Online Number Canada

[FlyNumber]

Do you have a source?

[talbeno]

This is so horrible for Skype here ... but I can't recommend DellVoice. Their long distance is the worst I tried. And I did give them a fair 2 days try with some $ credits. 

If Skype is not providing us an online phone number here by May, they loose me as a customer. Not a big thing, but still.

[FreedomofTruth]

It's very strange that Skype doesn't have online numbers in Canada. They need to remedy that soon. 

[juarezbb]

I've been waiting years now for Skype to get an online Canadian number. The phone companies are charging exorbanent feeds for smartphone use - I'd just like to use my phone's 6 GB data plan for incoming and outgoing calls on Skype. It's quite childish that Skype would leave this issue unresolved for years and years and years - always diverting to the CRTC monologue. The CRTC has responded to the Skype concerns and Skype's dropped the ball in their court. I think I'll be looking at this same thread in 2015 with all of us p*ssing and moaning about how Skype's still not in Canada.

I'll let you in on a little story. There is a credit card reader company in the States that's not a circle (hint). They provide a dongle that goes on your iPhone so that you can read credit cards conveniently and get paid. This is huge for a small business that doesn't want to pay the large fees for a big, klugy credit card machine. I emailed said company as to when they'll be in Canada - and I got the usual response from the robot hoi polloi as to why they can't set up shop here. So another company who's in collusion with a big online auction site, they're introducing a very similar, triagular dongle to Canada within the next few weeks. The moral of the story? Get the job done or somebody else will. 

[LarryBigelow]

All my contacts come up with a 1 before the number - this is long distance & not all are long distance numbers

[AlexanderBell]

I thought it seemed a great idea so my US and Canadian kids could call me while I'm in NZ 3 months/year.  So, noticing it wasn't available in Canada I bought a $70 online number for NZ, as I was reading that there'd be no charge for callers from out of the country. Problem is, even though I have switched my online access thing to "anyone" - the thing isn't working; can anyone throw light on this - if it won't work, I would like my money back. And is that possible? I'd do it right now, as I am a wee bit ticked off. Elizabeth

[carsontwilson]

As a note, if you use virtufon (which works great), you CANNOT receive text messages on it from Skype IF you are in the 604 area code. This means you cannot do the caller ID verification or anything else that requires a text message to be sent from Skype.

I spent almost an hour with Skype's support trying to get this dealt with - unfortunately they never understood the problem and just kept saying they don't support it (which is not true).

This is the email from virtufon's tech support, I don't know how to communicate this any differently to Skype but after an hour of explaning it the agent still did not understand...

Hello,

Thank you fro contacting us.  I'm sorry, I regret to report that the SMS gateway system that Skype uses is unable to route SMS messages (for caller-ID verification, etc) to our 604 numbers.  We've never managed to get them to fix this.  They can reach all of our other area codes, but for some reason, 604 is a problem.  Unfortunately since it's the sender of SMS messages that is responsible for routing outbound SMS messages, we don't have much control over the situation.  Our numbers are globally reachable for SMS, as you observed in your test.  I'd like to see them fix this, but the 604 area code has been a problem months, that we keep hoping they'll resolve -- but no luck so far.

[DAVIDWP]

Thanks for getting to the bottom of this Patti. As usual the CRTC is the problem. Many other countries can work with SKYPE but here, unless it bows down to the Family Compact, it remains outside. I really wish the War of 1812 had turned out differently. It is such a pain to live here with so many stupid restrictions.

[NormanM Moderator]

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DAVIDWP wrote:
As usual the CRTC is the problem.

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Sadly - yes it is. Until the required licenses are issued Skype can't provide the service.

[ishvarcat]

no the problem has not been solved. It not just one problem. There are CRTC rules. 911 access must be available, that's a problem when you are in Europe or anywhere other than canada, and when you are in Canada difficult to route the 911 call to the right call centre. Then, there is a monopoloy held by Bell and Rogers. Under the current rules, Skype would need to enter into a contract with Bell or Rogers, that would cost Skype, and increase rates. It's probably out of the question, we don't want to deal with Bell, you think Skype does? I think we should be taking this issue to Ottawa through our MP's, until they truly open telephone to competition there will be no phone numbers in canada, because the CRTC protects that market for Bell Canada and Rogers. I'm shocked all you people have been sitting here talking for all these years, when you should be doing something about it, write to your MP's. You know the old saying... wish in one hand, **bleep** in the other, see which hand fills up first. Keep wishing if you like, but I'd get onto MP's, tell them you are sick that there is no competition.