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Hi all

I've recently cancelled my phone contract. I have a work phone for emergencies (and I mean real emergencies like, car broke down etc) and now that my phone is paid off I'm going without until at least after xmas.

What are my best options for online services? We have wifi at home but wiht the phone being a work number I'm feeling a bit edgy about using that phone number for something like whatsapp.

Is there a service that uses wifi that I can sign up to with an email? I'm thinking I can just pick up messages when I'm home or at a place with free wifi. So emergency contact can have my work cell number but have a number friends can text just for social stuff

[This message edited by StarWarsChick at 3:21 PM, December 13th (Friday)]

Could you considered a prepaid or pay as you go? Depending on the provider the minutes/texts usually expire after 30, 60 or 90 days. If you can find a 90 day option you can set it up (so you have a separate phone number) and receive calls/texts but choose not to reply until you're in a wifi zone. The sim will go dead if you don't top up but I think that usually takes a year (dont quote me on that I've not had a pay as you go phone for over 7 years and you'd need to research companies in your area)

Just a thought. I'm sure someone with more current info will swing by soon.

Hi - Try Google Voice. Will provide you a phone number that you can then have forwarded to any phone. Just Google it.

If you're looking for a cheap service, Ting will charge you $6/month plus tax for one phone, with additional charges for talk, text, and data. Our usual bill is under $25 for 2 smart phones - but we only very rarely use cell data, and we generally use less than 100 minutes/month voice and fewer than 100 texts every month.

I hate to say this, but if you sign up for Ting through a current user, I think you'll get a $50 credit and the other user will get a $25 credit. I'm obviously a Ting user. I mention this ONLY because 1) you'd get a %50 credit, and 2) because I've been a Ting customer for several years with no problems.

If you're interested in Ting, I recommend looking for a friend who uses it.

Please forgive my ignorance, but what is GoogleVoice? I did a quick search and the articles I read seem to suggest it's a 'free'* phone number through Google, it seems really popular with small businesses wanting separate numbers for work and home.

I'm assuming it utilises wifi/dataplan like Skype, but rather than a skype profile you have a phone number? Does it have to tie to an existing phone number (basically like a call-forwarding service)?

*Nothing is ever free, I never trust it

[This message edited by TheCaterpillar at 10:41 AM, December 16th (Monday)]

Also (and this is an even stupider question) but when people talk about a 'burner' phone as a temporary prepaid number....is that even legal? Surely you still have to register it to your name/address at a phone store the same as with a contract?