International text messages

[ElleBee]

I switched to Verizon and the Droid from the dreaded AT&T and iPhone a week ago. All was well until I discovered that I can't receive many international text messages. Verizon only lets me receive texts from users with service from its affiliates.

For example, in Italy, the only Verizon affiliates are Vodafone and H3G. Most of my friends use either Wind or TIM, two of the largest carriers there. Not only do their messages not reach me, they don't even get a notification that they didn't go through.

Is there an app or workaround for this? I have 30 days to back out of my Verizon contract and this could be a deal breaker for me with Verizon.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I came from T-Mobile and I was pretty pissed that Verizon didn't let me text a friend in Peru. The get around was Google Voice. Just install the Google Voice app and enable SMS pushing for your phone and viola - free texting to your international friend.

I have paid over $10 in international SMS to Verizon when .... Verizon never sent them in the first place. Kind of pissed about that.

 

[ElleBee]

Isn't google voice by invitation only still? I don't have an existing account, so will the app do me any good?

 

[bomber889]

Yes it is still by invitation only, so google voice will do you no good.

 

[Nissan1973]

Ask around for an invite from some members, theres a couple threads around here where people give them out.

 

[Vladiator]

You can also get a GV# through Ebay for a $1 or $2. That's what I did.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Yeah, was going to say, you can get it for nearly free on ebay.

 

[ElleBee]

Hey guys, thanks for the tips on google voice and ebay. I bought an invitation for a few bucks and google voice solved my problem. It's still a pisser that Verizon doesn't think it needs to support communications from non affiliates. Imagine if Verizon decided not to accept phone calls from AT&T users for example. Also it's not so convenient to have to pass along yet another phone number to people wanting to text me, but this does the job. Google voice is pretty amazing. Anyway, thanks again.

 

[ElleBee]

Well, it appears my happiness was premature. Google voice doesn't support texts to or from international numbers, according to the FAQ. I sent myself a text using an Italian phone (but in the US so it went through Tmobile and not the Italian carrier) and it worked, but I can't reply. Is there some setting I'm missing? Any other ideas?

 

[BigMcGuire]

They say that in the help files but it actually works. I've texted people in several different countries without a problem. If you look at the forums and search for international texts, you'll see it works for most countries in the world.

Just have to find the right way to put the number in. For me, to Peru, I had to do: 011511(then their number). Etc...

Once you get it to work so you can send/receive with the international number - add your cell phone to Google Voice's Phones (first tab when you go to settings). And turn on SMS. Then it will create a local number here in the USA that pushes your international friend's texts to you - and you can text that local number from your carrier (to which Google Voice forwards to your international buddy).

 

[BigMcGuire]

So for Italy from USA it is: 01139 + (city) + number. 081 would be Capri for example.

 

[akj27]

I would have given you an invitation had I seen this thread earlier. If anyone else needs one, let me know. I think I got 2.