texting without sim card

[shakushinnen]

Hi,
My wife gave me her old phone, an LGk4 (2017) when she got her new one; but removed the SIM card to use in her new phone. I've heard that there are services/applications that will allow me to Text other phones, without a SIM card?
I would appreciate some guidance here. I know very little about cell phones, so ..... please be gentle;< )
Any help is appreciated.
........ john

 

[puppykickr]

Here is what I know from experience.

A SIM card is what allows the device to use a carrier's system.
Cell towers.
Without a SIM, you are not a customer.

All cellphones can still link to any compatible tower with or without a SIM card in order to make emergency phone calls.
Even if a device is locked and not your own (you don't know the unlock code), it can and will still be able to call the emergency number for your area.
(911 in the USA.)

If you want to make calls and/or send texts to your personal friends with this device and use cell towers to do this, you must have a SIM card from a carrier that will have this phone on their system (it is quite old, in tech years).

If cellular use is not important to you, you can use it on Wi-Fi.
This means any Wi-Fi that you can link to- your home, friends' homes, the library, Wal-Mart, McDonald's, etc..

To do so will require an app.
There are many, and I use Dingtone.
Calling and texting is simple and free, you just watch ads to gain credits.

You get a real working phone number, and it works great.

You can have it on multiple devices, and even if you do someday get a SIM and cellular service, it will continue to be useful as a second line.

If you do have cellular service, Dingtone can also work over that as well.

There are many apps that are similar, but I have used Dingtone since 2017 and it has been very good to me.

https://dingtone.en.uptodown.com/android

 

[kate]

If you want to use a real phone number it will depend on where you live. The three apps below will give you a free number to text in the US and Canada without a SIM card over WiFi.

Text Plus
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gogii.textplus

Freetone
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textmeinc.freetone

Text Now
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.enflick.android.TextNow

There are also some chat apps that can be used without a phone number, but they require both people to have the same app installed.

 

[shakushinnen]

Hi puppykickr,
Thanks for the primer. That helps a LOT. The phone connects with our home line, and it also works at the dentist, so WiFi looks like the way to go.
I live in Ontario, so a Canadian app is what I'm looking for. Does Dingtone works in Canada?
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the shortcuts. Do you recommend one over the other two? When you say 'a real phone number' do you mean my landline?
...... john
P.S. I read something about a USIM card. Is that an option for me?

 

[kate]

By real number I mean a 10 digit number that works like a regular phone number that can call and text other phones.

For which one to use - read the description to see which will work best for you. They are mostly the same but have a few differences, for example Text Plus allows unlimited inbound calls, while Freetone allows unlimited outbound calls. They all have unlimited text and all use WiFi for free if you don't have cell service.

If you want to pay for cell service you can buy a SIM card from a carrier that your phone is compatible with.

 

[shakushinnen]

Hi Kate,
Ah, OK, so NOT my landline.
Thanks again.
...... john

 

[puppykickr]

Dingtone will work in Canada.
You will have a real phone number like @kate mentioned with the other apps.

But I don't know if it can be completely free in Canada like it is in the United States.

It would not cost anything to try.

 

[shakushinnen]

OK. puppykickr,
I'll look into it.
Thanks again,
...... john

 

[shakushinnen]

Hi again,
The other question I have is .......... is there a way of setting the USB configuration to "MTP", without having to dive into the settings each time I want to transfer pictures or videos to my desktop? The default configuration is "charging only".
Thanks,
....... john

 

[puppykickr]

Did you change it in Developers Options?

I use wireless file transfer over wi-fi because I have never been able to get USB to do anything besides provide a charge.

https://github.com/nitroshare/nitroshare-desktop

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.nitroshare.android/

 

[shakushinnen]

Hi puppykickr,
Yes, I did change it in Developer options, but it returns to charge only later; I assume when it goes to sleep, or whatever happens when I turn the screen off. I've never tried accessing the the pictures via WiFi.
So, Nitroshare will supposedly bypass the Developer options and allow me to download images, etc. via Wifi?
.... john

 

[puppykickr]

Sort of.
NitroShare will allow you to send the files from one device to another device on the same Wi-Fi.

Use your normal gallery or file manager app to find the files, then Share them to NitroShare.

Then select which device to receive the files.

All devices must have NitroShare active and set up to receive.

 

[shakushinnen]

Thanks again,
... john