International forwarding to foreign prepaid SIM cards using Keku

Unfortunately, Google Voice does not allow call forwarding to
international phone numbers. So you cannot just give out your Google
Voice number when traveling internationally and have it forward to a
foreign prepaid SIM card number and pay Google Voice's low international
rates.

Here's a workaround (which I used):

1. Before you leave, open a Keku.com account (use referral code 1064966
which will double the value of your first purchase). They will also
offer you an extra $2 credit for inviting five friends, so for $5 you
can get a $12 credit.

2, Before you leave, on Keku, get a local phone number for your local
area. Forward this number temporarily to your home phone (when you reach
your destination and purchase a prepaid SIM card you will change the
number that calls are forwarded to).

3. Right before you leave, forward your cell phone and/or home phone to
your Keku local phone number (it is often not possible to do forwarding
of cell phones and home phones remotely). Note that you will not be able
to receive calls on your cell phone and/or home phone once you do this
because they will be forwarded to the Keku number.

4. When you get to your destination purchase a local SIM card, Log into
Keku and change the forwarding number (previously your home or cell
phone number) to that of your SIM card. Every time you get a new SIM
card in a different country be sure to log into Keku and change the
forwarding number.

Remember that when someone calls your regular cell phone number you will
use cellular minutes and you will be charged the internationak rates
charged by Keku (which are very low).

5. You can also forward your Google Voice number to your Keku local
phone number. Google Voice will need to verify the number but since the
Keku local number will call your home phone (or any phone) you can
easily do this.

Keku also has free smart phone app and Windows app (soft VOIP phone) so
you can call via Wi-Fi on your smart phone or computer.

On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 13:55:37 -0700, SMS wrote:

> Unfortunately, Google Voice does not allow call forwarding to
> international phone numbers. ...
>
> Here's a workaround (which I used):
>
> 1. Before you leave, open a Keku.com account ...

Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.

Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:

> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.
>
> Cheers, -- tlvp

Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
it's more expensive for no reason I could find.

I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.

One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.

On Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:52:29 -0700, SMS wrote:

> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>
>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.
>>
>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>
> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and

I didn't mean "dodge" as a pejorative of any sort, or in any way: rather,
just as a monosyllabic synomym for "strategem."

> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>
> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>
> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.

Interesting, Steven. Things change fast in that part of the world, I guess.
When I was last there, a few years ago, most of the Chinese hotels I used
had *no* customer internet access features at all -- you had to find an
Internet Cafe out on the street somewhere -- while in Japan, if a hotel had
public Internet access (and most did), it was wi-fi, and free-of-charge.

Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

On 6/11/2012 5:52 PM, tlvp wrote:
> On Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:52:29 -0700, SMS wrote:
>
>> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>>
>>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.
>>>
>>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>>
>> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
>
> I didn't mean "dodge" as a pejorative of any sort, or in any way: rather,
> just as a monosyllabic synomym for "strategem."
>
>> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
>> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>>
>> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
>> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
>> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>>
>> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
>> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
>> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.
>
> Interesting, Steven. Things change fast in that part of the world, I guess.
> When I was last there, a few years ago, most of the Chinese hotels I used
> had *no* customer internet access features at all -- you had to find an
> Internet Cafe out on the street somewhere -- while in Japan, if a hotel had
> public Internet access (and most did), it was wi-fi, and free-of-charge.
>
> Cheers, -- tlvp

'
Geek that I am, I was noticing the amazing number of cell towers along
the route of the high speed train from Shanghai to Beijing. They were
spaced about every 12 seconds. The money China has put into
transportation and communications infrastructure puts the US to shame.
Of course every person under 30 seemed to be glued to their smart phone.

Every place we stayed had free wi-fi in the lobby, and either wired or
wireless in the rooms. AT&T customers have access to China Mobile hotspots.

