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Anyone using Google Voice for visual voice mail?

I like Google Voice alot. However the visual voicemail doesn't seem to transcribe very well. I can usually get the gist of the voicemail from reading, but most times I end up just listening.

I have the Google Voice app on my phone and when someone leaves a voicemail I just click on it and the text is there. You can also listen from there.

I use GV for texting mostly.
 
Most definitely :) I use it for all my text messaging too, saves me 20$ a month.

Setup is easy. Once you get the google voice account and phone number setup, go into your settings and edit your primary number and make sure the phone type is mobile. After that, just edit the voicemail settings to your desire. Then download the google voice app to your phone, set that up to your liking. It should prompt you for an option to set as voicemail, otherwise just go into your phone settings > voicemail and select google voice as your provider.
 
jcnyc said:
Most definitely :) I use it for all my text messaging too, saves me 20$ a month.

Setup is easy. Once you get the google voice account and phone number setup, go into your settings and edit your primary number and make sure the phone type is mobile. After that, just edit the voicemail settings to your desire. Then download the google voice app to your phone, set that up to your liking. It should prompt you for an option to set as voicemail, otherwise just go into your phone settings > voicemail and select google voice as your provider.
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I've read so many reports online that say you have to dial #*###**blahblahblah, get some phone ID thing from verizon, etc, etc. It seemed horrendously complicated.

But you're saying it's just a matter of switching VM providers in settings?
 
Wargazm said:
I've read so many reports online that say you have to dial #*###**blahblahblah, get some phone ID thing from verizon, etc, etc. It seemed horrendously complicated.

But you're saying it's just a matter of switching VM providers in settings?
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You don't have to contact verizon at all. I used this walkthrough and it works perfectly: How to setup Google Voicemail on Android Phones

Also, the google voice widget is good (would be great if it was 4 icons wide instead of 3) and is a fixture on my home screen.
 
man, I have been wasting 3 bucks a month on visual voice mail, which didn't even work half the time with all the custom roms I am flashing. Thanks for the link, I'm all set up. This is great.
 
I've been using it for over a year. The transcription are usually good for a laugh but usually gets the message across. You can also listen to it.
I also use the Android app.
 
Is there a separate place to have the message texted to me? Is that even possible? I use the app to listen to the voicemails, but was wondering if it sends a text message of the actual message. I just reset it back up, havent done it on the Tbolt yet. so the SMS is my only question.
 
mattbirk said:
Is there a separate place to have the message texted to me? Is that even possible? I use the app to listen to the voicemails, but was wondering if it sends a text message of the actual message. I just reset it back up, havent done it on the Tbolt yet. so the SMS is my only question.
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Not sure. You can have it send you a gmail for sure...I guess you could then use gmail to automagically forward as a text. I would think the widget is better than either one, though. You get snippet of the translation, and you just click on it to open the app.
 
I use it and love it. It is much better than Veri$on Visual VM. Transcription is so so but free is the best part. It's also kinda cool to have two numbers for one phone.
 
Alexander1977 said:
I use it and love it. It is much better than Veri$on Visual VM. Transcription is so so but free is the best part. It's also kinda cool to have two numbers for one phone.
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It's not perfect but it is pretty good. I used to use Callwave visual voicemail transcription when this type of service was rather new. The main value of the transcription service at that time was purely for comic relief. I actually miss the hillarious transcriptions I would get.
 
Youmail is a good app too. It offers transcriptions but only in the pro app. After using transcription through Google, it really isn't that necessary and isn't always accurate.
 
mattbirk said:
Is there a separate place to have the message texted to me? Is that even possible? I use the app to listen to the voicemails, but was wondering if it sends a text message of the actual message. I just reset it back up, havent done it on the Tbolt yet. so the SMS is my only question.
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Yes, Google Voice will send you an SMS of the transcript of your voicemail if you want. And to be clear, you DO need to dial a #blah sequence to set up voicemail on Verizon (one time set-up... it's really not a big deal). The option to select voicemail provider says that your provider does not support just selecting it in the options like the other poster said.

I have been using GV for quite a while for voicemail, and when I recently switched to Verizon and got a new phone, I had Verizon assign me a new number and I ported my mobile number to Google Voice, so I'm using them for calls as well as voicemail and loving the flexibility. I have calls forward to my desk at work during working hours (as well as my mobile) and I get free texting (no MMS, just SMS). Plus, GV screens callers that aren't in my contacts.
 
gaygeek said:
And to be clear, you DO need to dial a #blah sequence to set up voicemail on Verizon (one time set-up... it's really not a big deal)
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Yeah, thanks for clarifying this--I should have been more specific when I said you do not have to contact verizon. What I meant was you did not have to call their customer service (thank all that is good).
 
gaygeek said:
... I have been using GV for quite a while for voicemail, and when I recently switched to Verizon and got a new phone, I had Verizon assign me a new number and I ported my mobile number to Google Voice, so I'm using them for calls as well as voicemail and loving the flexibility. I have calls forward to my desk at work during working hours (as well as my mobile) and I get free texting (no MMS, just SMS). Plus, GV screens callers that aren't in my contacts.
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So, is the free texting and forwarding of calls, and call sreening, etc, only possible if you have your mobile number ported to Google and get a new number from Verizon?

