Google Voice For Voicemail Only

[iowabowtech]

Just got G-Voice and at this point, all I want to do is use it for visual voicemail. During setup, it asked me if I wanted to use my carrier's service or Google's service. I chose Google at which point I had to call a provided number that seems to initiate forwarding?

Anyway, just wondering what would happen if I choose Verizon's service instead of Google? Do you still get visual voicemail? Are there any advantages/disadvantages of one vs. the other for the sole purpose of visual voicmail?

 

[joggy]

If you choose Verizon's vs. Google I'm pretty sure it would simply go to your voice mailbox on Verizon. If you didn't use the Verizon Visual Voice mail app you'd then need to dial *86 to retrieve the voice mail via the phone and not visually.

The main advantage Google Voice has over Verizon Visual Voice is cost. Verizon is $2.99/month. It's a nice service, but Google Voice does the same thing for free. I've used both and prefer the free option myself

 

[takeshi]

Anyway, just wondering what would happen if I choose Verizon's service instead of Google?

You'd be defeating the purpose of using GV that you stated in the first sentence of your post as you'd be using Verizon's voicemail system (i.e. you'd be back at square 1).

You can use either Verizon's voicmail system or GV's. There's no mixing the two. They're entirely separate systems.

 

[iowabowtech]

You'd be defeating the purpose of using GV that you stated in the first sentence of your post as you'd be using Verizon's voicemail system (i.e. you'd be back at square 1).

You can use either Verizon's voicmail system or GV's. There's no mixing the two. They're entirely separate systems.

That was my fear but then why is that option integrated into the GV voicemail setup software? Makes it sound like you can have voicemails land in one of two spots and still get the transcriptions, email/sms notifications etc. Seemed like a strange option at that point of the install.

 

[InstantKarma]

That was my fear but then why is that option integrated into the GV voicemail setup software? Makes it sound like you can have voicemails land in one of two spots and still get the transcriptions, email/sms notifications etc. Seemed like a strange option at that point of the install.

No, it's just saying that you don't have to use their VM service. You could just use Google Voice for phone calls.

 

[Deleted User]

Why not just get a GV number when you sign up? You don't have to use it and you get all the same Google voicemail features of the voicemail only option, but then you have it if you decide you can find a use for it.

It is at least good for a "throw away" number to use for craigslist and things where you dont want to give out your actual number.

 

[chrlswltrs]

It is at least good for a "throw away" number to use for craigslist and things where you dont want to give out your actual number.

That's what I use my GV number for

 

[iowabowtech]

Why not just get a GV number when you sign up? You don't have to use it and you get all the same Google voicemail features of the voicemail only option, but then you have it if you decide you can find a use for it.

It is at least good for a "throw away" number to use for craigslist and things where you dont want to give out your actual number.

That does seem like a good point. I have limited SMS, so there's no way I'm going to inadvertantly run up a bunch of charges is there? Not having gone that route, I'm unsure and browsing the help index and searching forums only confuses me more than it helps. That's all I've done today and I don't feel any wiser on the subject. I figured the forwarding option using a non-Google number might be safer but I have no ideal really.

 

[Deleted User]

That does seem like a good point. I have limited SMS, so there's no way I'm going to inadvertantly run up a bunch of charges is there?

If you have an android phone then you can use the google voice app for SMS which uses data instead of SMS so it would actually give you unlimited SMS to and from your GV number.

 

[iowabowtech]

If you have an android phone then you can use the google voice app for SMS which uses data instead of SMS so it would actually give you unlimited SMS to and from your GV number.

But isn't that the point at which I have to commit to a Google number and distribute it to my entire contact list so they know who I am when they recieve a text or send one to me?

 

[Deleted User]

But isn't that the point at which I have to commit to a Google number and distribute it to my entire contact list so they know who I am when they recieve a text or send one to me?

People can still call your cell number for calls. Your GV number just forwards to the numbers you configure it to. You could just use it for texting if you wanted. Or if that gets cumbersome, then just continue to use your cell number and use it simply for the few cases you need to give out a number but don't want to give your actual cell number out.

It doesnt have to be a complete replacement for your cell number. I've used GV for almost a year and use it as a secondary number. Most people still contact me via my cell number. Your GV number can forward to multiple numbers (i.e. cell, home, work lines)

 

[iowabowtech]

Ok, I decided to give it a shot. Make sure you get the number you want the first time around, I clicked on "change" just to see what it would do and there's a $10 fee to change the number.

Anyway, does this mean I have unlimited texting into my phone now? So I can re-enable the SMS notifications for Google Voicemail? And if I send an SMS via GV, will it show up as my Google number to the person who receives it? Sorry about the newb factor here.

 

[Deleted User]

Ok, I decided to give it a shot. Make sure you get the number you want the first time around, I clicked on "change" just to see what it would do and there's a $10 fee to change the number.

Anyway, does this mean I have unlimited texting into my phone now? So I can re-enable the SMS notifications for Google Voicemail? And if I send an SMS via GV, will it show up as my Google number to the person who receives it? Sorry about the newb factor here.

