International Roaming Suck? Hack a Single Number While You Travel
Flooding and phone calls don’t necessarily mix well [Pic: Krypto]
I was recently stuck on Koh Tao because of torrential flooding up to my waist, while the Thai Navy evacuated the islands.
This quick Skype hack gave my parents, friends, and interview subject one number to call me on anywhere in the world. It provided them with peace of mind for pennies. And kept me in contact even though the internet and local phones were down.
Cost
Because international roaming costs $AU 2.50/min, most travellers don’t take a phone, or have a different number in every country. If you’re logged into Skype, this hack costs nothing to receive calls. If your computer is off, it diverts to your mobile for around 5c – 30c a minute. If you’re near a computer, you just call your dad back for around 2.3c / minute.
And the best bit: don’t use it, don’t pay.
Benefits
- Your using a sim card in the local country, so you can choose the provider with the best coverage for the area.
- Your Dad picks up a physical phone, calls you, and speaks to you. Much easier than teaching him to use Skype.
- You don’t need to check your email every day, you’d get a call if something important happened.
- Skype friends can call you on your mobile when you’re offline if you want.
- The hack is also perfect for location independent workers. It has helped with business deals to know I can work while on the road.
- My English friends pay a bomb to receive international calls on their mobiles. This way you sidestep that cost.
Simple Setup Instructions
1. Install Skype and buy credit.
The credit is necessary to divert to your mobile phone. Don’t skimp now, set up the automatic debit system. It’s better than entering your credit card details in an internet cafe. When they top up your account, Skype emails you so you can track your expenses. If you’re likely to use it quite a bit, consider getting a plan.
2. Register an account at Ring2Skype.com
You get a free local numbers (with a 3 digit extension) in your home country. It’s also possible to register multiple numbers.
If Ring2Skype doesn’t have a number in your country, you can buy a SkypeIn number for $60 a year.
Disclaimer: I’m not receiving any benefit to promote any company in this post.
3. Forward your calls from Skype to a local sim card in the country your visiting.
Log in, and click skype > account… from the menu.
Then click on the ‘call forwarding’ button, and add a number to divert to. That’s it!
When you get to a new country, simply repeat this step when you grab a new sim card ($2.50 in many countries).
Iphone 4 Bonus:
If you’ve got an Iphone 4, install Skype and leave it running in the background. If you’re in range of free wifi, it will dial your phone for free.
You’re travelling right? so you don’t want to be on the phone all the time. In most emergencies, there’s nothing you can do from across the world for a few days. So, be selective with who you give the number, and tell them it’s for important calls only.
This solution was invaluable on my trip, even when I stuck around after the Navy evacuation.