Need help with the whole google voice/voicemail thing

[brnr17]

Hey guys, I did a search and can't seem to find the answer and just get confused. I've seen people talking about google's visual voicemail. I dont want to use a google number or any other features with the google calling plan. All i want it to get an sms transcription of what my voicemails are. Is it possible to ONLY have that part of it set up with my existing verizon number? thanks in advance, Mat

 

[cvam1985]

Hey guys, I did a search and can't seem to find the answer and just get confused. I've seen people talking about google's visual voicemail. I dont want to use a google number or any other features with the google calling plan. All i want it to get an sms transcription of what my voicemails are. Is it possible to ONLY have that part of it set up with my existing verizon number? thanks in advance, Mat

This is what I do as well (though I also use GV SMS occasionally - only a few people have my GV number for that)

Log into GV on your computer.

Go to Settings > Phones > Mobile > Activate Google voicemail on this phone

Dial the number it gives you.

All done! You can use the GV app to access the voice mail, or you can dial your Google Number to do it - though with this way you don't see the transcription.

I love GV Voicemail - not only for the transcriptions but also for the personalized messages. Callers I don't want to contact me anymore can get the "The number you have dialed has been disconnected" message

 

[brnr17]

This is what I do as well (though I also use GV SMS occasionally - only a few people have my GV number for that)

Log into GV on your computer.

Go to Settings > Phones > Mobile > Activate Google voicemail on this phone

Dial the number it gives you.

All done! You can use the GV app to access the voice mail, or you can dial your Google Number to do it - though with this way you don't see the transcription.

I love GV Voicemail - not only for the transcriptions but also for the personalized messages. Callers I don't want to contact me anymore can get the "The number you have dialed has been disconnected" message

forgive me for being dull here but how do i log into google voice on my computer? when i search it i keep seeing your need an invite for it .. is that correct?

and do i have to set up a google number when i just want transcriptions for my verizon #?

 

[cvam1985]

forgive me for being dull here but how do i log into google voice on my computer? when i search it i keep seeing your need an invite for it .. is that correct?

and do i have to set up a google number when i just want transcriptions for my verizon #?

Ah I misunderstood, I thought you already had GV.

Yes you do need an invite. If I had any left I'd be glad to give you one...post on some forums and politely ask for one - or, ask Google for one and wait patiently.

It's definately worth it.

Setting up a Google number is not mandatory, but I highly recommend it. You don't have to give it to anyone - but it's always nice to have another number, or the option in the future to use it.

And I am quite sure a Google number is NOT needed if you just want to use GV Voicemail on your regular number.

 

[brnr17]

Ah I misunderstood, I thought you already had GV.

Yes you do need an invite. If I had any left I'd be glad to give you one...post on some forums and politely ask for one - or, ask Google for one and wait patiently.

It's definately worth it.

Setting up a Google number is not mandatory, but I highly recommend it. You don't have to give it to anyone - but it's always nice to have another number, or the option in the future to use it.

And I am quite sure a Google number is NOT needed if you just want to use GV Voicemail on your regular number.

haha well after my last post i had a notification. google just sent me one so that worked out rather nicely! so i followed the link in the email and it took me to my inbox saying

"Welcome to Google Voice. You have now set up your cell phone to use Google for your voicemail. Every time you miss a call on your cell phone, Google Voice will record the voicemail, transcribe it to text and send it to you as an email and an SMS. They will also be saved online just like email. Of course, you can always listen to your messages by calling the access number shown at the top of your account, so you may want to save that number to your phone's speed dial list. We hope you enjoy Google Voice."

now if i only want the sms and not the email how do i go about changing those settings? im confused if im supposed to be doing this on my phone or computer. Do i need to do anything at all on my phone to set it up for this?
Thanks for the patience .. believe me it's appreciated!

 

[cvam1985]

haha well after my last post i had a notification. google just sent me one so that worked out rather nicely! so i followed the link in the email and it took me to my inbox saying

"Welcome to Google Voice. You have now set up your cell phone to use Google for your voicemail. Every time you miss a call on your cell phone, Google Voice will record the voicemail, transcribe it to text and send it to you as an email and an SMS. They will also be saved online just like email. Of course, you can always listen to your messages by calling the access number shown at the top of your account, so you may want to save that number to your phone's speed dial list. We hope you enjoy Google Voice."

now if i only want the sms and not the email how do i go about changing those settings? im confused if im supposed to be doing this on my phone or computer. Do i need to do anything at all on my phone to set it up for this?
Thanks for the patience .. believe me it's appreciated!

It's my pleasure, GV was extremely confusing for me at first.

Changing GV settings needs to be done on your computer. I honestly don't know if the app (downloaded from the market - or maybe it came preloaded on your phone?) lets you change these settings.

Go to google.com/voice and log in

Click settings > Voicemail & SMS

Under the Voicemail Notifications listing you can there change how you are notified.

The GV App on your phone will also notify you if you want. However, my experience is that it is TERRIBLE for notifications, and I only use the app to listen/read my voice mails.

 

[brnr17]

It's my pleasure, GV was extremely confusing for me at first.

Changing GV settings needs to be done on your computer. I honestly don't know if the app (downloaded from the market - or maybe it came preloaded on your phone?) lets you change these settings.

Go to google.com/voice and log in

Click settings > Voicemail & SMS

Under the Voicemail Notifications listing you can there change how you are notified.

The GV App on your phone will also notify you if you want. However, my experience is that it is TERRIBLE for notifications, and I only use the app to listen/read my voice mails.

ok cool, i've got that done now so i should only receive sms transcribed messages on my phone with those settings. So do i also need the google voice app from the market downloaded for this to work or not?
also, when someone calls me now and the notification pops up i have a new voicemail will i still be able to call it from my phone?
i guess im just confused on how these both interchange with each other!

 

[cvam1985]

Features: The 'Voicemail Access' option

With Google Voice, you're able to decide which phones will require entering your PIN to access Google voicemail when dialing your voicemail access number from these phones.
Only phones that you have registered in your account will connect directly to your Google voicemail when calling your voicemail access number. You may or may not have to enter your PIN once connected to Google voicemail, depending on the settings you've chosen.
If you wish to change the default settings for the phones you have registered to, follow these steps:
Click Settings at the top of the page.
Select the Phones tab.
Select the Edit button under the phone for which you wish to change voicemail settings.
In the Voicemail Access section:
If you select 'PIN required', when you call your Google voicemail access number from that phone, you will be directed to your voicemail menu and be prompted to enter your PIN.
If you select 'PIN not required,' when you call your Google voicemail access number from that phone, you will be within the Google voicemail system without entering your PIN.
From any phone dial one of the phones of have registered in Google Voice, as you hear your Google voicemail greeting, Press the * key to access the Google voicemail system. In this case, you will have to enter your PIN to access your messages.

Since I don't use an "access number" to get my GV Voicemail, I can't tell you how that works....But I'm sure if you follow those steps it'll do just fine.

The App is only REQUIRED if you want to send SMS from your GV account on your phone or you want to make telephone calls using your GV number (which it seems you would not do either)

I personally like to use the App for my voicemail access because it's visual. I hate dialing in for voicemail.

 

[brnr17]

alright... i got it working just like i'd want it to now. when someone calls and leaves a voicemail the only notification i get is an sms with the transcription. however, when i called in to hear it, it said it was from an unknown caller when i called from my gf's phone. why would it not know who the caller was?

 

[acjohnson55]

I'm really interested in trying this. Does anyone have a spare invite? PM if you can help a brother out