imessage with two phone numbers

[alptkz]

Hi guys

I'm switching phone numbers soon on my iPhone and was wondering if there is a way for me to keep getting iMessages on my old number after the switch. Ideally I'd like to get those on my phone but could also be with my Mac which currently receives the messages going to my phone number.

What happens when you register a new phone number with your iCloud account ? Does the old number get removed, or does the old number get removed after a while automatically ?

Thanks for the help

 

[ugcop]

Now if you think this through you will see the problem. You are giving up your phone number for a new number. The old number will be reissued. The person with your old number sets up his new iPhone. See the problem. You will get iMessages sent using your email address but not the old number.

 

[alptkz]

Hi.

You're right, but I'm actually keeping the old number for several months before ending that subscription and I only want to do this for a few months during the transitional phase in case I forgot to communicate my new number to some people.

And just in case you're going to ask, no I don't have another old iPhone laying around

 

[martinbanshee]

Yeah, you can use iMessage with 2 numbers and replies can be sent from any of the 2 iPhones. When someone sends an iMessage to you it will go to both iPhones at the same time. One problem you will have is when there's no internet & the message is converted to SMS it will only go to one phone.
It actually works quite well though, I do it as my personal & work phones are both iPhones.

 

[alptkz]

Thanks for your reply martinbanshee. That's great news. Do you know if the old number would get deactivated from the iMessage account if it's not used for a while ? I could always pop the sim card back on the phone once in a while to reactivate but just wondering.

Thanks again.

 

[C DM]

Yeah, you can use iMessage with 2 numbers and replies can be sent from any of the 2 iPhones. When someone sends an iMessage to you it will go to both iPhones at the same time. One problem you will have is when there's no internet & the message is converted to SMS it will only go to one phone.
It actually works quite well though, I do it as my personal & work phones are both iPhones.

So how would one phone know about the number of the other phone?

 

[ugcop]

So how would one phone know about the number of the other phone?

I haven't been able to wrap my head around that one yet.