Autoforward text message to email address?

bigpat

Does anyone know if there's a way to automatically forward text messages to an email address?

Here's the situation:
My employer use SSL VPN and I can remotely log into the network. This requires typing in a PIN that changes each time. As soon as I log in, I get a text message with a new PIN to be used next time.

But I'm going to be based in the USA for several months, maybe longer, and I'm planning on using an American SIM in my phone. Our IT dept don't think they can register a non-UK phone number in the system so I won't get the text messages.

Assuming I still top up credit on my British SIM while I'm abroad, is there a way to have it forward those text messages (or all text messages) to my email address?

I could just pay 20p a time to get the text messages while roaming, but that would entail swapping the SIM card over each time and I'm hoping for an easier solution.

eDicky

bigpat wrote: »

I could just pay 20p a time to get the text messages while roaming,

Who would you pay? Networks don't charge for receiving SMS when roaming.

I can't answer your question, but I travel a lot and always use a dual SIM phone. If you don't want a new phone, just take an extra old one or buy a cheap non smart phone in US to put your UK SIM in for receiving SMS.

bigpat

Unless I'm reading it wrong - which is very possible!! - this page seems to say that it would cost 20p to receive a text while in the USA Canada, Australia or New Zealand. About halfway down under the "Going Abroad?" section https://mobile.asda.com/bundles#roaming

But the non-technical solutions are often the best. I don't know why I didn't think of a second phone. I have an old one that will stay charged up just about long enough. Thanks!

[Deleted User]

bigpat wrote: »

Unless I'm reading it wrong - which is very possible!! - this page seems to say that it would cost 20p to receive a text while in the USA Canada, Australia or New Zealand. About halfway down under the "Going Abroad?" section https://mobile.asda.com/bundles#roaming

But the non-technical solutions are often the best. I don't know why I didn't think of a second phone. I have an old one that will stay charged up just about long enough. Thanks!

We offer competitive rates for calling and texting abroad whilst your in the UK.

It doesn't say "receiving" anywhere there.

redux

They aren't helping avoid confusion, with that content on the bottom of a page about roaning, but 20p is the rate to abroad from here. No charge for incoming texts, wherever the phone is.

I've not found text forwarding services like you hope for.

As above, think about your UK SIM in either a dual SIM phone, or a simpler phone, maybe secondhand, even an old Nokia you might still have at the back of a drawer. But not a choice of all, needs to have American 2g bands (850 and 1900 MHz) at least

Or there are some applications for texts and calls, with a UK number allocated on some, that you could use on a smartphone, without having a SIM. This would involve a new nunber though, and some have numbers in series that may not be recognised by all providers, but some are OK. One ot two of these apps have closed down, so there's a slight risk if you want it for prime use. I'd probably still go for the spare phone instead

bigpat

In this image it says that it's 20p to receive a text FROM the USA, (sending is 40p) but it's under the section Going Abroad, so surely they mean that when the UK phone is abroad it will cost 20p to receive a text from home to the USA.

https://www.imageupload.co.uk/image/4GaL

Anyway very useful info about American 2g bands. I did use my old Nexus 5 there last year, although with my American SIM and it worked fine. I was on holiday and didn't need to log onto anything so didn't need to receive texts that time. I still have that old phone but presumably it'll work fine if I put my UK SIM in it and just turn it on when I need it.

Thank you.

[Deleted User]

bigpat wrote: »

In this image it says that it's 20p to receive a text FROM the USA, (sending is 40p) but it's under the section Going Abroad, so surely they mean that when the UK phone is abroad it will cost 20p to receive a text from home to the USA.

https://www.imageupload.co.uk/image/4GaL

Anyway very useful info about American 2g bands. I did use my old Nexus 5 there last year, although with my American SIM and it worked fine. I was on holiday and didn't need to log onto anything so didn't need to receive texts that time. I still have that old phone but presumably it'll work fine if I put my UK SIM in it and just turn it on when I need it.

Thank you.

I read that as it will cost you 20p if you're abroad and receive a text from someone else who is not in the EU. I'm pretty sure that's what it means although I can understand any confusion over that.

Murmansk

Not sure if this is any help but there's an Android app called MYSMS which I use for my texting and it has a companion app called MYSMS Mirror or some such that you install on a second phone and when a text comes in on one phone it gets forwarded to the Mirror app on the other phone (via data connection I presume). You can send messages on the second phone and to the recipient they look like they came from the first phone.

You'd presumably need to keep the main phone back in the UK on a timeswitch to charge it every day or two for an hour to make this work.

Murmansk

Also, there's a service called TextMagic and I suspect if you were to set an account up with them you might be able to be issued with a UK mobile number to receive messages and you could log in to your account and see them on their website

bigpat

Thanks, I'll look into those.