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Groups > comp.mobile.android > #37253

Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi?

From VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH>
Newsgroups comp.mobile.android
Subject Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi?
Date 2017-01-03 19:04 -0600
Organization Usenet Elder
Message-ID <ed300jFej2oU1@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References <o48rmm$t1k$1@dont-email.me> <ecqrohFesq0U1@mid.individual.net> <o4h4ij$tvq$1@dont-email.me>

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TomR <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> wrote:

> The kid's father does have 
> Comcast/Xfinity Internet service and WiFi.  But, the Comcast account does 
> not have a phone number associated with it.  

From what I understand, you do not need to subscribe to Comcast's Voice
(VOIP) service.  You just need an account with them.  Voice2Go phone
numbers are independent of any phone number, if any, already on the
Comcast account.  

First you need to submit a request to get a Voice2Go phone number.  Then
you wait.  Supposedly they send an e-mail notifying you the status of
the request has changed from Pending to Assigned (or maybe it's
Assignable since it still has been assigned to a particular admin/owner
or member account yet).  You can check on status of the Voice2Go
request.  Once it is Assign(ed|able) then you can assign it to an
account within your Comcast account.  The admin or owner account has to
issue the Voice2Go request and the owner account has to assign the
Voice2Go number to the owner or member account.  Once you assign the
Voice2Go number to an account, you then have to install their Connect
app and go through the setup there.  

No actual phone gets called for inbound calls to the Voice2Go app.  It's
a pseudo phone number.  Incoming calls from any source will connect to
the member account having that Voice2Go number.  Only by having their
Connect app installed and connecting to your account will Comcast ring
the Connect app via Internet (and to your smartphone via wi-fi).  If you
don't install their Connect app, the Voice2Go number has no purpose
(unless you want to configure it as a voicemail-only service and have
e-mail alerts tell you there are new voicemail messages).

You can use any wi-fi hotspot with Comcast's Connect app; however, it
will go over the Internet to connect to your Comcast account.  Voice2Go
phone numbers can be assigned to member accounts.  Presumably the kid's
parents created a member (secondary) account for their kid to use to
keep his e-mail separate from theirs.  If the kid has not been assigned
a member account, the parents will have to do so.  Then after their
request to get a Voice2Go number changes from Pending to Assigned is
when they can assign the new Voice2Go number to their kid's member
account.

https://customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support/phone/voice-2go-faqs/
https://customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support/phone/create-voice2go-numbers/
https://customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support/phone/activate-voice-2go/

I did not check that the web navigation mentioned in their help pages
matches their new and changed "My Account" web pages.  If you can't
figure it out, use their Chat line to get them to guide you through the
process or do it for you.

Just remember that wi-fi hotspots have no where the same geographical
coverage as does cellular service.  If the kid isn't near a wi-fi
hotspot then he cannot make wi-fi based calls (and also not receive
them).  Not all wi-fi hotspots are free.  There are apps to tell you
where are the wi-fi hotspots and which are free and which are paid (or
private).  The parent might want to reconsider not paying for their
kid's cellular service.  What if the kid needs to call home but there
are no free wi-fi hotspots around?  They could use Tracfone to limit
their costs.  If the kid consumed the quota then the kid is shit out of
luck until the parents buy some more quota.  

If the parents add a cellular service to the kid's phone, make sure the
kid knows not to eat up his data minutes with Internet-facing apps.
Something like Google Maps, especially when used for verbalized
directions, can quickly eat up minutes, and anything video related will
suck up the limited data minutes.  Some apps can be configured to NOT
allow cellular data access; i.e., they can be forced into wifi-only
mode.  In the Android's Settings -> Application Manager -> Data Usage,
change the setting to show both Mobile and Wi-Fi usage.  When Mobile is
selected for view, scroll down to each app and tap on it to show its
configurable properties.  One of them is "Restrict background data".  If
enabled, that app cannot use cellular data access to the Internet.  It
can only use a wi-fi connection to get to the Internet.

As an example, I had enabled the "Restrict backgkround data" on the
weather widget.  I was only looking at the weather info when I was at
home or at work both of which had wi-fi hotspots defined so the
smartphone automatically connect to them.  I didn't see the need to
waste cellular data minutes on weather when wi-fi was available.  Then I
went on a 300-mile trip to attend a wedding.  I was wondering why I
wasn't seeing any weather info in the widget.  It was a November wedding
so knowing the weather was important since it was to be an outdoor
wedding.  We got lucky that the day of the wedding got sunny and much
warmer.  Eventually I realized that I had disabled cellular data access
to the weather app.  I disabled that option and, voila, the weather app
updated - but it had to use cellular data minutes to do that.  The
resort was in the boonies and there definitely wasn't any wi-fi hotspots
around (closest was about 12 miles away).  So you can restrict apps to
be wi-fi only.  That way, the kid having a limited quota of cellular
time paid by his parents wouldn't be wasting the data minutes.  Of
course, maybe his parents already pay for cellular service on a cheap
dumb flip/bar phone that they expect the kid to use when away from home.

