How to Keep a US Cell Phone Number Overseas

[MrMan]

If you go live overseas for a year, or years, and you want to keep a US cell phone number, is there a cheap, reasonable way to do that?

[Shemp]

You can transfer an existing USA mobile number to Google Voice. However, computer systems will eventually detect numbers in Google Voice as virtual, and some banks and other services will not accept virtual numbers for 2FA SMS usage.

If you want a true mobile number, that all banks will accept for 2FA SMS purposes, Ultramobile PayGo at $3/month is cheapest option. You have to buy on ebay. Read recent reviews on ebay to make sure everything is still okay with new activations. My Ultramobile PayGo was activated several years ago and keeps chugging along. It is not sold except on ebay because Ultramobile want people to use the more expensive options. But they keep the $3/month available for people who might otherwise use competitors like NumberBarn, which also costs about $3/month. Ultramobile uses T-Mobile network, which requires most usage to be USA. But they have no problem if primary roaming use is 2FA SMS. That's all I use my Ultramobile PayGo for outside USA. Note that new Ultramobile activations have to done while physically in the USA. Add money every so often to PayGo balance with credit/debit card, to pay $3/month fee.

Conclusion,: 1) transfer existing number to Google Voice and use for calling USA and for 2FA SMS for most banks; 2) While in USA, get new number with Ultramobile PayGo and put that SIM in a spare phone (or dual SIM phone or use eSIM) for occasional banks that object to Google Voice for 2FA SMS. 3) Get a local SIM for local calling and data.

[MrMan]

You can transfer an existing USA mobile number to Google Voice. However, computer systems will eventually detect numbers in Google Voice as virtual, and some banks and other services will not accept virtual numbers for 2FA SMS usage.

If you want a true mobile number, that all banks will accept for 2FA SMS purposes, Ultramobile PayGo at $3/month is cheapest option. You have to buy on ebay. Read recent reviews on ebay to make sure everything is still okay with new activations. My Ultramobile PayGo was activated several years ago and keeps chugging along. It is not sold except on ebay because Ultramobile want people to use the more expensive options. But they keep the $3/month available for people who might otherwise use competitors like NumberBarn, which also costs about $3/month. Ultramobile uses T-Mobile network, which requires most usage to be USA. But they have no problem if primary roaming use is 2FA SMS. That's all I use my Ultramobile PayGo for outside USA. Note that new Ultramobile activations have to done while physically in the USA. Add money every so often to PayGo balance with credit/debit card, to pay $3/month fee.

Conclusion,: 1) transfer existing number to Google Voice and use for calling USA and for 2FA SMS for most banks; 2) While in USA, get new number with Ultramobile PayGo and put that SIM in a spare phone (or dual SIM phone or use eSIM) for occasional banks that object to Google Voice for 2FA SMS. 3) Get a local SIM for local calling and data.

Thanks Shemp. I already have a Google voice number, but it isn't well-used. I didn't know I could transfer my number to Google voice. I may consider that and this other vendor you are talking about. The main objective is just to preserve the number. I may have to figure out how to turn off MFA for various things or just use email for MFA.