Google Voice Number Porting Question

[egernant]

Now that Google Voice can integrate with Hangouts, I'd like to take more active advantage of the service. Currently I have a GV number that I only use for voicemails and call forwarding for one specific use case. Otherwise I use my cellular number that I've had for 10 years for calls and texts.

I would like to make my cellular number my Google voice number, but have a couple questions about how that will work:

1. Will I still get full functionality using a number that GV doesn't "own"?

2. If I port my cellular number to GV, then decide to switch carriers and get a new number, is my GV number still intact and usable or would it die with the carrier I left? I want to use T-mobile for prepaid service, but they can't port my number to their service, so I'd have to get a new number. I'd like to get that new number, but mask it in my old number through GV.

3. My current GV number is a (415) number, which is local in SF and lets me use it at my apartment front door for automated entry. PEople call that number through the console and it rings my phone, allowing me to let them in remotely. It HAS to be a (415) number to work. If I change my GV number to my cellular number which isn't (415), and then my wife gets a GV number that is (415), can I still have it ring my phone? I think I've tried in the past and it says that the forwarding number is already connected to another GV account.

4. Can I transfer my current (415) GV number to my wife's GV account? She is currently using her own number on Sprint though GV.

Thanks!

 

[Crashdamage]

Currently I have a GV number that I only use for voicemails and call forwarding for one specific use case. Otherwise I use my cellular number that I've had for 10 years for calls and texts.

I would like to make my cellular number my Google voice number, but have a couple questions about how that will work:

1. Will I still get full functionality using a number that GV doesn't "own"?

Not sure what you mean by 'full functionality'. Maybe better to ask what function(s) you're worried about losing.

2. If I port my cellular number to GV, then decide to switch carriers and get a new number, is my GV number still intact and usable or would it die with the carrier I left? I want to use T-mobile for prepaid service, but they can't port my number to their service, so I'd have to get a new number. I'd like to get that new number, but mask it in my old number through GV.

This should answer your questions:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065667?hl=en

3. My current GV number is a (415) number, which is local in SF and lets me use it at my apartment front door for automated entry. PEople call that number through the console and it rings my phone, allowing me to let them in remotely. It HAS to be a (415) number to work. If I change my GV number to my cellular number which isn't (415), and then my wife gets a GV number that is (415), can I still have it ring my phone? I think I've tried in the past and it says that the forwarding number is already connected to another GV account.

If I'm understanding you correctly - and I'm not certain I am - the answer would be yes.

4. Can I transfer my current (415) GV number to my wife's GV account? She is currently using her own number on Sprint though GV.

You cannot transfer a GV number to another Google account that already has a GV number. IOW, there can be only one GV number per account. Read this:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/3527591?hl=en

You could create a new Google account and transfer your GV number to that. Or your wife could transfer her GV number to the new account so you could then transfer your existing GV number to her existing Google account.