Google voice # already in use...FRUSTRATED

[TomKFL]

So i just got an HTC EVO....awesome phone....and I desperately want to use Google Voice. Every time I try to sign up on the phone the action does not complete. When I went on the computer to activate Google Voice for use as voicemail on a cell phone it says my # is already in use. I am at my wits end that there is no where to email Google for support. I have posted ?s that no body has responded to and just simply am out of options. This seems like a cool feature and I would like to use it but I am at a dead end. Any recommendations?

 

[G.Armour]

I think you have to get a brand new number from Google but not sure..
Welcome to the Android Forums!

 

[Steven58]

Welcome to Android Forums! I will move this post to where more folks can help you!

 

[stainlessray]

So i just got an HTC EVO....awesome phone....and I desperately want to use Google Voice. Every time I try to sign up on the phone the action does not complete. When I went on the computer to activate Google Voice for use as voicemail on a cell phone it says my # is already in use. I am at my wits end that there is no where to email Google for support. I have posted ?s that no body has responded to and just simply am out of options. This seems like a cool feature and I would like to use it but I am at a dead end. Any recommendations?

I'm missing something I think. You use google voice, and already have a GV # right?

And you want to use GV with your cell as well right?

But when you try to activate GV for your phone it won't complete?

And gives you the error that your cell number is already in use?

I'm going to take a look and see what i can find. after work in the AM. Have you tried the help section for GV under "using GV with a non GV number"? to see if there is a faq with information? (that's referring to googles help topics for GV, not a forum one)

I will add that i am using an evo with GV right now, and when a person calls my phone, GV is my voicemail, not the evo or sprint. so if that's what you're trying to achieve, i know it can be done. just have to figure out why it isn't working for you.
worst case scenario for you may include a phone number change for your new evo.

 

[TomKFL]

Thanks for the input. Didn't know I had to check the thread for responses. I thought I would get an email. I do not have a google voice number yet. When I try to activate on my evo it asks whether I just want to use for voicemail and then I get an error it could not validate my phone number. When I sign into google voice online that is where I get the error that my number is already in use. Help is appreciated. I have tried to email google half a dozen times but since there is no clear direct support from them I need to rely on input. Thanks in advance.

 

[BiGMERF]

dont you just have to use your gmail to sync up?

 

[ionekoa]

Thanks for the input. Didn't know I had to check the thread for responses. I thought I would get an email. I do not have a google voice number yet. When I try to activate on my evo it asks whether I just want to use for voicemail and then I get an error it could not validate my phone number. When I sign into google voice online that is where I get the error that my number is already in use. Help is appreciated. I have tried to email google half a dozen times but since there is no clear direct support from them I need to rely on input. Thanks in advance.

maybe im reading it wrong, but it sounds as though you are trying to use your sprint number as your GV number. i dont believe that you can do this. from what i understand you have to be assigned a completely different number from google. i never really understood the point of having two numbers going to the same phone though unless the non-cell was the one you had first and just want to be able to fwd calls from a land line so you dont miss them. again, it may just be my lack of understanding but i dont see the need for a second VM#

that's not the point though, sorry to get off topic. you said " I do not have a google voice number yet" and im pretty certain that's your problem. not having GV myself im not sure how they assign them, but im certain they wont let you use a # that's already in use (eg your cell #) because if they did, i could get the number of someone i hate, take it as my GV# and intercept all their calls(and that's ignoring the technical nightmares of trying such a thing). so unless im reading this wrong, the number is already in use. by you. on your evo.

 

[stainlessray]

i think the last post hit the nail on the head with the end part. you need to first get a GV#.

However, you won't need to even give that number out unless you choose to for other reasons.example: i use my GV# as my primary phone number. Because it will allow me to ring ANY combination of phones on an as needed basis when a person calls my GV number. So if the only number you give out is your GV number, no settings need to be changed anywhere, and your voicemail is the same no matter where you are. (this also allows people to text you and if you can't respond on your mobile, you can maintain conversations through any PC with internet.)

The way I use it is sort of a hybrid. Many people already have my sprint number, and getting them to use a number that they view as a secondary number is hard for some strange reason. SO, i have set up GV to be my voicemail EVEN when friends or family call my cell number, bypassing the need to monitor 2 different VM clients for my messages.

