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TextNow: New and Existing Customers: 1GB/Month Free Essential Data (Limited Apps)
Free
$5 Sim Kit Req'd for New Membersat TextNow.com
$5 Sim Kit Req'd for New Membersat TextNow.comDeal 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:
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
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.
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:
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
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.
Community Voting
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Top Comments
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.
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.co
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239 Comments
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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.
Also isn't this whole concept against net neutrality rules?
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Yeah no, something doesn't app. You're saying you bought the number for $4.99 as a one time fee or $4.99 monthly fee? that's what their website says
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WhatsApp will not install with your TextNow number. Many SMS systems will not work as well. From what I understand, many SMS systems use an abbreviated 5 digit number which will not work with a VOIP number. If they used the full phone number, it would work fine. As for WhatsApp, it did accept my MagicJack which is a VOIP number. This is all I use for a phone. I gave up my Google Voice number because I never used it.TextNow is my primary phone number. I pay annually a small fee for MagicJack so I don't worry about them cutting me off. Also, MagicJack is picky about trying to make you pay extra to call some numbers.
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