How to have a Canadian phone number which can forward calls to a number abroad?

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Not quite sure why would you need a special device. Anveo (which I use) or voip.ms and a VoIP app on your smartphone/tablet/laptop (I am using Zoiper) will do just fine. A Canadian number costs less than two dollars.

I use this setup both inside and outside of Canada and it works.

Upvote:1

Sure, any Canadian VoIP provider will do. Getting a brand new Canadian phone number from your selected provider will be the easiest, and you can be all set up in minutes (if you use a software phone). Most providers will also support porting your existing Canadian phone number from a non-VoIP provider (takes a little longer to set up due to paperwork/authorization to port; may incur extra fees).

I don't want to recommend specific providers, but you can easily find lists by searching.

You can also use a traditional phone via a hardware adaptor or an actual IP phone (connects through ethernet) if you find it cumbersome to use your PC for phoning.

The VoIP providers don't require that you use the service from within Canada. In some cases it might be easier if you use a Canadian physical address (which can get registered as the 911 location for the phone number) and/or a Canadian credit card.

Upvote:1

There is one more option which is not covered by the other two valid answers but is the one I chose to go with in the end, so it may help others too.

There is a device called MagicJack which interfaces with a wired network via Ethernet or USB and has a telephone port. It acts as an end-point for VoIP calls. The nice thing about it is that it provides an end-to-end service. You pay a fee (currently $39 USD + shipping) and get the device plus one year service which includes unlimited calls to Canada and the US for a whole year. There is a $10 anual fee to get a Canadian or US number. Following that, it cost $36 USD per year or $120 for 5 yrs.

This is cheaper than regular Canadian VoIP provides but more expensive than Anveo, unless you truly use the line a lot. With MagicJack, the cost is fixed, so no need to worry about budgeting. After looking into this for a while, I discovered a number of family and friends which were all very happy with it.

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