If I understand correctly, that is what you would like to do. It *may* be possible to do this even when using *only* a NON-Google number. but I have never set that up, and that is why I referred you to the help topic for GV titled "how to use Google Voice with a non google number". I've seen it before, but do not have a link readily available.

So for now, let me get a little more information on your current setup.

Have you configured Google voice on your PC? (to do this you would open GV, click on settings in top right, then click on voice settings. Under the tab titled Phones, you would have entered your mobile number there, and verified it for GV.)

If not, do that now.... (You probably have so...)

Have you clicked on "Activate Google Voicemail on this phone" next to your mobile phone number? this would lead to a process for establishing Google voice as the voicemail client for your cell number, which in turn will allow you to bypass the voicemail provided to your phone by Sprint.

And last (for now) Have you setup the official Google Voice app on your mobile phone?
this would be the last necessary step to achieve your goal, *assuming* your goal is what I believe it to be.

(just to wet your appetite for using a GV number: it would allow you to utilize one of the greatest features known to phones! let's say your mother or girlfriend, or even your work calls you. you are not sure but you don't think you want to take the call right now. you can answer the call, and send it straight to your voicemail. **then** you can listen as they leave a message **and** if you choose to, answer the call in the middle of the message! that's good stuff! and this feature can only be used with a GV#)

 

[ionekoa]

(just to wet your appetite for using a GV number: it would allow you to utilize one of the greatest features known to phones! let's say your mother or girlfriend, or even your work calls you. you are not sure but you don't think you want to take the call right now. you can answer the call, and send it straight to your voicemail. **then** you can listen as they leave a message **and** if you choose to, answer the call in the middle of the message! that's good stuff! and this feature can only be used with a GV#)

hmm, that is interesting. what about other things like international calling? is GV out of invite only now?(sorry, i havent kept up with it much). do you think they will have video call features or do they already have that in the works? like i said before, i dont see any point in just getting a new phone number, but if it comes with other features that i would want, that's a different story. consider my appetite... dampened.

 

[stainlessray]

hmm, that is interesting. what about other things like international calling? is GV out of invite only now?(sorry, i havent kept up with it much). do you think they will have video call features or do they already have that in the works? like i said before, i dont see any point in just getting a new phone number, but if it comes with other features that i would want, that's a different story. consider my appetite... dampened.

Yes it is open to all US residents (contiguous)

Yes they will likely have video chat integration before long, and i know they have purchased a company that used to be used for that purpose with google voice

International calling is said to be reasonable, but I do not use it.

As you get to know it, the practicality becomes more evident. it requires a bit of imagination and acquired understanding of the available features. since it is not closed Beta anymore, I suggest you start by trying it out. sign up is easy because the login in is the same as your other google services, and since you are an android user, you already have that!

 

[ionekoa]

Yes it is open to all US residents (contiguous)

Yes they will likely have video chat integration before long, and i know they have purchased a company that used to be used for that purpose with google voice

International calling is said to be reasonable, but I do not use it.

As you get to know it, the practicality becomes more evident. it requires a bit of imagination and acquired understanding of the available features. since it is not closed Beta anymore, I suggest you start by trying it out. sign up is easy because the login in is the same as your other google services, and since you are an android user, you already have that!

one more question before i go rushing headlong into it. do i get to pick my own phone#? my current cell phone number is a bit sentimental to me, this is because waaaay back in the day(almost 10 yrs now) i chose my number from a list, because it was easy to remember and the last four digits were the years before and after my date of birth. so if i do sign up on this i would like to be able to have the same last 4 digits if possible. call me a sentimentalist.

 

[chrisinsocalif]

I will throw some idea's out to you that maybe your issue:

Get a Google voice number for the Gmail account you use for your phone (if you haven't already).
Add your Sprint phone number as a Mobile phone in Google voice. If your sprint phone number is already associated with another Google voice number, Google only allows your Mobile number to be associated with One google account, not multiple accounts. While in your Google voice account, if it states your phone number is being used in another account, you can reclaim your mobile number to that account by having google voice call your phone and entering in the verification number code they give you on the website, taking you off any other Google voice accounts and associating you with that one. Mobile companies release phone numbers back into their system around 3 months so maybe when your number was being used from the person with the number before and they associated it with their google account or you have more than one google voice accounts with your mobile phone being active as the Mobile number.
If you want your phone number being active in 2 google voice accounts, you set your primary google voice account to MOBILE with your sprint number and the secondary account to HOME with your sprint number. The secondary account set as HOME will not get text messages, so you can have your secondary account email the text messages.
Now that gmail allows more than one sign it, it will be easier to check your email for your second account (if applicable.)

