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Sprint & Google Voice

  • Thread starter Thread starter MarkHirt
  • Start date Start date
gabbott said:
One other issue I just found, the option to require a pin to access VM doesnt take. When you dial your number directly from your cell a pin is not required whether you set to require one or not.
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How about from another line... like a landline or another cell?
 
330D said:
How about from another line... like a landline or another cell?
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Just tested from a landline and in that case it does, which is good. Still would like the option to require one from my cell. Just an extra security measure to prevent callerID spoofing to access account.

I reported it over on googles site.
 
So one thing I havent gotten confirmation of how it works. If my Sprint number is now my GV number and I have GV set to ring multiple lines... if I pick up a call on a phone other than my cell, is it using any of my mobile minutes?
 
Another question for anyone that made the change to use the Sprint number as GV number... When you log into your sprint account do you show something in the top of the info center that says "Your plan and/or services have changed."?
 
Just to add more GV experiences to the thread...

I got the invite last week, and activated it on my account. I already had a Google Voice number, which I've been giving out in place of my primary numbers, so I activated that number without porting my Sprint number. I like having the extra layer of privacy between the callers and my real phone numbers. If I want to block someone from calling me, I can just do so at the GV level, without affecting anyone else.

Plus, being in beta, I wasn't ready to hand my Sprint number over to Google...yet.

I had been using busy/no answer forwarding from my phone to my GV voice mail. When I activated GV through Sprint, I was instructed to deactivate the forwarding. Sprint is now handling it directly. Also, my GV number shows up on caller ID displays when I call someone else.

Like others here, Google Voice became the receiver of all of my SMS messages. The upside: I now get my messages to my Epic, my Galaxy Tab, and through the Web UI, so I can access them from almost anywhere. But like others, I would like to have the option to use Handcent on my Epic, unless the GV app is updated to allow the customization that Handcent offers (like the ability for different senders to have different notification sounds).

So how does MMS work?

I sent two messages from my Tab to my Epic's real phone number, as opposed to the Google Voice number. One was plain text, and one MMS. The plain text went to the Google Voice app, and the MMS was handled by Handcent.

I then sent MMS from the Tab to my Google Voice number. Nothing happened--no error to the sender, no alert to the receiver. It doesn't even get forwarded to the phone's regular messaging app. This needs to be fixed.

It's a good start, and definitely a much simpler process for those of us who have been using Google Voice already. Get some of the messaging bugs worked out, and it's worth getting/keeping.
 
jasonacg said:
Like others here, Google Voice became the receiver of all of my SMS messages. The upside: I now get my messages to my Epic, my Galaxy Tab, and through the Web UI, so I can access them from almost anywhere. But like others, I would like to have the option to use Handcent on my Epic, unless the GV app is updated to allow the customization that Handcent offers (like the ability for different senders to have different notification sounds).
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Checkout post #21 in this thread as you can use a 3rd party or the built-in messaging client.
 
Thanks. I'll try it.

Would also be nice to see Google upgrade their own interface. Now that they are integrating with Sprint, I have a feeling that other carriers will follow, if it proves to be successful. If that's the case, it might be a reason for them to address this issue quickly.
 
I just spent 30 minutes chatting with Sprint, and I didn't receive an answer to any of my questions. So maybe someone out there knows: With Google Voice, calls to Canada are free and since they have integrated Sprint uses Google Voice to handle international calls, so no issue there. The question that I have is when using Google Text will Sprint charge for sending texts to Canada? The CSR told me to test it by texting and waiting to see if a charge appears.
 
downlow95 said:
I just spent 30 minutes chatting with Sprint, and I didn't receive an answer to any of my questions. So maybe someone out there knows: With Google Voice, calls to Canada are free and since they have integrated Sprint uses Google Voice to handle international calls, so no issue there. The question that I have is when using Google Text will Sprint charge for sending texts to Canada? The CSR told me to test it by texting and waiting to see if a charge appears.
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Sorry I cant answer your question but if nobody here can call back.

When I get reps like this, the best thing to do is say, "thank you" then hang up and call again. When you call back escalate to a supervisor.

Also, I've noticed reps on online chat features offer better service.
 
So I just wanted to throw it out there that texting from my pc pretty much kicks ass.
 
CoachEVO said:
I've been reading that there have been questions with Google Voice integration, using your sprint number, and mobile to mobile minutes. I was quite concerned with it myself, so I called yesterday and found out that if you use your sprint number to integrate with Google Voice, our mobile to mobile minutes are still free. Yes, I know that sometimes the customer service reps are...well...unreliable at times, so I took it upon myself to keep a transcript of the conversation. Here is the excerpt in case you are interested. Here is the quote:

"Mobile to Mobile calling is being associated with your sprint number If you
are calling from your sprint number it will free for sure goggle voice service does not make anyeffect on this, Be assured."

If this turns out to be not the case, I at least have some evidence. Just thought I would post this in case anyone else had the same question.
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It has been CONFIRMED that Google Voice Any Mobile minutes only apply to OUTGOING calls. If you receive an INCOMING call from a GV phone, you will have Anytime Minutes applied to your account. Sprint states that they have no fix for this issue at this time.

