US number: Thai sim. Possible?

[themechanic]

I understand that there are calling cards available to call USA, but what if you want a US number to receive calls on your Thai phone? Is there any way to do it other than Roaming or VOIP?

[BKKSnowBird]

T-Mobile has free data roaming and is .20 for calls.

[ukrules]

Skype In might do it.

http://www.skype.com/en/features/call-forwarding/

[Rooo]

Moved to communication.

[themechanic]

Ideally I would like something that I can buy within Thailand. 20c/min sounds a bit too much.

Skype will certainly do the job, but it needs internet and I am not sure how reliable/fast that is over 3G.

[ukrules]

Skype can be setup so the person in the US dials a US landline number and it's forwarded to your Thai cellphone via the Skype VOIP network - there's no need to use a computer / local internet connection at all although it would make sense for your outgoing calls if you have a reasonable internet connection. Voice calls don't use very much bandwidth at all.

I used this setup a few years ago and forwarded a UK landline number to a Thai landline number so people in the UK could call me with no extra charge to them - they were just calling a regular London number as far as they knew and it rang in my apartment in Bangkok.

I haven't used it for some time but back then you could pick a city where your foreign (US/UK, etc) number is based.

Edit : Some countries have or used to have rules about the 'termination' of the call needing to be in the origin country - this is from memory from about 10 years ago but it's worth considering.

Edited August 23, 2014 by ukrules

[Digitalbanana]

Spokn does/did this. I haven't used it for a couple years, pick a number in the US and it rings on your Thai SIM. Very small cost for service.

[Leung Falang]

Are you asking that calls to your Thai # be forwarded to a US # ?

[BKKSnowBird]

Are you asking that calls to your Thai # be forwarded to a US # ?

I thought he was asking the oposite. US number ringing on Thai phone.

The OP said no VOIP but google voice also works and so does magic jack. Both have an app for your phone.

[gaburke]

I realize you mentioned that you would prefer not to use VOIP, but what if the solution were free?

While I was in Thailand, last November, I used a combination of Google Voice and Talkatone, on my iPhone. Google Voice provides you with all kinds of forwarding options, and voicemails can even be transliterated and sent via email to you (and you can send and receive SMS). Unfortunately things have changed as of May 15th, 2014 (I think that was the date). Google shut down the protocol that the third-party apps, such as Talkatone, we're taking advantage of. Also, although there is a native Google Voice app, it doesn't allow you to make VOIP calls.

The solution for iPhones is to use Google Hangouts. It can receive VOIP calls to your Google Voice number, and also has a dial pad to make outgoing VOIP calls.

Unfortunately, although Google owns Android, they didn't put the same capabilities into the Hangouts app for Android. I hope they will finally release a VOIP app for both iPhone and Android. In lieu of Hangouts, you can use GrooveIP on Android. It's very similar to Talkatone, dedicated to VOIP, so it's cleaner than Hangouts. You can't use your Google Voice number with it, but you can get a free US number from them by registering from your Android phone.

The only remaining hitch with these solutions is that you officially have to be in the US to register for either Google Voice, or GrooveIP. While in Thailand I was able to go through a VPN to register somebody with Google Voice. I assume the same would work with GrooveIP. Otherwise have somebody in the US start an account for you. Oops, just remembered one last hitch... For Hangouts they place a call to the US cell number of your phone, and you have to enter a short code number that they display on your computer screen. You might have to pop in a US SIM for that initial activation. I assume you're already in Thailand, but if you're not, all this is easily done in the US, and will continue to work for you once you're in Thailand, even if you switch to a Thai SIM.

As far as throughput of 3G in Thailand goes, I had no troubles in Bangkok. The calls were crystal clear. I could even understand my mumbling friend better over VOIP than I could over the regular cell network!

Hope that helps,

Gary

[yankee99]

Your sim is not involved except for data. Download groove ip you get a usa number and it rings just like your standing in new york city. in&out calls free from your phones dialer.

[glitteratzzi]

if you have a smart phone, download the app called Pinger or Text Free or Text Me... they issue you a local American # (your choice of area code, just select desired location) that you can send/receive free text messages and free calls from the states... to call out you would have to buy credits which are cheap.. but, just text the person you want to call, to call you, for free. (they do not need to have the app downloaded for this to work...it will be just like they are texting/calling a local #) it requires no data and works decent.

[BKKSnowBird]

Is groove ip and google voice the same thing?

[demark]

Try DE-Call www.decall.net they have the cheapest calls using voip from mobile or landline. They also have access numbers in most countries certainly in the US. They will configure the local number so any one in the US can call the number and it will ring your Thai mobile. Calls cost about 1.5 cents approx half a Baht a min.

