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ROB.E.REIN 161K Views
May 11, 2024 11:37 AM

TextNow: New and Existing Customers: 1GB/Month Free Essential Data (Limited Apps)

Free

$5 Sim Kit Req'd for New Membersat TextNow.com
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Deal Details
TextNow is offering 1GB/Month Free Essential Data Plan (Limited Apps) for Free to new and current subscribers. New subscribers may order a Sim Kit for $4.99 (click the Get Sim button on the home page).

Thanks to community member ROB.E.REIN for finding this deal.

Plan Details:
  • With Free Essential Data, you can use most email, calendar, maps, notes, and rideshare apps without needing to be connected to Wi-Fi (see eligible apps on the details page)
  • TextNow app required
  • Make sure you're logged into an account with an active TextNow SIM card. If you have an active SIM in an area with cellular coverage available, you'll automatically have access to 1GB of Free Essential Data each month.
  • 350MB of data per month at regular speeds, then you'll have access to data at slightly slower speeds up to 1GB.
  • This is in additional to the free texting/calls from via the TextNow app
Additional Details:

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by ROB.E.REIN
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
TextNow is offering 1GB/Month Free Essential Data Plan (Limited Apps) for Free to new and current subscribers. New subscribers may order a Sim Kit for $4.99 (click the Get Sim button on the home page).

Thanks to community member ROB.E.REIN for finding this deal.

Plan Details:
  • With Free Essential Data, you can use most email, calendar, maps, notes, and rideshare apps without needing to be connected to Wi-Fi (see eligible apps on the details page)
  • TextNow app required
  • Make sure you're logged into an account with an active TextNow SIM card. If you have an active SIM in an area with cellular coverage available, you'll automatically have access to 1GB of Free Essential Data each month.
  • 350MB of data per month at regular speeds, then you'll have access to data at slightly slower speeds up to 1GB.
  • This is in additional to the free texting/calls from via the TextNow app
Additional Details:

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by ROB.E.REIN

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Top Comments

zigner
844Comments
319Reputation
As an experienced user of Textnow, those considering it should understand:

1) The usage requirement to keep your phone number alive and active seems to vary by area code, yet not specified to the user, although they do send out warning emails. It can vary from once every couple of weeks, to every couple of days. Once you lose your phone number, you can sign up for a new one.

2) Many, if not most of the SMS verification services will not work with Textnow numbers. I'm not going into all the details, but this is not a traditional carrier where your SIM card phone number is governed by the SIM card. In fact while there is a phone number associated to the SIM card, that number isn't usable to the customer. Instead Textnow assigns you another number, which is in effect a voice over IP number that it uses over your wifi connection, or when not present, Textnow's data connection.

3) They are notorious for suddenly cancelling your account if you have any use of a VPN on your phone. Apparently they view this as something non US users do to try to get a free Textnow account from overseas, and so cancel your account, without warning, upon detecting this.

4) The ads that are show on your phone, over time, are becoming more intrusive and more video orientated. Before, I hardly noticed the ads. Now they do bother me.

As such, I don't see this suitable for most people as their main cell number, but instead as something for a second, or backup phone, if you can accept the downsides to this service.
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luckygecko
7KComments
4.3KReputation
For those looking for onetime SMS verification, companies like SMSPool provide numbers you can rent for 24 hours or longer, that are guaranteed to work with the selected service. I needed one for a Claude Ai account initial setup and rented it for 36 cents.
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DallasGG
1.7KComments
642Reputation
So you're getting the SIM card AND 1GB of data every month, all for a 1 time $4.99 charge? Do the calls and texts use up the 1GB of data? How long will the 1GB/mo of data last for free?

I'm confused....when I go to sign up, I see nothing about an Free Essentials Plan with 1GB data/mo. Where is a link to that? In the app I downloaded, it goes straight to buying the SIM card. When do I pick the plan?

Where does it say anything about a free 1GB data/mo? Don't see that.

Edit: I found this page which explains the types of apps you can use the 1GB of data with. Apparently, it's NOT data that you can use for just anything you want to:

https://help.textnow.com/hc/en-us...ntial-Data
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239 Comments

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May 11, 2024 5:47 PM
253 Comments
Joined Feb 2008
cas8180May 11, 2024 5:47 PM
253 Comments
Quote from buzzman View quoted comment :
Yes, and you'll lose your number if you don't use every 30 days (or something like that). The SIM card coverage has Canada coverage, BTW.

I have an old SIM card from them that I haven't used in 2 years, and it no longer works.
Its actually less than that in real world use. I got their SIM was it was 99 cents. I made a habit of always keeping my phone on as I wanted to use this as a backup line. I would text here and there to try and keep the line active. But after about 10-15 days they killed the line cause I didn't use it enough..
2
Original Poster
May 11, 2024 5:48 PM
6.1K Comments
Joined Nov 2013
ROB.E.REIN
Original Poster
May 11, 2024 5:48 PM
6.1K Comments
Quote from Luigis3rdcousin View quoted comment :
A friend of mine is using the service because he switched to AT&T and they refused to let his Motorola work on their network, so in the meantime he's using this on his old Samsung S7, every time he calls me, it's like he has the worst cell reception, I can barely hear him, if I try to call him back, it won't show up as an incoming call, I will call him several times, and then he will call me back a couple days later and say that he didn't hear from me, and I told him I called him several times, so that's why I message him on WhatsApp Messages because those actually get through
It's possible that your friend's older Samsung S7 lacks the proper antennas for optimal reception with TextNow's service?

