Keeping Your Home Number Abroad: An Expatriate's Guide

expat network

Keeping Your Home Number Abroad: An Expatriate’s Guide

Understand how VoIP lets you keep your country’s phone number anywhere worldwide. We will cover how VoIP transforms expatriate communication by enabling the retention of your home phone number anywhere in the world. This guide delves into VoIP’s main advantages, from global connectivity to always-on access to SMS messages, explaining what makes it an excellent alternative to apps such as Facetime. You will also understand why VoIP is a preferred solution for those living abroad with international communication needs for commercial purposes.

How VoIP Empowers Expatriates with Seamless Global Communication

Living in a different country may evoke different feelings for every individual. Experiencing a new culture, establishing new connections, exploring local cuisines, and fulfilling a lifetime dream can be thrilling. There is only one caveat. On top of the physical distance of your loved ones, sometimes effective communication across borders through a simple call can present a few challenges.

Although popular, traditional communication apps like Facetime or WhatsApp fall short in versatility and reliability, especially when attempting to connect with individuals not using the same platforms or with poor internet connections. Plus, not having a local phone number may prevent you from being reached.

Keeping a home country’s local phone number can be especially useful for these reasons. This can be achieved by opening an account with a reliable VoIP provider, such as VoIP.ms.

Advantages of VoIP for Expatriates: Going Beyond Placing Calls

VoIP technology allows you to keep your home phone numbers almost everywhere, simplifying the process of staying a phone call away from your loved ones while ensuring the continuity of professional relationships. Forget the hassle of updating your contacts with new numbers or losing important contacts and missing calls.

But this is not the only benefit of VoIP. VoIP offers advanced features and enhanced security and messaging accessibility at a very affordable price, unlike traditional local telephony solutions.

Here’s a quick summary of the main benefits of VoIP:

Carrying Your Phone Number Globally: Retaining a local phone number from your home country is a significant advantage. This facilitates easier connection with those back home and ensures that you remain reachable via a familiar number. The number portability process is also easy, convenient, and inexpensive, regardless of your final location.
Advanced Communication Features: Unlike standard apps, VoIP services offer a suite of advanced features. Call recording, voicemail-to-email transcription, and sophisticated call routing are just a few examples that cater to the need for efficient communication management and flexibility, essential for those living abroad.
Cost-Effectiveness Without Contracts: VoIP services are affordable and flexible. With no need for long-term contracts, you can adjust your communication needs, ensuring you only pay for what you use.
Always-on access to TOTP/2FA: a VoIP account enables you to securely visualize your SMS messages anywhere, providing you access to time-based one-time passwords for two-factor authentication accounts access. In other words, stop worrying about being unable to access your bank account because you don’t have coverage from your carrier.

How to port your number to a VoIP service

Each VoIP provider has its own set of procedures for porting a number. At VoIP.ms, the process begins with verifying the eligibility of a number for porting. A few simple steps must be followed when signing up for a VoIP.ms account, such as submitting a Letter of Authorization (LOA) and a recent bill from your current provider.

The porting process generally takes a few days, and the ported number remains active until completion.

VoIP.ms: A Reliable Solution for Seamless Connections Across Borders

When it comes to a VoIP provider for expatriates, VoIP.ms stands out as a prime choice. Combining the flexibility of contract-free plans with the convenience of numbers available in more than a hundred countries, it is perfectly suited for the dynamic needs of those living abroad, permanently or temporarily. With robust and customizable features, maintaining important connections remains uncomplicated regardless of where life takes you.

Since being founded in 2007 in Montreal, VoIP.ms has empowered businesses ranging from SMEs to Fortune 500s with affordable, contract-free, and scalable VoIP solutions. Its comprehensive suite of products includes phone numbers in over 100 countries, messaging services, virtual fax, and over 70 advanced features, all backed by exceptional customer support. With 4.8 out of 5 stars, it’s the highest-rated VoIP provider by consumers on Capterra.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.