How many people actually use their Google Voice number?

[Britney]

I turned on airplane mode and turned on wifi but google voice prompts me to turn airplane mode off to complete call.

 

[libramanofaz]

if you pay for texting, google voice saves you money. nuff said.

When I had a cheap phone and paying out the ass for the plan, I really wanted it. Now that I got a new phone and an unlimited plan, I don't see the point of having this. That's just my opinion. Still a good concept but I feel there's something big missing.

 

[Shadowtech]

I turned on airplane mode and turned on wifi but google voice prompts me to turn airplane mode off to complete call.

You can't make calls with GV over wifi. All it basically does is routes your nomal calls through your GV number.

In order to make calls over WiFi with GV you have to set up routing through a SIP account. There is a guide/discussion on this here: Unlimited Free Calling with Google Voice - Google Docs

When I had a cheap phone and paying out the ass for the plan, I really wanted it. Now that I got a new phone and an unlimited plan, I don't see the point of having this. That's just my opinion. Still a good concept but I feel there's something big missing.

Same here. It was only $20 for unlimited texting on our family plan, and to me that's worth it to not deal with waiting around on texts or having to go to a webpage to send them.

 

[nycebo]

Now that I got a new phone and an unlimited plan, I don't see the point of having this. That's just my opinion. Still a good concept but I feel there's something big missing.

Same here. It was only $20 for unlimited texting on our family plan, and to me that's worth it to not deal with waiting around on texts or having to go to a webpage to send them.

First off, you can have messages forwarded to your unlimited text account so that you get them instantly. In fact, what I do on the Droid is turn off notifications for Google Voice. Then I activate forwarding to my phone's SMS only and have voicemail notifications emailed to my gmail account. This way I get all notifications immediately.

So now you're asking why use google voice? There's a number of reasons:

1. Calls to US and Canada are free (most of us have the former with Verizon but the latter is a big bonus for me) since I have relative's there.

2. International long distance rates are cheaper then Verizon.

3. I love that GV keeps a log of text messages and voicemails on the web indefinitely. Moreover, I love that I can make calls and send text messages directly from the web site. This comes in VERY handy when you are in a bad service area...like the entire state of Vermont. Indeed, people ring me and I redirect the calls to the house phone while I'm up there. Also, making calls is a snap because I initiate them from the GV home page. Very cool little feature.

4. Complete control over callers. I love the call presentation feature with the options to answer, push to voicemail, listen in to voicemail, or to record. I love the group customization feature so most people don't wake me in the middle of the night.

There's more but I'm getting lazy. Basically, people here are thinking about GV as just another phone number when that's NOT what it is. It is EVERY phone number so you can completely manage your telecom. Change jobs? No need to change numbers...just redirect it. Don't want to EVER receive an unlisted caller? No problem. And, when VOIP is finally released, this system will be the icing on the cake.

 

[messenger13]

Basically, people here are thinking about GV as just another phone number when that's NOT what it is.

Did you read Post #16? You're not alone ... somebody else "gets it".

 

[jestexman]

I use it for VM. It’s on my business card for all business contacts. I use it everyday to forward my office phone to GV so I never miss a call. If I call any 800#s at all I use it, I mean who wants to use the cell phone to call someone to be put on hold for 30mins. Then as Joe says if you don’t like the way the customer service is talking to you, you can say this call is being recorded for quality assurance (freaks them out when the "call being recorded" mssg. Oh and I use it as a toll free calling card from my house. Also gave the number to the mother in law so she can use it to call her mom out of state toll free. Oh and got a GV number for my kid for her phone now i can see all her VM when she gets them. And all her incoming calls are toll free.

I think thats enough?

 

[nycebo]

Did you read Post #16? You're not alone ... somebody else "gets it".

My man. By the way, you just enlightened me completely on rereading your post. I knew that you could press '4' to begin recording during a call but I really never thought about implementation. I LOVE the idea of using it to record someone giving me information that I'll need to retrieve later (address, instructions, email, numbers, etc). Much much easier while driving than worrying about how to collect it. And it's brilliant that it's transcribed.

GV just rocks.

 

[FireChief]

Been a while since I have been on the forum, so late in responding to this question:

I use GV a lot.

- to save minutes on my plan, by adding my GV number to friends/family

- Voicemail. I like NOT HAVING to "call" my voicemailbox... I just open Google Voice on the Droid and listen.

- Call screener. Once I get a spam call, I address that number as "spam: don't answer" then I go to GV settings and have that number go right to voicemail or Block Caller

- I use it for my "texting" program.. I don't pay for a texting plan. (the refresh rate is 5 minutes though, some folks may not like this). With the Gmail, and Google Talk, I am not a big text user.. Most people I know and converse with have smart phones now, so Gtalk and Gmail/Email are what we use..

