Cell Phones

Parking my cell number with a VOIP CANADIAN BILLING

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  • Oct 7th, 2020 8:31 pm
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Oct 6th, 2020 5:41 pm
Allan in T.Dot [OP]
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Sep 7, 2010
301 posts
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T.Dot

Oct 6th, 2020 5:41 pm

Parking my cell number with a VOIP CANADIAN BILLING

Hi all,

I have Google Voice (GV) but since they are not ready for porting yet, I am looking to park my cell phone number with a VOIP that bills in Canadian funds. If they have call forwarding services that would be useful as well so I don't have to tell folks my GV number. Thoughts anyone?

VOIP.ms bills in USD which is unfortunate.
Last edited by Allan in T.Dot on Oct 6th, 2020 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
15 replies
Oct 6th, 2020 8:10 pm
lmcjipo
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Sep 14, 2012
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Montreal, QC

Oct 6th, 2020 8:10 pm

You can park your phone number with voip.ms or Fongo.

voip.ms will charge you a monthly fee but I believe that the porting is free. You also pay for every call that you receive if you want to forward that call (as well as answer that call)

You can also port to Fongo. Fongo charges for the porting but the incoming calls and outgoing calls within certain Canadian area codes are free.
Oct 6th, 2020 8:36 pm
Allan in T.Dot [OP]
Member
Sep 7, 2010
301 posts
153 upvotes
T.Dot

Oct 6th, 2020 8:36 pm

I've looked into VOIP.ms but they charge in USD and my CC charges an exorbiant fee - I think it would be more than a monthly charge. Which is why I've made the specific request for billing in Canadian funds. I've looked into FONGO as well but do they charge in USD? I'm not fond of the porting fee but at least 2.79/month isn't too bad.
lmcjipo wrote: ↑ You can park your phone number with voip.ms or Fongo.

voip.ms will charge you a monthly fee but I believe that the porting is free. You also pay for every call that you receive if you want to forward that call (as well as answer that call)

You can also port to Fongo. Fongo charges for the porting but the incoming calls and outgoing calls within certain Canadian area codes are free.
Oct 6th, 2020 9:08 pm
gameon12
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Oct 6th, 2020 9:08 pm

Pretty much all voip providers operate in USD. What's the issue?
Oct 6th, 2020 9:19 pm
Keigotw
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Mar 25, 2003
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Markham

Oct 6th, 2020 9:19 pm

Allan in T.Dot wrote: ↑ I've looked into VOIP.ms but they charge in USD and my CC charges an exorbiant fee - I think it would be more than a monthly charge. Which is why I've made the specific request for billing in Canadian funds. I've looked into FONGO as well but do they charge in USD? I'm not fond of the porting fee but at least 2.79/month isn't too bad.
Fongo charge Canadian $$
porting fee $25
no monthly fee if you just use Fongo App
$2.79 / month is for if you want to txt
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Oct 7th, 2020 4:36 am
Gee
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Aug 2, 2004
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East Gwillimbury

Oct 7th, 2020 4:36 am

I don’t understand the ask

You want to park your Canadian cell number and forward it to your Google voice number.

What’s the point? If everyone will be calling you on your Canadian cell number, you will be paying per minute and maybe long distance to receive calls on Google Voice.

Are you planning on using an all data plan? Just for Google Voice?
Oct 7th, 2020 12:16 pm
gameon12
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Oct 7th, 2020 12:16 pm

Allan in T.Dot wrote: ↑ I've looked into VOIP.ms but they charge in USD and my CC charges an exorbiant fee - I think it would be more than a monthly charge. Which is why I've made the specific request for billing in Canadian funds. I've looked into FONGO as well but do they charge in USD? I'm not fond of the porting fee but at least 2.79/month isn't too bad.

Yeah I was guessing it might be something like that. Fongo only forwards to CDN numbers - no GV. Fongo has not proven reliable enough (for me and others in GTA). The Stack Mastercard option can help you out on the currency . Conversion rate is good and no FX fee. Or get into one of the credit cards that don't charge FX. Now you've got options
Oct 7th, 2020 3:26 pm
Allan in T.Dot [OP]
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Sep 7, 2010
301 posts
153 upvotes
T.Dot

Oct 7th, 2020 3:26 pm

Yah I'll have to look into this further then. VOIP.ms was the best solution I could find.

I don't want a phone plan but I need a phone plan by virtue of work. All I really need is data. And since I have one of the old 416 numbers, I want to park my number until GV allows for porting in Canadian numbers.

Thanks for the help everyone. RFD rocks!
gameon12 wrote: ↑ Yeah I was guessing it might be something like that. Fongo only forwards to CDN numbers - no GV. Fongo has not proven reliable enough (for me and others in GTA). The Stack Mastercard option can help you out on the currency . Conversion rate is good and no FX fee. Or get into one of the credit cards that don't charge FX. Now you've got options
Oct 7th, 2020 4:00 pm
gameon12
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Oct 7th, 2020 4:00 pm

Allan in T.Dot wrote: ↑ Yah I'll have to look into this further then. VOIP.ms was the best solution I could find.

I don't want a phone plan but I need a phone plan by virtue of work. All I really need is data. And since I have one of the old 416 numbers, I want to park my number until GV allows for porting in Canadian numbers.

