Google Voice? Has anybody signed up? Using it?

[skiing-in-jackson]

So I signed up for Google Voice. I played with it last night and it seems to work pretty well. I got a number in the 307 (Wyoming) area code. Is anybody using the service?

What I'm really getting at is that I want to cut the land line at our place. I want a reasonably solid connection to our house. Our Qwest DSL line is up 100% of the time, can I use it as a solid phone connection?

Our communtications inventory:

2 AT&T iPhones
1 seldom used Qwest land line
1 DSL w/ Qwest

There almost always is a computer on at home. Can I use this to make and receive calls?

[Tye 1on]

And just using the iPhone(s) doesn't work because...?

[Patches]

I use it and love it... but you won't be able to get rid of your land line. Its not a VOIP app, its more of a switchboard and voicemail app. It requires that you have some sort of actual phone (land or cell) lying around make and/or receive calls.

[skiing-in-jackson]

And just using the iPhone(s) doesn't work because...?

I'm very impressed with AT&T & the iPhone. I notice that it doesn't have good service around Albertson's over towards the new PO. Sure I'd like to get another iPhone and just keep it around the house or let my kids use it, but I'm not wanting to put all of my eggs in one basket. The other day the iPhones, cell system or whatever was down for about an hour... no calls in or out.

That drove me crazy.

[mday]

Google Voice works great if you want to give out a single phone number that will reach you whether you're at the office, at home, or out using your cell. All configured phones ring at once, and you just pick up the one that's most convenient. It's also nice for consolidating all of your voice mail into a single place, and the emailed transcriptions of your messages are also effective for comic relief. Where I think it falls down a little is if you have multiple people that might pick up a phone call (think home). I don't have my GV number ring there, because my wife or kids might answer the phone before I can get to my cell (seems like this may be less of a problem if there target market is young singles?) Another issue with the current version is that if you call out from an iPhone, everyone is going to store your iPhone number in their phone, and short circuit the benefits by calling your cell number directly. This may be fixed if AT&T ever allow a GV iPhone app, *and* the app ends up being as convenient as using the native iPhone calling interface.

As has been mentioned, GV is not a replacement for a land line, though if you're willing to forgo the reliability of a powered land line you can use a VoIP product on your DSL connection. I use (and love) an Ooma hub, which plugs into my home network and allows me to continue to use my normal cordless handsets. I've completely cut my ties to the local phone company, but I am going to be in a disadvantage if a local disaster strikes, and power goes down, while the phone lines stay up. This is only happened once in the nearly two decades I've lived at my present address, and I'm thinking that cell phones provide *some* level of backup, but the totally risk averse may not want to take this route.

Ooma had a paid 'premier' / free 'basic' subscription model that they've recently changed. I believe that there are still Ooma hubs out on shelves that have the 'free for livfe advertising language on them that are being grandfathered in, but newer models have some level of a service charge to provide dial tone. There are other VoIP solutions that compete with Ooma, but many of them require an always-on computer, which I just didn't want to deal with.

[rideit]

We wanted to cut the land line at the new house here, but being so high up on Snow King, we get shiiiity reception on the cell phones. Kinda blows.

[skiborsy]

I think this is your solution: http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/3gmicrocell/.

Plugs into your internet connection and puts out AT&T signal (850 or 1900 MHz). Only problem is, they've only released it in North Carolina so far, I think, so you'll just have to wait awhile. Also, they're charging a monthly fee for it.

T-Mobile has a similar system that's been out awhile, but it puts out signal over Wi-Fi and requires specific compatible phones, so it's a lot less interesting.

[bc]

I love google voice. I've had it since the early beta days and use it for absolutely everything. I frequently use the app on my blackberry to call any number I want and have it ring the closest landline to me... for free! I love the speech to text for voicemail too. I hardly ever listen to messages any more.

[Tye 1on]

The Micro-cell has sorta mixed reviews if you look around. But there's no monthly if you're on an ATT plan, iirc.
Interesting what you've experienced around albi's, as you can see an ATT tower from there [Reid pointed it out from the ATT store when I was buying my iPhone...] Wilson's where i've heard the issues are, right schwerty? Also heard you can turn the wireless off and get better service, something about it raising up it's wattage while the phone is trying to also? Too hi-teck for me...

[Garrett]

Wow, I need verizon to release something like that microcell. EDIT: I guess they did. Pretty low featured, but it'd let me get texts and calls at home and no additional monthly cost...probably worth the 250 bucks.

Anyone have a google voice invite they'd be willing to part with? I don't get cell service at home and this seems like something that could really help simplify my life. Thanks.

