Digital communication issues in China, Issue # 2

[danb]

Hello. Not quite sure if I should make a separate topic or a post under my original Digital Communication topic. It is a communication problem but it is different. So either way works for me but I was hoping to get a response.

 

So I bought a new tracphone. It is a smartphone, Has 360 days of use tied to it. It is an LG android. I activated it about 2 months ago. Mostly a toy for me. I want to use it for when I am exercising or taking the phone somewhere I wont mind dropping it...too much. So it is now play time. I am in China. I want to know if I can use tracphone in China. Offhand I am sure that I cant just turn it on in China and use it. Just tried it and it says " Emergency Calls only." A techie at work was talking about helping set up his father's phone in the states and his father's friends in Italy so that they all can talk on their normal phones via wifi. I want to know how to do that. Regrettably I did not get enough details. Has anyone done that? Make my Phone use wifi instead of over the airwaves in China..or in Italy or even the US? It is kinda fuzzy to me about how I tie my Trachphone phone number to anything. Anyone ever do this? Danb

[Randy W]

Your cell phone has two entirely different connections - one is to the cell phone network through the SIM card. This is through a cell phone provider, who assigns it a phone number. This is where you get the "Emergency Calls only" notification. To use this connection (and the phone number), you will need to either pay roaming charges, or get a new local (Chinese) SIM card which will give you a different number.

 

The other connection is through the WiFi. To make phone calls over a WiFi connection, you will need a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) provider, such as Skype. A VoIP provider converts your voice to IP (Internet Protocol) to transmit it over the Internet, where it will be inter-mixed with everyone else's digital communications.

 

I've had Skype for as long as I've been in China. Until a few years ago, I had to wait until late at night to make a phone call (the throughput couldn't handle the needed speed). Now, it's usually no problem.

 

Your VoIP provider will assign you a different phone number. You simply connect to their web site and dial the number, including a country code. With Skype, the call can be placed from any country. Typically, I will call a U.S. number from China. The Skype Internet carries the call to the United States, where it is placed over American phone calls, bypassing the Chinese phone system entirely. There is no extra charge for International or long distance calls.

[danb]

I have heard of Skype and of VoIP. I know just a little about them but definitely no working knowledge of them. I will do an internet search on them. So it sounds like to do phone calling to and from the states then I will have to use a different phone number. Can I request one that will have with the same area code of the area that I live in the states? Dont want to have a China area code at the moment. I just check my AT&T and trac phones. My AT&T has Skype on it already. Just needs to be set-up? The tracphone does not have Skype on it. I would have to download it first, I am guessing. On my AT&T phone I have in settings under Connections wi fi calling. Clicking on that leads me to a legal statement.I am going to read that now. So now is time for me to search the net for Skype and VoIP and also read the AT&T legal statement. Will Skype (if installed and activated) on my AT&T phone, use my AT&T stateside phone number? That would be nice. I then could access my voicemail and messages via the internet for free...I think. I will be back.

[Randy W]

I have heard of Skype and of VoIP. I know just a little about them but definitely no working knowledge of them. I will do an internet search on them. So it sounds like to do phone calling to and from the states then I will have to use a different phone number. Can I request one that will have with the same area code of the area that I live in the states? Dont want to have a China area code at the moment. I just check my AT&T and trac phones. My AT&T has Skype on it already. Just needs to be set-up? The tracphone does not have Skype on it. I would have to download it first, I am guessing. On my AT&T phone I have in settings under Connections wi fi calling. Clicking on that leads me to a legal statement.I am going to read that now. So now is time for me to search the net for Skype and VoIP and also read the AT&T legal statement. Will Skype (if installed and activated) on my AT&T phone, use my AT&T stateside phone number? That would be nice. I then could access my voicemail and messages via the internet for free...I think. I will be back.

Skype allows you to choose an area code and available phone number. Mine is in New York - where my mailing address was at the time.

 

Access to your AT&T voicemail and messages would need to be provided by AT&T, so yes, check the AT&T WiFi calling connection.

[Randy W]

I am now checking out Anveo as a possible alternative. It looks like I can buy a phone number for a $10 activation fee, and then $2 a month.They then charge calling card-like fees for phone calls, SMS's, incoming and outgoing faxes, and choice of landline or cell numbers.

Bank of America sends security codes to cell numbers only, so this will be a necessity if they end use of their Safepass card. TDAmeritrade has required faxes for secure messages, so that might be useful as well. I'll have to see how calls work - they have a "web app" where you give them both your calling number and the number you're calling, and they connect the two parties. So I expect that would include charges for a "call to China" to connect to my phone at the calling card rates. But their mobile app is a "mobile app builder" (I expect geared for business use), so I'll have to see what that means.

They look like a full service phone company that supports full PBX-like set-ups for businesses, so it may just work out, albeit fairly cryptically.

Payment is through PayPal, with only payments in multiples of $15 allowed. At 3 months minimum, that means you would have to contribute $30 to cover the $16 minimum for a phone number.

In making the payment, I had to submit a selfie of my passport, and a video of myself authorizing the payment through their website. They also took my location information. Interesting security there.

Their website is at https://www.anveo.com/enter.asp

Edited May 6, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

Thanks for placing your call with us.
Your phone will ring shortly

It didn't.

It looks like they only handle a handful of exchanges in China, and mine isn't one of them. I have a support ticket in - I'll see what they say.

To make a phone call, you go to their web call page, and enter your (from) phone number, along with the number you want to call. They first call you, and then patch you through to the number you are calling. Apparently no VoIP involved. The only exchanges listed for China Telecom are 133, 187, and 189 (mine is 181).

The call progress monitor just hung like this

But I also found that this service WORKS and is NECESSARY for my Bank of America SafePass function (to wire money to myself), since they are phasing out the SafePass cards. My existing card is showing "LobAtt", and apparently can't be replaced.

One of the reviews said of Anveo, 

Quote

Another problem resulting from the verbiage conveyed by the website is that it neglects the home consumer market. Realistically, many home consumers could benefit from the low cost (i.e. almost free) solutions offered by the company but this capability is not expressed in a language that is easy to understand for the average consumer.

If it works for you, it may be a good deal. For me, it looks like a not-out-of-the-ballpark-in-terms-of-cost solution for wiring money.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

I have a call ticket in for this - it is now working from an SIP (Internet Session Initiation Protocol) phone. This saves one of the two connections which are needed for a web call, so this may be the solution I need for phone calls.

To use your PC as an SIP device, download PhonerLite (free) and connect it to your Anveo or other provider's account.

Your cell phone can use an app such as Zoiper to do the same thing, but with a $10.99 annual fee.

I'll still have to decide if I can replace Skype with this, but, if I do, I can port that same number to Anveo.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)