How to keep my postpaid number without the monthly cost?

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May 28th, 2019 4:14 pm

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May 26th, 2019 7:57 am

TheWalrus [OP]: Deal Addict; Sep 3, 2012; 1858 posts; 627 upvotes; TO

May 26th, 2019 7:57 am

How to keep my postpaid number without the monthly cost?

I currently have a postpaid plan that I pay for every month, no matter how little I use it.

I'd like to keep the number from that plan because my bank etc send a code to it whenever I want to login, but I won't be in Canada for a while so I don't want to keep paying for the plan.

Most (all?) providers will let you receive SMS for free out of the country, so can I port my number out to any prepay and keep receiving the texts?

Do I just walk into any cell store, get a prepaid SIM, and ask to port my number? Will this automatically cancel my current plan?

Wins
2015: 69.99$

6 replies

May 26th, 2019 8:20 am

audit13: Deal Expert; Feb 24, 2003; 17065 posts; 3324 upvotes; Toronto

May 26th, 2019 8:20 am

Porting will automatically cancel your existing plan.

May 26th, 2019 1:09 pm

ahoo99: Jr. Member; Dec 12, 2007; 109 posts; 165 upvotes; saint john

May 26th, 2019 1:09 pm

TheWalrus wrote: ↑ I currently have a postpaid plan that I pay for every month, no matter how little I use it.

I'd like to keep the number from that plan because my bank etc send a code to it whenever I want to login, but I won't be in Canada for a while so I don't want to keep paying for the plan.

Most (all?) providers will let you receive SMS for free out of the country, so can I port my number out to any prepay and keep receiving the texts?

Do I just walk into any cell store, get a prepaid SIM, and ask to port my number? Will this automatically cancel my current plan?

Most prepaid can receive SMS for free, and most of them do NOT work out of Canada, none of them works out of North America.

May 26th, 2019 1:48 pm

Fraser River Rat: Deal Addict; Mar 4, 2007; 1998 posts; 294 upvotes; Vancouver

May 26th, 2019 1:48 pm

Hi,

Port your number to a VOIP provider.
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/leaving- ... s-2269518/

+1

May 27th, 2019 3:39 pm

TheWalrus [OP]: Deal Addict; Sep 3, 2012; 1858 posts; 627 upvotes; TO

May 27th, 2019 3:39 pm

ahoo99 wrote: ↑ Most prepaid can receive SMS for free, and most of them do NOT work out of Canada, none of them works out of North America.

Thanks, I didn't know they wouldn't work abroad.

Wins
2015: 69.99$

May 28th, 2019 4:40 am

rabbit: Deal Guru; Jun 27, 2004; 12925 posts; 2221 upvotes; Vancouver.bc.ca

May 28th, 2019 4:40 am

My Fido by the minute prepaid worked for SMSing (both send and receive) when I was in Germany. That was last spring. (I've since cancelled that account.)

If the prepaid plan can do international roaming, then I don't see why it wouldn't work for SMSing.

May 28th, 2019 4:14 pm

gobbledygoo: Member; Dec 24, 2006; 470 posts; 77 upvotes; Vancouver

May 28th, 2019 4:14 pm

If you're going the VOIP route, check that they support SMS Short Codes (you mentioned you keep it for 2factor authentication for banking) for your bank(s) as not all of them support it.

Example, Fongo does not support SMS Short Codes (not meaning to call them out specifically, just that I was researching when wanting to port over parents' seldom used cell plans)

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