I want to text someone abroad. I'm on Bell Canada she's on Virgin UK. Through the phone companies this proves to be very expensive. I have a data plan, she has 3,000 monthly texts. Is there a cheap or free way to accomplish this?
google voice
gwapako said:
Well you can communicate through the internet. Chatting or Skype voice call can be really much much cheaper than texting.
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Hm, we need to be able to text
sasha101 said:
google voice
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Niether of us are in the US so that wont work.
for sure the cheapest method will be to install skype / msn messenger or palringo to both your devices. then you will only be charged your data at local rate for your messages (messages use very little data so costs should be low)
as for actual text messge function you will be best to find a contract that includes alot of international texts in the allowance
I dunno if this app is available for HTC phones..but I downloaded this app on my nokia E71...called Global AQ lite, it gives 7 free credits daily, and you can send text messages to any country. Its really neat and it works! The replies are sent back to your phone, no charge =)
10pText.co.uk
O might have the solution for you.
There's a service in the UK called 10ptext.co.uk. It is quite a clever service, you purchase credits at 10p/text and then you used your data connection to send SMS text to international destinations. You can use it from any country, I have been around the world with it.
Related
I am with Mobilicity in Ontario which gives me unlimited local calling, text, and data when I am in one of their "unlimited zones" (major cities) but heading an hour or so out of the city I'm roaming. This doesn't pose to much of a problem for me as I live downtown and rarely leave Toronto, but I do have family and friends I visit from time to time that don't live within the "unlimited zone" which makes my phone useless to me.
From what I understand about GV and GrooveIP, it allows you to make free calls and text to anywhere in the US and Canada for free over 3G data and wifi, which is exactly what I need for when I'm not in the city. At first I thought I could use a US proxy to get a GV number then set up GrooveIP so when I am out of the unlimted zone I can still communicate over wifi using my GV number. The problem I realized is that no one I know in Canada is going to want to pay international call and text rates to reach me at a US GV number.
Is there some other free service available in Canada that allows me to send and receive texts and calls for free over wifi?
You can use grooveip in canada! I use it. Just get someone in states to make youan email and stuff. Then use it to login in canada. Ive been using it in canada for awhile now
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
jark99 said:
You can use grooveip in canada! I use it. Just get someone in states to make youan email and stuff. Then use it to login in canada. Ive been using it in canada for awhile now
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
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You're right! It does work. I can even make long distance calls for free now too. Are you able to receive calls through grooveip without a google voice number? When making a call do you know what your caller id looks like to the other person? I assumed that Grooveip also supported sms but I see now that it doesn't. Is there an app with the same functionality as grooveip but for sending and recieving texts over wifi
red_skittles said:
You're right! It does work. I can even make long distance calls for free now too. Are you able to receive calls through grooveip without a google voice number? When making a call do you know what your caller id looks like to the other person? I assumed that Grooveip also supported sms but I see now that it doesn't. Is there an app with the same functionality as grooveip but for sending and recieving texts over wifi
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When you call people it shows the US number i believe. Also i have never tried receiving calls because the ppl who would call you in canada would get charged for calling to the states as grooveip uses a US number.
For texting look up a few apps...i think textplus was one...but cant recall
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
so let me get this straight if i buy grooveip
i can use my gvoice in canada and not get charged long distance?
im not sure how grooveip works sorry
how do you even get a google voice number in canada anyways?
belovedson said:
so let me get this straight if i buy grooveip
i can use my gvoice in canada and not get charged long distance?
im not sure how grooveip works sorry
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You have to have someone in US register you an email in the states. Then use that email to use groove ip!
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
Use Fongo, which was previously Dell Voice, can let you make free Canada and US calls over wifi! The quality is even better than google voice, imo.
I want to switch to AT&T for the One X soon and am looking for ways to reduce my bill. I don't want to pay $20/mo for texting so using Google Voice is a good idea for that. I initially wanted to port my number to GV so that I wouldn't have to give people a new number, but after some testing I feel like the voice lag in calls through GV is a little too significant to use it for all my calls, so now I'm considering porting my number to AT&T like normal and using my separate GV number for texts.
I'd like to know what you guys do and how it works out for you.
Thanks.
