SMS international forwarding or SMS to email?

[gadgetman]

I am currently outside the UK. Egg in its wisdom has introduced a new transaction verification system which works by sending you an SMS. However it doesn't support non-UK numbers. I've had a "discussion" with them about this but they say there's nothing they can do.

Santander use a similar system but they do support international numbers and it works well. But that's by the by.

Anyway I am looking for a way to provide what looks like a UK mobile and either have SMSs from this forwarded to my mobile abroad or maybe emailed.

SMSGlobal can do a UK number with options to forward overseas but its very expensive.

I guess I could try to buy a UK sim and an unlocked mobile to use here, dedicated to this service but it seems like overkill.

Anyone got any ideas for a cheaper option? ISTM there ought to be a techy solution!

[eek]

I am currently outside the UK. Egg in its wisdom has introduced a new transaction verification system which works by sending you an SMS. However it doesn't support non-UK numbers. I've had a "discussion" with them about this but they say there's nothing they can do.

Santander use a similar system but they do support international numbers and it works well. But that's by the by.

Anyway I am looking for a way to provide what looks like a UK mobile and either have SMSs from this forwarded to my mobile abroad or maybe emailed.

SMSGlobal can do a UK number with options to forward overseas but its very expensive.

I guess I could try to buy a UK sim and an unlocked mobile to use here, dedicated to this service but it seems like overkill.

Anyone got any ideas for a cheaper option? ISTM there ought to be a techy solution!

I think you are trying to be too clever. As a mobile with sim can be got for £10 I would go for that approach.

Samsung E1080 Pay As You Go - our full list of Orange PAYG tariffs

[gadgetman]

Yeah but I got to get it over here and then topping up is a bit of PITA.

I think you are trying to be too clever. As a mobile with sim can be got for £10 I would go for that approach.

Samsung E1080 Pay As You Go - our full list of Orange PAYG tariffs

[doodab]

Yeah but I got to get it over here and then topping up is a bit of PITA.

Can't you do that online?

[xchaotic]

Yeah but I got to get it over here and then topping up is a bit of PITA.

But to receive SMS is free, even when roaming,you don't have to top up, so what's the problem, really?
Sure you can get a PCI card with sim readed and put it in data centre somewhere in the UK so can send and receive SMS properly, is that the answer that you're after?

[gadgetman]

The problems are:

1. You sometimes have to reply with an SMS and for PAYG you need credit to enable receipts. At least the one I had on O2 used to.

2. When I first left the UK I did use a UK SIM and phone but online or even phone top ups would not accept a foreign debit or credit card. It would not even accept payment by a UK Abbey debit card. I ended up having to send people money and get them to top up at an ATM.

What I was hoping for was a web-based tech solution whereby I was given a virtual UK mobile number which simply forwarded SMSs either to a foreign mobile or an email address and back again if necessary.

I have accounts with SMSGlobal, Skype and Flextel which offer similar facilities (Skype = virtual UK number, Flextel = call forwarding from virtual UK number to foreign number) but neither can forward SMS (yet).

SMSGlobal do offer this but it is about $50 per month + setup cost.

But to receive SMS is free, even when roaming,you don't have to top up, so what's the problem, really?
Sure you can get a PCI card with sim readed and put it in data centre somewhere in the UK so can send and receive SMS properly, is that the answer that you're after?

[eek]

You want what is a specialist service designed for another purpose. That is going to be expensive and from memory that £50 deal is very cheap compared to the other providers as its now a very limited market (most clients need and want a short code which don't require a physical sim card).

Your best bet is the payg mobile and sim card. You should be able to top it up online using the Egg card you want.

[gadgetman]

I found a company called FastSMS that offer a "Virtual Mobile Number" for £99 per year which seems like it will do what I want. Following it up now.

[eek]

I found a company called FastSMS that offer a "Virtual Mobile Number" for £99 per year which seems like it will do what I want. Following it up now.

Rather expensive considering an actual mobile would cost you £10 now and probably another £10 later in the year.

[gadgetman]

Weren't you just telling me that $50 per month was cheap

Seriously I can live with 8 quid a month. I get half of that back in expenses over here too.

I would have to buy and ship a mobile from the UK. Don't top ups time out too so I'd have to top up each month? I'd have to keep the phone charged and carry it with me everywhere. Last time I tried this it was way too much hassle.

For the convenience of getting the texts delivered to a single phone (my current mobile) or my email anywhere in the world its worth 4 quid (net) a month.

Rather expensive considering an actual mobile would cost you £10 now and probably another £10 later in the year.