Why I’m giving up a fixed mobile number that I’ve had for close to 20 years.
Everyone has a mobile number that — presumably — never changes. Ever.
How it starts
You get that number assigned to you — when you sign on a phone plan from the telco.
You give that number to your bank, civil authorities, customer service etc.
How you’re stuck
And when you’re asked to renew that plan (by your telco), you do.
Because, well, you’ve given that number to your bank, civil authorities, customer service etc.
Why you’re paying more than you should
For some, it has stopped making sense.
I no longer live only in Singapore, where my (+65) mobile number is registered on a $1,000/year phone contract.
Whenever I live outside Singapore (for 3 weeks — 3 months), I swap out that (+65) SIM card for a pre-paid local SIM. And for weeks and months, several times in a year — I pay close to $100 — just to maintain a fixed mobile number and plan that I don’t use, well, because I’m just not in the country.
What has worked for me
Wherever I am, I communicate in short-messages and data-based voice calls — via Google Voice, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Skype.
All these 4 services enable me to make and receive voice calls and text+multimedia messages.
What I really need
So what I need is data. Not a mobile phone contract.
And what I want — is a fixed number that doesn’t cost me anything.
So that I can spend money on what I need — data; rather than what I don’t need — a contract for a fixed mobile number.
My current system — Google Voice as the primary number — and it works on everything, everywhere: Phone, Phone & Tablet App, Browser
I have a Google Voice number. This is THE number that I give to my bank, the government, customer service etc. This is the number I have on my name card.
When I’m in the US, all calls and messages are auto-forwarded to a prepaid SIM card/temporary local number.
When I’m anywhere else in the world, I receive calls, messages and voicemail via the Google Voice app on my phone, iPad and notebook.
WhatsApp is next — and Google Voice allows me to authenticate a Whatsapp account with the same number
Enough said.
WhatsApp is what a lot of folks use in place of SMS. Many now use WhatsApp to place calls to friends who are overseas. Skype is not longer required in such instances.
Facebook Messenger and Skype are great when you want to connect with friends who don’t have your cell/mobile number.
The solution for global citizens who don’t want to pay more than they should for telco plans…
So — why pay around $50 — $100 / month to maintain a cell/mobile number in your home country, or in multiple countries.
That, on top of expensive roaming fees or pre-paid SIM cards.
All you need — are temp/pre-paid phone plans that give you a number to call in case of emergencies; and more importantly — data.
For me…
I was born and raised in Singapore, with most of my family and friends there.
And — despite my frequent, extended travel — I consider Singapore my “home-base”.
Because of this, it’ll take a while before my family, friends, colleagues and business associates get used to the fact that I’m dropping my “Singapore number”.
But over time, I believe it’ll be worth the effort.
UPDATE:
I found a way to maintain a Singapore number, for just $5/month — With a ‘rider plan’ that’s connected to my brother’s Telco contract (he plans to be stationed in Singapore a little more permanently).
This enables me to maintain control over a Singapore-number that’s unlikely to be terminated involuntarily. (Just in case Google terminates it’s Google Voice service — the way it terminated Google Reader).
So, here’s how I keep in touch with friends (in order of preference):
- Facebook Messanger for Messaging & Voice Calls
- WhatsApp (with a low-cost, pay-per-use Singapore number) for Voice Calls & Messaging
- Google Voice for Voice Calls and Text Messages
