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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.
If I try this TextNow sim in a new unlocked GSM smartphone, will the phone's IMEI registered to TMobile's database (or bind to TextNow), and only usable with TextNow? What if I pop up the TextNow sim, can the phone still use with other GSM sim cards?
anyone using this with a Motorola phone? my Motorola G7 Play works over Wifi but not on cell data. here's a TextNow support article but it's 10 months old. https://help.textnow.com/hc/en-us...March-2021
Somewhat related question. Are you now able to call a number using google voice? it does something weird now, uses my phone number when I try calling from voice.
Any chance you got a new (or factory reset an existing) phone and the Phone app forgot your "please use my Google Voice number for outbound calls" setting?
I ask because I've bought a few Android phones over the last few years and every time, the Phone app forgets that I want to use my Google Voice number as the Caller ID for outbound calls. I only realize it after the first few batch of calls I make are greeted with, "Who is this?!" and I finally catch on -- yet again -- and go into the Phone app and set it to use the Google Voice number. (Actually, I set it to *ask me* every time which is a touch annoying, but at least I now know that people I call will see my GV number.)
All that said, IMO, GV gets less and less love from Google these days, so I'm wondering if there's any real advantage to using GV over a native number (and I suppose I'd just port my GV # to my carrier). I think there's an Android Messages thing du jour which would let me compose/reply to texts on my computer (which I find a lot less tedious than pecking out messages on the phone itself), but is there a way to use my computer to see/copy/whatever transcriptions of calls/voicemails or is call/voicemail stuff stuck on the mobile device only? (Sorry for hijacking your question with a "Should I even be using GV any more?" question of my own... )
Since this is VOIP (or for whatever reason really) does it suffer issues with SMS verification services blocking it? I generally give out my GV number to businesses that require a mobile number, and it is getting blocked with increasing frequency i.e. I either never get a text verification for setting up certain accounts, or it gets immediately shot down during initial entry (error saying I need to use a real mobile number). I'd like an alternative number that I can give out in these scenarios.
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You could have gotten Tello Economy Prepaid 12-Month Plan: Unlimited Talk/Text + 1GB LTE Data + Free SIM from Stacksocial for $85. You can cancel the current service and create a new account with a different email. You might need to use a different name also because this deal is for new customers only. After a year you would pay the regular monthly fee which is $10. If you don't want to pay the regular monthly fee, you can switch to boost by buying a 12-Month plan from Stacksocial for pretty much the same price. You would also get 10% discount if you are a new customer. They also have 6-Months plan with 2 GB data. https://stacksocial.com/sales/tel...a-free-sim
The Boost plan is even better 2GB data for $95 https://stacksocial.com/sales/boo...b-lte-data
I use that and it is an excellent service. Data does have issues sometimes!
My infrequently used account no longer allows login due to an unexplained TOS violation, I'd be SOL if it has been an important number. Sent one text every other week for last few months to myself to maintain activity on the account.
Was just using the app, not the sim.
Last edited by Arkus January 31, 2022 at 06:46 AM.
I have been using this app on my phone for almost 3 years now. I can vouch that it works perfect. The ADs are a little annoying, but it is free, so I don't mind it at all. My main and only purpose for this number is for Craigslist, Marketplace and other selling sites.
You just have to send/receive at least one text every now and then (do not remember the time frame). I just set this for package tracking updates, ad texts from Home Depot, Lowes and other sites, and this satisfies the requirement.
I do not use their cellular service so can not vouch for that, but the service has been spot-on and no complaints at all.
My 3 older Sprint Phones (currently in use with text now) FAIL the device test. They sent me 1 free SIM and I just bought a 2nd. I have an old AT&T locked phone that passes and 2 unlocked Moto TrakFones that pass.
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Except many companies won't send a verification code to textnow or GV
I have yet to have a verification code fail to send on textnow. Did one 2 days ago. Granted, I don't do it alot, but when I have, it's always worked. Which service doesn't work for you? How do you it didn't work? Do you get a message saying so?
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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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https://help.textnow.co
seems a nice option to park an old number and receive verification codes etc.
I ask because I've bought a few Android phones over the last few years and every time, the Phone app forgets that I want to use my Google Voice number as the Caller ID for outbound calls. I only realize it after the first few batch of calls I make are greeted with, "Who is this?!" and I finally catch on -- yet again -- and go into the Phone app and set it to use the Google Voice number. (Actually, I set it to *ask me* every time which is a touch annoying, but at least I now know that people I call will see my GV number.)
All that said, IMO, GV gets less and less love from Google these days, so I'm wondering if there's any real advantage to using GV over a native number (and I suppose I'd just port my GV # to my carrier). I think there's an Android Messages thing du jour which would let me compose/reply to texts on my computer (which I find a lot less tedious than pecking out messages on the phone itself), but is there a way to use my computer to see/copy/whatever transcriptions of calls/voicemails or is call/voicemail stuff stuck on the mobile device only? (Sorry for hijacking your question with a "Should I even be using GV any more?" question of my own...
https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/...ow_warning, https://www.reddit.com/r/TextNow/...unt_for_no
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https://stacksocial.com/sales/tel...a-free-sim
The Boost plan is even better 2GB data for $95
https://stacksocial.com/sales/boo...b-lte-data
https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/...ow_warning, https://www.reddit.com/r/TextNow/...unt_for_no
Bad reviews: https://www.trustpilot.
https://www.sitejabber.
Was just using the app, not the sim.
You just have to send/receive at least one text every now and then (do not remember the time frame). I just set this for package tracking updates, ad texts from Home Depot, Lowes and other sites, and this satisfies the requirement.
I do not use their cellular service so can not vouch for that, but the service has been spot-on and no complaints at all.
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