Upgrading to a more recent phone model could improve call quality and reliability.
Original Poster
May 11, 2024 5:53 PM
6.1K Comments
Joined Nov 2013
ROB.E.REIN
Original Poster
May 11, 2024 5:53 PM
6.1K Comments
Quote from radars View quoted comment :
Not free but Sim Kit for $4.99, is it?
The SIM kit is available for $4.99 to start using TextNow's services. If you already have a SIM card, you'll be upgraded to the new plan automatically and receive 1 GB of free monthly data without needing to buy another, so it's free. And other than the price of the SIM card you get free talk, free text, and 1 GB of free data, every month for free.
Last edited by ROB.E.REIN May 11, 2024 at 10:55 AM.
May 11, 2024 5:59 PM
591 Comments
Joined Oct 2011
rshakelfordMay 11, 2024 5:59 PM
591 Comments
Quote from avalon View quoted comment :
are textnow's phone numbers seen as real numbers

or voip numbers that most services reject as fake?

Because I vaguely remember having a problem with their free service

ah ha see what I mean, nope, better just to get a $25/year tracfone
they are not, they classified as voip which means most services block them for SMS verification purposes, and top of that your number only works when using it from their app

Also isn't this whole concept against net neutrality rules?
1
May 11, 2024 5:59 PM
1.7K Comments
Joined May 2010
ctzMay 11, 2024 5:59 PM
1.7K Comments
Can you just use data, not talk/text? I assume using their VoIP app would drain battery.
Pro
May 11, 2024 6:00 PM
10.6K Comments
Joined Dec 2011
Jaggsta
Pro
May 11, 2024 6:00 PM
10.6K Comments
Quote from GreyTank342 View quoted comment :
last time the sim was $0.99 shipped
all its worth is 99c they deactivate them randomly for inactivity
2
May 11, 2024 6:00 PM
470 Comments
Joined Nov 2010
sweetdreamsMay 11, 2024 6:00 PM
470 Comments
so how much do you need to use to keep the sim/account active?

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May 11, 2024 6:04 PM
591 Comments
Joined Oct 2011
rshakelfordMay 11, 2024 6:04 PM
591 Comments
Quote from zigner View quoted comment :
1) The usage requirement to keep your phone number alive and active seems to vary by area code, yet not specified to the user, although they do send out warning emails. It can vary from once every couple of weeks, to every couple of days. Once you lose your phone number, you can sign up for a new one.

As such, I don't see this suitable for most people as their main cell number, but instead as something for a second, or backup phone, if you can accept the downsides to this service.
I was thinking about keeping it as a backup device but if they demand usage every couple days then that's out of the question and also obviously a ridiculous rule to deter people who do not use their service as main line, I assume if you don not sign up for a new number soon after they took your number away from you they also cancel your line completely?
May 11, 2024 6:09 PM
591 Comments
Joined Oct 2011
rshakelfordMay 11, 2024 6:09 PM
591 Comments
Quote from innatthepark View quoted comment :
The original was on Android with a SIM. I was able to add the app to IOS and maintained the same account; now on 2 different devices.
Quote from buzzman View quoted comment :
How do you get data without a SIM?

I think he's just talking about the the voip textnow number attached to his account being active, which for many of us we couldn't care less about that side of the service
May 11, 2024 6:21 PM
1.1K Comments
Joined Feb 2010
ZenNutsMay 11, 2024 6:21 PM
1.1K Comments
interesting service. Was thinking of using this for the backup phone but now I think I'll stick with the $30/year Red Pocket from eBay.
May 11, 2024 6:43 PM
236 Comments
Joined Dec 2011
alancontestorMay 11, 2024 6:43 PM
236 Comments
I may try it if they have that $0.99 SIM again.
May 11, 2024 6:44 PM
2.1K Comments
Joined Sep 2013
ranibane0309May 11, 2024 6:44 PM
2.1K Comments
I have textnow SIM on my old Android 9 unlocked phone.
My phone doesn't support 5g, 4g LTE is max I would get I was thinking.
I am still showing 2g which I have had in the past also but data never worked actually.

Can anyone else using TextNow on a non-5g phone confirm if getting 4g LTE data?

TIA
May 11, 2024 6:50 PM
942 Comments
Joined Jul 2007
fubagMay 11, 2024 6:50 PM
942 Comments
Quote from ranibane0309 View quoted comment :
I have textnow SIM on my old Android 9 unlocked phone.
My phone doesn't support 5g, 4g LTE is max I would get I was thinking.
I am still showing 2g which I have had in the past also but data never worked actually.

Can anyone else using TextNow on a non-5g phone confirm if getting 4g LTE data?

TIA
yes I get 4g LTE on my moto g pure with my TextNow sim
Original Poster
May 11, 2024 6:51 PM
6.1K Comments
Joined Nov 2013
ROB.E.REIN
Original Poster
May 11, 2024 6:51 PM
6.1K Comments
Quote from GreyTank342 View quoted comment :
last time the sim was $0.99 shipped
Ah hem, not with 1 GB of free data 😏

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May 11, 2024 6:51 PM
1.9K Comments
Joined Feb 2021
nyc10036May 11, 2024 6:51 PM
1.9K Comments
Quote from ranibane0309 View quoted comment :
I have textnow SIM on my old Android 9 unlocked phone.
My phone doesn't support 5g, 4g LTE is max I would get I was thinking.
I am still showing 2g which I have had in the past also but data never worked actually.

Can anyone else using TextNow on a non-5g phone confirm if getting 4g LTE data?

TIA
I have a Motorola moto g6

I am getting 4G LTE data. I opened up Google Maps. Seems to be working. A bit slow for Google Maps to detect that I was online.

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