Just keep in mind that GV texting doesn't support short codes, nor MMS (although Google said it is coming).
I'd switch to google voice full time if it had two features that it's currently missing. 1. Obviously mms. 2. Threaded group SMS (which I found out the One X doesnt support either)! I really miss group SMS coming from the iPhone as that's how I communicated with a bunch of my friends and colleagues.
Telling people to just email me is definitely worth the $20 savings...
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Google plus messenger?
Cryosx said:
Google plus messenger?
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Not even sure what this means.
I am in the same boat and I had tried to use Google Voice. Does not work simply because the lack of a dedicated SMS agent.
I use text plus. Didn't want to pay 20 dollars
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
NextNexus said:
Not even sure what this means.
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Google+ messenger. The stand alone messaging client for Google+.
I've been debating getting a new number through Google Voice and switching to that. Cutting the unlimited texting from my plan would sure be nice. I don't make more than 10-20 minutes in calls most months, so the latency issue is not major for me. I suspect it's related to the inherent latency on the 3G/HSPA network. I think this is one of the areas where LTE is supposed to be a major improvement over HSPA+. Has anybody tried GV over 3G and wifi/LTE. If so, was it any better?
lilhyper said:
I am in the same boat and I had tried to use Google Voice. Does not work simply because the lack of a dedicated SMS agent.
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Can you explain what you mean by an "SMS agent"?
mesasone said:
Google+ messenger. The stand alone messaging client for Google+.
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Yea but isn't that like using Facebook messenger or whatsapp? It's not an SMS replacement unless everyone you text actually has it installed.
Pretty much. I'm not really sure how that works out as a replacement for a texting brand. Maybe they will elaborate.
I use Google Voice and save my money, not work the 20 bucks for MMS and short code. I fill in the blanks of those with twitter/facebook etc etc.
I have unlimited via a family unlimited plan.
EDIT: Can you use GV without a SIM? Like I have an account set up but I can't send SMS or Make calls on the One X at all. Am I doing something wrong or does it just not work that way?
I chose the unlimited text because that gives you unlimited mobile to mobile calls, any carrier.. That allowed me to drop down from unlimited minutes to 450 minutes with rollover. I'll never talk 450 minutes to a landline during peak i dont think. I dont know anybody with a landline, all mobile. That dropped the Minutes from $69 to $39. I', going to give it a try...We'll see
nugzo said:
I chose the unlimited text because that gives you unlimited mobile to mobile calls, any carrier.. That allowed me to drop down from unlimited minutes to 450 minutes with rollover. I'll never talk 450 minutes to a landline during peak i dont think. I dont know anybody with a landline, all mobile. That dropped the Minutes from $69 to $39. I', going to give it a try...We'll see
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Yeah, I'm used to having unlimited mobile to mobile on Sprint, but I think I can get by without it and still only 450 minutes. A lot of calls happen on nights and weekends, and then I can take advantage of the rollover (not sure how long those minutes last before expiring).
voluptuary said:
I have unlimited via a family unlimited plan.
EDIT: Can you use GV without a SIM? Like I have an account set up but I can't send SMS or Make calls on the One X at all. Am I doing something wrong or does it just not work that way?
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You should be able to SMS through GV by just being on WiFi I think, but you won't be able to make calls without the SIM since it goes over the cell network and uses minutes like normal. However, if you use something like GrooVe IP, you should be able to make calls with just WiFi.
Unlimited text family plan for $20 FTW!
I just got a Lumia 900. I only do about 100-200 texts a month, so I am disappointed by AT&T's only texting option of $20 (as opposed to $5 on VZW)
Are there any apps that I can use to text using data instead?
I know that Text+ has come out for WP, but it looks like you can't keep your existing phone number. I dont want people to have to keep two mobile numbers for me, and I dont want to have to pay $20 a month for something I dont use that much. Any suggestions/alternatives?
ballanda123 said:
I just got a Lumia 900. I only do about 100-200 texts a month, so I am disappointed by AT&T's only texting option of $20 (as opposed to $5 on VZW)
Are there any apps that I can use to text using data instead?
I know that Text+ has come out for WP, but it looks like you can't keep your existing phone number. I dont want people to have to keep two mobile numbers for me, and I dont want to have to pay $20 a month for something I dont use that much. Any suggestions/alternatives?
