Keep my work UK mobile number

Hello and Welcome on board !

Please note that I have created a new thread from your post on the Spain forum so that members can guide you.

Would you like to interact with members of the Valencia forum to start with ?

all the best

Bhavna

@bernindave

Welcome to the expat.com forum and good luck with your move to Spain!

You can certainly keep a UK mobile contract going after you leave UK, as long as you keep up the payments. There's certainly no physical issue with using the same phone/SIM over here. Not sure what the situation is with roaming these days in relation to how expensive it might be.

I've been using Skype for many years and I have UK and USA skype numbers which have worked well when I've needed local numbers. It's a lot cheaper than keeping mobile contracts.

@gwynj

It seems there are a lot of options for virtual phone numbers out there.  My daughter uses text+ but says she is getting quite a bit of spam.

Does Skype charge for their service?

You can have more than one number plus keep your cell network number?

Am I correct in understanding that if you set up a U.S. virtual number there is no charge for the call (other than the wi Fi connection or data usage) to or from the U.S. but a roaming charge would occur if you called a Spanish prefix...at least that seems to be like Google voice operates. 

I'm investigating this as I will need text verification from US numbers for banks and mutual fund companies as well as social security to log in to accounts.  The companies need to "see" and access a U.S. number.

It would also be nice to keep my existing U.S. number.

Can I have a wi Fi and cell number be the same?

Of course when I get to Spain l will use a Spanish provider with a Spanish number and SIM card.

One would make a call in Spain using the provider network and not wi Fi?

Anyone using Google voice?  Do they charge for calls/text in Spain to/from a U.S. number?

This technology is new to me so any illumination will be helpful.

Thanks in advance 😸

@chasleslieb

I'm not sure how popular the chat apps Whatsapp and Viber are in the USA. In Europe, they are extremely popular.

I've noticed that I have very few calls in my call log now, most (95% maybe) of my communication is via these two apps. Mostly messages, but voice calls too. They just use your data allowance (either your mobile data or your WIFi data), but that's usually no big deal as most folks now have unlimited data on both options.

There is nothing physically stopping us from keeping a foreign SIM/mobile contract (in USA, UK or elsewhere). I don't because I think it's $30 I can use elsewhere. :-) But if you're attached to the number, of if you get a lot of work calls, or if you go back to that country regularly, then you might pay to keep it. A local SIM is always cheaper for calls and data, as there's no roaming. So I prefer to have a dual-SIM phone and have my local SIM (e.g. Spain) and my contract SIM (e.g. UK).

Skype has been around for a long time as a VOIP (Voice Over IP) service. Skype can be used on your computer or on your phone, so that's quite flexible (but I mostly use the app on my mobile). There are different ways of using it which they refer to as Skype, Skype-out, and Skype-in. Like Whatsapp/Viber you can talk to someone else on the same app, using your data allowance. This bit is free (apart from usage of your data allowance). Skype also connects to the phone network at the other end, so instead of calling a person by their username on Skype, you dial their home or cell number. This has a per-minute charge (usually a lot less than cell phone charges, especially for international calls). In my case, I call my parents' house (in the UK) via Skype. That's a pretty low-cost call per minute, whereas an international call from Spain on my cell would be quite expensive.

In addition, Skype has a bunch of phone numbers available in a whole bunch of countries. I have USA and UK numbers. These are annual subscriptions, I think about $30 per year. You can get calls and SMS on these numbers, so, mostly, I use them for passing security on my banking apps. So my USA accounts have my USA Skype number, and when I login some will want to call or SMS that number. That works on my Skype app wherever I am.

You can, if you wish, have call-forwarding either from your cell to your Skype number, or your Skype number to your cell, but I've never bothered.

So, if someone wants to talk me they can't call my home phone (as I don't have one). They can call my cell number directly, but hardly anyone does that. They can make a voice call on Viber or Whatsapp which also rings on my phone. Or they can make a call to my Skype username or one of my Skype-in numbers which rings on my phone (in Skype app).

