Google Voice - how reliable is it?

[s1njin]

Just ordered my Motorola Droid (yay!) - should be in my hands tomorrow.

I am absolutely going to use my Google Voice for texting (hey, its free). I'm considering using it as my primary number too.

My question: How reliable is Google Voice w/ texting and calls? Any reason NOT to go ahead this route?

I was always going to use it for text (I understand they are instant now), but for ease of communicating w/ my friends and family I'm also considering giving out my number for calls as well.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AndroidsOfTara]

I have been using GV exclusively for all calls, voice mail and SMS since November 2009. It works perfectly and gives me complete control over who can contact me and how they do it.

The only thing that does not work now is MMS. MMS sent to a GV number disappears into the void (you won't know that someone sent you MMS).

 

[s1njin]

I have been using GV exclusively for all calls, voice mail and SMS since November 2009. It works perfectly and gives me complete control over who can contact me and how they do it.

The only thing that does not work now is MMS. MMS sent to a GV number disappears into the void (you won't know that someone sent you MMS).

While MMS is pretty cool, free trumps cool in my book. Hopefully Google will figure out a way to upgrade this feature. Psyched to hear the service as a whole has been great for you.

 

[takeshi]

How reliable is Google Voice w/ texting and calls?

Very reliable in my experience.

Any reason NOT to go ahead this route?

If GV's features don't meet your needs. Or if you're one of those that has a strong attachment to your existing number.

 

[Clementine_3]

I've only been using GV for a short time now but love it. I use it exclusively for messaging and do give the number to people not on Verizon (or when putting info on orders/forms etc.), it's worked well so far.
I don't worry about the random MMS, I've told folks to send those to my email if they have to send it, sometimes they just send to my VRZ number...a few here and there won't kill the bill
My son is also using GV, between the 2 lines I'm saving a lot each month...and saving is good!
Overall though, GV is great and I haven't seen a reason not to use for everything.

 

[s1njin]

Very reliable in my experience.


If GV's features don't meet your needs. Or if you're one of those that has a strong attachment to your existing number.

No attachement to my number - its brand new service so if ever there is a time to switch, it would be now.

 

[mswhite60]

...and their voice to text feature provides a lot of entertainment. 'Try to guess what the message *really* was."

 

[SinfulDragon]

Golden and as mentioned, its a riot to read what they think your VM says

 

[Haywire]

the only thing I wish was there was an easier way to clear out the SMS inbox, I've got something like 323 messages and would like to delete them but it looks like you have to do it one by one.I've tried looking into clear cache but that doesn't appear to be an option for gv. I've stopped giving my verzion number along time ago, it really works great.

 

[s1njin]

the only thing I wish was there was an easier way to clear out the SMS inbox, I've got something like 323 messages and would like to delete them but it looks like you have to do it one by one.I've tried looking into clear cache but that doesn't appear to be an option for gv. I've stopped giving my verzion number along time ago, it really works great.

Thanks for your input.

RE: messages I just use the web interface on my desktop computer and batch select (what is it, 40 or 50 a clip?) and wipe them out that way.

 

[Haywire]

but don't they still stay on the phone?

 

[DrScrubs]

but don't they still stay on the phone?

Nope. Make sure to check "Sync Inbox" in Settings> Refresh and Notification. Whatever you do on the browser will happen on your phone as well.

Sent Using Tapatalk

 

[s1njin]

but don't they still stay on the phone?

Not sure - I'm going to set mine up to NOT go into the messaging app but stay in the GV app.

 

[snowman9031]

Golden and as mentioned, its a riot to read what they think your VM says

This is truly the best feature

 

[shadowdude777]

I've used Google Voice exclusively as both my primary calling number and for texting since November 2009 as well (when the Droid was first released). It's incredibly reliable, even moreso now that there's no refresh interval and it's actually push. It's actually better than the standard Verizon texting and calling features; visual voicemail (which as everyone said is only mildly useful and VERY entertaining) and the ability to use the web interface to manage texts, voicemails, and contacts. The only missing feature is MMS and I never used that anyway, so whatever.

 

[obutto]

The push is not always very fast, sometimes I get my texts only when I manually refresh, but for the most part its amazing. Saves so much money, I just need to get all my friends to text it instead.

 

[SSinisterSS]

i just got into GV, whats the hype over the VVM being entertaining? i wanna try it out.

 

[DrScrubs]

If you are using Ultimate Juice Defender or any other app that turns off your data to conserve battery GV text push will not work. GV uses data to text, which is why it is free, and anything that kills data (phone calls, poor service, the app I mentioned) will mess with it.

The VVM is entertaining because the transcription from voice to text isn't perfect and you get some pretty funny messages.

 

[s1njin]

If you are using Ultimate Juice Defender or any other app that turns off your data to conserve battery GV text push will not work. GV uses data to text, which is why it is free, and anything that kills data (phone calls, poor service, the app I mentioned) will mess with it.

The VVM is entertaining because the transcription from voice to text isn't perfect and you get some pretty funny messages.

Thanks for that tip !!!!

 

[skilaufen]

I love my GV. One thing that is a big help is if you have a circle or top ten people (ie: favorites list) make the number your phone calls for outgoing GV calls one of them so you don't burn minutes. For Verizon that is the 1400 minute family share plan and up. Don't know what the individual plan threshhold is.

 

[Icedemon]

You can text over wifi with GV. If you respond to GV text through email then the recipient will get text but it will include the last message from them and your message. If you know anyone on Boost then you know what I'm talking about.

 

[OMJ]

The only thing I dont like about google voice is the voicemail. Most people who call get "The google voice subscriber you are trying to call is unavailable..." instead of the recording that I set. Its annoying and causes people to not leave messages. I switched to using my vzw voicemail again

 

[johnnybirdman]

I detached my GV voicemail from my verizon number after I got charged for a 24 hour phone call (a call I didn't answer). The conditional forward to GV voicemail worked, but the system must have never hung up. The call lasted 23.9 hours and cost $270.
J.

 

[jmims]

I just wanted to chime in and profess my like for GV. Definitely reliable since the update for push notifications. The only hiccup to that I've noticed is that push either ceases or is majorly delayed after I enable and/or disable wifi. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[King_Bean]

I detached my GV voicemail from my verizon number after I got charged for a 24 hour phone call (a call I didn't answer). The conditional forward to GV voicemail worked, but the system must have never hung up. The call lasted 23.9 hours and cost $270.
J.

I once had a $970 bill from AT$T (long story). I negotiated down to a "manageable" $250, paid it and discountinued my service with AT$T.

Ended up switching to Verizon and getting the Droid. So, that $970 bill turned out to be a blessing in disguise.