't Teams supposed to be a direct replacement, keeping your M365 100 minutes per month? 

Tried my Tello, it works but not so well, a bit noisy.

[rwilem]

13 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

You can always create a brand new Google account.  I have about a dozen that I use for the free 15GB online storage.  Setting up GV is probably easiest if using a desktop/laptop.

First, great reply, thanks!

 

I did this a couple weeks back. On the laptop, VPN, in conjunction with a friend standing by in the U.S., ready to receive and relay the code from his mobile. (I didn't have a U.S. mobile number, more on that in a minute). In real time, just prior to the code being sent to his phone a popup scam warning message appeared on his end. I said, 'hey, just go ahead, disregard it', he did, told me the code which I inputted on my end here. Nothing. Failure. Nothing 'registered', and I don't have an idea where it went wrong. My friend was not really enthused about making another try after that.

 

13 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

Instead of installing the GV app, you can do everything on the GV web page (voice.google.com).  You may have difficulty installing the GV app if you're in Thailand because it's not in the Thailand app store.  You may be able to install GV using the apk file independently from the Google store.  My friend is a little nervous about that aspect of installing GV.

Yeah, it did it all. Sideloaded the app in preparation for getting an account, and did the set up of Voice on the laptop, had even chosen the U.S. number. But it failed, for whatever reason, along the way. The code receipt/relay point was where it seemed to come apart. 

 

I then learned about acquiring a 'short time' number or SMS service to facilitate receiving the code directly, to set up a Voice account while outside the U.S., but haven't/didn't pursue it.

13 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

 

 

 

13 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

I then set up an UltraMobile PayGo number by buying a UM sim on eBay and having a US based friend swap in that sim so that the US mobile network can verify and accept the sim.  He mailed me the sim and I've been using it in an iPhone after I moved my local Thai service to an e-sim.  The UM sim costs about $15 and then each month about $3.15 which gets you 100 free minutes and 100 free SMS.  Y

This! Yes, and I have done that. In a roundabout, but direct way. Again, the friends there, just about everyone has an iphone, and they are locked to their postpaid service provider plans. (AT&T seems to the carrier of choice.) Mention Sim cards to them, activating there, mailing to me here...nah, it's not gonna fly. They don't quite grasp the concept, but nothing they ever have to think about, right?  But I don't think they'd be able to activate an Ultra, or T-mobile Sim, anyway, and I realized that. (I've never had a 'contract' phone service, always unlocked, a 'free agent' so to speak, going prepaid, just my preference. So swapping Sims is something I do. So I kind of forget about limitations imposed on many provider customers in the States, friends among them. 'Oh yeah....you couldn't do it, anyway.'

 

Good news is on ebay I bought that same $3/month Ultra Mobile Sim you are talking about from a seller who was able to activate it there, in effect providing the activate there and send to me here service. Just got it, just got it set up, and I plan soon to try to get a Voice account using that Ultra Mobile number for receiving the code. Maybe today or tomorrow I can try that.

 

Great to have the Ultra Sim, but still need the Skype replacement for my needs. (Because the Ultra sim is limited in minutes, and for those times you are 'waiting' in a queue, you wouldn't want to use it. (And calls received count against the monthly limit as well.)

 

One catch about Voice, though. It seems is they can dump you if you are not careful about usage from overseas. Exclusive usage from overseas could be dicey, or maybe not. I don't know. But some people have lost their number over this issue. So in that regard it's not fail-safe as Skype has been.

 

I will try out one of the call-out apps that utilize wifi-calling. It's worth buying minutes or credit and take a shot. Talk360, I think with them you can buy a batch of minutes at a single time, and they are good for 18 months. 250 baht for 740 minutes, they offer that. How it all works in actual usage, maybe just make an account, buy that and find out.

 

 

 

[rwilem]

6 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Isn't Teams supposed to be a direct replacement, keeping your M365 100 minutes per month? 

Tried my Tello, it works but not so well, a bit noisy.

I don't know about that subscription. My read from what's being reported is that it's not going to be an option, at least in my case. I don't have credit. I have had a monthly subscription, of some kind, whether it be a 'world' or 'U.S. subscription', unlimited calling, for 16, 17 years. They're not renewing those subscriptions.

 

People who have credit, who have used Skype that way, they might be able to do something within the Teams app, but even that seems unclear at this point. Teams is geared for more for business and corporate customers. The individual customer who wants to make 'calls out' is not really welcome there, that's the consensus emerging from what people are reporting.

 

Did you use the Tello app? Do you make an overseas call first calling a local number here--as some of the outfits seem to operate--or you dialed directly to the overseas number?

 

Many (maybe all?) of these providers and/or apps give you a chance to make a sample call. Good idea to do that before deciding to go ahead with a purchase. 

[gamb00ler]

3 hours ago, rwilem said:

First, great reply, thanks!

 

I did this a couple weeks back. On the laptop, VPN, in conjunction with a friend standing by in the U.S., ready to receive and relay the code from his mobile. (I didn't have a U.S. mobile number, more on that in a minute). In real time, just prior to the code being sent to his phone a popup scam warning message appeared on his end. I said, 'hey, just go ahead, disregard it', he did, told me the code which I inputted on my end here. Nothing. Failure. Nothing 'registered', and I don't have an idea where it went wrong. My friend was not really enthused about making another try after that.

 

Yeah, it did it all. Sideloaded the app in preparation for getting an account, and did the set up of Voice on the laptop, had even chosen the U.S. number. But it failed, for whatever reason, along the way. The code receipt/relay point was where it seemed to come apart. 

That sucks!  It's so hard to diagnose what goes wrong in these kind of situations.  Maybe google thought it suspicious that your were using a laptop to set up your GV account instead of a mobile. 