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Whatsapp dude!! it's the best
ballanda123 said:
I just got a Lumia 900. I only do about 100-200 texts a month, so I am disappointed by AT&T's only texting option of $20 (as opposed to $5 on VZW)
Are there any apps that I can use to text using data instead?
I know that Text+ has come out for WP, but it looks like you can't keep your existing phone number. I dont want people to have to keep two mobile numbers for me, and I dont want to have to pay $20 a month for something I dont use that much. Any suggestions/alternatives?
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There's whatsapp, viber and heytell.
I have tried the first two, very low data usage and work very well. Honestly can't believe you haven't heard of whatsapp.
I need too....
Want it too..
Would love to have it .. i live in india so i would prefer to have my country specific app for sending SMS .. there is already such apps for Androids over here .. didnt find any thing for WP7 .
Whatsapp requires that the people you are texting also have the app.
It's not a data-sms to text-sms app.
If you live in US, you can use Google Voice service for your texting needs. There is an app called GoVoice, which uses data, but lets you communicate to others via texting through your Google Voice number.
That means that if you are comfortable giving everyone an alternate number for texting, then this should do the job for you. Unlimited texting (till the end of 2012, i think) for free.
http://www.informationweek.com/wireless/drop-your-cell-plan-and-still-use-your-phone/d/d-id/1107537?
Is there a way to talk and/or text without a phone plan or for free with a plan like freedompop?
If so, how could you receive calls? Is it possible to keep your number?
I typically leave my phone at home, so it's always on wifi. I'm currently paying for data and have unlimited everything with a family plan ($55/m for the three of us, with T-Mobile).
I do not like contracts, especially this one since upgrading phones cost, that used to somewhat offset the fact they charge more for contracts than no contracts.
If we can get rid of the $165 bill all together, that'd be wonderful.
Thank you all in advance.
UKTone said:
http://www.informationweek.com/wireless/drop-your-cell-plan-and-still-use-your-phone/d/d-id/1107537?
Is there a way to talk and/or text without a phone plan or for free with a plan like freedompop?
If so, how could you receive calls? Is it possible to keep your number?
I typically leave my phone at home, so it's always on wifi. I'm currently paying for data and have unlimited everything with a family plan ($55/m for the three of us, with T-Mobile).
I do not like contracts, especially this one since upgrading phones cost, that used to somewhat offset the fact they charge more for contracts than no contracts.
If we can get rid of the $165 bill all together, that'd be wonderful.
Thank you all in advance.
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If you live in US, then Google Hangouts is now your best friend.
If it is on wifi only then you don't need a contract in the first place... you get your data from your home internet, and as was said you can use hangout + google voice number to send texts and receive/make calls via Hangouts.
If you add FreedomPop (Sprint phone only) you will be able to get data/texts/calls without wifi.
My setup is a S3 on FreedomPop with a google voice number & Hangouts, without the FreedomPop app installed. Instead I have Hangout set up to make and receive calls through voiceip.
I have the lte version and haven't gotten a plan yet for it. Will just having a data plan allow calls and texts to be sent to watch when away from the phone? I don't think it will but wanted others opinions.
It does. However ask your carrier first. Some carrier only supports the receipt of text and not phone call
Kieso45 said:
I have the lte version and haven't gotten a plan yet for it. Will just having a data plan allow calls and texts to be sent to watch when away from the phone? I don't think it will but wanted others opinions.
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With only data plan you can do everything except calls. I have data plan via Dent Wireless, because my carrier doesnt have any cheap option for the watch.
CrazyCypher said:
With only data plan you can do everything except calls. I have data plan via Dent Wireless, because my carrier doesnt have any cheap option for the watch.
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Do you get texts forwarded to your watch with just the data plan?
Kieso45 said:
Do you get texts forwarded to your watch with just the data plan?
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Yes, I can also send messages with Google messages from watch
Kieso45 said:
Do you get texts forwarded to your watch with just the data plan?
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You can try it with Dent Wireless - if you create account you get few free points to use and you can purchase FREE 200MB worldwide data to use so you can try. If everything is working, then you can buy 1GB for 365days