Text Now...anyone use or know how well this works in the US?

It works OK.
The SIM ships to US addresses only.

The SIM connects exclusively to the T-Mobile network, on a special agreement that only allows Textnow VOIP data traffic and nothing else.

Free app is full of ads, but functional for voice and text.

It's a VOIP number (US area codes only), so many incoming 2FA and short codes will not work (and those few verification codes that work will eventually be detected and blocked by the Textnow software, designed to nudge you to upgrade to a paid tier.

There is a requirement to make one call or send one SMS at least every 2-3 weeks, otherwise your number gets reassigned. Optionally, a recurring payment of USD $5 per year will allow you to keep your number (and also unblocks some incoming verification SMS, but not all of them).

ahoroba wrote: ↑ It works OK.
The SIM ships to US addresses only.

The SIM connects exclusively to the T-Mobile network, on a special agreement that only allows Textnow VOIP data traffic and nothing else.

Free app is full of ads, but functional for voice and text.

It's a VOIP number (US area codes only), so many incoming 2FA and short codes will not work (and those few verification codes that work will eventually be detected and blocked by the Textnow software, designed to nudge you to upgrade to a paid tier.

There is a requirement to make one call or send one SMS at least every 2-3 weeks, otherwise your number gets reassigned. Optionally, a recurring payment of USD $5 per year will allow you to keep your number (and also unblocks some incoming verification SMS, but not all of them).

Thanks. Do you use still use this now? In Canada? In the USA?

When you get the SIM is there a requirement to activate it within a certain time? For $1, I'd buy a couple and just hold em until I need to...don't even care if it deactivates after the trip. $5 for a year might be OK even once the borders reopen.
> does it have to be activated in the US? Wondering if I can use a Google Voice number as part of the activation.
> if you pay a little bit ie nudged into another tier, will it work for 2FA?
> the app info on Google play says it works in Canada so wonder why they only ship SIM to US addresses....perhaps the Text Now app is via data in Canada and thru data with TMo in USA.

I think I used this app a long time ago for texting. Maybe I'll reinstall it and test it in Canada.

I use the app on my phone... actually, using the Windows app on my PC. Saves me from typing on my phone. SMS works well between the people I text with.

I used the Textnow app extensively in Canada, USA, and Europe. Like any VOIP app, it basically works wherever you have data or wifi.

If you are not aware, there are two separate elements to Textnow:
1. The Textnow VOIP app, which works wherever you have data or wifi (so that is why it says on GooglePlay that the app works in Canada), assuming that you get wifi or data on your own (the app alone cannot give you a data connection and the app is useless without data or wifi).
2. The Textnow SIM, only offered in the US, and only works on the T-Mobile US network, and it is basically the Textnow app plus a SIM that provides a tiny bit of LTE data so that you would not depend on proximity to wifi. No Canadian cellular provider will ever agree to give Textnow company a VOIP data deal similar to what they got from T-Mobile, so a SIM will never be offered in Canada.

By paying $5 a year, you can remove the block that Textnow puts on incoming verification SMS's, but many senders refuse to send verification SMS's to VOIP numbers, and Textnow cannot fix that for you. Do not get this if you need reliable 2FA. This service is meant to communicate cheaply on Kijiji or with cousin Johny.

Also, I do not know why you think Textnow require a separate phone number for activation/verification. You only need an email address to open an account, to get a Textnow number and to use that app.

As for how long unactivated SIMs can be held in a drawer, I have no idea, but I did not see any mention of a requirement to activate them within 30 days or 60 days, etc. I activated my SIM within days of receiving it.