Need a local number

very simple to get with E-sim ! This way you can have both on 1 device.

Also check Line 2 and Fongo (the are apps based) and can provide a number for you at a lower cost which you can forward to you 604.

Apps based would be the best price wise vs e-sim or getting another plan itself.

I think everyone is like you. Most people have cell phones with Canada wide calling. I don’t see a problem with using a Vancouver number in a small town.

Gee wrote: ↑ I think everyone is like you. Most people have cell phones with Canada wide calling. I don’t see a problem with using a Vancouver number in a small town.

I'm suspecting a customer bias against "big city" area codes if one is outside that city. Area code bias is real, such as Toronto 416 area codes being more coveted than 647, 437, 905, etc.

Gee wrote: ↑ I think everyone is like you. Most people have cell phones with Canada wide calling. I don’t see a problem with using a Vancouver number in a small town.

Many in small towns (older folks) still use landlines and they probably don't have nation-wide calling.

Use voip.ms to get a second number in the correct local area, it will cost about $2/month. Then just forward the line to your usual number. They also let you set up very professional-sounding IVR systems. It takes a little bit to figure out their interface, but it's very powerful. The company is Canadian, too.

This has a side benefit of being able to set up a VoIP "office phone" in your home/office, too.

at87on wrote: ↑ Many in small towns (older folks) still use landlines and they probably don't have nation-wide calling.

I live just outside of a small town, have greying hair and own and use a smartphone, thanks.

Remember, kid, my generation built the system of tubes that your Tiks, Snaps and Toks flow through.

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ Use voip.ms to get a second number in the correct local area, it will cost about $2/month. Then just forward the line to your usual number. They also let you set up very professional-sounding IVR systems. It takes a little bit to figure out their interface, but it's very powerful. The company is Canadian, too.

This has a side benefit of being able to set up a VoIP "office phone" in your home/office, too.

+1

Or for longer term you can try freephoneline.ca. If you pay for a DID or port one in for a one-time fee of $25, you can use their forwarding for free without expiry.

In BC another option is that many new numbers are in the 778 area code, which is not specific to one area of the province. Telus may still charge LD fees for calling from one 778 area code to another in a different region, but most other phone companies consider 778 all one area.

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ I live just outside of a small town, have greying hair and own and use a smartphone, thanks.

Remember, kid, my generation built the system of tubes that your Tiks, Snaps and Toks flow through.

Stop being a snowflake, boomer.

Sure older people are adopting technology, including smartphones, but many still have POTS with regional calling packages.

at87on wrote: ↑ Stop being a snowflake, boomer.

Sure older people are adopting technology, including smartphones, but many still have POTS with regional calling packages.

We have a basic POTS line for two good reasons. The first is that it continues to function when the power goes out. Our rural cell tower lasts about 8-10 hours in an outage before shutting down, leaving us sitting in the middle of a field with shiny rectangular paperweights and no way to contact the outside world. The POTS system stayed operational through a 30+ hours outage several years ago. We certainly don't have a LD package on our landline because nearly every cell package includes unlimited voice now.

The second reason is related to actual Boomers. Our landline is the number that our parents call first when they want to reach someone in our household.

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ We have a basic POTS line for two good reasons. The first is that it continues to function when the power goes out. Our rural cell tower lasts about 8-10 hours in an outage before shutting down, leaving us sitting in the middle of a field with shiny rectangular paperweights and no way to contact the outside world. The POTS system stayed operational through a 30+ hours outage several years ago. We certainly don't have a LD package on our landline because nearly every cell package includes unlimited voice now.

The second reason is related to actual Boomers. Our landline is the number that our parents call first when they want to reach someone in our household.

1. If you have a power outage for an extended period of time, I doubt you need to be on the phone that whole time. If it is an emergency, your cell phone will still work for 911 service.
2. Either port your land line to a cell provider or update your parents with your cell number.

I also live in a small town outside of the big city. Like you, I also started using computers with punch cards.

Gee wrote: ↑ 1. If you have a power outage for an extended period of time, I doubt you need to be on the phone that whole time. If it is an emergency, your cell phone will still work for 911 service.
2. Either port your land line to a cell provider or update your parents with your cell number.

I also live in a small town outside of the big city. Like you, I also started using computers with punch cards.

You misunderstand me. In a power outage, the cell tower near our house will only function on backup power for about 8 hours and it doesn't matter how much battery we have if there's no service. The system is surprisingly fragile and not robust enough to deal with extended outages. As I mentioned, the POTS line was still running a day later.

I get what you're saying about redirecting to cell numbers, but there is a certain advantage to having them call the house and being able to reach any of us on a single number. They're not going to send group texts because they only have flip phones with basic service and chances are extremely good that their phones are turned off "to conserve battery."

In an emergency they call our cells but they're from a generation where "car phones" were expensive luxuries.

+1 for voip.ms

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ they're from a generation where "car phones" were expensive luxuries.

I understood what you said. The antenna at the cell tower only lasts 8 hours. I think that is plenty, if there is an emergency, you will know within 8 hours.

I had a car phone and they were expensive luxuries. The cost was still over 2000$ in 1987

shivash39 wrote: ↑ very simple to get with E-sim ! This way you can have both on 1 device.

Also check Line 2 and Fongo (the are apps based) and can provide a number for you at a lower cost which you can forward to you 604.

Apps based would be the best price wise vs e-sim or getting another plan itself.

Much appreciated

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ Use voip.ms to get a second number in the correct local area, it will cost about $2/month. Then just forward the line to your usual number. They also let you set up very professional-sounding IVR systems. It takes a little bit to figure out their interface, but it's very powerful. The company is Canadian, too.

This has a side benefit of being able to set up a VoIP "office phone" in your home/office, too.

thanks, I'll check it out

lefroset wrote: ↑ I'm suspecting a customer bias against "big city" area codes if one is outside that city. Area code bias is real, such as Toronto 416 area codes being more coveted than 647, 437, 905, etc.

this is the issue - it's not one really of logistics (for my customers) - it's the bias of supporting/dealing with a local community member

Question for those that responded,- quite a few suggestions

freephoneline.ca
E-Sim
Line 2
Fongo
Voip.MS

If I was less concerned about cost and more worried about long term use of the number (i.e. company going under, losing the number for another reason) - any suggestions which of those listed is the most stable?

i dont know much about comwave but they give you a virtual number from a local city too, or you can port a number into them and have a virtual number, sounds good?

Use Fongo it's free. You can just forward the local number you will get to your own cellphone. Done.