How do I forward messages from my US Verizon number?

November 16, 2015 10:04 PM

I have an US Verizon number and want to forward them to me in Sydney.

I am stumped by this one.

*I have a US Verizon number that I want to keep.
*I want to forward SMS messages and iMessages from that number to either my email or new international Australian number.
*No preference on how they get forwarded - email, to my new AUS number, whatever.
*I prefer to do it through Twilio. I have an account with them. Do I need to port?
*If I port, does that mean I have effectively ended that number?
*How can I port if I am out of the US? Are there any workarounds?

I am not a technical person but I find this process super confusing, so ideally you can explain it to me like a ten year old.

posted by pando11 to Technology (2 answers total)

If you port out, that means Verizon no longer operates that number for you, your new provider does. You can port from any physical location, it is your number that gets dealt with not you personally. The whole process is electronic.

I recommend turning off iMessage (so all messages to your number will go as regular SMS/MMS) and then porting to a service like ring.to or Google Voice. They don't forward; the messages will show up in the app or website for that service and you can reply or send new messages from there. I have a few numbers parked at ring.to and they've worked well for me, as did Google Voice (before I moved away from all things Google a few months ago).
posted by fireoyster at 12:17 AM on November 17, 2015

To add on, the way a port works is you tell your new provider, "I want you to service this number for me, can you do it?" If they say yes, you tell them your current account information so they can tell your old provider that you are verified as being you. Your new and old providers then work out the move of the number between them and you are given a date for when your number will be on your new provider versus your old one.

Porting out does cancel service on your number from your old provider. If you are on a family plan with your old provider, the other numbers are usually unaffected.
posted by fireoyster at 12:20 AM on November 17, 2015