 

3 hours ago, rwilem said:

 

I then learned about acquiring a 'short time' number or SMS service to facilitate receiving the code directly, to set up a Voice account while outside the U.S., but haven't/didn't pursue it.

 

 

This! Yes, and I have done that. In a roundabout, but direct way. Again, the friends there, just about everyone has an iphone, and they are locked to their postpaid service provider plans. (AT&T seems to the carrier of choice.) Mention Sim cards to them, activating there, mailing to me here...nah, it's not gonna fly. They don't quite grasp the concept, but nothing they ever have to think about, right?  But I don't think they'd be able to activate an Ultra, or T-mobile Sim, anyway, and I realized that. (I've never had a 'contract' phone service, always unlocked, a 'free agent' so to speak, going prepaid, just my preference. So swapping Sims is something I do. So I kind of forget about limitations imposed on many provider customers in the States, friends among them. 'Oh yeah....you couldn't do it, anyway.'

 

Good news is on ebay I bought that same $3/month Ultra Mobile Sim you are talking about from a seller who was able to activate it there, in effect providing the activate there and send to me here service. Just got it, just got it set up, and I plan soon to try to get a Voice account using that Ultra Mobile number for receiving the code. Maybe today or tomorrow I can try that.

I never thought about contacting the eBay seller to do the activation for me.  That was a great idea!

 

I tried to get my closest friend in the US to do it but he suffers from anxiety and was worried that it would screw up his phone or my sim.  A different and more laid back friend did it for me in the end.

 

 

Have you tested your UM number yet?  Hopefully, you'll get your GV set up using the UM number.👍

3 hours ago, rwilem said:

 

Great to have the Ultra Sim, but still need the Skype replacement for my needs. (Because the Ultra sim is limited in minutes, and for those times you are 'waiting' in a queue, you wouldn't want to use it. (And calls received count against the monthly limit as well.)

I tried to call SSA the other day only to find out the expected wait time was 2 hours.  I always use GV for those calls because of the unlimited free call time.  A couple of times GV has dropped the connection after being on hold for a long time... rather frustrating.  Lately SSA will sometimes offer to do a callback instead of waiting on hold.... that's a pleasant surprise.

3 hours ago, rwilem said:

 

One catch about Voice, though. It seems is they can dump you if you are not careful about usage from overseas. Exclusive usage from overseas could be dicey, or maybe not. I don't know. But some people have lost their number over this issue. So in that regard it's not fail-safe as Skype has been.

I've been in Thailand for 4½ years and I have made hundreds of GV calls only from Thailand.  Before moving to Thailand GV would periodically require me to re-verify my mobile number but have never done so since we moved to CM.

 

For a couple of months I was unable to receive incoming calls on my mobile using the GV app.  It works fine now but I never figured out what I did that fixed that problem.  That problem appeared and disappeared before I set up my UM number.  For months I had no other number associated with my GV number.  Maybe Google is cutting me some slack since I signed up for GV as soon as it was available to the public.

3 hours ago, rwilem said:

 

I will try out one of the call-out apps that utilize wifi-calling. It's worth buying minutes or credit and take a shot. Talk360, I think with them you can buy a batch of minutes at a single time, and they are good for 18 months. 250 baht for 740 minutes, they offer that. How it all works in actual usage, maybe just make an account, buy that and find out.

 

[Hamus Yaigh]

On 4/11/2025 at 9:29 PM, mrwebb8825 said:

LINE is free 100%

Did you not understand the purpose of the thread? Presumably from the avatar you are allowed to vote also.

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

That sucks!  It's so hard to diagnose what goes wrong in these kind of situations.  Maybe google thought it suspicious that your were using a laptop to set up your GV account instead of a mobile. 

Yeah, who knows? I set up the new account on the laptop, via the google web site, and got going on the Voice set up, again via the website. But when it came time to confirm the code, it fizzled. 

 

1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

i never thought about contacting the eBay seller to do the activation for me.  That was a great idea!

I was actually looking at Sim cards on ebay and noted at least three sellers who were offering activation, or 'pre-activation' of the cards and shipping them out. That idea popped up here in these forums, a post from a year or so ago? I don't know if the poster actually bought the Sim card he was discussing, but I did. The Ultra sim, $3/mo plan, 100/100 T&T, 100 mb. I went, I guess, 'Cadillac'? The seller would activate it and add $35 credit to the card, so if you stay within the monthly limits it won't need to be 'topped-up' for another 10-11 months. (Have to see what additional taxes, charges, are applied to the monthly drawdown of the credit.) So that $35 is reflected in the cost I paid, which was a tad under $90. And the card was activated, account established up-and-running after getting here. How that's done, I don't know, but it's done and working fine and I've got management of the account now. Some other Sim 'activator-sellers' activate the card before they ship it, and get a number in an area you may not want. The seller I bought from got me a number in my preferred zip/area code.

 

1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

I've been in Thailand for 4½ years and I have made hundreds of GV calls only from Thailand.  Before moving to Thailand GV would periodically require me to re-verify my mobile number but have never done so since we moved to CM.

Great to hear it's worked out except for that hiccup you mentioned. Yeah, I'm gonna get that set up.

 

The entire thing that I have  experienced, my 'main' number held for five years from TextNow getting zapped, because using it from here violated the TOS, and then about a week later, the news of Skype's pending shutdown is a double whammy. I feel like taking a 'shotgun approach'  to covering me to be able make calls when you need to call out to the U.S.

[mrwebb8825]

2 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Did you not understand the purpose of the thread? Presumably from the avatar you are allowed to vote also.

As I was the 1st to respond, not having several current replies, I didn't want to be rude so I tried. PEACE