US Mobile

[Qs Laptop]

Question: Do you have to pick just one and stick with that provider, or is it more dynamic than that?

Generally, yes, that is how it works. However, there might be workarounds.

When you request a SIM card kit, US Mobile will send you a kit with SIM cards for both T-Mobile and Verizon. You pick which one you want to use and install it in your phone and activate it. You would activate it using your current cell phone number but you could have a new phone number assigned to this SIM card.

I suppose if you wanted to switch networks you could go through the process, swapping out the say, Verizon SIM card for the T-Mobile card and go through the activation process again. There may be some delay with the process of switching your phone number over to the other network.

You might assign your current cellphone number to Verizon SIM card and assign a new, different phone number to the T-Mobile SIM card. Then it might be as simple as swapping SIM cards if you wanted to switch networks. You'd have SIM cards with two active phone numbers associated with them.

If your phone has e-SIM capability it might be an easier process.

This is just me guessing at how it might work. You should probably call US Mobile and ask them about it.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Thought I would wake this thread up. The current USMobile plans are even better than before:

Plus, they now can do equivalent of your landline (via cellular connection), with unlimited calls to 200+ countries, for $9.99/month.

These people amaze me. They actually seem to have the consumer in mind when they do stuff.

Home phone price includes all fees/taxes!

Will wait on reviews but will likely switch over (from cable VOIP) sometime next year.

This home "landline" phone is intriguing to me. Right now I'm paying a CenturyLink reseller, Popp Communications, $120 a month for two landlines. One is regular phone line (with 800# attached to it) and one is a dedicated fax line (I know, I know...) I've got remote call forwarding on the phone line with another feature that emails me voicemails as an audio file attachment.

I'd be curious to see if US Mobile's new service can do that sort of stuff. Also, this service is dependent on internet and 115v power to work, whereas in case of a power outage, if needed I could always plug an old dumb phone into the phone jack and have phone service.

 

[camfused]

Question: Do you have to pick just one and stick with that provider, or is it more dynamic than that?

The CEO said they are working on a feature in their app where you will be able to just push a button and switch to another one. No time-frame given for this.

 

[camfused]

This home "landline" phone is intriguing to me. Right now I'm paying a CenturyLink reseller, Popp Communications, $120 a month for two landlines. One is regular phone line (with 800# attached to it) and one is a dedicated fax line (I know, I know...) I've got remote call forwarding on the phone line with another feature that emails me voicemails as an audio file attachment.

I'd be curious to see if US Mobile's new service can do that sort of stuff. Also, this service is dependent on internet and 115v power to work, whereas in case of a power outage, if needed I could always plug an old dumb phone into the phone jack and have phone service.

The fax question was asked on reddit but I did not see an answer. I'll ask and post the reply here.

With the above in mind, it looks like you could replace your $120 service for $19.98.

Update: They say no to faxes.

 

[CaptTom]

There are on-line services which will send a fax for you. Probably receive, too, I didn't look. Also, places like Staples or maybe the local library.

How many faxes do you really send/receive in a month? $120 worth??

That's just plain insane these days. We ditched or land line back in 2012. It was $20 a month, which I thought was too high then.

 

[Qs Laptop]

There are on-line services which will send a fax for you. Probably receive, too, I didn't look. Also, places like Staples or maybe the local library.

How many faxes do you really send/receive in a month? $120 worth??

That's just plain insane these days. We ditched or land line back in 2012. It was $20 a month, which I thought was too high then.

The fax line is for my business. I haven't used it to send anything for a couple of years. I receive spam faxes a couple times a week. I should probably get rid of it. If I really need to fax something I could probably do it by hooking a phone line into my computer and use the built-in fax program in Windows.

 

[CaptTom]

The fax line is for my business. I haven't used it to send anything for a couple of years...

My point exactly.

I'm not sure you'd be able to fax over a cellular or VoIP phone connection though. As I said, there are other options if some day you really need to send a fax (doubtful.)

 

[gauss]

For $12/month (total) DW and I have 2 lines and 2 GB (total) at Tello - a T-Mobile MVNO.

The data rolls over month to month if I manually renew each month before the expiration.

Although the International Roaming seems intriguing at US Mobile, it is "coming soon" and as far as I could tell, not priced yet. Not sure how much it would cost if you don't have one of their more expensive post-paid plans.

edit: Just saw this page
https://www.usmobile.com/blog/global-by-us-mobile-international-data-plans/
suggesting that you can buy annual global data pass for $60. This may be intriguing after all.

If my current Tello plans go away (edit: or I need Verizon network connectivity), the US Mobile may be a possible replacement. Otherwise, however, I don't see anything compelling at this time over what I have now.

Perhaps US Mobile will be a good alternative to Google-FI in regards to the International Roaming support.


-gauss

 

[gauss]

The fax line is for my business. I haven't used it to send anything for a couple of years. I receive spam faxes a couple times a week. I should probably get rid of it. If I really need to fax something I could probably do it by hooking a phone line into my computer and use the built-in fax program in Windows.

For sending faxes, you might want to checkout FAXZERO.com. $0 to send small faxes (ie up to 3 pages). I have used them quite often to administer probate estates. For larger faxes, I think there is a $2 charge per fax for up to 25 pages.

As an additional bonus, you don't create a login/password with them.
You just upload your pdf files (or whatever) to their web site and add the appropriate meta-data (names / phones etc ).

You do get confirmation once the fax has been successfully sent or failed.

I really hope that this service never goes away.

-gauss

 

[Gotadimple]

Perhaps US Mobile will be a good alternative to Google-FI in regards to the International Roaming support.
-gauss

Actually, no it's not. Google Fi has the same International Roaming support as T-Mobile offers it's post-pay customers: 200+ countries. And it's seamless. You turn on the device, and it welcomes you to (one of the 200+ countries). Depending on the Plan (Flexible or Unlimited) you may pay for data. Fi Simply Unlimited plan is excluded for international travel.

US Mobile is only citing 100 countries, + 10 GB data for free, and only available to eSim. So it depends on where you travel and the phone you use.

- Rita

 

[camfused]

Actually, no it's not. Google Fi has the same International Roaming support as T-Mobile offers it's post-pay customers: 200+ countries. And it's seamless. You turn on the device, and it welcomes you to (one of the 200+ countries). Depending on the Plan (Flexible or Unlimited) you may pay for data. Fi Simply Unlimited plan is excluded for international travel.

US Mobile is only citing 100 countries, + 10 GB data for free, and only available to eSim. So it depends on where you travel and the phone you use.

- Rita

Yes, USM is 102 countries for international roaming and 225 (or so) countries for free calling (only on GSM at the moment). Personally, those 102 include every country I would ever even remotely imagine going to ( list ), but I understand there may be a country in there missing for some folks. The CEO has hinted the international roaming might be about a $20 add on, as needed, and said it will also be as simple to use as you mentioned above.