- For the few people I do text now and then, I like having the option of using the GV web option to send them an SMS. (while at my PC)

- I use the various voicemail greetings. I have different greetings for different groups of people. Work folks here one greeting, friends here another, strangers yet another.. etc and so forth.. I even made a special recording for my mom!

Google Voice is one valuable program for me..

Chief

 

[jxker]

I didnt use it at first as I didnt see the value but now its the number i give out, the screening is good, only people on my contct list and for unkown numbers it goes directly to a voice message for a side business i run...I know it may not be for everybody but it has some cool features

 

[OriginalGeek]

I just got my number yesterday so I'm just reading this thread and glomming all the great ideas. lol

 

[kg6epf]

Basically, people here are thinking about GV as just another phone number when that's NOT what it is.

That's pretty much what I thought. Kept wondering what all the buzz was about having another number. Now I see that it's a lot more than that. Guess I should have taken advantage of the new GV numbers when people were passing them around.

Thanks to all that helped me understand now that GV is much more than just a new number.

 

[FireChief]

Here is a way to use your Google Voice number for business calls.

Let's say I have one phone, and receive personal calls AND business calls on the same phone. But how do I know who is calling my personal line, and how do I know who is calling the business line?

This is where a Google Voice number kicks in:
Set any calls made to your GV number, (which you use as your business line), to ring your personal phone, and then in the GV settings you have all calls made to your GV number show up on your phone AS your GV number on your phone. You won't see the caller's ID, you'll see YOUR Google Voice number. Therefore, YOU KNOW that call is a business call! I do this. I don't care to know the caller ID of calls made to my business anyway. So, when a call comes in and I see on the caller ID my GV number, I know to answer it, "This is ________.. How can I help you?"

When someone calls my personal line/number, I see there phone number. I know that is a personal call.. It works great..

Even better still, if you have a "friends and family" number, which are free calls, you can set the GV number as one of these F & F numbers, and all INCOMING business calls are FREE (they do not count against your minutes). Using my business phone for hundreds, and hundreds of minutes, this saves me a little per month.. (i.e. no need to step up to the next level calling plan).

Hope all that makes sense.. Forgive me if this was explained in another post. If anyone needs any help in setting that up, send a message..

Chief

 

[Bxrider11]

I have entertained getting a ggogle voice number and maybe someone can answer a question for me. I have a NYC number and I do not want to change it because I have had the same number for almost 10 years. I recently moved to Arizona and I want to get an AZ number. Can I use a google voice number and still receive calls from family and friends with my NY number, while getting calls locally from people with an AZ number?

 

[FireChief]

I have entertained getting a ggogle voice number and maybe someone can answer a question for me. I have a NYC number and I do not want to change it because I have had the same number for almost 10 years. I recently moved to Arizona and I want to get an AZ number. Can I use a google voice number and still receive calls from family and friends with my NY number, while getting calls locally from people with an AZ number?

If I understand your question-

Yes, you could. Not sure if the GV number would help you accomplish this, but you could do it this way:

Grab a Google Voice number with the area code of your choice. Then, take your AZ and NY number and forward them to your Google Voice number. Have your Google Voice number ring your android phone. Now, if your 'android phone' is either the AZ number or the NY number, well then, obviously you won't need to forward that number to your phone.

Either way, sounds like you just need to forward your numbers to your phone.. you may not even need a GV number for this..

BUT, I may not understand exactly what it is you are asking/trying to accomplish..

Chief

EDIT: You can get a Google Voice number WITH the Arizona area code.. Keep your NYC number (assuming it's your mobile number). Associate your AZ Google Voice number with your NYC mobile phone. You'll receive both calls (NY and AZ) on the same phone.. and for anyone calling from your area in AZ to YOUR Arizona Google voice number, it will be a "local call."

ONE MORE EDIT: If you want folks in AZ to see an AZ 'caller ID' from you, you can set that up in your Google Voice account. Your Android phone will 'dial out' with your Google Voice number or the number of your mobile phone; your choice on each call made.

LAST EDIT: How in the world did you end up in AZ being from the BRONX!!!?
(I have several friends in FDNY)

 

[gruss]

I have entertained getting a ggogle voice number and maybe someone can answer a question for me. I have a NYC number and I do not want to change it because I have had the same number for almost 10 years. I recently moved to Arizona and I want to get an AZ number. Can I use a google voice number and still receive calls from family and friends with my NY number, while getting calls locally from people with an AZ number?

Yup we do that exact thing, we kept our michigan numbers when we moved here and i picked up a toledo number that points to our cell phones to give out to people. so local calls for our friends back in MI to call us and local calls for our new toledo friends to call us. I think thats what you asked.

 

[jamesdean]

I use it for VM. It