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Thread

Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2016-12-31 13:01 -0500
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-12-31 13:08 -0500
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2016-12-31 13:27 -0500
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-12-31 13:47 -0500
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2016-12-31 12:15 -0700
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 17:01 -0500
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 00:54 +0100
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 22:03 -0500
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-12-31 20:58 -0500
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? ANTant@zimage.com (Ant) - 2016-12-31 21:02 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2017-01-01 00:07 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? ANTant@zimage.com (Ant) - 2017-01-01 20:21 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2017-01-01 20:57 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 03:01 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 03:08 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2017-01-03 04:37 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 13:10 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2017-01-03 14:02 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 14:42 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 05:02 -0500
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2016-12-31 14:21 -0500
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 19:57 +0100
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2016-12-31 14:20 -0500
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 23:29 +0100
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 18:02 -0500
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? mike <ham789@netzero.net> - 2016-12-31 15:49 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 01:00 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2016-12-31 20:26 -0500
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 00:54 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-01 14:30 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 18:50 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> - 2017-01-01 19:47 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-01 20:20 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> - 2017-01-01 20:59 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-01 21:34 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 03:18 -0600
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 18:51 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-01 11:56 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 03:06 -0500
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-01 14:14 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 18:49 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-01 20:43 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 03:23 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 10:47 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 14:23 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 12:02 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 16:15 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-03 02:48 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 03:04 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-03 02:48 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 16:00 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-04 06:05 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-04 01:51 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-05 01:54 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-05 09:49 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-06 00:06 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-06 00:23 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-06 19:48 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-06 20:51 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-07 13:36 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-07 13:47 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-07 13:37 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-07 13:47 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-07 20:50 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-07 13:49 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-07 14:05 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-07 20:37 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-07 15:40 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-07 21:40 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-07 18:23 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-08 17:03 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Dave Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> - 2017-01-07 23:23 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-07 18:45 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-08 00:59 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-08 22:32 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Dave Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> - 2017-01-09 15:23 +0000
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-09 10:30 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 04:33 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-03 02:48 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 18:14 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 20:55 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-03 21:00 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-03 02:48 +0100
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 18:05 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-03 08:41 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 06:01 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 21:04 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 20:57 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-03 21:00 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 04:19 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-04 10:03 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 21:09 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-03 21:18 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 04:26 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-04 10:03 -0500
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@invalid.es> - 2017-01-03 05:54 +0100
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 20:48 -0500
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@invalid.es> - 2017-01-03 05:48 +0100
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 04:30 -0500
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@invalid.es> - 2017-01-07 22:06 +0100
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Ken1943                     <kenw@no295no.net> - 2016-12-31 11:27 -0700
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 19:57 +0100
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2016-12-31 14:36 -0500
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 23:29 +0100
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 18:12 -0500
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 00:54 +0100
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2017-01-03 16:09 -0500
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Joerg Lorenz <hugybear@gmx.ch> - 2016-12-31 19:38 +0100
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 12:37 -0800
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 23:29 +0100
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-12-31 20:58 -0500
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 14:02 -0500
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2016-12-31 14:53 -0500
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 03:46 -0600
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 23:29 +0100
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 18:25 -0500
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 00:54 +0100
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 22:20 -0500
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2017-01-01 12:12 +0100
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 02:34 -0500
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-12-31 14:08 -0500
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 04:17 -0600
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 08:30 -0500
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 13:23 -0600
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-03 18:18 -0500
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 17:58 -0600
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-04 03:59 -0500
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-04 20:28 -0800
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-01-04 23:29 -0500
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-03 21:56 -0500
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid> - 2016-12-31 16:11 -0500
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Yanis Bernard <YanisBernards_jonque@orange.fr> - 2016-12-31 23:29 +0100
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 19:58 -0800
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 02:35 -0500
          Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 10:35 -0800
            Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2017-01-02 12:28 -0700
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 12:05 -0800
                Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2017-01-02 16:16 -0500
              Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? Piet <www.godfatherof.nl/@opt-in.invalid> - 2017-01-03 11:24 +0100
  Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-12-31 17:02 -0600
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2017-01-03 03:37 -0600
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2017-01-03 13:27 -0600
    Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2017-01-03 16:21 -0500
      Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2017-01-03 19:04 -0600
        Re: Free texting and calling via WiFi? "TomR" <TomR@TomRhjghgl.ncm> - 2017-01-04 15:14 -0500

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