Permanent U.S. Phone Number for Two Factor Authentication

[john61ct]

HowardForums is the best place to get answers about details like that, do your googling there first, and then tap into an appropriate pre-existing thread.

examples: https://www.google.com/search?q=site...-voice+TextNow

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Can you receive calls with the Park plan? How do you get your SMS messages?

With park plan people can leave voicemail (IIRC). Text messages either through online portal or forwarded to e-mail. One caveat, the number provided/ported is a landline number (which is specifically why we selected it). Not all texting 2FA services will text to a landline. The site has a list of known entities that do/don't work but it is not comprehensive. We have not (yet) had and issue and it meets our specific needs.

I suspect for 2FA John's service may be better.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I use Skype for a permanent U.S. number and it I can choose the state, plus it is quite cheap. https://www.skype.com/en/skype-number/

Except....Skype cannot receive SMS.

[skalashn]

I've been using voip.ms for my US business line for years. You get a real SIP DID number unlike Skype/G voice etc, lots of features and not expensive. I believe they support SMS as well although I haven't tried. Works well with Grandstream or Zoiper SIP apps on smartphones.

[john61ct]

Problem is with 2-factor authentication with US banking etc they blacklist VoIP DIDs by "number type" lookup.

If porting in a number that came from a cellphone account they might not be able to tell it's VoIP.

[Dogscout]

Google Voice. Local SIM with data plan. Get calls and texts to my old US number. Its just too freaking simple. Even now I'm back in the US and got a new SIM with data and a local number. Still get calls and texts to the Google Voice number.

And its free

[john61ct]

Just be aware, long term Google's record on maintaining such services is not a salubrious one.

Go back through HoFo threads about the history of Google Messenger and Talk.

IMO Google Voice is likely to be discontinued, folded into Hangouts and / or Fi

Android SMS messaging in general is in a major transition now with RCS.

Look at Picasa, Reader, Google+, it's a long list

https://killedbygoogle.com/

Whereas TextNow actually makes money from its cell service provider model, the freemium no-SIM model is just a marketing loss leader, they use plain old SMS on their provider back end, and it's "just another app" using cell data as far as the rest of the ecosystem is concerned.

And you can usually get through to a CS human being at TextNow when needed, completely impossible with gVoice

in fact I've PM'd with the founder / owner at HoFo a few times over the years.

[Sailormantx]

Try T Mobile pay as you go plan from the USA. Three dollars a month and you can keep the same phone number. $100usd payment is valid for one year and includes 30 minutes and 30 texts before a per use kicks in( domestic use). SMS seems to work most places. I'm I Suriname at the moment, .50 to send and .10 to receive.
For other uses I always get a local sim card. A dual SIM phone would be helpful with this.

[Sailormantx]

https://www.ultramobile.com/paygo/?i...Q5RM3G9P617763

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Dogscout

Google Voice. Local SIM with data plan. Get calls and texts to my old US number. Its just too freaking simple. Even now I'm back in the US and got a new SIM with data and a local number. Still get calls and texts to the Google Voice number.

And its free

Hmm... dunno if it is really free, more likely the you believe the price you do pay is valueless so it appears to be free.

No disrespect intended, we all place value in different things and if it works for you - good.

[Mediator]

If you're trying to find a solution for two-factor authentication specifically, you might want to look into authenticator apps such as Duo mobile or Google Authenticator. These apps download on your phone and serve the same purpose as SMS-based authentication but, since they use data, would work over wifi. If you're trying to log into your bank on a computer over wifi then presumably you could connect your smartphone to the same wifi network and be on your way, with or without a U.S. based phone number.

Authentication apps are a somewhat recent development, so not all websites work with them (yet). But if your banks do then it would save a lot of hassle - and its all free.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Mediator

These apps download on your phone and serve the same purpose as SMS-based authentication but, since they use data, would work over wifi.

In case it wasn't clear, TextNow does just that, but its US cellphone number uses actual SMS, so works with all authenticating institutions transparently.

There is no indication to anyone communicating with you voice or SMS that you are anywhere but in the location indicated by your choice of number.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Sailormantx

Try T Mobile pay as you go plan from the USA. Three dollars a month and you can keep the same phone number. $100usd payment is valid for one year and includes 30 minutes and 30 texts before a per use kicks in( domestic use). SMS seems to work most places. I'm I Suriname at the moment, .50 to send and .10 to receive.
For other uses I always get a local sim card. A dual SIM phone would be helpful with this.

That's in fact what I did for years, but the $3/month plan I believe is gone now, isn't it?

[billdre]

Dockhead,
I didn't see anyone mention TracFone. It's a pay as you go system.. $125 a year including I think about 1.5 gigs of data, x number of call minutes and texts. So it's full service real phone number with absolutely no monthly charges. Simply renew each year, buy more minutes as you need them. It's not good if you're using lots of data but if you are low usage it's perfect. I never use up the texts or call minutes each year. So I have a cell phone for two factor authentication for the cost of the annual renewal.

[Gtstricky]

Google voice.
Web based or app.