Source
r/tmobile•
MSPTech

Prepaid SMS from abroad.

Question

I need to get real SMS (google voice will not work) remotely. I have an office I can place an office where I can place a device with a Pay As You Go sim. Looking for something as cheap as possible that will allow me to remotely receive SMS codes. I was thinking a cell phone with Android Messages for MySMS or something or even just team-viewer on an android device. However, maybe a cheap/old mobile hotspot (only need to get sms) that I can log in to from my office machine would be the most stable.

Another options might be using a phone with wifi calling but I'd have to get it all setup and shipped abroad, and who knows how long that would keep working.

  1. Any other ideas on how to get this done on the cheap?

  2. Will a pay as you go sim work in on old shitty 3g hot spot (only need it to get/send sms from the web interface)?

Posted Jul 22, 2018, 9:15 AM UTC

314
MadPuggle•

Mint mobile possibly will fit your needs

1
MSPTechOP•

Looks cool for when I visit but not for this purpose. Thanks!

1
myspaghetti123•

So what exactly are you thinking of doing? Putting a pay as you go plan without data on a hotspot?

1
MSPTechOP•

Yes because those devices, allow easy access to the web interface to send an receive SMS which I can access from anywhere in the world.

1
myspaghetti123•

You can use a cheap phone that allows WiFi calling. This plan does not support digits so something similar to that will only be possible with Google Voice.

1
MSPTechOP•

What do you mean by digits?

1
myspaghetti123•

It is basically shitty Google Voice t Mobile has that is proprietary to them

2
bcsteene•

So project fi from Google works best for overseas. In addition you can request a data only sim which you can use with a different device for the same account. Also no throttling speeds while international or while tethering.

1
coreymatthews92Truth In Mobile•

Wifi calling doesn't work on the $3/month plan.

You'll only get 30 calls/texts as well with this plan.

Your probably better off getting a cheap phone with LTE access for this vs a 3g/2g hotspot. Just a heads up too, TMobile may see you're using a phone sim in a hotspot and deny access to the network while in the hotspot. This may impact texts/calls from actually working.

1
MSPTechOP•

From what I have read Wifi Calling does work on Pay As You Go but it's not free of course, still uses the 30 mins or texts. I only need the occasional text. I found a solution. I'll be leaving a phone plugged in my US office with the $3/month plan, and "Pushbullet" it mirrors notifications to my PC anywhere in the world and even lets me send SMS. This is all I need, I just need to be able to get SMS's banking and other codes that won't send to Google Voice.

1
coreymatthews92Truth In Mobile•

When you go to the website and compare plans, it clearly lists wifi calling as not an option for the pay as you go plan.

1
MSPTechOP•

I can't find that. But On the Wifi Calling Page it clearly says "For prepaid lines, calls made over Wi-Fi deduct from the plan bucket, just like regular calls."

1
coreymatthews92Truth In Mobile•

Scroll down to "compare plans"

https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/marketing-module/prepaid_home_page.html

It'll download a PDF and list what comes with each plan.

1