Is there a well-supported secondary SMS phone number service?
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I live in Canada, and I am figuring out a way to get a "registered" phone number just for SMS verification texts from a cell company. However, I am wanting to find out if there is a service that would do the same thing (and potentially cheaper: the lowest plan I found from a carrier is CAD$15/mo). I would be using it just for SMS verification texts (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.).
Yes, Twilio. There may be other providers but this is the market leader. I have rented a number for years for this purpose. In their interface you can plug a script into the number to redirect all SMS messages to an email address. No need for any physical phone or SIM. I am always mystified that so few other people do what I am doing.
2 USD a month for a European mobile number. Canada may be different but for many countries you will need to submit documentation to prove identity and your right of residence there.
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Unfortunately some verification providers don't allow VoIP SMS numbers, I'd say it's always about 50/50 whether it'll work or not very frustrating. But otherwise yeah, VoIP.ms is great! And indeed Montreal based!
Ah, ok... I used to use usmobile.com as a data backup on their cheapest plan. It was ~$8 USD for 2Gb of data and like 100 texts per month. Obv a lot more than voip.ms, but you get assigned a real number by a cell provider. U.S. based though so it might not be useful for you.
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I live in Canada, and I am figuring out a way to get a "registered" phone number just for SMS verification texts from a cell company. However, I am wanting to find out if there is a service that would do the same thing (and potentially cheaper: the lowest plan I found from a carrier is CAD$15/mo). I would be using it just for SMS verification texts (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.).
Callcentric has Canada numbers. For their Pay Per Minute plan, there is a US$3.95 setup fee. Monthly charge of $3 for the number, plus $0.015 per minute incoming voice (outgoing charge varies by location called) and $0.01 per SMS. Probably an additional charge for 911 emergency number access if you tell them you are going to use the number from inside the USA or Canada.
You can read your text messages on their website and/or have them sent to your email address.
I got a California number from them when I was living there in 2009 or so, and added the SMS more recently (which added $1 to my previous monthly charge of $2). It has never failed me for SMS verification for banks, etc. I have not tried WhatsApp or Telegram.
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I live in Canada, and I am figuring out a way to get a "registered" phone number just for SMS verification texts from a cell company. However, I am wanting to find out if there is a service that would do the same thing (and potentially cheaper: the lowest plan I found from a carrier is CAD$15/mo). I would be using it just for SMS verification texts (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.).
Does anyone know of an American one?
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Does anyone know of an American one?
JMP Chat works in the US even though they're based in Canada. I highly recommend the service, it's absolutely fantastic!
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I live in Canada, and I am figuring out a way to get a "registered" phone number just for SMS verification texts from a cell company. However, I am wanting to find out if there is a service that would do the same thing (and potentially cheaper: the lowest plan I found from a carrier is CAD$15/mo). I would be using it just for SMS verification texts (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.).
Tello gives you a real (US though) number, E911 and all, for 5 USD a month. You get an eSIM you can activate from anywhere in the world via Wi-Fi Calling. Send and receive unlimited texts and get 100 minutes a month for the odd service that insists on verification calls rather than texts. I've had zero issues.
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JMP Chat works in the US even though they're based in Canada. I highly recommend the service, it's absolutely fantastic!
Will def check it out! Thanks!
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I live in Canada, and I am figuring out a way to get a "registered" phone number just for SMS verification texts from a cell company. However, I am wanting to find out if there is a service that would do the same thing (and potentially cheaper: the lowest plan I found from a carrier is CAD$15/mo). I would be using it just for SMS verification texts (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.).
You can pick up a sim for about $15 and then get pay as you go from 7-11 wireless or whatever other cheap provider. This gives you a "real" secondary number and doesn't cost much if you aren't using any data.
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Tello gives you a real (US though) number, E911 and all, for 5 USD a month. You get an eSIM you can activate from anywhere in the world via Wi-Fi Calling. Send and receive unlimited texts and get 100 minutes a month for the odd service that insists on verification calls rather than texts. I've had zero issues.
5 usd a month is a lot...
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Yes, Twilio. There may be other providers but this is the market leader. I have rented a number for years for this purpose. In their interface you can plug a script into the number to redirect all SMS messages to an email address. No need for any physical phone or SIM. I am always mystified that so few other people do what I am doing.
2 USD a month for a European mobile number. Canada may be different but for many countries you will need to submit documentation to prove identity and your right of residence there.
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It's all in the backend of Twilio
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