I have you heard of this service?

https://www.sweatfree.co

Maybe that could be useful?

I haven't heard of it, and seems interesting, but being a data eSIM doesn't really solve any problems for me.

I _do_ get short-term data eSIMs when traveling, but even without those it tends to not be _that_ hard to find wifi somewhere to handle any internet needs.

The issue is the various American things where they want to be able to dial or text an American number, but specifically disallow Google Voice numbers.

And I can _sometimes_ get around this by using my American number, and dialing in via Google Voice to check voice mail.

But it's annoying.

On the other hand, it's also not that much, especially at this point.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)

Re: Re: like a spare tire + more for your phone
By: Adept to Ogg on Sun Dec 14 2025 23:53:31

Hi, Adept.

The issue is the various American things where they want to be able to dial or text an American number, but specifically disallow Google Voice numbers.

In the UK there are hundreds of tin-pot little SIP providers who will sell you "landline" numbers, often from a choice of different area codes for not a lot of money. I used a pay-as-you-go outfit to provide a local number for my business when it was active, I had to put a minimum of 5 GBP credit on at a time and it expired after around 3 months. If you're not taking or making a lot of calls most of your credit would just expire unused.

Do you not have similar setups in the US? Maybe the lobbyists blocked market competition for "safety" or something?

BobW
--- SBBSecho 3.33-Linux
* Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)

Hello Adept!

** On Sunday 14.12.25 - 23:53, Adept wrote to Ogg:

I have you heard of this service?

https://www.sweatfree.co

Maybe that could be useful?

I haven't heard of it, and seems interesting, but being a data eSIM
doesn't really solve any problems for me.

True.. for the most part it is a data channel solution, but it
does open to emergency 911 calls - which I presume are voice.

The issue is the various American things where they want to be able to
dial or text an American number, but specifically disallow Google Voice numbers.

I see many products that offer international phone plans/sims.
Do they not establish the phone-number for your country of
choice? -- ie. USA if you want?


--

--- OpenXP 5.0.64
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

for not a lot of money. I used a pay-as-you-go outfit to provide a local number for my business when it was active, I had to put a minimum of 5
GBP credit on at a time and it expired after around 3 months. If you're not taking or making a lot of calls most of your credit would just
expire unused.

Do you not have similar setups in the US? Maybe the lobbyists blocked market competition for "safety" or something?

I have a US phone number, with a prepaid card in it, which worked for the first few months after coming to Germany, but now it only works if I'm in the US.

I'm not sure if there's anything that particularly helps me.

I do know T-Mobile has a nice service where you can get transcripts or check your messages or something through their website, but it doesn't work with a prepaid plan.

So, yeah, I wouldn't be _terribly_ surprised if there were some sort of option, but my use case winds up getting shut down often enough that I'm doubtful, even if I could start a plan, somehow.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)

I see many products that offer international phone plans/sims.
Do they not establish the phone-number for your country of
choice? -- ie. USA if you want?

It's a good question. I suppose if you're starting a contract with something, presumably there'll be _some_ number connected to it, and if it's an eSIM that includes international voice calling...

But, yeah, no idea if there's any place that does that, is fine if you are _always_ internationally roaming, and doesn't charge much to keep the service on.

As it is, I think my annoyance level is low enough that I probably won't be putting the effort into it.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)

Re: Re: like a spare tire + more for your phone
By: Adept to Bob Worm on Mon Dec 15 2025 20:04:56

Hi, Adept.

I have a US phone number, with a prepaid card in it, which worked for the first few months after coming to Germany,
but now it only works if I'm in the US.

Are you saying you are permanently roaming a US SIM card / mobile plan or that you already have a SIP service set up?

I'm trying hard not to apply UK logic to this because everything is wildly different but certainly around here they won't let you roam a UK SIM long term on basically any plan. You could totally set up a permanent divert on the mobile number pointing it to a different number like a cheap SIP provider / Google voice. Then again you could just as easily get a cheap provider just to host a geographic number which diverts to a different number.