[yankee99]

Is groove ip and google voice the same thing?

no!

groove ip used your google voice number in the pat but now they give you your own number. Its really great as its totally free and no one knows where you are.

[BKKSnowBird]

Cool! Can any of these services give you a Thai number? Although i think all my Thai contact just use line app.

[demark]

Decall can give you a Thai number but they cost about $10 a month.Cheaper to use there app and call anyone in the world at less than 2 baht a min. Unlike line the other party dont need to be on the internet it will call any normal phone anywhere on the planet.

[Thaiready]

I use majic jack......50 bucks year US number voice mail unlimited calls...get majic jack plus and have the option to connect direct to router without a pc.....use anywhere in the world

Edited August 23, 2014 by Thaiready

[Searat7]

I use Magic Jack too...I paid for 5 years upfront....was much cheaper....just make sure your internet connection is good.

[Gumballl]

T-Mobile has free data roaming and is .20 for calls.

Or $15 per month for unlimited talk (even to mobile phones).

Edited August 23, 2014 by Gumballl

[demark]

I don't think this works for calling from Thailand its only for calling from the US?

[demark]

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T-Mobile has free data roaming and is .20 for calls.

Or $15 per month for unlimited talk (even to mobile phones).

I think it is only for calling from US and wouldn't work to call from Thailand to US/

[BKKdreaming]

I use Magic Jack too...I paid for 5 years upfront....was much cheaper....just make sure your internet connection is good.

I have used magicjack on wifi and its just OK

I think you can also get an app for it to and use your phone data

[demark]

I use Magic Jack too...I paid for 5 years upfront....was much cheaper....just make sure your internet connection is good.

I have used magicjack on wifi and its just OK

I think you can also get an app for it to and use your phone data

Sounds interesting will do some research, I know decall have local numbers in the states which they configure to call your Thai number. it cost about $1 a month and calls are charged to your decall account at about 1.5 cents a min. Voice quality is very clear with no echo or drop calls which you sometimes get with Skype.

[themechanic]

The reason that I am so skeptical about VOIP is that these are business calls from customers and potential customers, so there's no margin for error or bad call quality. I may have to go the roaming route if nothing else.

We have a toll free number set up from which I can forward to Thai cell (Grasshopper.com)- how much is incoming call to a Thai sim from a US toll free number?

[demark]

The reason that I am so skeptical about VOIP is that these are business calls from customers and potential customers, so there's no margin for error or bad call quality. I may have to go the roaming route if nothing else.

We have a toll free number set up from which I can forward to Thai cell (Grasshopper.com)- how much is incoming call to a Thai sim from a US toll free number?

Not sure from toll free number cost but we have a permanent US number in the US from decall which cost us $1 a month calls to my Thai sim cost 2.2 cents a min. voice quality is the same as calling from a landline very clear. We also have the same set up from the UK which works perfectly.

[Roelf]

I use Magic Jack too...I paid for 5 years upfront....was much cheaper....just make sure your internet connection is good.

I have used magicjack on wifi and its just OK

I think you can also get an app for it to and use your phone data

Skype 3G works everywhere in Thailand. Never had a problem.

I have MagicJack in the US. There is the slight annual charge.

When I get a call at my home phone in the US, my iPad rings. If I don't answer and the caller leaves a message, I get an email instantly with the message. I can call any number in the US for free on my iPad. I think the same on iPhone.

The then there is VIBER. Just download from ViBer.com. And you can call for free, and I think anywhere in the world, as long as the other (the prettier one) also has Viber............... Correction.: just called a number in EU, regular home phone, went straight through. NO CHARGE.

Go VIBER

R.

[Isaandon]

Vonage.com voip

[gaburke]

if you have a smart phone, download the app called Pinger or Text Free or Text Me... they issue you a local American # (your choice of area code, just select desired location) that you can send/receive free text messages and free calls from the states... to call out you would have to buy credits which are cheap.. but, just text the person you want to call, to call you, for free. (they do not need to have the app downloaded for this to work...it will be just like they are texting/calling a local #) it requires no data and works decent.

That's the advantage of Hangouts and GrooveIP. Calls will be free in both directions. No credits or other forms of payment needed.

[gaburke]

Is groove ip and google voice the same thing?

GrooveIP is a third-party app that USED to use Google Voice to place calls, hence the "G" and "V" in GrooVeip. Since google shut down the particular service that GrooveIP they now use a different service to place calls.