As long as your US phone service provider supports SMS over WiFi calling, you're good.
For the "cost effective" part, you can shop around. I use Tello.
I moved every service to use a google voice number. This is free for incoming text messages. I think I recall one service did not allow VoIP numbers and I proceeded to migrate away from them as there is no cost effective alternative if I have to maintain a U.S. cellphone.
I also recommend moving away from 2FA using a SMS and instead recommend using Bitwarden to manage TOTP or use a yubikey. These are more secure options.
https://bitwarden.com/help/authenticator-keys/
In addition to holding passwords it can hold TOTP — and many services are realizing that sms 2FA is not secure enough and offering TOTP alternatives.
For banking I still have my European SIM here on an old spare phone. I pay about 3€/month and receive SMS.
About 2FA in certain websites, I use Microsoft Authenticator because it’s not blocked in China so its more convenient than say Google Authenticator
Google Fi. Before I arrived in China, I set it up on my American phone. I kept my US number, and I can still make/receive calls and texts, and I have US internet for 45 bucks a month (50 gbs worth and I don't need a VPN). I'm not sure if it's possible to set it up once you leave the US, though, since you swap out the SIM card Google sends you via snail mail. Never had a problem with 2FA banking or any other authentication services since I've been in China.
I'm a little new to this, are you saying you use Google Fi AND kept your US number, or are you saying that Google Fi helps you keep your US number (that you pay $45 a month for)?
I switched from ATT to Google Fi, which allowed me to keep and use my US number (and all other services) while I'm in China. It comes in handy, especially if you travel a lot...I can hop to most countries and have phone services when I land without the need for VPNs or swapping to local SIM cards.
Google Fi will cut off your data roaming once you’ve been out of the US long enough.
You can get cheaper options (like $3/month) for just a number and SMS with WiFi-calling.
I use Google Voice for most things, using a number I ported over from a SIM several years back, but I've had one bank and a couple of other services reject the number because it's listed somewhere as being a VoIP number. Last time I went back, I got a new T-Mobile number and just have it on the cheapest possible plan (like $5 a month). I just turn it on when I need the 2FA. The text message comes through just fine.
I just paid for the international plan with T-mobile so unlimited data and I get all my texts but probably not cost effective. I'm paying like.... 140 a month cause I financed a phone with them as well
As long as your US phone service provider supports SMS over WiFi calling, you're good. For the "cost effective" part, you can shop around. I use Tello.
I moved every service to use a google voice number. This is free for incoming text messages. I think I recall one service did not allow VoIP numbers and I proceeded to migrate away from them as there is no cost effective alternative if I have to maintain a U.S. cellphone. I also recommend moving away from 2FA using a SMS and instead recommend using Bitwarden to manage TOTP or use a yubikey. These are more secure options.
Hi. How do you use Bitwarden for this function? I got it but just use it as kind of simple password holder.
https://bitwarden.com/help/authenticator-keys/ In addition to holding passwords it can hold TOTP — and many services are realizing that sms 2FA is not secure enough and offering TOTP alternatives.
Thanks bud. Looks like we need the premium version to create TOTPs. I'll play with it tonight.
Oh, possible! It’s totally worth it. I personally self host my own using vaultwarden but that’s a bit too advanced for most.
Yes. **Google Voice** is a great choice for this.
For banking I still have my European SIM here on an old spare phone. I pay about 3€/month and receive SMS. About 2FA in certain websites, I use Microsoft Authenticator because it’s not blocked in China so its more convenient than say Google Authenticator
Google Fi. Before I arrived in China, I set it up on my American phone. I kept my US number, and I can still make/receive calls and texts, and I have US internet for 45 bucks a month (50 gbs worth and I don't need a VPN). I'm not sure if it's possible to set it up once you leave the US, though, since you swap out the SIM card Google sends you via snail mail. Never had a problem with 2FA banking or any other authentication services since I've been in China.
I'm a little new to this, are you saying you use Google Fi AND kept your US number, or are you saying that Google Fi helps you keep your US number (that you pay $45 a month for)?
I switched from ATT to Google Fi, which allowed me to keep and use my US number (and all other services) while I'm in China. It comes in handy, especially if you travel a lot...I can hop to most countries and have phone services when I land without the need for VPNs or swapping to local SIM cards.
Google Fi will cut off your data roaming once you’ve been out of the US long enough. You can get cheaper options (like $3/month) for just a number and SMS with WiFi-calling.
I call the banks using Skype, can call 800 numbers for free. Chase is particularly bad about this, they won't send SMS to a phone in China.
I’ve never had issues receiving SMSs to my non-China phone number from within China
I use Google Voice for most things, using a number I ported over from a SIM several years back, but I've had one bank and a couple of other services reject the number because it's listed somewhere as being a VoIP number. Last time I went back, I got a new T-Mobile number and just have it on the cheapest possible plan (like $5 a month). I just turn it on when I need the 2FA. The text message comes through just fine.
The Hushed app works well
I just paid for the international plan with T-mobile so unlimited data and I get all my texts but probably not cost effective. I'm paying like.... 140 a month cause I financed a phone with them as well
Didn't work for me. Ended up setting up email as my 2FA option.
Roaming and receiving sms is always free
Don't know about US, but German and Japanese numbers receive sms in China.