If I want to make a call, I can simply use my phone directly (the default is my local SIM, but I can choose to use either SIM 1 or SIM 2). Or I can use Viber/Whatsapp to call a particular contact. Or I can use Skype, in which case I can call someone via their username, or their mobile/home/work phone number.

Skype charge but it isn't much and the service is really handy.

They give you what appears to be a landline number but you'll notice they aren't quite right on area codes - However, they work perfectly.

Sheffield is 0114 followed by a 2, but Skype's are followed by a 3.

If it's Whatsapp or other messaging apps, perhaps the OP can get someone to top up the phone or do so with a banking app in order to keep it active. That would mean checking incoming call costs if they are routed to another country.

@gwynj

So nowadays we have SIM phones and VoIP (Voice Internet Provider?) phones.  SIM--directly on a network signal; VoIP--via the internet

You mentioned two SIM card networks.  Do you swap out the SIM cards or are they making dual network SIM cards now?  Or do you have two phones?

Just to make sure I understand:

A VoIP works by routing a SIM phone (or land line)--(in the U.S. for example) to the internet address of a VoIP phone (in Spain for example).  I have to be connected via data or internet to receive the call.  This aspect allows the Social Security (in the U.S.) to use their land line to call my VoIP phone number (a U.S. number) and leave a text verification SMS so I can log into my account (or my Vanguard Retirement accounts).  All that Social Security sees is a U.S. contact number and it behaves seamlessly as though they were calling me in the U.S.--- i.e. they dial (do they have to now dial the +1)? the area code and number and they are good to go... it rings my phone as an incoming call as I will have "Internet calls" activated on my phone or pings my phone and leaves an SMS text message.

In this particular case (depending on the app) the SENDER i.e. Social Security, Mutual Fund Co., Pension contact, etc. does NOT incur an international call surcharge.  However, I, as the RECEIVER might be charged for an international call at a very reduced rate compared to an international SIM call. Or, does the annual $30 fee with Skype cover the service and no further charges take place?

It is implied that Google Voice will charge for an international call (U.S. to Spain) even over WiFi.  Is it correct the SENDER would NOT incur the charge, I (The RECEIVER) would be charged the roaming fee whether I call or receive?  Again, does that $30 Skype fee cover WiFi "roaming" or do you pay an additional usage fee?

It also works using a VoIP to VoIP connection as well.  But then a chat app like Google Meet (formerly Duo) or Facetime (Mac) work better and they are free.  I connect with my daughter in Granada from the U.S. every week (she's giving me Spanish language lessons)

I'm on the "upslope" of the learning curve with this stuff but, thanks to your insightful advice it is starting to flatten out.

Thank you so much for your patience and guidance.

@gwynj

Also, I will want to dump my U.S. provider as they are way more expensive than cell service in Spain.  So I will have a Spanish SIM phone number and use a U.S. VoIP number for SMS verification and some voice.  I probably will switch to Google Meet (Duo) or Facetime with friends in the U.S.

@chasleslieb

It's a brave new world, my friend. :-)

To blow your mind even further I asked ChatGPT to explain it to us... I asked: Please explain VoIP and the use of apps like Skype, Viber, Whatsapp

******** ChatGPT

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a technology that allows users to make voice and video calls over the internet rather than through traditional telephone networks. It is an alternative to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and enables communication through the use of IP networks such as the internet.

Skype, Viber, and WhatsApp are examples of apps that use VoIP technology. These apps allow users to make voice and video calls, send messages, and share files with others who have the same app installed on their devices. They work by converting the user's voice or video signal into digital packets and transmitting them over the internet to the recipient's device, where they are reassembled and played back.

One of the main advantages of using VoIP apps like Skype, Viber, and WhatsApp is that they are often free or much cheaper than traditional phone calls, especially for long-distance or international calls. They also offer additional features such as instant messaging, group calls, and screen sharing, making them more versatile than traditional phone calls.

Another advantage of using VoIP apps is that they can be used on a variety of devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. This means that users can stay connected even when they are on the go and can switch between devices as needed.

