Cancel the phone line, keep the number?

[DorKul]

I'm moving overseas next month, for an indefinite period of time. I don't want to keep paying my regular monthly payments for a line I won't be using, but I would like to keep the number - for SMS & call forwarding options - no need for any kind of data package, either. Any ideas what would be the best option for this?

[Anonymous]

Move the line to prepaid and put $100 on it and it will stay active for a year

[lizdance40 · Accepted solution]

Or port your number to google voice so people can reach you no matter where you are over wifi calling.

[DorKul]

Thanks for the suggestions !

I'm not familiar with Google Voice - wouldn't I still need to keep the AT&T account active for that to work ?

If so - I'm back where I started (although the prepaid @ $100 per year does sound like a good option);

If not - does Google Voice just "take over" the number from AT&T ?

Thanks for your help !

[Gary L · Accepted solution]

@DorKul Google voice was going to be my suggestion too.

A one time fee to change it to Google and I believe it'll take voicemails for you and e-mail them to you. It'll even transcribe them.   https://www.google.com/voice

I actually forward my GV to a phone, but I don't believe that's required. I just looked and it looks like you can turn the forwarding off. (I use it mostly when I'm out of the country to forward my calls to from my phone so it doesn't ring when I'm out of the country and then I get e-mails and texts when I had messages). I'm pretty happy with it.

[DorKul]

Thanks, guys - after checking it out - exactly what I was looking for !

[Gary L]

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@DorKul wrote:

Thanks, guys - after checking it out - exactly what I was looking for !

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Excellent and thanks for letting us know it's helpful info!

Good luck and if you get a chance come back and let us know how it all worked out for you.

[DorKul]

Just a follow-up (people always say they'll update on this type of forum, and they never do... )

I researched Google Voice, and you were right - it does send emails for incoming voicemail & texts - zero cost.

Since I wanted the option of having my phone actually ring when people call - I also signed up for a US number thru Skype, and set up Google Voice to automatically forward calls to that number. This isn't free, but Skype charges less than $60 per year (for incoming calls only) - much less than any other option I found.

There are other bells & whistles, but this makes the fact that I'm not in the US transparent, since my old number automatically forwards to a different US number (and I can pick up the call, no matter where I am); and when I use Google Voice to call out, anyone receiving the call sees my old number on the caller ID.

Thanks again for your advice and pointing me in the right direction!

[DorKul]

Just a follow-up (people always say they'll update on this type of forum, and they never do... )

I researched Google Voice, and you were right - it does send emails for incoming voicemail & texts - zero cost.

Since I wanted the option of having my phone actually ring when people call - I also signed up for a US number thru Skype, and set up Google Voice to automatically forward calls to that number. This isn't free, but Skype charges less than $60 per year (for incoming calls only) - much less than any other option I found.

There are other bells & whistles, but this makes the fact that I'm not in the US transparent, since my old number automatically forwards to a different US number (and I can pick up the call, no matter where I am); and when I use Google Voice to call out, anyone receiving the call sees my old number on the caller ID.

Thanks again for your advice and pointing me in the right direction!

[pgrey]

Thanks @DorKul for reporting back.

This is a much better method for retaining a number (either a pure Google Voice solution, or a mixed one with a service such as Skype or Viber), rather than persisting it as a prepaid number (which is then in-turn harder to use overseas anyway).

@Gary L, @lizdance40 Excellent suggestions, I wonder if this would get approved as a solution, for a more general recommendation?  It could be noted that "porting back" to AT&T upon returning is relatively simple, to make it a win-win, for both the customer and AT&T?

[Gary L]

@DorKul Thanks for the update! We LOVE to hear back how things really work! 

I think if you have the Google Hangouts app it'll "ring" when you get incoming calls (if you config it to) and if that works you can avoid the $60 Skype fee.  I do not do this, but I thought there were ways to get this to work and this is what I found https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/6079064?

(Not sure if any other google apps or third party apps will also "ring").

[lizdance40]

@DorKul  Same here!   Always like a "happily ever after" at the end of a story.  Hopefully this thread, with your very helpful follow up, will help someone else.  

Thanks!

[IFanLin]

I have a question. If I port my att number to google voice, can I port it back to att once I go back to US? Is there any fees on that? or iWill itl be complicated doing that?

[sandblaster]

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@IFanLin wrote:

I have a question. If I port my att number to google voice, can I port it back to att once I go back to US? Is there any fees on that? or iWill itl be complicated doing that?

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Yes, you can port it back. There are no fees from ATT to port, I don’t know about google voice.

[IFanLin]

Thank you. I have another question. Can the att phone number and google voice number the same for..say one week. and then I port to google voice when I am really out of US?