[RShea]

If you want a Google Voice Invite then just go to their site and ask for one. Very few invites now available from those in the program already. They are offering them up in a few days now via an email. I requested one last week and got it yesterday.

As for the use- yes there are a few ways to use the Voice number. You can check out a good article here:
http://lifehacker.com/5311254/how-to...o-google-voice

[Garrett]

Thanks for that, requested an invite through their system.

[Cascadian]

To the OP.

I love it man. I use it for work as my one contact number so people can call me and it rings mobile, office and ski cabin. No one knows if I'm at my desk or in the office. Let me know if anyone needs an invite now or in the future.

[Hugh Conway]

And just using the iPhone(s) doesn't work because...?

Because it costs a fucking fortune?

One number = great

Transcription of voicemails = OK

Free international SMS = FKNA

Interational calling at low rates = better than Skype, but not great.

[L7]

Didn't read all of this but couldn't you do what you want simply using skype? Then you could use google phone to consolidate numbers to one only. I thought iphones in the states had wifi allowing you to use skype right through your home wireless and a computer.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Bump.

So it looks like I'm inheriting my dad's droid 2 when he gets an iPhone. I have a few friends that somehow don't have Verizon, so I wind up going over my text limit. If I have people text to a GV number and use the GV app for texting, do I get around needing a text plan? Does everything just count as data? Does that mean it will use wifi as well? Thanks, droid noob.
Also, how does it integrate with gmail/g chat/etc.?

[ck800]

Bump.

So it looks like I'm inheriting my dad's droid 2 when he gets an iPhone. I have a few friends that somehow don't have Verizon, so I wind up going over my text limit. If I have people text to a GV number and use the GV app for texting, do I get around needing a text plan? Does everything just count as data? Does that mean it will use wifi as well? Thanks, droid noob.
Also, how does it integrate with gmail/g chat/etc.?

Anything that is sent from and to your Google voice number will be free. Be careful though because your phone might sometimes send a text or place a call from your cell providers number.

Also, you can have voicemail transcripts sent to your email. It's not super accurate, but it's way better than having to listening to voicemails.

[stevesmith7]

I have been using Google Voice as my landline for about 6 months. To make it practical you need this:
http://www.obihai.com/
It costs around $50 on Amazon. After you sign up you program the box and it logs onto GV and gives you a hardwired output to all the phones in your home. My wife, who hates to learn anything different, even uses it without knowing it's not a regular phone. I like some of the features it gives including forwarding to your cell and voicemails get transcribed to text and sent as an email.
No one knows if GV will remain free forever. There are other pay services that work with the OBI box so you're not tied down if they make GV expensive.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Anything that is sent from and to your Google voice number will be free. Be careful though because your phone might sometimes send a text or place a call from your cell providers number.

Also, you can have voicemail transcripts sent to your email. It's not super accurate, but it's way better than having to listening to voicemails.

So it's using data? It's not really "free", those bastards made the same $30/mo now only 2GBs. Might keep the text plan and tell my non Verizon friends to use a google number. Or I could just have them text my email address, no? Just had a thought that that seemed much easier (turn off quote previous email, or something, i guess)

[Sirshredalot]

I have been using Google Voice as my landline for about 6 months. To make it practical you need this:
http://www.obihai.com/
It costs around $50 on Amazon. After you sign up you program the box and it logs onto GV and gives you a hardwired output to all the phones in your home. My wife, who hates to learn anything different, even uses it without knowing it's not a regular phone. I like some of the features it gives including forwarding to your cell and voicemails get transcribed to text and sent as an email.
No one knows if GV will remain free forever. There are other pay services that work with the OBI box so you're not tied down if they make GV expensive.

I also use Obihai for my land line. I figure that even if I only get a year's worth out of it before GV becomes a pay-to-play service, that I've gotten my money's worth. The cheapest Obihai box is only 35 bucks or so.

[wantriot]

I'm all in on Google voice and love it. International calls have worked great compared to Skype. Highly recomended.

[bern43]

I use it for texts. I've got one of the older really cheap text plans that I would burn through too quickly if I didn't have google voice.

[yardsale2]

Anyone have current experience using Google Voice in Canada?

[Dshack89]

Not in Canada, but I seem to experience more and more quirks with Google Voice (e.g., sometimes my texts take 10-15 minutes to send). Makes me question how much they are continuing to support it.

Sent from my SM-N970U using TGR Forums mobile app

[Boissal]

I think support has been discontinued for a while, they were planning on letting it run for a couple years after they rolled out Google Fi and that was 5+ years ago...