Most mobile device users have at their disposal only one or two SIM cards of various operators. But what to do in a situation when you urgently need an additional phone?
It is not necessary to buy a new SIM and free up a slot for it in your smartphone. It will be much more convenient and easier to purchase a special mobile virtual number.
Let’s talk more about what is virtual phone number for receiving calls and SMS, when they are needed, what advantages they have over conventional phones, how to get virtual phone number.
What is a virtual number?
This is a full-fledged number that provides the user with all the necessary functionality (SMS, calls, etc.), while there is no binding to a physical SIM card.
In most cases, services of this type provide several ways to use the number. You can immediately set up call forwarding to your phone number, and forward messages to the messenger or view them directly through the website interface or outdoor tv covers.
You can register a number and terminate the contract online by choosing one of the many services. At the same time, some large telecom operators also provide such services.
Why do we need virtual phones?
Virtual SIM cards are used for the following purposes:
- For registration on various internet resources. Many messengers, social networks, dating sites and other portals require you to enter your phone number when creating an account. After that, an SMS message comes to this number with a code that you need to enter in the specified field. If you do not enter the code, registration will not be completed. The disadvantage is that multiple accounts cannot be registered to the same number. If you already have an account in the right service, you will need a different phone to create a new one. This is where the virtual number comes in handy.
- For business in the presence of roaming within the country. If you and your clients are located in different regions of the country, roaming charges may be withheld during calls. It’s expensive and inconvenient. A remote phone registered in the right city will help to avoid writing off extra funds. Businessmen usually rent rooms for a long period — a week, a month or even a year.
- For the sale of goods through bulletin boards. On such resources, the seller’s phone can be viewed by everyone, which sometimes leads to unpleasant consequences. Numbers leak into spam databases, phone scammers start calling them, and buyers often try to buy goods even after the ad has been closed. A virtual number will help to avoid these problems — after the sale, you can stop paying for it, and then no one will get through to you.
- For traveling. You should not break your head and look for a source of communication in a new country. You can simply purchase a virtual number in advance and stay connected anywhere in the world without roaming and overpayments.
Advantages of virtual numbers
Virtual SIM cards have several important advantages over conventional phones:
- The ability to create numerous accounts. A virtual number allows you to register 3, 5 or even 10 accounts in one social network. This can be especially useful for flash mobs, online advertising and some other industries.
- Protection from fraudsters and spam. Since the temporary phone does not actually belong to you, attackers will not be able to use it to contact you. If such a number left on a trading platform or bulletin board leaks into spam databases, you will not suffer from this in any way.
- Endless free subscriptions. In some music, book and game services, subscribers are offered a trial period of use by phone number. With virtual SIM cards, the number of SIM cards is unlimited, which will significantly save money.
- Free slot. Unlike a physical SIM card, the remote number does not need to be installed in your mobile device. This will allow you to comfortably switch between several numbers on one smartphone.
- Savings on communication for business. Virtual telephony allows you not to overpay for roaming if you and your clients are in different regions. If neither you nor the customers have to overpay for calls, they will be much more willing to talk to the company.
Of course, there are less significant advantages. For example, when using such a SIM card, it will definitely not be lost and will not become unusable. It can also be comfortably transferred between devices with a different standard of SIM card slots.
How to buy a virtual number
To generate phone number, you do not need to go to the office of a mobile operator. Everything happens online. All you need to do is choose a service for providing virtual numbers. Next, we will tell you about the most popular.
eSIM Plus
This service provides virtual numbers for making calls, sending SMS, and using the mobile Internet. The prices are democratic, but the service has a high reputation and reliability.
There are many tariffs that are limited by time of use, countries (one or more at the same time), and prices. However, you can always choose the most suitable option together with the service support service.
To monitor the remaining traffic, you need to use a special application of the service, with which the user receives a new virtual number. After payment, the service will send a special QR code with which you can add a virtual number.
OnlineSIM
An inexpensive and convenient service for online registration on various portals. When using the resource, you can:
- Choose a suitable phone from a fresh database that no one has used yet. The database is constantly updated, and new phones appear in it around the clock.
- Receive and read the incoming message to the SIM card that you have already used here before.
- Set up forwarding of incoming calls from a remote phone to your personal number.
Registration in the service is mandatory — anonymous users will not be able to use the services. Also, you will have to top up your balance before the start.
Twilio
This is a shareware program that works only after registration in the system. To create an account, you will need to specify a work email and a personal mobile number.
On the portal you can find a lot of numbers from different countries — English, German, etc. To get a free phone, do the following:
- Register in the Twilio system with real data.
- Log in with your username and password.
- Launch the “Phone Numbers” tab on the main page.
- Click on the “Get your first Twilio phone number” button.
In the window that appears, you will see your temporary number. The service tries to select phones, depending on the state in which the user lives,
Conclusion
Virtual SIM cards are convenient for different categories of users. They help to avoid collisions with scammers, register multiple accounts in one social network or save on roaming communication services.
To register in social networks and messengers, special services are used to receive SMS messages. They are often free or require a symbolic payment.
If you need a remote phone for a long time, you can try portals for long-term SIM card rental. There, the payment is debited daily or monthly, depending on the specific option and tariff.
You can also purchase a sim from a mobile operator or add a service that connects an additional number to your main SIM card.
