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Within the US, TextNow's SIM card -- when used with their Free Nationwide Talk & Text plan -- simply provides limited cellular data to allow TextNow's app to be used (in the US) when you're not within WiFi range.
Even within the US, if you take out TextNow's SIM card and just use WiFi, your current TextNow services would still work as they do today. Your current TextNow also still works if you sign in to the same TextNow account on other compatible devices connected using WiFi or cellular data.
Outside the US, you will need to either use WiFi or provide cellular data, swapping your international SIM card in for TextNow's if your device only has a single SIM card slot, to continue using TextNow as you've had been.
Anybody interested in the Walmart Freedompop plan should read my post about the plan in another thread so you know what to expect. What you remember about Freedompop in the Sprint days may not be applicable to the Freedompop plan now being sold at Walmart.
Then, we use Red Pocket for cheap cell service. You can get cheap cards on eBay that last all year. We get 500Mb a month for $5/month ($60 card good for the whole year).
Cheap, easy... most of the time all of us are using Wifi anyway (work, school).
Lastly, by using Google Voice, you can always keep that Google Voice number and change your cell service to whatever you want... no need to ever change your Google voice phone number.
This is what we've been doing for almost ten years, started doing this when FreedomPop was really free..
I even ported our landline number to Google Voice, and set that up with ObiTalk for VoIP (was a onetime $20 fee to GV for porting in a number).
Has anyone tried to port a number into Textnow using this SIM kit?
seems a nice option to park an old number and receive verification codes etc.
Not a direct answer to your question but another option (one that I currently use), I ported my number to Google voice and then started using Textnow and I get my verification codes on Google voice app now on my old number. To be clear, I never ported to textnow, I have two sperate numbers and only give out my textnow number now. I can also still make calls and send texts from my old number using Google voice app when I have access to wifi.
Last edited by CommonScientist January 30, 2022 at 01:28 PM.
According to this article these paid SIMs should work for verification codes. But I've read counter DPs that the SIM on its own is not enough to receive 2FA. I would also be interested if it worked. May try it for 99 cents (was not willing to try for $5!)
If I have a old tmobile or Sprint sim can I activate this for free without buying.. any idea :-)
Try downloading the Textnow app onto the Sprint phone with the Sprint sim. Then signup and see if you are able to call over both wifi and cellular. If yes, then wait a month or two for Textnow to offer you a free replacement sim since they are moving to T-Mobile. If that fails, then the only way to get Textnow to use over cellular would to be to buy a sim from them.
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Even within the US, if you take out TextNow's SIM card and just use WiFi, your current TextNow services would still work as they do today. Your current TextNow also still works if you sign in to the same TextNow account on other compatible devices connected using WiFi or cellular data.
Outside the US, you will need to either use WiFi or provide cellular data, swapping your international SIM card in for TextNow's if your device only has a single SIM card slot, to continue using TextNow as you've had been.
From TextNow 101: SIM cards [textnow.com]
From Use TextNow without WiFi: Our nationwide network [textnow.com]
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Then, we use Red Pocket for cheap cell service. You can get cheap cards on eBay that last all year. We get 500Mb a month for $5/month ($60 card good for the whole year).
Cheap, easy... most of the time all of us are using Wifi anyway (work, school).
Lastly, by using Google Voice, you can always keep that Google Voice number and change your cell service to whatever you want... no need to ever change your Google voice phone number.
I even ported our landline number to Google Voice, and set that up with ObiTalk for VoIP (was a onetime $20 fee to GV for porting in a number).
https://slickdeals.net/f/15540502-fyi-freedompop-buy-sim-for-9-98-and-get-free-300-min-1000-texts-100mb-every-month?v=1&src=S
https://www.textnow.com/wireless/...uct_id=392
Wonder why they still do the imei check?
Also used paypal so I can block any charges but the 99cents. Got burnt by Freedompop a few times with the "Free" top off charge
https://slickdeals.net/f/15540502-fyi-freedompop-buy-sim-for-9-98-and-get-free-300-min-1000-texts-100mb-every-month?v=1&src=S
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seems a nice option to park an old number and receive verification codes etc.
Could I port my Vonage VOIP number to this?
According to this article these paid SIMs should work for verification codes. But I've read counter DPs that the SIM on its own is not enough to receive 2FA. I would also be interested if it worked. May try it for 99 cents (was not willing to try for $5!)
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