Install the Google Voice app and by doing this it should disable the SMS forwarding to your cell number. Once that is done, when someone sends you an SMS to your GV number, the GV app will intercept it (it retrieves it using data so you are not using SMS) and you can reply to it from within the GV app (and it gets sent using data so again, not using your providers SMS). These texts will be received by the other party as coming from your GV number.

So as long as you are sending and receiving SMS to/from your GV number using the Google voice app, you will have unlimited SMS.

You can also read and send SMS messages from the google voice website on your desktop computer. Also, if you use the chrome web browser, there is a google voice extension you can install.

Edit: oh btw, there is a google voice toggle shortcut you add to one of your homescreens on your phone. It allows you to easily toggle whether phone calls on your phone are placed from your cell numer or your GV number.

 

[iowabowtech]

Ok, so just to be clear...text via the regular old messaging app and all is like normal other than I'm of course using my text allowance to non-Verizon folk. Those texts come through to the other person as my regular cell # and nobody is any the wiser I even have a Google account.

If I specifically use the GV app for texting anyone under the sun and it costs nothing BUT will come through to the other person as my Google # so I need to head's up those people so they know what's up. That right?

Also, if I recheck the box for sending SMS notifications for a new Google voicemail will that particular text count toward my Verizon text allowance since I'm not responding to it and it's simply a notification?

I think I'm finally starting to grasp the concept. Thanks for your patience.

 

[Deleted User]

Ok, so just to be clear...text via the regular old messaging app and all is like normal other than I'm of course using my text allowance to non-Verizon folk. Those texts come through to the other person as my regular cell # and nobody is any the wiser I even have a Google account.

If I specifically use the GV app for texting anyone under the sun and it costs nothing BUT will come through to the other person as my Google # so I need to head's up those people so they know what's up. That right?

Also, if I recheck the box for sending SMS notifications for a new Google voicemail will that particular text count toward my minutes since I'm not responding to it and it's simply a notification?

I think I'm finally starting to grasp the concept. Thanks for your patience.

Yes, sounds like you've got it. Now for SMS notifications for google voicemail... you can actually disable that because when you get a voicemail, the google voice app will notify you anyway, so if you have that SMS notification enabled you'll get two voicemail notifications (one from google voice app and one from the SMS message) and that SMS message will count toward your total SMS, so you don't want it to do that.

Oh and you can use the Google voice app to listen to your voicemail, giving you visual voicemail for free.

 

[iowabowtech]

Yes, sounds like you've got it. Now for SMS notifications for google voicemail... you can actually disable that because when you get a voicemail, the google voice app will notify you anyway, so if you have that SMS notification enabled you'll get two voicemail notifications (one from google voice app and one from the SMS message) and that SMS message will count toward your total SMS, so you don't want it to do that.

Oh and you can use the Google voice app to listen to your voicemail, giving you visual voicemail for free.

10-4 to all that, I'm onboard now. Thanks again for the great walkthrough!

 

[akakrill]

yes, but how the hell can you record a personal memo instead of the google robot answering service?

 

[Deleted User]

yes, but how the hell can you record a personal memo instead of the google robot answering service?

Log into your GV account from the website and you can make personalized ones there.

Specifically: settings... Voicemail & SMS... and you'll see options next to Voicemail greeting.

 

[iowabowtech]

Ok, now that I have a handle on the SMS portion of GV, I'd like to get some knowledge on the calling aspect. If my research is correct, I'm screwed on inbound calls b/c my plan does NOT include friends/family.

Can I make outbound calls however to anyone in the US when calling from the GV app and using my GV number without it using my Verizon minutes?

 

[InstantKarma]

Can I make outbound calls however to anyone in the US when calling from the GV app and using my GV number without it using my Verizon minutes?

No, because you'll be using your minutes to call the GV router.

 

[iowabowtech]

No, because you'll be using your minutes to call the GV router.

Dang. So there's no workaround to make free calls with GV in my case? If I upgrade to a friends/family plan it's $20 per month more. I'd end up being worse off.

 

[iowabowtech]

What happens when I use my phone's browser to access my GV via internet and then place a call? It says it's using my regular cell number, then I get a call from my google number and when I answer that call, it makes the switch and proceeds to the number I was trying to dial initially.

So...is there like a 1 minute charge for the hookup to my GV number or would that entire call be billed to my Verizon number?

 

[DrScrubs]

When you get the call from your google number and you answer with your phone, you start using your Verizon minutes.

 

[iowabowtech]

When you get the call from your google number and you answer with your phone, you start using your Verizon minutes.

Crap. So there's no way to use GV for calls without having friends and family it seems?

 

[Deleted User]

Crap. So there's no way to use GV for calls without having friends and family it seems?

unfortunately not without using your peak time minutes. Now if someone calls you from a Verizon cell to your GV number and you have it set to display their number for the caller-id (and you have unlimited verizon to verizon) then those particular calls would be unlimited.