On Tue, 12 Jun 2012 07:44:23 -0700, SMS wrote:

> On 6/11/2012 5:52 PM, tlvp wrote:
>> On Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:52:29 -0700, SMS wrote:
>>
>>> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>>>
>>>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>>>
>>> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
>>
>> I didn't mean "dodge" as a pejorative of any sort, or in any way: rather,
>> just as a monosyllabic synomym for "strategem."
>>
>>> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
>>> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>>>
>>> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
>>> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
>>> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>>>
>>> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
>>> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
>>> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.
>>
>> Interesting, Steven. Things change fast in that part of the world, I guess.
>> When I was last there, a few years ago, most of the Chinese hotels I used
>> had *no* customer internet access features at all -- you had to find an
>> Internet Cafe out on the street somewhere -- while in Japan, if a hotel had
>> public Internet access (and most did), it was wi-fi, and free-of-charge.
>>
>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>
> '
> Geek that I am, I was noticing the amazing number of cell towers along
> the route of the high speed train from Shanghai to Beijing. They were
> spaced about every 12 seconds. The money China has put into
> transportation and communications infrastructure puts the US to shame.
> Of course every person under 30 seemed to be glued to their smart phone.
>
> Every place we stayed had free wi-fi in the lobby, and either wired or
> wireless in the rooms. AT&T customers have access to China Mobile hotspots.

Don't get me started on our national folly of refusing to put government
funds into constructive spending on infrastructure (roads, railroads,
cellular, postal) and services (medical, pensional, educational) or to
withdraw it from destructive spending (on wars, mainly ... wars on
communism, on terrorism, on drugs, on immorality, on immigration).

Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

On Tue, 12 Jun 2012 07:44:23 -0700, SMS wrote:

> ... AT&T customers have access to China Mobile hotspots.

By that you mean AT&T postpaid customers? prepaid? AT&T-borne MVNO
customers too (RedPocket, etc.)? -- and how about T-Mobile folks?

(Just trying to pump your experience for all it's worth :-) .) Cheers,

-- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

On 6/11/2012 11:52 AM, SMS wrote:
> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>
>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.
>>
>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>
> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>
> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>
> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.

Well my earlier thoughts on keku.com proved wrong. In fact, their
service really does not work.

When they assign a phone number for you to forward your cell phone or
home phone to, that number is actually assigned to many different people
(which is why when you try to add it to Google Voice you invariably get
a message about how that number is already in use). You cannot have
people directly call the number you assign. When calls are forwarded to
the Keku number, Keku detects the caller ID from the cell phone or home
phone and then it knows, in theory, where to route the call. But it
doesn't work, because the home phone or cell phone is passing through
the caller ID of the actual caller to the home phone or cell phone, not
the home phone or cell phone number that is being forwarded. So instead
of the call being forwarded, the caller is asked for a 14 digit PIN
code, which of course they don’t have.

If you forward all phone numbers to Google Voice, and in settings select
"Display my Google Voice number" rather than “Display caller's number,”
then forward the Google Voice number to Keku, it would probably work
because it would always get the Caller ID from Google Voice and would
recognize the number (you have to add your Google Voice number to Keku
and verify it).

Localphone.com is more expensive, but when you rent a local number it’s
actually a unique phone number that can be called. The Localphone VOIP
app works well from Android phones, for when you have Wi-Fi.

On Fri, 22 Jun 2012 02:12:00 -0700, SMS wrote:

> On 6/11/2012 11:52 AM, SMS wrote:
>> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>>
>>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description. Noted.
>>>
>>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>>
>> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
>> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
>> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>>
>> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
>> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
>> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>>
>> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
>> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
>> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.
>
> Well my earlier thoughts on keku.com proved wrong. In fact, their
> service really does not work.
>
> When they assign a phone number for you to forward your cell phone or
> home phone to, that number is actually assigned to many different people
> (which is why when you try to add it to Google Voice you invariably get
> a message about how that number is already in use). You cannot have
> people directly call the number you assign. When calls are forwarded to
> the Keku number, Keku detects the caller ID from the cell phone or home
> phone and then it knows, in theory, where to route the call. But it
> doesn't work, because the home phone or cell phone is passing through
> the caller ID of the actual caller to the home phone or cell phone, not
> the home phone or cell phone number that is being forwarded. So instead
> of the call being forwarded, the caller is asked for a 14 digit PIN
> code, which of course they don’t have.
>
> If you forward all phone numbers to Google Voice, and in settings select
> "Display my Google Voice number" rather than “Display caller's number,�
> then forward the Google Voice number to Keku, it would probably work
> because it would always get the Caller ID from Google Voice and would
> recognize the number (you have to add your Google Voice number to Keku
> and verify it).
>
> Localphone.com is more expensive, but when you rent a local number it’s
> actually a unique phone number that can be called. The Localphone VOIP
> app works well from Android phones, for when you have Wi-Fi.

I guess "really doesn't work" really describes it to a "T". Pity -- might
have been a nice service.

