I've recently have been playing around with ways to make free phone calls. The following is a great setup that I have found.
First, get a Google Voice number. Go to settings, and setup Google Voice to forward calls your Virgin Mobile number. Also, uncheck 'Forward calls to Google Chat' (if you don't, this will cause problems). Then install the Google Voice app. In the app settings, check 'Via the Google Voice app' under 'Receive text messages'.
On your phone, go to 'Settings --> Call --> Voicemail settings' and enter your Google Voice number as your voicemail number.
Next, install Sipdroid. When it first runs, it will ask if you would like to link your Google Voice number to pbxes.org. Say yes, it will do all the work for you. You can uninstall this app now if you wish.
Next, go to pbxes.org, make an account, login, go to 'Settings --> Extensions', and change your password to something you'll remember.
On your phone, go to 'Settings --> Call --> Accounts' and add a SIP account. Enter your username that you see on pbxes.org, your password that you created, and 'pbxes.org' for 'Server'.
Last step to make things easy. Download 'SIP Switch Widget' and place this on one of your home screens. Next, on your phone, go to 'Personalize --> Shortcut --> Toggle Google Voice' and place this next to your SIP Switch Widget.
OK, here's how all of this works. You will use your Google Voice number as the number that people call and text. Your contacts will only ever see your Google Voice number, they will never have to know your Virgin Mobile number.
For texting:
When you send someone a text, use the Google Voice app. Your contact will see your GV number.
When someone sends you a SMS to your GV number, you will see the text both on your phone and online via Google Voice. You can also send texts online via Google Voice. No one will ever know if it came from your phone or computer. Note that if someone sends you a MMS (picture message), the picture will be sent to your Gmail account.
For voicemail:
When someone calls you, and you do not answer, they can leave you a voicemail via Google Voice. You can check this both on your phone and on the computer via Google Voice.
For calls:
If you do not have WiFi, toggle the Google Voice icon until it says 'Use Google Voice to make all calls'. When you call someone, they will see your Google Voice number.
If you do have WiFi, toggle the Google Voice icon until it says 'Do not use Google Voice to make any calls', and toggle the right SIP Switch Widget to 'Using SIP for all calls'. When you place a call, it will show up as your GV number, but you will be calling over the internet, and will not use any Virgin Mobile minutes. If you wish to receive calls over the internet, toggle the left SIP Switch Widget to on (green highlight). When someone calls your GV number, you will get the call via the internet (you'll be able to tell, because you'll see your contact calling from something that looks like 1xxxxxxxxxx@67.123.456.789, where xxxxxxxxxx is their phone number).
Lastly, if someone calls your Google Voice number and you do not have SIP enabled, it will be forwarded and ring your Virgin Mobile phone and use your VM minutes.
When I'm at home, I just turn on the SIP. And when I leave, I just turn it off. It's a lot to read, but once it's setup, it's straightforward and saves your minutes. Also, since you're using the native internet call feature on the phone, it sounds a lot better than other options like Skype, Sipdroid, or GrooveIP. At least, this is my opinion. On the other clients, people said my calls sounded terrible. With this setup, no one knows I'm calling via internet. Best part, all of this is free. pbxes.org gives you 2000 free minutes per month.
Let me know if you have any trouble with the setup.
First, get a Google Voice number. Go to settings, and setup Google Voice to forward calls your Virgin Mobile number. Also, uncheck 'Forward calls to Google Chat' (if you don't, this will cause problems). Then install the Google Voice app. In the app settings, check 'Via the Google Voice app' under 'Receive text messages'.
On your phone, go to 'Settings --> Call --> Voicemail settings' and enter your Google Voice number as your voicemail number.
Next, install Sipdroid. When it first runs, it will ask if you would like to link your Google Voice number to pbxes.org. Say yes, it will do all the work for you. You can uninstall this app now if you wish.
Next, go to pbxes.org, make an account, login, go to 'Settings --> Extensions', and change your password to something you'll remember.
On your phone, go to 'Settings --> Call --> Accounts' and add a SIP account. Enter your username that you see on pbxes.org, your password that you created, and 'pbxes.org' for 'Server'.
Last step to make things easy. Download 'SIP Switch Widget' and place this on one of your home screens. Next, on your phone, go to 'Personalize --> Shortcut --> Toggle Google Voice' and place this next to your SIP Switch Widget.
OK, here's how all of this works. You will use your Google Voice number as the number that people call and text. Your contacts will only ever see your Google Voice number, they will never have to know your Virgin Mobile number.
For texting:
When you send someone a text, use the Google Voice app. Your contact will see your GV number.
When someone sends you a SMS to your GV number, you will see the text both on your phone and online via Google Voice. You can also send texts online via Google Voice. No one will ever know if it came from your phone or computer. Note that if someone sends you a MMS (picture message), the picture will be sent to your Gmail account.
For voicemail:
When someone calls you, and you do not answer, they can leave you a voicemail via Google Voice. You can check this both on your phone and on the computer via Google Voice.
For calls:
If you do not have WiFi, toggle the Google Voice icon until it says 'Use Google Voice to make all calls'. When you call someone, they will see your Google Voice number.
If you do have WiFi, toggle the Google Voice icon until it says 'Do not use Google Voice to make any calls', and toggle the right SIP Switch Widget to 'Using SIP for all calls'. When you place a call, it will show up as your GV number, but you will be calling over the internet, and will not use any Virgin Mobile minutes. If you wish to receive calls over the internet, toggle the left SIP Switch Widget to on (green highlight). When someone calls your GV number, you will get the call via the internet (you'll be able to tell, because you'll see your contact calling from something that looks like 1xxxxxxxxxx@67.123.456.789, where xxxxxxxxxx is their phone number).
Lastly, if someone calls your Google Voice number and you do not have SIP enabled, it will be forwarded and ring your Virgin Mobile phone and use your VM minutes.
When I'm at home, I just turn on the SIP. And when I leave, I just turn it off. It's a lot to read, but once it's setup, it's straightforward and saves your minutes. Also, since you're using the native internet call feature on the phone, it sounds a lot better than other options like Skype, Sipdroid, or GrooveIP. At least, this is my opinion. On the other clients, people said my calls sounded terrible. With this setup, no one knows I'm calling via internet. Best part, all of this is free. pbxes.org gives you 2000 free minutes per month.
Let me know if you have any trouble with the setup.