Cell Phones

How to use my Canadian phone number as I switch to AT&T?

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  • May 28th, 2019 10:00 pm
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May 27th, 2019 12:11 pm
fix23 [OP]
Member
Jan 29, 2008
413 posts
50 upvotes

May 27th, 2019 12:11 pm

How to use my Canadian phone number as I switch to AT&T?

Hello all. I travel to USA a lot so I am looking to switch to AT&T 16gb plan as they allow roaming in Canada (I’m back and forth). Ideally I would like to keep my Canadian phone number as I’ve had it for years and have many important things set up with this number. Is there a way I can effectively call AND text forward from my new AT&T number to my current Canadian number? I want to get the AT&T plan but keep using my Canadian number. Is this possible? Many of my contacts are in Canada, so I don’t want to make them pay long distance to my American number. I understand call forwarding is possible, but is it possible to also text forward with the same number(s), and use it seamlessly with iMessage?

Thank you everyone.
Cheers
inhale truth;
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8 replies
May 27th, 2019 12:28 pm
batcave
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Nov 14, 2003
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Gotham

May 27th, 2019 12:28 pm

I don't think you can forward texts. You will have to use a dual sim phone or carry two phones. You can also port your Canadian number to a VOIP.

I also would not use the number on the ATT account because if they change the TOS and cut you off you will lose your number. I would use a VOIP like Google Voice.
May 27th, 2019 12:34 pm
fix23 [OP]
Member
Jan 29, 2008
413 posts
50 upvotes

May 27th, 2019 12:34 pm

batcave wrote: ↑ I don't think you can forward texts. You will have to use a dual sim phone or carry two phones. You can also port your Canadian number to a VOIP.

I also would not use the number on the ATT account because if they change the TOS and cut you off you will lose your number. I would use a VOIP like Google Voice.
I'd like to continue using iPhone, which does not have dual sim. Hmm. I do have a google voice number. Can Google Voice be used with iMessage?

Damn, I really don't want to lose this Canadian phone number.
inhale truth;
exhale fear
May 27th, 2019 12:43 pm
batcave
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Gotham

May 27th, 2019 12:43 pm

fix23 wrote: ↑ I'd like to continue using iPhone, which does not have dual sim. Hmm. I do have a google voice number. Can Google Voice be used with iMessage?

Damn, I really don't want to lose this Canadian phone number.
Now that you have unlimited data, you can turn off imessage as saving data is not necessary. In this instance, Apple does not play with Google and Google does not play with apple.

iPhone does have dual sim, it is esim.

The real win is to have only one number. It will simplify your life. You won't have to think about which number to give out to whom. Outside of North America, I find people prefer WhatsApp or WeChat over native text and calling. Google Voice is my preference because it is synced simultaneously over multiple devices.
May 27th, 2019 1:14 pm
fix23 [OP]
Member
Jan 29, 2008
413 posts
50 upvotes

May 27th, 2019 1:14 pm

batcave wrote: ↑ Now that you have unlimited data, you can turn off imessage as saving data is not necessary. In this instance, Apple does not play with Google and Google does not play with apple.

iPhone does have dual sim, it is esim.

The real win is to have only one number. It will simplify your life. You won't have to think about which number to give out to whom. Outside of North America, I find people prefer WhatsApp or WeChat over native text and calling. Google Voice is my preference because it is synced simultaneously over multiple devices.
I agree, 1 number is definitely ideal. I just don't want my contacts having to pay long distance to get ahold of me. Especially now that I am a landlord. Tricky situation.
inhale truth;
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May 27th, 2019 2:05 pm
batcave
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Nov 14, 2003
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Gotham

May 27th, 2019 2:05 pm

fix23 wrote: ↑ I agree, 1 number is definitely ideal. I just don't want my contacts having to pay long distance to get ahold of me. Especially now that I am a landlord. Tricky situation.
Most do not put much thought into text messages. I find texting useful for trivial things between friends fine but I would never use it for business purposes. I personally do not want calls or texts from my tenants unless it is urgent. If they do and it is not urgent, I always ask them to email me. I always want a record of communication. Google Voice does provide that record, but it is a pain to go through.

Texting between a landlord and tenant bit a friend (the landlord) in the butt because the landlord wrote stuff in a text that they should not have and the tenant used that information in a tribunal against the landlord. A text message that my friend thought was benign and trivial was used against them.

With a US number, my tenants are less likely to text or call me in non-urgent situations.
May 27th, 2019 3:20 pm
fix23 [OP]
Member
Jan 29, 2008
413 posts
50 upvotes

May 27th, 2019 3:20 pm

batcave wrote: ↑ Most do not put much thought into text messages. I find texting useful for trivial things between friends fine but I would never use it for business purposes. I personally do not want calls or texts from my tenants unless it is urgent. If they do and it is not urgent, I always ask them to email me. I always want a record of communication. Google Voice does provide that record, but it is a pain to go through.

Texting between a landlord and tenant bit a friend (the landlord) in the butt because the landlord wrote stuff in a text that they should not have and the tenant used that information in a tribunal against the landlord. A text message that my friend thought was benign and trivial was used against them.

With a US number, my tenants are less likely to text or call me in non-urgent situations.
I think majority of Canadian companies allow texting between US numbers. It is the long distance for phone calls. And I don't want to tell people, call me at this number (canadian number), but text/imessage me at this other number. That would not be too good. iMessage to me is very useful. Group chats, read notification, ease of working with other iPhone people, etc.
inhale truth;
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May 27th, 2019 4:04 pm
ShocWave
Sr. Member
Dec 9, 2001
501 posts
233 upvotes
Vancouver

May 27th, 2019 4:04 pm

You can consider porting your number to Fongo for about $20.
May 28th, 2019 10:00 pm
richieroo
Newbie
Nov 17, 2011
7 posts
LONDON

May 28th, 2019 10:00 pm

Im an android user so not sure if imessage is exempt from this , but be aware that mms does not work while roaming on rogers..not group or picture messages

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