I'm just starting to play around with Google Voice and am a little confused. Appreciate it if someone could point me to a good introductory description.
 
robrecht said:
So, is the free texting and forwarding of calls, and call sreening, etc, only possible if you have your mobile number ported to Google and get a new number from Verizon?

I'm just starting to play around with Google Voice and am a little confused. Appreciate it if someone could point me to a good introductory description.
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No need to port your number to Google. Just get a free Google Voice number, then go into the options of Google Voice from A computer and link your VZW mobile number to your GV number.

Then you have to tell your friends, family etc your Google Voice number. I sent out a mass email and a tweet. So when anyone texts my Google Voice number it comes to my phone (using data) in the GV SMS app.

It took a while for eveyone I know to start using my GV#. Eventually I just had all messages blocked to my cell number, and only use GV for texting.

You also set up call screening in the Google Voice options. www.Google.com/voice. You can set certain numbers to go straight to voicemail which I love.

But there is no porting and you can unlike your mobile number and GV # anytime.
 
SeekerOfTheWay said:
No need to port your number to Google. Just get a free Google Voice number, then go into the options of Google Voice from A computer and link your VZW mobile number to your GV number.

Then you have to tell your friends, family etc your Google Voice number. I sent out a mass email and a tweet. So when anyone texts my Google Voice number it comes to my phone (using data) in the GV SMS app.

It took a while for eveyone I know to start using my GV#. Eventually I just had all messages blocked to my cell number, and only use GV for texting.

You also set up call screening in the Google Voice options. www.Google.com/voice. You can set certain numbers to go straight to voicemail which I love.

But there is no porting and you can unlike your mobile number and GV # anytime.
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Thanks. I guess the porting part is just if you do not want to start using a new number. I already set up the visual voicemail part yesterday. It's better than Callwave.
 
I have read a little about porting your current mobile number to Google. I can't see the benefit of it. It cancels your contract with your provider, eliminates mobile to mobile calling (since It would no longer be a VZW number). Maybe someone else knows about porting to Google.

The free SMS alone is worth the hassle of telling everyone your new gv#
 
arglebargle said:
But the lack of MMS is a serious bummer. It's got me hesitating to do the full switch.
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I had this thought too. But think about it. There are so many other ways to send pictures to other phones. Email firstly. That's a no-brainer. Sharing smartphone to smartphone is no problem.

Even if you are sending to a non smartphone, there is an email address assigned to almost all carriers that allow you to send pics to.

For example, my husband has a dumbphone with Verizon, no data plan at all. I use HisPhoneNumber@vzwpix.com and send his dumb phone pics via my phones email!

Easy! Saves me $20/month! There is a list of all carriers media email address on the net, Google it.
 
arglebargle said:
But the lack of MMS is a serious bummer. It's got me hesitating to do the full switch.
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As for sending videos, same thing. Necessity is the mother of invention. Meaning, you cam find solutions if you need Domshing. Invent things to solve issues if there is nothing available or apparent.

For videos, I send them in emails rarely. Mostly, I just upload the video to YouTube, set to private and email or text the link to the intended viewer. Or just leave the video public and my friends and family can all see it that way.

For some who do not like YouTube, you can get a free dropboc account and create a shared folder. Then upload videos or pics into this shared folder and add people you want to share with.

There's too many free alternatives to continue to give money to carriers for messaging packages that are marked up 1000%!
 
SeekerOfTheWay said:
No need to port your number to Google. Just get a free Google Voice number, then go into the options of Google Voice from A computer and link your VZW mobile number to your GV number.

Then you have to tell your friends, family etc your Google Voice number.
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That's just for text messaging, right? Because for the voicemail, I didn't bother with getting a Google number. I'm dyslexic, and do what I can to minimize the numbers in my life.

When it asked me if I wanted a Google Voice number, I said no thanks, just use my VZW number. That's all there is to it. You call my VZW number, I ignore you:D, and it goes straight through to Google Voice.

I've only been using it for a little while, but I'm really liking it.
 
I use google voice and like it. However, when it is able to transcribe a message ( about 1/2 the time it can, otherwise just say unable to transcribe), it is way off and I usually have to listen to the message in order to know what was said...which is not a big deal, but it would be nice if it did a little bit better job transcribing.

Seems like you have to talk very slowly and clear to get it to transcribe correctly, or with only a few mistakes, and most people do not do either.
 
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