If this is not clear or somewhat answers your question, please be a little more descriptive and i will try my best to help you.

 

[chrisinsocalif]

one more question before i go rushing headlong into it. do i get to pick my own phone#? my current cell phone number is a bit sentimental to me, this is because waaaay back in the day(almost 10 yrs now) i chose my number from a list, because it was easy to remember and the last four digits were the years before and after my date of birth. so if i do sign up on this i would like to be able to have the same last 4 digits if possible. call me a sentimentalist.

Google voice has a block of phone numbers you can choose from. If your current phone number ends in a popular algorithm (such as 0000, 1100 ect) it will be difficult to find the number ending with the same digits.

Of course you will still keep your original phone number that the GV number will forward calls to but you can use your Google Voice, voicemail box in place of your phone carriers (if supported) so you wont have two different voicemail boxes.

 

[stainlessray]

one more question before i go rushing headlong into it. do i get to pick my own phone#? my current cell phone number is a bit sentimental to me, this is because waaaay back in the day(almost 10 yrs now) i chose my number from a list, because it was easy to remember and the last four digits were the years before and after my date of birth. so if i do sign up on this i would like to be able to have the same last 4 digits if possible. call me a sentimentalist.

It is *possible* that you could keep at least those digits. it will likely depend on the availability for the are code and locale (city) you would get the number for. (which could be the problem the OP is running into now that i think of it)

 

[ionekoa]

im also assuming i could use this to "cheat" the phone company, by using my "local" GV number while overseas to make phone calls over data lines. (unlimited international data is $40/month whereas voice is not nearly so kind)

 

[chrisinsocalif]

im also assuming i could use this to "cheat" the phone company, by using my "local" GV number while overseas to make phone calls over data lines. (unlimited international data is $40/month whereas voice is not nearly so kind)

Depending on where you are calling, skype have unlimited calling to certain countries with a monthly fee. You could check that out and possibly save yourself some money.

 

[ionekoa]

Depending on where you are calling, skype have unlimited calling to certain countries with a monthly fee. You could check that out and possibly save yourself some money.

skype is exclusive to vzw and part of the "closed handset alliance". i used tikl on my recent trip to korea. though i do not know when i will next be traveling abroad i like to know all my options ahead of time. my thoughts are if the app uses data, and i can set it to ring like normal, i can just hand out a GV # to people to have them call me on so there would be no charge. on the flip side, if i were actually able to MOVE overseas, then i could give people my GV # and associate it with my "overseas" phone, thereby getting free international calling.

what im getting at is that i could theoretically maintain a local state-side number for comunicating with people here, while visiting/living abroad.

 

[mplevy]

GV does not do VOIP, calls to the phone using GV will come in as regular minute-charged calls. The app is only for texting (which uses data not txt from your plan) and listening to messages, which also uses data if you listen through the app...

 

[Tangent]

one more question before i go rushing headlong into it. do i get to pick my own phone#? my current cell phone number is a bit sentimental to me, this is because waaaay back in the day(almost 10 yrs now) i chose my number from a list, because it was easy to remember and the last four digits were the years before and after my date of birth. so if i do sign up on this i would like to be able to have the same last 4 digits if possible. call me a sentimentalist.

I got lucky and was able to get a GV number exactly like that. The last 4 of the cell # I've had for a decade don't have any sentimental value, but it certainly makes the GV number easier to remember.

 

[ionekoa]

GV does not do VOIP, calls to the phone using GV will come in as regular minute-charged calls. The app is only for texting (which uses data not txt from your plan) and listening to messages, which also uses data if you listen through the app...

thank you, very informative.

 

[TomKFL]

It says when I login do you just want voicemail for your cell. When I click that and enter my cell number I get the message that the number is already in use. There doesn't seem to be any other options besides setting up a brand new number which is not what I am looking to do. Thanks again for all the help and input.