Help: Non-shortcode incoming virtual SMS numbers

I got this question in a few days from a regular reader by the name of Nigel.

Dear Ewan,

Do you know any providers of non-shortcode based virtual sms numbers for recieving SMS?

So a local virtual mobile number for the UK, France, Spain, etc?

I can’t seem to find any providers?

Thanks,
Nigel

I’ve used the services of FastSMS regularly for some of the businesses and projects I’ve been working on recently. I only needed UK +44 mobile numbers though. It’s £99 for the year per number — which enables you to easily do two-way SMS (Here’s their product page). Their API is nice, simple, easy to integrate.

I’ve also had a lot of success with iTAGG — they even provide some useful code samples — but their primary business is based on shortcode/keyword traffic, not necessarily what you’re looking for Nigel. I use iTAGG a lot for outgoing traffic myself.

Does anyone have some good suggestions for Nigel? I think he might struggle to obtain French/Spanish numbers — at least, the last time I tried to find any providers (and this was a few years ago), I wasn’t at all successful and ended up having to use hosted sim cards (which does work, but is a bit rubbish!)