Does Virgin Mobile have something similar to Rogers One Number?

Nope.

Try a VoIP service that supports SMS. Have used Google Voice right in gmail hangouts chat to text, use mostly VoIP.ms now with more advanced client and pbx.

Sure there are other providers the RFD folks could also chime in on... drawback is obviously not using your shoddy Virgin service and having same phone number. Upside I found is having local US number when I travel is really useful and cheap to free.

Other option on an unlocked phone is a US SIM card from a local discount carrier like T-Mobile or a cheap MVNO like Ting (run by Canada's famous Tucows) or grab a Roam mobility SIM at any best buy before you go and slap a little plan on that online. Have tried all and YMMV but can be done on the cheap.

Thanks! We actually have cheap phones down here. We use Tracfone and it works out to be around $100 a year and we get 1200 minutes, 1200 texts and 1200 megs of data which more than suits us and the free phone we get is more than suitable. Unfortunately we can't swap out our sim cards as Tracfone doesn't allow that. We have no trouble with getting and receiving texts but our issue was that we found out some rather important texts were sent to our home cell phones but we can't see them as we're not about to remove the flight mode. We also do even have some of those text apps but it still won't address our "problem". Thanks anyhow though!!

Turn data off on your phone. Incoming texts typically are free, even when in the US. Then respond to them via a VoIP app or from your tracfone. No need to leave phone in airplane mode. Just don't answer any calls.

Really? I had no idea. I'm just so paranoid of horrible roaming fees that it never occurred to me. Thanks for the tip. Much appreciated. (I know, I know, I should have been able to figure that out on my own but I'm a wee bit mobile phone challenged and I rarely text anyway). THANKS

deltone wrote: ↑Really? I had no idea. I'm just so paranoid of horrible roaming fees that it never occurred to me. Thanks for the tip. Much appreciated. (I know, I know, I should have been able to figure that out on my own but I'm a wee bit mobile phone challenged and I rarely text anyway). THANKS

No problem. Good luck.