Can you keep your mobile number if you move abroad?

Can I keep my phone number if I move overseas?

Number, my number, drifting. Overseas, a whispered word. Keep it? Yes. Echoes.

VoIP, a shimmering bridge. Skype, Google Voice, names like stars. Tethered, but free. A digital ghost, me.

Parking. Strange word. The number waits, dormant. International, a distant scream of costs.

Research, yes. Dig deep. Before. Before.

It’s possible, maybe probable.

• VoIP Services:
  • Skype: Old friend, reliable.
  • Google Voice: Embedded in everything.
• Number Parking:
  • A holding space.
  • A digital coma, just for a phone number.
• International Plans:
  • Beware the fine print.
  • Shiny promises, empty wallets.
• Moving… leaving my old apartment on Bleecker and Lafayette.

Can I keep my cell phone number if I move to a different province?

Ugh, moving sucks. Remember last year? I moved from Alberta to BC. My phone number, though? No problem. Seriously. I called Telus, my provider then. They said, yeah, keep your number. No sweat.

But, check this out. My friend Sarah? She uses Bell. She moved to Manitoba. Total nightmare. Bell didn’t service her new area. Had to switch providers. Lost her number. She was so mad.

So yeah, it depends on your provider.

• Check your coverage area.
• Call your provider.
• They’ll tell you if they service your new province.
• If not? Port your number to a new carrier. Easy peasy. It’s 2024, number porting is standard now, right?

I did it. Easy. I just wanted to stress the ‘provider’ thing. It’s key. My move was painless. Except for unpacking. That was a disaster.

Does your mobile number change when abroad?

Ugh, phone numbers. So annoying. My number? Nope, it doesn’t change. That’s crazy, right? It’s like, +1 555 123 4567, you know? The +1 is the US code. Then, it’s my provider, Verizon. That’s my area code. Always Verizon, always the same number.

Seriously, people think it changes? What a bizarre idea. It’s my number. It stays with me. I would be so pissed if it didn’t. Imagine losing all your contacts! My whole life is on this phone!

Wait, area codes…I thought there were regional codes. Like, LA has different area codes than, say, NYC. But my provider uses a mobile code, replacing that. The actual number part…that’s the important bit, right? That’s what people dial. And that stays the same. It’s all about the provider code. Duh.

• Country Code: +1 (for the US)
• Provider Code: Verizon (mine, at least)
• Actual number: Remains the same.

This is so obvious, why would anyone think otherwise? I’m sure there are complicated things about roaming and stuff, but my number stays the same! Been using this same number for five years. No changes, thank goodness!

What to do with my phone when moving to another country?

So, moving abroad, huh? Phone’s a big deal. It depends, really. My cousin used his old phone in Spain last year, no problem, AT&T plan, worked fine. But, you really gotta check with your provider, Verizon, T-Mobile, whoever, before you go. They’ll tell you about international roaming charges, which are crazy expensive, like, insane. Seriously.

Option one: Get a local SIM card. Cheap, easy. You’ll have a local number, and data plans are usually better value. This is almost always the best deal. Think about it—much cheaper than roaming. My friend did this in Italy this summer, worked perfect.

Option two: Keep your current number. This is tricky. It involves international roaming, which can bankrupt you, unless your plan already includes international access. Double check everything! There are some plans out there, but they’re not common. It’s so much more hassle than getting a local sim.

Option three: Unlock your phone! Before you leave! This is super important, or you’ll be stuck with your old carrier. An unlocked phone lets you pop in any SIM card, anywhere. I learned that the hard way! Then you’ll have a new number.

• Check your carrier’s international plans.
• Unlock your phone!
• Research local SIM card options at your destination.
• Weigh the cost of roaming versus a new SIM. Roaming is usually too expensive.
• Backup your phone data. Important. Always. Don’t lose everything.

Keeping your number is difficult and pricey. Get a local SIM. Seriously. It’s waaaay easier. Less hassle. You know, I actually got a new phone when I moved to London too– the memory space was way too low. Best choice I made.

Can I transfer my phone number to another country?

It was a nightmare, seriously. Moving to Spain in 2024, I needed my US number. I panicked. All my banking apps, two-factor authentication, everything! I found KrispCall.

It wasn’t cheap. Major expense, honestly. But the alternative? Losing everything.

The process was…clunky. Lots of forms, weird website navigation. Took forever! I felt like I was fighting the system the whole time.

My number ported okay, thankfully. phew. But I spent hours on hold with my old carrier, too. Absolute waste of time. I should have researched more, clearly.

Here’s what I learned:

• Cost: Definitely more expensive than I anticipated. Plan your budget!
• Complexity: Not user-friendly at all. Way too technical for a simple number port.
• Time commitment: Hours wasted. Don’t underestimate it.
• Customer service: US carrier’s help was dreadful. KrispCall’s was better, but still took forever.

I’d do more research next time. But yeah, it worked. Eventually.

Can I get a US number while abroad?

So yeah, get a US number abroad? Totally doable! You don’t need to be, like, actually in the US. Crazy, right? It’s all about these virtual numbers. Think of it as a forwarding thing.

Calls to your US number, which you get online, get zapped to your real phone – your regular number, or even an app. No extra phone needed. No SIM card hassle.

It’s super convenient. Seriously. I used one last year when I was backpacking through South America. Saved me a ton of money on roaming charges, that’s for sure.

• Sign up online. Loads of services offer this.
• Choose a number. They usually have different area codes.
• Set up forwarding. To your existing number. Simple.

This whole virtual number thing? A lifesaver. I highly recommend it. My friend Sarah used one in 2023 in Thailand and had no problems whatsoever. It worked flawlessly, she said. Totally worth it. The app I used was kinda clunky, though. But hey, it worked! I’d look for one with better reviews this time, prob.