Google Voice Question

[sternyy]

Sorry if this has been answered, but i did a search and read through multiple threads and im still not understanding or getting a complete answer.

I just got my google voice invite. I choose to create a google voice number. My google voice number forwards to my cell phone number. I downloaded the google voice app. I choose "ask me to use google voice number when dialing".

My questions is:

1) If i use my google voice number to dial out, am i truly using only the google voice number, or does it forward to my cell number and then dial out? In other words, am i getting charged for outgoing phone calls when i use my google voice number to place calls on my droid?

I originally thought that google voice was for wifi. Therefor, if i am on a wifi network, i could place and take calls through the google voice app for free. I guess i don't fully understand how integrated it is with the droid.

I now understand that if people call my google voice number, it just forwards to my cell and I will be charged, but i dont understan how it works dialing out.

 

[joedroid]

Yes you get charged regular minutes for those calls. for example in California, the app calls a 916 number in Sacramento, then connects you.

The best way is to make a shortcut on your home screen with a bookmark to google.com/voice and have it save your login. then you sms or call from that link. then it will dial you and connect. If you have free incoming then your safe.

 

[athflying]

Sorry if this has been answered, but i did a search and read through multiple threads and im still not understanding or getting a complete answer.

I just got my google voice invite. I choose to create a google voice number. My google voice number forwards to my cell phone number. I downloaded the google voice app. I choose "ask me to use google voice number when dialing".

My questions is:

1) If i use my google voice number to dial out, am i truly using only the google voice number, or does it forward to my cell number and then dial out? In other words, am i getting charged for outgoing phone calls when i use my google voice number to place calls on my droid?

I originally thought that google voice was for wifi. Therefor, if i am on a wifi network, i could place and take calls through the google voice app for free. I guess i don't fully understand how integrated it is with the droid.

I now understand that if people call my google voice number, it just forwards to my cell and I will be charged, but i dont understan how it works dialing out.

Google Voice really has nothing to do with Wi-Fi, think of it as your personal secretary or switchboard. It's about having one number that can do everything. You can program certain groups of contacts to ring different phones, hear a different VM message. You can have different phones ring at different times of the day, etc. I personally use it just so I can maintain one number, even when I switch cell phone carriers and I love some of the other featurs (call screening, etc).

 

[sternyy]

ahh that makes more sense... i thought i was getting outgoing calls for free.

Google voice is for me to give out my google phone number. In return, people call me through that number which can forward up to 6 phones.

Currently I only have a cell phone so google voice forwards to one phone. Other than me handing out my cell number to a group of people, and my google to another group, there isnt much purpose of me having it (well, and visual voice mail for my droid).

RE: dialing out...
In theory, i would want to use my cell phone number to dial out to one group, and my google voice to the other group so people dont get confused with the caller id.

Is that the proper?

Also couldn't I set up my fav 5 with my google voice number so i get free incoming and outgoing? I guess im still a bit confused on how my google voice number works for dialing out on my droid.

 

[BlkBear]

Currently I only have a cell phone so google voice forwards to one phone. Other than me handing out my cell number to a group of people, and my google to another group, there isnt much purpose of me having it (well, and visual voice mail for my droid).

Actually having one number to give out (your GV number) allows you to screen calls before answering them, meaning, you can listen the the voice mail as it's being left, to decide if you want to talk to the person right now, or move them to the top of your call back todo list. Not only do you get the caller ID info of people in your contact list, but you also get the caller ID info of anyone calling that does not have their number blocked. (if I read the GV info correctly).

You also get the added bennie of setting up groups on your GV account, so that the people who call you get different greeting messages.

Friends get one greeting, "Hi I'm out at the pub, come join me, I warn you, you will need to do some serious catching up when you get here!".

Work gets another greeting, "I'm sick and can't come to work, there are people here wearing hazmat suits and carrying flame throwers, they say they are taking me to an undisclosed location for treatment, hopefully I'll be in on Monday."

And bootie calls get... "If things are not the correct size/color... I warned you it was huge, but hey... call me when the swelling goes down"...
"If you have a rash... press 1.."
"If things itch/burn/drip/glow in the dark... press 2..."
"If you can start fires or burn holes through 2 inches of reinforced steel plating when you pee... go to the doctor, I had that last week!"

 

[phwaap]

Also couldn't I set up my fav 5 with my google voice number so i get free incoming and outgoing? I guess im still a bit confused on how my google voice number works for dialing out on my droid.

I just got bit by the difference between incoming and outgoing calls using the google voice app. I have my GV number as one of my favs and it works well for incoming. When I switched to the droid, installed the GV app, and set it to use GV for all calls, I assumed the damn app would be smart enough to make outgoing calls using my GV number as well. But it doesn't. So during a 3 day business trip I used around 300 minutes unawares.

I just started researching this morning but it looks like people use the GV dialer or Accudial apps to call their GV number and then make the outgoing call so they are free as well if the number is on a fav list with the carrier.

 

[sternyy]

I just got bit by the difference between incoming and outgoing calls using the google voice app. I have my GV number as one of my favs and it works well for incoming. When I switched to the droid, installed the GV app, and set it to use GV for all calls, I assumed the damn app would be smart enough to make outgoing calls using my GV number as well. But it doesn't. So during a 3 day business trip I used around 300 minutes unawares.

I just started researching this morning but it looks like people use the GV dialer or Accudial apps to call their GV number and then make the outgoing call so they are free as well if the number is on a fav list with the carrier.

I've read tons of threads about this, and most of them say that you have to set your gv caller id to your gv number for this to properly work with vzw for free incoming. Has this been verified yet? There still seems to be some confusion. I dont think i want my caller id to show my gv number because then i wont know who is calling.

I also think i got lost in the reasons of having a gv number when i thought it was a free voip service. in my last post i didnt get all the reasons, but after thinking about it more clearly, and reading more, i do see the benefits of it.