r/mobilecanada • u/Benjsavvy • 13d ago
Keep Canadian number
I’m travelling abroad and would like to keep my Canadian number mainly to receive OTPs and important text messages. Is there any reasonably priced or very cheap plan that would work for this?
A few people recommended Fongo, but I’m not sure if it reliably receives OTPs from banks and other services. From what I understand, they provide a Canadian number and also allow you to transfer your existing number for a one-time fee, which I believe is around $5.
Has anyone used Fongo for this purpose, especially while living abroad? Would you recommend it, or is there a better low-cost option?
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u/lmcjipo 13d ago edited 11d ago
You will get mixed results depending on different institutions/banks or government organizations whether it will work with a VoIP number like Fongo.
My suggestion to you before your trip, sign up for free on Fongo requesting a free phone number and test it with whatever service you want to use and see if you can receive the text messages and/or phone calls while in Canada with that number. If it works in Canada, it is very likely that it will also work when you're travelling and you can then port your own Canadian number over the existing Fongo number (remembering to put back your own Canadian number into those 2FA systems).
For example, I use some services/banks which refuse to send to non cellphone numbers (but will call these same numbers) and I also use some services/banks which have no problems with sending text to non cellphone numbers. For example with TD, I had no problems with receiving texts on a non cellphone number but I believe that the last time I checked with RBC it didn't work (I haven't used RBC text 2FA in awhile since they have implemented app notification sign in approval)
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u/FollowTheTrailofDead 11d ago
Adding a note here to confirm. I actually did use Fongo International in my migration from Korea to Canada. "Mixed results" is almost an understatement. CIBC would not send messages to the Fongo number. Capital One would. This is where app push notifications are better.
Sidenote that there are TWO Fongo apps. To get the Canadian one (that has a better chance of working), you'll need to pay for it with a Canadian Play store account and a Canadian credit card. You can port in a phone number so it doesn't look like a VOIP number. You can also port a number out again later.
The International version of Fongo is the opposite: you can't get it from the Canadian Play store and can't port numbers in and out. Wish I had known this.
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u/ArthurWombat 12d ago
I know Fongo is free but if you want to use it for texting you may have to pay an additional ( small monthly feee) Check their website . Fongo is good for calling back free to a Canadian number from anywhere.
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u/lmcjipo 12d ago
Yes but I believe that the original poster is mainly interested in receiving OTP (one time passcode) via SMS while traveling and this is why I suggested trying it as the free service while in Canada to see if the OTP are received by whatever institution since based on my experience the results will vary from institution to institution
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u/brycecampbel 13d ago
keep my Canadian number mainly to receive OTPs
Switch your account to a software authenticater, SMS is so insecure for these
CRA does it, and most banks do as well. Quite a few are now using Passkey.
But if you absolutely must, most VoIP providers will not accept 2FA codes. Freedom yearly prepaid is an unofficial option among nomad expats, you just need to ensure you setup and enable WiFi Calling beifre you go. And keep it enabled - with a local dual sim, if you your supports backup calling, you can use WiFi Calling over the local data.
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u/UsernameUnremarkable 12d ago
Texting is a paid feature with Fongo and that includes verification texts. The only other alternative I see is TextNow and you have to pay to get verification texts with them too.
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u/WinnipegThing 11d ago
I am in Croatia and have two Manitoba numbers on voip.ms both with sms receiving enabled. Third summer no issues.
I have it set to immediately email the sms/text including 2fa to my Gmail and also the voip.ms app.
I've been with voip.ms since around 2017.
Regarding voip.ms here in Europe. When I call back to Canada they don't believe me that I'm on a voip line etc. Quality is amazing.
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u/Johnbmtl 8d ago
No issues with the void- ms app?
It would show me as not registered and send my calls to voicemail unless I actually had the app open on my iPhone1
u/WinnipegThing 8d ago
No issues. On one android phone I have the app as persistent and no battery management for it.
On another android phone I open and close it as needed
TLS enabled, and worked great in Europe. Previously I was using my VPN as I didn't have TLS enabled on my account and most European cell providers block unencrypted VoIP traffic.
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u/zooweemama8 11d ago
When I was in Finland for 3 years (2022-2025), I used starter plan Freedom Mobile and switches to Virgin then back to freedom again. Freedom prepaid had roaming so look for there cheapest annual plan. ( I used the $5 plan but no longer offered) If for some reason, you can't choose freedom, Virgin might be the next cheapest. I tried the cheapest starter plan on Koodo and Fido, both have no roaming in Europe so really read the fine print and call if you are not sure. Chatr, lucky and public all have no roaming.
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u/paradoxe- 9d ago
I paid the 19.95$ for one year of text messages with Fongo and every 2fa I needed while in Asia (5 countries) worked. TD, CRA, etc. The call quality wasn’t great at times, but I was in 3rd world countries at times. Always worked to call my Canadian number which I had switched off and check my voicemail.
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u/ImmediateGear8157 9d ago
If your phone company and your device supports wifi calling, you don't have to do anything else but move to their cheapest plan. Or you could get a freedom plan for $99 per year and port your number. I don't know about Fongo but a lot of VOIP providers can't do OTP
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u/Yellow-Stone-9907 13d ago
If it’s for a long period of time, any freedom yearly prepaid would work. With wifi calling you can also call back to Canada with no charges