Thanks for the help everyone. RFD rocks!
You'll get more action here if you lay out your end needs. For data only checkout the huge Fido data thread at Fido 4GB / $10
Oct 7th, 2020 4:49 pm
Gee
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East Gwillimbury

Oct 7th, 2020 4:49 pm

gameon12 wrote: ↑ You'll get more action here if you lay out your end needs. For data only checkout the huge Fido data thread at Fido 4GB / $10
I think he laid it out pretty clearly. He wants a data only plan which I think he already has. He is using google voice for all his calls since he can call Canada and US from it, receive SMS etc.

His local number is a 416 which he wants to keep and he needs to park it some place till Google voice allows porting in Canadian numbers into their system.
Allan in T.Dot wrote: ↑ I don't want a phone plan but I need a phone plan by virtue of work. All I really need is data. And since I have one of the old 416 numbers, I want to park my number until GV allows for porting in Canadian numbers.
I have had Google Voice since it launched. First I would never use it as a primary service. It is reliable, but the quality will never match a cell service. If you use your number for business, I would stick to a cell provider. Second, don't hold your breath for Canadian support.

It started with Calgary, but that loop hole eventually closed. Then a small window opened. and I was able to forward my google voice number to my local 416 number. So far so good.
Oct 7th, 2020 5:16 pm
gameon12
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Oct 7th, 2020 5:16 pm

Gee wrote: ↑ I think he laid it out pretty clearly. He wants a data only plan which I think he already has. He is using google voice for all his calls since he can call Canada and US from it, receive SMS etc.

His local number is a 416 which he wants to keep and he needs to park it some place till Google voice allows porting in Canadian numbers into their system.



I have had Google Voice since it launched. First I would never use it as a primary service. It is reliable, but the quality will never match a cell service. If you use your number for business, I would stick to a cell provider. Second, don't hold your breath for Canadian support.

It started with Calgary, but that loop hole eventually closed. Then a small window opened. and I was able to forward my google voice number to my local 416 number. So far so good.
Sure we can make assumptions. How important is each of the GV and 416 for calls/texts (incl personal/business)? Anticipated monthly usage minutes in/out? Lots of use while in transit or mainly/exclusively stationary? WiFi availability? How important is messaging (WhatsApp, Messenger, etc)? Device details incl dual-SIM?

Nice on the 416 GV btw
Oct 7th, 2020 6:18 pm
Gee
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East Gwillimbury

Oct 7th, 2020 6:18 pm

gameon12 wrote: ↑ Sure we can make assumptions. How important is each of the GV and 416 for calls/texts (incl personal/business)? Anticipated monthly usage minutes in/out? Lots of use while in transit or mainly/exclusively stationary? WiFi availability? How important is messaging (WhatsApp, Messenger, etc)? Device details incl dual-SIM?
Cell data is pretty reliable. VoIP on cell data not so much. At least in my experience. You won't have problems with SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger etc.

I use google voice through Hangouts, it works 95% of the time, but there are times I would experience a bad connection or a dropped call. If I didn't use my cell for business, I wouldn't have a problem using google voice as my primary line. But I can't afford to miss calls or sound like I am under water when talking on the phone.

Maybe with 5G, things will get better. Hangouts is probably not the best client for Google Voice either. But it works for me. I also use it on my google mini at home.
Oct 7th, 2020 7:48 pm
Allan in T.Dot [OP]
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Sep 7, 2010
301 posts
153 upvotes
T.Dot

Oct 7th, 2020 7:48 pm

Righto. In fact, that is what I am on and want to switch off my cell plan and rely on data only. Who makes calls these days when I already have a LAN line?
gameon12 wrote: ↑ You'll get more action here if you lay out your end needs. For data only checkout the huge Fido data thread at Fido 4GB / $10
Oct 7th, 2020 7:51 pm
Allan in T.Dot [OP]
Member
Sep 7, 2010
301 posts
153 upvotes
T.Dot

Oct 7th, 2020 7:51 pm

You don't find GV reliable or good call quality? Bc FIDO and Rogers service in my place/area sucks. Even when standing by the door. I've been more reliant on the Wi-Fi calling feature when I do use the phone. Hence the rationale of, why the heck do I even need a cell plan for calls that I barely make when I can just use a VOIP service for even cheaper.


Gee wrote: ↑ I think he laid it out pretty clearly. He wants a data only plan which I think he already has. He is using google voice for all his calls since he can call Canada and US from it, receive SMS etc.

His local number is a 416 which he wants to keep and he needs to park it some place till Google voice allows porting in Canadian numbers into their system.



I have had Google Voice since it launched. First I would never use it as a primary service. It is reliable, but the quality will never match a cell service. If you use your number for business, I would stick to a cell provider. Second, don't hold your breath for Canadian support.

It started with Calgary, but that loop hole eventually closed. Then a small window opened. and I was able to forward my google voice number to my local 416 number. So far so good.
Oct 7th, 2020 8:31 pm
Gee
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Aug 2, 2004
36939 posts
10158 upvotes
East Gwillimbury

Oct 7th, 2020 8:31 pm

Allan in T.Dot wrote: ↑ You don't find GV reliable or good call quality? Bc FIDO and Rogers service in my place/area sucks.
If you have problems with Rogers, I suggest you switch to Bell or Telus.

I am on Rogers and have no problems with voice or data. But I have problems in Brampton and in Nepean. Signal is non existent.

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