What are the best digital phone options for maintaining a US number while in Thailand?

, they all belong to the same Swiss/EU based company, using the same 'under utilised' Internet capacities and offering calls into US and many other countries at extremely low costs (cents per minutes or FOC). Call quality is great and I use it for all the international phone calls I (still) have to make here and there. There is a Mobile app 'MobileVOIP' from the same company which allows any of their (see above) accounts used on your phone. The various offers differ only in call rates per country but basically, they are all the same or varies in the combination of foc countries. One of the above offers will fit your purpose. As they support SIP services, a small SIP-to-phone box turns your old desk phone into a modern VOIP based phone and works like any phone, it is only you do not need a phone line anymore. Such a box is where you put a LAN/Internet cable in on one side and a phone cable in on the other side and your old phone is back 'online' (after some configuration of the box, similar to a modem configuration).

Not everyone has a smartphone or even internet access. I need to use a phone to call my mother in the UK, she doesn't want or know how to use the internet. I bought her a tablet to use for talking to her sis in Australia and other family members. It's still in the box. Also many business calls still need to be made over the phone, contacting banks, and even if you have problems with companies like FB, Paypal, eBay, you have to contact them by phone and usually a US number. Also, my friend's wire transfer to Blockfoli went missing, and guess what? It was a US number. So there are many occasions when a US number are required or handy to all those negatively responding here.

I have been using Yollo very cheap and good signal

Google voice is free. You get a real us number that can send and receive real text messages and voice calls. Calls to the USA are free. Calls to international numbers cost almost mothing

If you're in the USA, before coming to Thailand, get a Google Voice number.

Voice.google.com

It does require an American cell phone number to set up.

Been using magic app on my phone for 11 years never a problem but jus got an email there changing it up to monthly fees so I'm not sure in the future

TextNow/2ndLine gives me a choice of phone numbers in the USA area code I choose, then by buying the premium service at US$39 a year I keep that phone number. I've had it for three years now, and never a problem. I call through it on my cell phone, and who I call sees it as a US number, and I get no international calling charges. Most other VOIP services only give you the same number for one year, but 2ndLine, when you buy their premium service, keeps the same number year after year. They also have a free option, but if you do not use it daily after a few days it cancels the number and you loose it, having to get a new number. In over ten years TextNow/2ndLine is the best, and cheapest service I have found giving me a local US phone number calling from Thailand, with NO international calling charges, and unlimited calling time.

Skype. Easy. Around 14t bucks a month.

There are times when you need an actual phone number for verification requests. So I get you. But for simple calls back and forth.... Messenger and Line or WhatsApp are free.

Skype. Around $13 per month for unlimited phone calls and a dedicated phone number

Get Line then talk for free

WhatsApp, works like a charm. Free unlimited talk and text. It using any WiFi.

TextNow

pm me

I’ve had, and still have, a Skype number for years and found it useful especially when a foreign phone number is not accepted. But again I don’t know how that compares to other options. Just tossing it out there.

I use Google voice. Receive and make calls plus voicemail and voicemail text.

Zero cost per month for the line after the $20 setup fee.

Excellent rates to other countries (USA and Canadian are free) and can call via any handset or computer.

I also bought a obi200 and use that for a landline as long as I have Ethernet.

Not sure if Google Voice would be a solution.

People just use online wifi calling apps

Try this. I've been using it for a few years now. They give you a free US number so you can call any US number free and better yet people in the US can call you free anywhere in the world and you can also text SMS​ style back and forth for free from anywhere in the world. If your great grandmother lives in the US and still uses a landline, she can literally pick up her phone and call your US number and it will ring on your mobile phone (regardless if you are in Thailand or Peru) as long as you have internet access. It's ad supported but I've never found them to be annoyingly intrusive. You can pay $10 a month to get rid of the ads but I just stick with the ad version. Also works great for OTP / 2FA with your US banks etc. I also have Magick Jack (I've had it for over 10 years) but I always end up going to this app because the call quality is typically much better. Good luck!!

I use a Skype number, not very much money. It will work on you PC or your phone, has voice mail and allows sending and receiving SMS. It will simultaneously ring on all your devices.

T-mobile is usable for internet service and comes with the Phone plan..

Talk on fb messenger. It's free