Thanks for the descriptive backgrounder. Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

> On Fri, 22 Jun 2012 02:12:00 -0700, SMS wrote:
>
>> On 6/11/2012 11:52 AM, SMS wrote:
>>> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>>>
>>>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description.
>>>> Noted.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>>>
>>> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
>>> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
>>> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>>>
>>> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
>>> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
>>> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>>>
>>> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
>>> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
>>> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.
>>
>> Well my earlier thoughts on keku.com proved wrong. In fact, their
>> service really does not work.
>>
>> When they assign a phone number for you to forward your cell phone or
>> home phone to, that number is actually assigned to many different people
>> (which is why when you try to add it to Google Voice you invariably get
>> a message about how that number is already in use). You cannot have
>> people directly call the number you assign. When calls are forwarded to
>> the Keku number, Keku detects the caller ID from the cell phone or home
>> phone and then it knows, in theory, where to route the call. But it
>> doesn't work, because the home phone or cell phone is passing through
>> the caller ID of the actual caller to the home phone or cell phone, not
>> the home phone or cell phone number that is being forwarded. So instead
>> of the call being forwarded, the caller is asked for a 14 digit PIN
>> code, which of course they don't have.
>>
>> If you forward all phone numbers to Google Voice, and in settings select
>> "Display my Google Voice number" rather than "Display caller's number,"
>> then forward the Google Voice number to Keku, it would probably work
>> because it would always get the Caller ID from Google Voice and would
>> recognize the number (you have to add your Google Voice number to Keku
>> and verify it).
>>
>> Localphone.com is more expensive, but when you rent a local number it's
>> actually a unique phone number that can be called. The Localphone VOIP
>> app works well from Android phones, for when you have Wi-Fi.

You could create a Pay-As-You-Go account with CallCentric (my main VoIP
provider), get a free DID from them (alas, New York numbers only), fund the
account with as little as $5 (PayPal accepted!), forward that DID to your
mobile phone, and pay the not-the-cheapest-but-still-reasonable per-minute
rates for the forwarding.

Have each family member create a free Callcentric "IPFreedom" account. They
can then call your Callcentric Free DID for free.

Total cost of their calls to you: Free for them; the CallCentric PAYGO rate
plus your cellular charges to you.

On 6/24/2012 9:03 AM, tycho wrote:
>> On Fri, 22 Jun 2012 02:12:00 -0700, SMS wrote:
>>
>>> On 6/11/2012 11:52 AM, SMS wrote:
>>>> On 6/10/2012 11:08 PM, tlvp wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Interesting dodge, Steven -- thanks for the thorough description.
>>>>> Noted.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cheers, -- tlvp
>>>>
>>>> Not really a dodge since it's one of the promoted features of Keku (and
>>>> localphone.com). Before I found Keku I opened a localphone account but
>>>> it's more expensive for no reason I could find.
>>>>
>>>> I got four separate Keku local numbers and forwarded each family
>>>> member's cell phone to a keku number then to their China cell phone once
>>>> I got the SIM cards. I also forwarded my landline to my number.
>>>>
>>>> One thing about traveling to Asia is that many hotels have only wired
>>>> Ethernet in the rooms, not Wi-Fi. So if you want to use your smart phone
>>>> or tablet in the room you need to bring a travel router.
>>>
>>> Well my earlier thoughts on keku.com proved wrong. In fact, their
>>> service really does not work.
>>>
>>> When they assign a phone number for you to forward your cell phone or
>>> home phone to, that number is actually assigned to many different people
>>> (which is why when you try to add it to Google Voice you invariably get
>>> a message about how that number is already in use). You cannot have
>>> people directly call the number you assign. When calls are forwarded to
>>> the Keku number, Keku detects the caller ID from the cell phone or home
>>> phone and then it knows, in theory, where to route the call. But it
>>> doesn't work, because the home phone or cell phone is passing through
>>> the caller ID of the actual caller to the home phone or cell phone, not
>>> the home phone or cell phone number that is being forwarded. So instead
>>> of the call being forwarded, the caller is asked for a 14 digit PIN
>>> code, which of course they don't have.
>>>
>>> If you forward all phone numbers to Google Voice, and in settings select
>>> "Display my Google Voice number" rather than "Display caller's number,"
>>> then forward the Google Voice number to Keku, it would probably work
>>> because it would always get the Caller ID from Google Voice and would
>>> recognize the number (you have to add your Google Voice number to Keku
>>> and verify it).
>>>
>>> Localphone.com is more expensive, but when you rent a local number it's
>>> actually a unique phone number that can be called. The Localphone VOIP
>>> app works well from Android phones, for when you have Wi-Fi.
>
> You could create a Pay-As-You-Go account with CallCentric (my main VoIP
> provider), get a free DID from them (alas, New York numbers only), fund the
> account with as little as $5 (PayPal accepted!), forward that DID to your
> mobile phone, and pay the not-the-cheapest-but-still-reasonable per-minute
> rates for the forwarding.
>
> Have each family member create a free Callcentric "IPFreedom" account. They
> can then call your Callcentric Free DID for free.
>
> Total cost of their calls to you: Free for them; the CallCentric PAYGO rate
> plus your cellular charges to you.

