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Best way to pay my Bill outside the U.S.?
I am leaving the U.S. in less than 1 month. I am uncertain how long I will be out side of the U.S. My guess is 3-4 months, but could be up to a year. I would very much like to keep my number. My expiration date on my account is Feb 17, 2017 on the $45 dollar a month plan. (I am guessing I have a 90 day expiration because of the $45/mo plan)
My plan is to switch to the $.25 pay per use plan and pay $10 starting Feb 1st, 2017. Is there some kind of autopay for pay per use or will I have to log in to pay for more minutes manually? Are there any other cheaper or better options to keep my number alive while I am gone?
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
7 years ago
The problem is money put on a gophone account expires unless used. Expiration times vary depending on the amount. $10 to $24 refill cards expire in 30 days, $25 to $99 cards expire in 90 days, and cards worth $100 or more expire in 1 year. If your gophone account has a $0 balance for more than 60 days, your account is closed and the number lost. If you keep filling with $10 cards, you will just lose that money as the cards expire. The best way to ensure keeping your number and not lose the money to expiration is to fill with $100.
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
7 years ago
@Anonymous I'd leave the phone in the US and have someone make a call on it once a month.
If the phone doesn't get used after a certain amount of time, it gets deactivated.
You might have to add money every so many months too.
I see this every so often in the forums and the problem is they lost their number and it's too late then.
Dig around the forums more before you decide to see how those went wrong.
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
7 years ago
@sandblaster Don't you have to actually use the phone for some calls/data too? I thought they shut it down after a period of NON-use.
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
7 years ago
@Gary L Nope. There is no requirement to use the phone. As long as the account stays active, the line stays active.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117K Messages
7 years ago
It is more about when a refill is required, not usage.
@Anonymous If you reduce your plan to the $2 or 25 cent pay per use and refill with $100 it holds your number for one year. However, in 365 days that money is gone whether or not you use it. Your service expires when either your balance is zero or the 365 days passes.
It might be better to skip that, port your number to google voice. That way you can continue to connect via wifi calls no matter where you are.
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
7 years ago
@lizdance40, Correct, service expires when the balance reaches $0 but the account and number remains active for another 60 days. As long as it is refilled within those 60 days, service is restored. Since the OP is ensure how long they will be gone and could be "up to a year", you're right, they could risk losing that $100. If they do return in the 3-4 months expected, that leaves plenty of time to use that $100 before it expires.
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Anonymous
New Member
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7 years ago
Alright, I'll leave it with my neighbor, I guess. Thanks
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
7 years ago
@Anonymous Just so you are clear, whether you leave the phone with a neighbor or take it with you does not matter. Keeping money in the account so that it is not cancelled is the issue.
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Anonymous
New Member
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25.7K Messages
7 years ago
I am taking my phone with me, my sim will be with my neighbor in his spare phone. I will pay online with a credit card for funds.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117K Messages
7 years ago
I'm not sure that will work. Doesn't refilling your account require a PIN sent to the phone?
I've seen posts from people using wifi and trying to refill Gophone out of the country and it doesn't work.
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