So if I get the $40/mo plan (1200 mins)...

[lizm]

My mistake; didn't research this properly.

There is this other thread from a few months ago that explains how to get Google Voice to bypass Virgin's voice network and essentially make and receive calls directly through VoIP. It involves an additional app (SIPdroid), and a free account with PBXes.com. The solution apparently isn't as integrated as this one, and a number of people failed to get it to work, but a (rather silent) majority apparently seems to have it working. It has its quirks (IP connectivity is obviously less robust than standard mobile voice coverage), but free is free; you can always use your minutes for those times when data connection is poor.

That's what GrooveIP basically does, just a far easier setup

 

[lizm]

I think that Virgin Mobile does, as it is required by law to allow porting out of numbers to another carrier/operator, and GV is essentially an operator. I haven't tried this yet, though, so I can't confirm.

You can port your cell # wherever you want, what Virgin Mobile doesn't support is forwarding your calls to Google Voice's voicemail rather then its own. Only way you can get Google Voice voicemail is if people call your GVoice number.

That, I hope changes. I really miss having GVoice handle all my voicemails as it did when I was with Verizon. I use my GV # as my work number and my normal cell # as my personal number, so having everyone call the GV# is not what i want.

 

[LGOPTIMUSVM]

I have been using Groove IP on a regular basis and my cell phone minutes stays the same. It is weird. Sometimes I use Skype also but mostly Groove IP for Google Voice. I am not being charged for my cell phone minutes, last month I had used only 3 minutes from Virgin Mobile voice plans, rest of 'em was data plan.

 

[Bautista]

I have been using Groove IP on a regular basis and my cell phone minutes stays the same. It is weird. Sometimes I use Skype also but mostly Groove IP for Google Voice. I am not being charged for my cell phone minutes, last month I had used only 3 minutes from Virgin Mobile voice plans, rest of 'em was data plan.

I am considerign having Groove Ip, but i heard some conflicting story that they encounterd some problems using Groove Ip, i mean, it's not as stable as skype. Can you give me some advice?

 

[Predrag]

I have used GrooveIP for about a month or so, on Optimus V. I live in NYC, where I consistently get 1.5Mbps down, 600kbps up (using Speedtest.net bandwidth testing app).

I wanted to like GrooveIP, because it would have allowed me to stay on $25 plan. It is simple to configure and works as specified. However, there are two problems with it; one minor (which may have been fixed by the developer by now) and one bigger, which cannot be fixed by the developer.

The minor one related to answering calls to your GrooveIP (i.e. GoogleVoice) number. It often happened that, if I don't answer the call after first two rings, my phone switches to my regular phone dialer, the call is somehow redirected to my voice plan and, if I choose to take it, my voice minutes are used, as the call now goes over voice network, and not over VoIP using GV. I'm not really sure why or how this happened, and I wouldn't be surprised if this problem is gone by now.

The bigger problem was the reliability of voice calls over Virgin's (Sprint's) data network. Even with my pretty solid bandwidth, pretty much EVERY call I made over Virgins' network had a very long latency (3-10 seconds). By the time the other party hears what I said, I'm saying something else. Much like talking to Apollo 11 on the Moon. Oftentimes, the audio quality of the call was so poor (dropouts and digital distortion) that it was completely useless.

Bottom line is, while VoIP is conceptually an excellent solution for avoiding voice network and metered minutes, in real life, mobile data networks are simply nowhere near robust and reliable enough for acceptable call quality. The only time I had normal conversations through GrooveIP were when my phone was on WiFi (connected to a relatively fast pipe).

Eventually, I have upgraded to the $40 plan and uninstalled GrooveIP.

Your mileage may vary, though.

 

[mr_malina]

Not true.

I have Google Voice, and I picked up one of their free phone numbers as well. I've set it up so that when I dial a phone number, my Optimus asks me if I want to use Google Voice or not.

I have found that the voice quality of Google Voice is equal to that of a straight dialed Optimus call.

And the kicker is that for $25/month I now also have unlimited phone service!

You are incorrect. Using Google Voice in this method does use our minutes. You will need Groove IP or something similar to avoid using your minutes.

 

[MacFett]

You are incorrect. Using Google Voice in this method does use our minutes. You will need Groove IP or something similar to avoid using your minutes.

This is exactly correct. The thing I love the most about Google Voice, is the voicemail is so much better than VM's. The voice to text translator is horrible though. Case in point, my ex called to tell me my foster son had committed suicide and GV translated it as a very sexual innuendo. I was laughing at the message until I listened to it.