For some reason some calls to my kids' phones (forwarded from Pageplus
to Keko to the China Unicom phones) did get through. For my home phone,
once I removed caller ID blocking I think it was working but it was near
the end of our trip.

The bottom line is that you really want a service like Callcentric or
Localphone where you get a unique DID number that forwards all calls to
a foreign number. The Keko system saves Keko the expense of having to
pay for a unique DID number.

Of course if Google Voice would allow forwarding to foreign numbers,
this whole discussion would be moot, and Google could collect the money
for the foreign calls rather than Callcentric, Keko, Localphone, etc.

My landline service said that the number could be forwarded to a foreign
number but in fact it did not work, so I forwarded it to the Keko number
instead, which also did not work.

On Sunday, June 24, 2012 9:03:36 AM UTC-7, tycho wrote:

> You could create a Pay-As-You-Go account with CallCentric (my main VoIP
>
> provider), get a free DID from them (alas, New York numbers only), fund the
>
> account with as little as $5 (PayPal accepted!), forward that DID to your
>
> mobile phone, and pay the not-the-cheapest-but-still-reasonable per-minute
>
> rates for the forwarding.
>
>
>
> Have each family member create a free Callcentric "IPFreedom" account. They
>
> can then call your Callcentric Free DID for free.
>
>
>
> Total cost of their calls to you: Free for them; the CallCentric PAYGO rate
>
> plus your cellular charges to you.

The only issue with that is that Callcentric charges $1.50 setup, plus $1.50/month for one of those free incoming NY numbers because they require 911 service. This isn't an issue on Localphone. Also, not everyone has free long distance on their landline, so forwarding to the NY number would not be free in all cases.

"SMS" <scharf.steven@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2bd0187d-2dfe-4cde-a48f-851c651b6361@googlegroups.com...
On Sunday, June 24, 2012 9:03:36 AM UTC-7, tycho wrote:

>The only issue with that is that Callcentric charges $1.50 setup, plus
>$1.50/month for one of those free incoming >NY numbers because they require
>911 service. This isn't an issue on Localphone. Also, not everyone has free
> >long distance on their landline, so forwarding to the NY number would not
>be free in all cases.

Hmmm; I have a total of 5 CallCentric free DIDs scattered among a handful of
CC accounts. Didn't pay a setup charge for any of them. Don't pay 911 on
any of them...

On 8/28/2012 2:03 PM, tycho wrote:
> "SMS" <scharf.steven@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:2bd0187d-2dfe-4cde-a48f-851c651b6361@googlegroups.com...
> On Sunday, June 24, 2012 9:03:36 AM UTC-7, tycho wrote:
>
> > The only issue with that is that Callcentric charges $1.50 setup, plus
> > $1.50/month for one of those free incoming >NY numbers because they
> require
> > 911 service. This isn't an issue on Localphone. Also, not everyone
> has free
> >> long distance on their landline, so forwarding to the NY number
> would not
> > be free in all cases.
>
> Hmmm; I have a total of 5 CallCentric free DIDs scattered among a
> handful of
> CC accounts. Didn't pay a setup charge for any of them. Don't pay 911 on
> any of them...
>
If you look at <http://www.callcentric.com/dids/free_phone_number> , the
third "limitation" on the bottom states: " US and Canada customers with
Free Phone Number(s) on their account will be required to activate 911
for an additional fee as per FCC / CRTC regulations."

Maybe it's a new requirement that Callcentric has implemented recently
and you're grandfathered in to not having to comply. IIRC, 911 service
used to be optional on Ooma as well, but now it's required.

Steve
<http://tinyurl.com/internationalcallingstrategies>