How Digital Nomads Stay Connected: The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Cell Phone on the Go
Find out how digital nomads stay connected with this guide to managing your cell phone on the go.
These tips and tricks for seamless communication while you travel will help you keep in touch with those who matter most.
So you’ve decided to travel long term and you want to keep your US-based phone number. There could be many reasons for this. Anything from, “It’s the number my kids have memorized” to “I can’t change my business cell phone without losing customers or contacts.”
Whatever the reason, there is a simple solution to keeping your US-based phone number. All you have to do, is port your number to Google Voice. While this won’t be the best solution for everyone, it’s a pretty great option for most travelers in this situation.
What Does “Porting Your Phone Number” Mean?
Lets start with the vocabulary. Porting your phone number simply means moving your phone number to Google Voice. This is very much like when you buy a new phone but keep your old number. They have to move your old number to your new phone. Porting is the same thing, but instead of moving your number to a new phone, you are moving it to Google Voice.
What Does Porting Your Number Do?
Porting your number to Google Voice allows you to use your phone for phone calls, text messages and check voicemail the same way you normally would, except everything has to be done through the Google Voice app.
What Are The Downsides Of Porting Your Number?
The downside is that if you are traveling internationally, Google voice will definitely charge you international fees for calls and messages. The good news is, that those fees are pretty low. You can check those rates here.
The other downside is that you can only use your phone for texting or calling when you are connected to wifi if you give up your calling plan.
That said, if you move abroad and get a low-cost cell plan in your new home country, you can then have both your United States phone number AND your new local number working through your phone at the same time.
How To Port Your Number To Google Voice
Here’s how to port your number:
- Process: You need to initiate the porting request through Google Voice, providing your account details and any required information from your current carrier.
- Transfer Time: The porting process typically takes 24-48 hours, during which your phone might not work or have limited functionality.
- Costs: There’s usually a one-time fee for porting your number, but Google Voice itself does not charge for using the service once the transfer is complete. That said, there are some charges for international use.
- Cancellation: You should keep paying your US-based cell phone bill until the transfer is complete. Once porting is done, you can cancel your old plan if you no longer need it.
- International Use: After porting, you can use Google Voice to make calls and send texts. To make calls from Europe, you’ll need a local SIM or Wi-Fi. Google Voice will handle international rates for calls made from your number.
Google Voice And Your Privacy
I think most of us have learned by now that when Google or any other massive corporation get involved, privacy pretty much goes out the window. So if you want to go this route, you’ll want to be aware of the following:
Privacy And Discontinuation:
Porting your number doesn’t inherently create privacy issues, but be aware that your data is stored and managed by Google. So make sure you read and understand their privacy policy for Google Voice.
You can request to have your data deleted, but even then, Google retains small amounts of information for legal purposes. So you have to decide what you are comfortable with.
What If I Don’t Really Use My US-based Phone Number?
Google Voice generally does not discontinue numbers as long as the account is active and in good standing. However, long time spans of no use can get your number disconnected and discontinued.
How do you avoid that? Simple. Send a single text. Make a single call. If you do this at least once every 5-6 months or so, you won’t have to worry about Google discontinuing your phone number.
Using A VPN
While it’s important to download a good VPN on your phone BEFORE you leave the States, please know that this will have no baring on your Google Voice account or on the charges for international calling. Those long distance calls will still cost you because your calls on not based on your IP address.
Can A Number Be Moved Back From Google Voice?
If you have held onto your ported number through your entire trip and now want to use it on your phone again when you return back to the US, you can do that. Here’s how that typically works:
Check Requirements
Make sure your Google Voice number is eligible for porting out. The number must be active, and there should be no pending issues with your Google Voice account.
Get Your Porting Information
Obtain any required information from your Google Voice account. This usually includes your Google Voice account number and PIN. You can find these details in your Google Voice settings under “Account.”
Contact Your New Carrier
Reach out to the phone carrier you wish to move your number to. They will need your Google Voice account information and may ask for additional details to complete the porting process.
Initiate the Port
The new carrier will handle the porting request and transfer your number from Google Voice to their network. This process usually takes a few hours to a few days, depending on the carriers involved.
Verify and Complete
After the porting process is complete, verify that your number is working correctly with the new carrier. Make sure to check that your calls and texts are functioning as expected.
Key Points to Remember
- Fees: There may be fees associated with porting your number out, depending on your new carrier’s policies.
- Service Interruption: There might be a short period during the porting process when your number may not be active or fully functional.
- Account Status: Ensure your Google Voice account is in good standing to avoid complications during the porting process.
Is The A Way To Make Free International Phone Calls?
You betcha’! But you’ll need another app for that. Before you leave the States, make sure you download WhatsApp onto your phone. While it’s not terribly popular here in the States, it’s something that most people have and use heavily in Europe and abroad. As long as you are connected to wifi, WhatsApp is a fantastic way to keep in touch with those back home without having to pay for it.
Making A Call With WhatsApp
When you make a call through WhatsApp, it uses your current internet connection and doesn’t require local phone numbers. The app operates independently of your phone’s local network.
When making calls through WhatsApp, you generally do not need to use country codes if the number is saved in your contact list correctly. Here’s how it works:
Contacts With Country Codes
If you have saved a contact’s phone number in your phone’s contact list with the correct country code, WhatsApp will recognize the number and allow you to make calls without needing to manually enter the country code.
International Contacts
For international contacts, make sure their phone number is saved in your contact list with the appropriate country code. For example, a number from Spain should be saved as +34 followed by the local number.
Calling Unlisted Numbers
If you want to call a number not saved in your contact list, you must include the country code when entering the number manually. This ensures that WhatsApp correctly identifies the number and connects the call.
