Google Voice + T Mobile + iPhone = Pairing

[ET iPhone Home]

Here's the situation:

My parents have an unlocked 4 with T-Mobile on a non-contract, month to month plan. They live in the U.S. 6-7 months out of the year and travel and reside in another country the remainder.

T-Mobile's stipulation is, if the sim/cell number is not reloaded within 2 months time, they loose that number and would therefore have to renew their plan all over again with a new sim from T-Mobile and be issued a new number. The issue here is, my parents, would have to notify their family and friends with their new number every year.

My questions is, can they use google voice and offer that number to family and friends without ever forfeiting the number when they travel 5-6 months out of the year and not reload their T-Mobile sim during the time they're outside the U.S, so that their family and friends can contact them. Of course, they'd be on an international sim, in whichever, country they'll be in.

What's the best solution?

Thanks!

 

[astral125]

Here's the situation:

My parents have an unlocked 4 with T-Mobile on a non-contract, month to month plan. They live in the U.S. 6-7 months out of the year and travel and reside in another country the remainder.

T-Mobile's stipulation is, if the sim/cell number is not reloaded within 2 months time, they loose that number and would therefore have to renew their plan all over again with a new sim from T-Mobile and be issued a new number. The issue here is, my parents, would have to notify their family and friends with their new number every year.

My questions is, can they use google voice and offer that number to family and friends without ever forfeiting the number when they travel 5-6 months out of the year and not reload their T-Mobile sim during the time they're outside the U.S, so that their family and friends can contact them. Of course, they'd be on an international sim, in whichever, country they'll be in.

What's the best solution?

Thanks!

They could port their current T-Mobile number to Google Voice when they are getting ready to leave the states again. Then when they return each time, they could activate a new number on T-Mobile, and log into Google and forward their old number to the new one. Each time they return they could do this with their 'new' T-Mobile number, and all their family will still just call their old number and reach them.

Of course they would have to pay an activation charge every time they do this with T-Mobile. I don't know how much that is, or if it is cheaper to maintain a cheap prepaid plan while they are gone. You would have to check into that.

 

[0970373]

My questions is, can they use google voice and offer that number to family and friends without ever forfeiting the number when they travel 5-6 months out of the year and not reload their T-Mobile sim during the time they're outside the U.S, so that their family and friends can contact them. Of course, they'd be on an international sim, in whichever, country they'll be in.

What's the best solution?

Thanks!

Yes, they can do that. They would just need to add the new number to fwd to whenever they get it. Best part is, if they have the GV app, they can still send texts from it (and have txt forwarding off on the months they aren't in the US). It would be using data rather than SMS so their physical location doesn't matter.

When they do come to the US, they would set up a new forwarding #. And on their way out, they should remember to stop forwarding to it.

 

[ET iPhone Home]

Of course they would have to pay an activation charge every time they do this with T-Mobile. I don't know how much that is, or if it is cheaper to maintain a cheap prepaid plan while they are gone. You would have to check into that.

Actually, T-Mobile doesn't charge an activation fee to renew and purchase a sim card. They charge just for the monthly plan and that's it and they cover and cut the sim for you.