How can I get a Trinibagonian phone number and forward it to an American phone?

May 20, 2008 7:40 PM

Is there a cheap or free way to setup a phone number in Trinidad and Tobago and have it forward to an American number? Skype and Grand Central don't have numbers in that area code (868). A dozen other vaguely similar services don't, either.

The goal is:

Folks in TnT call a number 868-XXX-XXXX. That number automatically redirects the call to an American number XXX-XXX-XXXX. The forward/transfer is invisible to the callers and costs them no more than a local call or is cost-free.

The American phone number is a long-standing one that can't be changed. The Trinibagonian number can be anything, as long as it's a local or free call for anyone in that market. It doesn't have to be an Internet solution. American toll-free numbers are not free in TnT, so getting an American toll-free number doesn't do the trick. Trinidad and Tobago are not participants in the ITU's universal toll-free number system (sometimes known as the Universal International Freephone Numbers).

posted by Mo Nickels to technology (2 comments total)

Do your parents have broadband there? If so you could get two PhoneGnome boxes. I don't have them, but from what I understand you (or your parents) will dial each other's numbers and the PhoneGnomes would sense each other and route the call through the internet to each box. No charge, no monthly. This is assuming they have internet, which might be the problem otherwise you could just skype with them.

It's not exactly what you're looking for but I thought I'd give it a shot.
posted by sharkfu at 9:16 PM on May 20

It's not a family setup. It's a general interest number that anybody might call. It's a number that will be distributed publicly in Trinidad and Tobago.
posted by Mo Nickels at 3:46 AM on May 21