Help Help me with Google Voice!!

[Dre2k2.0]

Hello to all droiders.....i recently received my invitation for google voice...and im stoked to say the least....my conundrum here is that through the initial set up im given two choices for features and im warned to choose wisely since its not possible to change later....this is where i need a little help to figure out which is better or has more features...for anyone else that has set it up already....

It pretty much breaks down like this.....

Use Google Voice with your existing number
or
Add a Google number to get additional features

 

[pinesal]

I don't remember having this option when I set mine up. What do the options do for you?

 

[joneee]

You want to add a google number to get additional features.

Then you can choose your own number from a list Google gives you and all calls gone to that google number will ring on the device of your choice. There's also a huge list of other benefits to that. But trust me, I've been using Gvoice for a few months now, and getting your own google number is much better! You won't regret it!

 

[phwaap]

Get a new GV number, no question. The difference in features are clearly stated during sign up.

 

[Dre2k2.0]

here is a link to the options given during setup....

Google Voice

 

[Barbara]

Choose to get a google voice number. You can still use it with your own number and never, ever use the google voice number if you don't want to. But it's nice to have if you need it and/or want to take advantage of all the features.

 

[Shivv]

Choose to get a google voice number. You can still use it with your own number and never, ever use the google voice number if you don't want to. But it's nice to have if you need it and/or want to take advantage of all the features.

So even if you get a Google number you can also get your Verizon number to go to the Google voicemail?

 

[Dre2k2.0]

thanks you guys for the help....i will definitely add a new number...seems to be the better route here....

Once again this forum and the community within it so helpful.....
Thanks again

 

[Barbara]

So even if you get a Google number you can also get your Verizon number to go to the Google voicemail?

Absolutely. That is the primary way that I use Google Voice. I give out the google voice number when ordering online only.

 

[MisterEff]

So even if you get a Google number you can also get your Verizon number to go to the Google voicemail?

That is correct. You just need to dial your GV number to listen to it, but when people call you it will always use the GV voicemail for both numbers. Also, google now made it so you CAN get a google number after signup.

 

[chrlswltrs]

So even if you get a Google number you can also get your Verizon number to go to the Google voicemail?

Yes, after you are all set up, go to your settings and click on activate google voicemail. It will give you a number to call from your phone, dial it, then you are set up to get all of your voicemail through google voice.

It works great, someone calls your phone -> you don't answer -> the call goes to your google voicemail -> you receive a message on your phone. Then you can read or listen to the voicemail from your phone or computer. WAY BETTER than visual voicemail.

 

[UncleMike]

I have a Google Voice account with a Google number (the other option wasn't available when I signed up). As far as I can tell, Google only started offering the "with your existing number" option as a means of simplifying the setup to use Google Voice voicemail with your existing number. You can actually set it up to do the same thing even if you have a Google number, but there are a few more steps involved.

So I would recommend the "Add a Google number" option.

I may be missing something though, so I would also recommend waiting for other responses before proceeding.

Edit: I see in the time it took me to respond, there are already several other responses.

 

[Dre2k2.0]

Adding a new number as we speak.....i gotta say....im pretty impressed with the range of numbers to choose from you can pretty much choose any prefix and a long list of combinations come up till you find one to your liking.....as a long time verizon customer who has changed my number in the past....its very empowering...lol...since we never get an option mostly random....

i wish google was a service provider....lol...

 

[photoeditor]

I just wish my invite would arrive. I actually got an invite within 24 hours back in October, before an email crash zapped it. Now it's been a week and I'm still waiting -- I'm getting worried that they put me to the back of the list, so to speak.

 

[shadowdude777]

Yeah, seriously, Google's doing this phone thing better than Verizon, who's been around for... well, since before I was born!

I picked a nice, easy to remember GV number and now I use it for free SMS. My friends are paying $20/mo and they don't even get unlimited SMS. My only drawbacks are that I can't send MMS (big deal?) and I don't get push support, though my e-mail forwarding option basically does the same thing, and I'd be surprised if Google isn't already considering adding push support.

 

[shadowdude777]

I just wish my invite would arrive. I actually got an invite within 24 hours back in October, before an email crash zapped it. Now it's been a week and I'm still waiting -- I'm getting worried that they put me to the back of the list, so to speak.

Took me a month! I did get an invite from a friend after about a week of waiting, and then I got an e-mail several weeks later and completely forgot I had signed up for GV. It is definitely worth the wait though.

 

[manganos]

I got my invite today. Picked an easy (804) areacode # and set her up