BobW
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* Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)

Re: Re: like a spare tire + more for your phone
By: Bob Worm to Adept on Mon Dec 15 2025 08:59 pm

the mobile number pointing it to a different number like a cheap SIP provider / Google voice. Then again you could just as easily get a cheap

I had to look up "SIP" because I wasn't familiar with the term.. I had heard of an "IP phone" before but the term "SIP phone" is new to me.

Nightfox
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Re: Re: like a spare tire + more for your phone
By: Nightfox to Bob Worm on Mon Dec 15 2025 13:24:52

Hi, Nightfox.

I had to look up "SIP" because I wasn't familiar with the term.. I had heard of an "IP phone" before but the term "SIP phone" is new to me.

Apologies - I work in telecoms and, even though it's the data side rather than the voice side, I hear telecoms acronyms all day. Sometimes I forget that not everyone's life is so boring :)

BobW
--- SBBSecho 3.33-Linux
* Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)

Are you saying you are permanently roaming a US SIM card / mobile plan
or that you already have a SIP service set up?

Permanently roaming a US SIM card. Well, unless I'm actually in the US, I suppose.

SIM long term on basically any plan. You could totally set up a
permanent divert on the mobile number pointing it to a different number like a cheap SIP provider / Google voice. Then again you could just as

If it were possible for me to have it do a redirect to my Google Voice number, that would be delightful, but I don't think that's an option with my current service. and somehow I'm guessing that the people sending 2FA to my other number might not send it if it's a redirect.

But always possible there's some way to do it, if you know the right people to contact.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)

Re: Re: like a spare tire + more for your phone
By: Adept to Bob Worm on Tue Dec 16 2025 12:14:05

Hi, Adept.

But always possible there's some way to do it, if you know the right people to contact.

That's always the fun part :) Do you have Lebara over there? They're usually pretty travel-friendly.

BobW
--- SBBSecho 3.33-Linux
* Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)

Hello Adept!

As it is, I think my annoyance level is low enough that I
probably won't be putting the effort into it.

And some forwarding trick like Bob suggests wouldn't help?


--- OpenXP 5.0.64
* Origin: fsxnet/2 (21:3/110.10)

Hello Adept!

** On Tuesday 16.12.25 - 12:14, Adept wrote to Bob Worm:

If it were possible for me to have it do a redirect to my
Google Voice number, that would be delightful, but I don't
think that's an option with my current service. and somehow
I'm guessing that the people sending 2FA to my other number
might not send it if it's a redirect.

I think redirecting (ie. call-forwarding) only works for voice
calls. Forwarding text/sms doesn't work for me even
domestically (Canada, w/luckymobile)

Maybe your 2FA services have an option to send the code via a
voice call?


--- OpenXP 5.0.64
* Origin: fsxnet/2 (21:3/110.10)

Ogg wrote to Adept <=-

Maybe your 2FA services have an option to send the code via a
voice call?

I tried that once, and got an audio version of a CAPTCHA -- a computer
voice reading alphanumerals with a weird oscillating tone beneath it,
akin to wavy lines in a visual CAPTCHA to throw off bots.

It was weirdly creepy.



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
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Maybe your 2FA services have an option to send the code via a
voice call?

That's what I've ended up doing, and then dialing in to my number to check the voicemail.

Though, happily, the places where I seem to have to do 2FA more often that are still US-based, either can use my Google Voice number, or send an e-mail.

Oh, on the note of annoying 2FA things, my mom had her investment account switched over, and they wanted my mom to sign some new things.

However, in order to do so, they required doing 2FA with the number they had on file. In my mom's case, this was her landline. And of course they _had_ to do it via text message, thus making it impossible.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)

Re: Re: like a spare tire + more for your phone
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Ogg on Wed Dec 17 2025 07:45 am

I tried that once, and got an audio version of a CAPTCHA -- a computer voice reading alphanumerals with a weird oscillating tone beneath it, akin to wavy lines in a visual CAPTCHA to throw off bots.

It was weirdly creepy.

I've heard a couple of those too, and I agree, they are creepy.

Nightfox
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