Does the Google Voice app need to be running for the service to work?

[JohnJSal]

I've never quite understood the connection. If you have a Google Voice phone number set to forward those calls to your cell phone, do you need to have the app running on your cell phone for this to work or can it be manually turned off?

I would imagine that the call forwarding would work regardless, but what about the app keeping track of those calls in a call list, or keeping track of the voicemails, etc.? Can you just open the app manually and all of this information will be there, or does it need to be running at all times in order to record the phone calls/voicemail as they come in?

Thanks.

 

[scrubs]

The calls/messages are recorded in your Google Voice account, which can be accessed online, regardless of whether or not you have the GV app even installed on your phone. The app is useful for notifications and making calls with your GV number, though.

 

[Tre Lawrence]

Yes, forwarding would work even if the official GV app is toggled off or removed.

Scrubs is right.

 

[takeshi]

(nm -- that was completely redundant)

 

[JohnJSal]

The calls/messages are recorded in your Google Voice account, which can be accessed online, regardless of whether or not you have the GV app even installed on your phone. The app is useful for notifications and making calls with your GV number, though.

Oh nice. So I guess the app just syncs with the online account, same as other Google apps? Nice to know I can leave the app shutdown, since I don't really need it running (I don't make calls with my Google number, at least not yet).

 

[Penguissimo]

Oh nice. So I guess the app just syncs with the online account, same as other Google apps? Nice to know I can leave the app shutdown, since I don't really need it running (I don't make calls with my Google number, at least not yet).

Yep, the GV app is just for making calls from your GV number and for notifications about texts, voicemails, and the like. And you can set those notifications to come by email or SMS if you prefer. If all you want is to make sure incoming calls to your GV number are routed to your phone, you don't even need to have the app installed. I got calls routed to my LG EnV for months before I even got a Droid, and I guarantee you I wasn't running the GV app on that thing

 

[JohnJSal]

Yep, the GV app is just for making calls from your GV number and for notifications about texts, voicemails, and the like.

Excellent! I already get an email about voicemails, so that's one thing I can keep closed now.

 

[RoboPhoneII]

For me GV is a conference call type service. When you call out from GV it calls out to the number you are calling to and the number you want to call from. That service is independent of the GV mobile app. Looks like you do not need to have a mobile # associated with the GV service therefore no GV Mobile app would be needed.