However, one potential downside of using VoIP apps is that they may be dependent on a stable internet connection. If the connection is weak or unstable, the quality of the call may be affected, and there may be delays or dropped calls. Additionally, VoIP calls may use more data than traditional phone calls, so users should be aware of their data usage limits when making calls using these apps.

******** now back to me (I feel kinda useless now, ChatGPT did a better job than me!)

VoIP = Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol) = internet telephony.

VoIP works pretty much as you say. And, yes, there are both VoIP and SIM-based calls. But now we just need one device (your cell phone) and different apps. A mobile call uses your SIM card and mobile communications and uses your plan's minutes allowance (or charges you x cents per minute). A VoIP call is routed via the network and uses your plan's data allowance (or charges you x cents per MB).

Viber and Whatsapp are like fancier SMS plus they allow talk too, using VoIP. Skype was one of the first VoIP options. VoIP can connect you to another person/device by name (as with Viber/Whatsapp on the receiver's phone) OR connect you to the phone network by number (as with Skype or ViberOut to the receiver's cell phone or home/work landline). It's VoIP regardless of whether the receiver is on the app, or on a cellphone/landline number (because the caller, you, is using an app and your cellphone data plan or WiFi data allowance to make the call).

And, yes, it works pretty much as you describe.

For example, I keep a USA physical mail drop/address, which happens to be in TX. I use this address for all my financial accounts and my credit reporting. To go with the US address I have a Skype-in number which is in California, so it's a (415) number. That also goes on any US accounts.

My $30 covers the number subscription. Incoming calls to my number are free (regardless of where I am in the world). Anyone in the USA can call this number, and it looks like a regular number. And it's definitely not an international call.

Skype has answer messages, so if you don't answer (you're asleep, your cellphone is off, your Skype app is not active, you're tied up on another call) the caller gets a recording. If your Skype app is active on your mobile phone, then the call doesn't go to the message, it goes to your phone using VoIP, and rings. And you pick it up in the usual way.

When you make calls from Skype, then it does cost you money (if you are calling a mobile phone or landline). I think your Skype-in number will be displayed for caller-ID purposes.

If I login to my bank account, it's one that requires SMS verification. It sends an SMS to the (415) number... that pops up on my cellphone as a Skype message... I enter the code online, and I get access to my account. Most verification is by SMS, and I prefer it. But, instead, I might ask for call confirmation, so then their system makes an automated call to my (415) number... it rings on my cellphone (in Skype app)... and I answer and do whatever it wants me to do.

It's great for account verification, it has worked for me for years. The quality for voice calls is definitely not as good as traditional phone calls, but it's pretty decent most of the time - and the price is right. :-)

I haven't been back to the USA for nearly 20 years, so it would have been extremely expensive to keep a US mobile phone plan all these years. :-) I have one "proper" SIM with a nice contract (unlimited minutes/data/SMS). And I have my two Skype-in numbers (UK & USA). And I usually have a couple of PAYG (Pay As You Go) SIMs for other countries I'm visiting.

When you travel, you can have 2 cellphones (easier, I think) or you can swap out your SIMs as needed. Your local SIM will always be a lot cheaper. The last few years, I've had dual SIM phones. So, SIM 1 has my contract SIM, and SIM 2 has my local PAYG SIM. That means you can receive incoming calls using two numbers (of your two SIMs). And when you make a call, you can choose which SIM to use.

My cellphone (a Xiaomi POCO F3 with 256 GB, a budget device) has dual SIM, and I have Viber and Whatsapp and Skype apps installed. And Zoom too. However, for video conferencing/teaching I prefer to use my desktop device (but the phone will do).

@Bhavna

Yes please 😊

@gwynj

Hi, thanks for your reply, I was thinking more of if it would be possible to have my UK number on a Spanish SIM/contract? Basically I am a freelance worker and would like my clients to be able to still call my UK number and only be charged for a normal call.

@gwynj
Hi, thanks for your reply, I was thinking more of if it would be possible to have my UK number on a Spanish SIM/contract? Basically I am a freelance worker and would like my clients to be able to still call my UK number and only be charged for a normal call.
-@bernindave

JJust use a skype number