See, Google Help here: Calls received from another Sprint phone after GV Integration billed as landline minutes! - Google Voice Help

UPDATE: Sprint has indicated that there is no plan to address the issue of outgoing calls on a GV number. Sprint states that if you want outgoing calls on GV, you need to use your Sprint mobile number as your GV number.
 
I activated Google Voice on my Sprint account about four weeks ago. Since that point, I took a very close look at my billing statement since that time, and the few days that I've been in my current billing statement.

What I found is strange...nice, but strange: *Every* call (inbound, outbound, landline, mobile, you name it), is being credited under my "Any Mobile" minutes. I have 450 minutes in my base plan, and since the beginning of the month, I haven't touched a single one, despite having about 30 minutes in landline calls this month.

Trust me, it's a good problem to have! :)

Has anyone else done a close analysis of their own bills, to see if the same thing is happening?
 
jasonacg said:
What I found is strange...nice, but strange: *Every* call (inbound, outbound, landline, mobile, you name it), is being credited under my "Any Mobile" minutes. I have 450 minutes in my base plan, and since the beginning of the month, I haven't touched a single one, despite having about 30 minutes in landline calls this month.
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Hello Jason, this is SPRINT. Could we please have your phone number, account number, address and full name. We will be following up with you....

Well, seriously, my bill had a little more than half the billing on the integrated plan. It operated as expected, unfortunately. All my outgoing calls to mobile numbers were under the Any Mobile minutes. Incoming calls were all under Anytime.

This is an improvement over what I would have had under GV alone, so I'm not unhappy.
 
So I, probably like many others, have some questions about this Google Voice/Sprint integration. So far I am using it and liking it pretty well.

Am i missing an official thread for this? I searched and didn't find much.. Have some questions that I'm hoping to get answers to!

Thanks!
 
Yeah, that would probably happen. :) I use so few of my anytime minutes anyway, so even if the billing does change, it's really not a big deal for me.


Another benefit of the GV integration: I can actually recognize the numbers on my call activity again! Google Voice used to use those virtual numbers to connect your call, and it's those numbers (not the actual destination) that would appear in the activity log and billing statement.
 
Thanks for the link. I did read this thread and the linked one, and other than being able to substitute your own Sprint Number when you make a Google voice call from your computer I don't see any differences from back in November?

It's an interesting feature, but honestly I like having the Google voice number, because I can give that number to work related contacts, and my regular cell number to friends & family.
 
bupolo said:
Thanks for the link. I did read this thread and the linked one, and other than being able to substitute your own Sprint Number when you make a Google voice call from your computer I don't see any differences from back in November?

It's an interesting feature, but honestly I like having the Google voice number, because I can give that number to work related contacts, and my regular cell number to friends & family.
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The difference is you can make your Sprint Number your Google Voice number WITHOUT Porting it. Or you can have your Google Voice number show up when you call from your Sprint phone. Sprint essentially has an integration that gives all users the benefits of Google Voice more so than other Carriers. I agree with you though that I like having two numbers and keeping them separate so it is really just an interesting feature to have.
 
unplugged1 said:
...See, Google Help here: Calls received from another Sprint phone after GV Integration billed as landline minutes! - Google Voice Help

....
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wow what a mess. Sprint should have left well enough alone and never offered Google Voice integration. Reading all the complaints from people who never understood what they were getting into, makes me so glad that I refrained from being a "beta" and messing with my Sprint account to add the GV integration.

I would be ticked if I got calls from people whom I thought were Sprint users and then be billed later due to their GV integration.
 
At this point, is it better to port your number over to GV or just use a separate number for your google voice account (I already have a GV number)?

Since GV counts as a landline, the person you call will always be billed on their anytime minutes instead of free mobile to mobile minutes. And it doesn't seem like Sprint/Google is planning on fixing that at all.

But if you don't use GV, do you still get unlimited text if you get the unlimited data plan for $69.99 a month? Do you get unlimited text to everyone on the Sprint network only, or is it for any mobile number? In which case, you'd use GV for free texting anyways.

What about MMS? GV doesn't have MMS capability, so what would happen if you ported your number over to GV and that's the only number you have? Are MMS included in Sprint's everything data plan, or does it cost extra?

At this point, it seems better to just have a separate number for GV and use the app instead of porting it with Sprint.
 
Hey guys, about to transfer to Sprint from AT&T and I'm debating on whether to port my number to Google Voice.

I've heard several things about the process, and there are a few questions I still have.

1. I've heard that since Google Voice counts as landline, calls with anyone with free mobile-to-mobile (on any carrier) will result in them (not you) being charged Anytime Minutes. Is this true?

2. How does MMS work? Google Voice doesn't support MMS, and if I port my number it will be the only number I have. So how will MMS work?

3. Are there any other downsides to porting to GV?

4. With the Everything Data plan offering unlimited data, calls to any mobile, and texting, what's the incentive to even get Google Voice?
 
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