Receiving text messages on a Philippines mobile # while in the US.

[fototek1]

My wife needs to be able to get text messages from MetroBank while in the US so that she can access her bank accounts in the Philippines. MetroBank needs to send the text to a Philippines phone #. How can my wife get text messages on her Philippines mobile # in the US without roaming on a Philippine telecom account?

 

Prior to Covid, my wife was able to remotely access her accounts in the Philippines without need for a text message. We have now spent 4 days at the banks in the Philippines trying to figure out a way to make remote access function from the US again. We head back to the US in 4 days.

[hk blues]

3 minutes ago, fototek1 said:

My wife needs to be able to get text messages from MetroBank while in the US so that she can access her bank accounts in the Philippines. MetroBank needs to send the text to a Philippines phone #. How can my wife get text messages on her Philippines mobile # in the US without roaming on a Philippine telecom account?

 

Prior to Covid, my wife was able to remotely access her accounts in the Philippines without need for a text message. We have now spent 4 days at the banks in the Philippines trying to figure out a way to make remote access function from the US again. We head back to the US in 4 days.

Do you have a reliable family member who you can trust to receive the messages (I assume OTP) - they wouldn't be able to access the account of course? 

[Jack Peterson]

12 minutes ago, fototek1 said:

How can my wife get text messages on her Philippines mobile # in the US without roaming on a Philippine telecom account?

 

 It very much depends on what service you are on, For me, to the UK Globe do not so it BUT Smart do

[Dave Hounddriver]

6 hours ago, fototek1 said:

How can my wife get text messages on her Philippines mobile # in the US without roaming on a Philippine telecom account?

That is not expensive to do and it is how we do it.  Wife keeps her Philippine sim in her phone and at least a 500 peso balance on her account and gets texts for a minimal amount.  The expensive part is if she calls or texts back.  She even managed to register her sim, in the Philippines, from Canada.

Its interesting because the other way around is hugely expensive.  I mean when she uses her Canadian Sim in the Philippines she is charged $15 every day that she receives at least one call or text.  We are thankful it does not work that way with a roaming Smart Sim from Philippines.

Unfortunately, I think you need to set it up before leaving the Philippines, so if you have left already you are out of luck.

[Gator]

Not sure about Globe, but Smart does have roaming agreements in the USA with AT&T and T-Mobile. Prior to leaving the Philippines you MUST send a text to Smart to turn the roaming feature on. Using data and not Wi-Fi send: ROAM ON to 333.  After returning to the Philippines send: ROAM OFF to 333.  
 

And as Dave pointed out put at least a few hundred peso load on the phone (even if not used Smart will eat some of the load). For various reasons I’ve set my PI phone to roam whenever I traveled back to the USA. One catch - the phone must be on to receive any text messages as the messages are not stored and pushed. 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Gator

[BrettGC]

Install Skype on her phone, link her number to her Skype account.  Once done all texts will come through to Skype account.  It does require a text verification on setup though and of course her phone account must also be active.   

[Gator]

Forgot to mention - receiving text messages is free. Sending from the USA costs 18 pesos per msg. Be sure to keep cellular data turned off, otherwise your load will get eaten faster as your phone will ping a server every 15 minutes or so and there is a data charge for each time. 
 

Smart will send you msgs each time you turn your phone on ……”Welcome to the USA, blah blah blah”. Along with ads for various data roaming and other plans (just like in the Phils - endless crap). You don’t need one as I’m sure you’re aware that there is plenty of free and reliable Wi-Fi spots in the USA.  I’d actually keep both my Wi-Fi and cellular data turned off as I only occasionally needed to get sms messages.  

[hk blues]

6 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Install Skype on her phone, link her number to her Skype account.  Once done all texts will come through to Skype account.  It does require a text verification on setup though and of course her phone account must also be active.   

Yeah, I thought of the Skype solution but would you have to remain logged in on Skype to receive the messages or will it store them and display when you log in? Skype has a habit of logging me out if I haven't used it for a while.

[BrettGC]

17 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Yeah, I thought of the Skype solution but would you have to remain logged in on Skype to receive the messages or will it store them and display when you log in? Skype has a habit of logging me out if I haven't used it for a while.

I can't say that's happened to me but I still check.  I only use if for 2FA so I just make sure I'm logged in when I'm doing something that requires it.  Most other messaging is done via FB messenger etc for me.  

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, BrettGC said:

I can't say that's happened to me but I still check.  I only use if for 2FA so I just make sure I'm logged in when I'm doing something that requires it.  Most other messaging is done via FB messenger etc for me.  

Sure, and for most it needn't be an issue as they will be aware there is a message coming and ensure they are logged in as long as they know they need to be.