Google Voice using Cell phone Minutes

[sycamore714]

I am a gadget geek and just received my new N1 and I am impressed with the phone overall. I already have an Iphone 3GS , Palm pre with service and did not want to start a third new service with tmobile with data.

Hence got the phone unlocked at $530 and put in a tmobile prepaid SIm card.

My plan was to use google voice for the calls since I am in wifi zone most of the time.

After setting up GV and placing a couple of calls I realised that I am still loosing my cell phone minutes. Is this true or am I missing some configuration.

Pardon my ignorance if this is a silly question but what is the point of using GV for US domestic call ( I can understand international calls for cheap rates) if I will loose cell minutes?

Isn't it the same as placing a call directly?

Am I missing something?

 

[lionelhuts]

I am a gadget geek and just received my new N1 and I am impressed with the phone overall. I already have an Iphone 3GS , Palm pre with service and did not want to start a third new service with tmobile with data.

Hence got the phone unlocked at $530 and put in a tmobile prepaid SIm card.

My plan was to use google voice for the calls since I am in wifi zone most of the time.

After setting up GV and placing a couple of calls I realised that I am still loosing my cell phone minutes. Is this true or am I missing some configuration.

Pardon my ignorance if this is a silly question but what is the point of using GV for US domestic call ( I can understand international calls for cheap rates) if I will loose cell minutes?

Isn't it the same as placing a call directly?

Am I missing something?

Google Voice is not a VoIP provider. As a result, calls are connected using regular phone lines and methods.

To get free minutes, you will need to use Google Voice in conjunction with VoIP providers like Gizmo5 and Sipgate.

 

[raremage]

Can Google Voice be configured to use Skype for calls...?

 

[cm40]

Google Voice is not a VoIP application.

It's used for voice mail and text. It allows you to call others without giving your cell phone number and people see your google voice number. If you add them to your google voice contacts you can assign a separate voice mail greeting to that person or assign them to a group and assign different voice mail greetings by group.

There are other apps that would allow you to dial using wifi but Google Voice is simply not a VoIP application.

 

[cm40]

sorry to repeat what lionelhuts said.

I was typing when i got a phone call on my google voice number and clicked submit before I knew somebody answered the question.

By the way. I have T-Mobile My Favs.
I save my google voice number as a My Fav number and I get unlimited calling to and from that number so i pretty much have unlimited minutes.
I plan to keep my plan and buy the Nexus One unsubsidized so I can keep this feature.

 

[sycamore714]

thanks everyone for clarifying this for me.