Hangouts for SMS?

[gloriousnumber1]

I have very little coverage in my apartment. Verizon says my area is fine so I know it's the downstairs unit that is to blame. Short of moving, buying a service extender, or switching providers, I have one idea to ask you smart people.

Our WiFi works great and allows me to use anything that uses data without a problem. If I switch to Hangouts as my default text app, will it work better by converting incoming texts from voice to data and do the same for outgoing texts from WiFi to voice?

Hangouts works great for me so I wondered if it would work.

Thanks!

 

[binaryhermit]

Texts would still be sent/recieved over the 2g network.

 

[gloriousnumber1]

Texts would still be sent/recieved over the 2g network.

I've tried this now and it still won't send. Do you or anyone have a suggestion for which app I can use to do this so I can text over WiFi but they won't need the same app? Hangouts only works if they have it and not i-poop users.

 

[binaryhermit]

Read closer. I never said it would work, I just wasn't clear enough saying that it wouldn't.
Anyway, https://play.google.com/store/search?q=free+wifi+texting&c=apps
I can't recommend any of these because I've never used them, but apparently it can be done. Good luck.

 

[gloriousnumber1]

Read closer. I never said it would work, I just wasn't clear enough saying that it wouldn't.
Anyway, https://play.google.com/store/search?q=free+wifi+texting&c=apps
I can't recommend any of these because I've never used them, but apparently it can be done. Good luck.

Yeah I never was claiming you said that. I am just researching this.

 

[Pompano14]

I thought if your phone is connected to your wifi router then all data including text would go through your wifi internet connection.

I use google voice. Google Voice is free texting whether on carrier network or wifi. GV will go through wifi if connected.

 

[hilmar2k]

I thought if your phone is connected to your wifi router then all data including text would go through your wifi internet connection.

I use google voice. Google Voice is free texting whether on carrier network or wifi. GV will go through wifi if connected.

SMS is not sent via Wifi.

 

[lowlyworm]

SMS is not sent via Wifi.

Are you certain about that? If you are using Google Voice from a PC, texts are indeed sent via Internet. One way to check would be to enable airplane mode with WiFi on and try texting with Google Voice. Wait, I text with Google Voice on my WiFi - only tab all the time. Google Voice does use WiFi, or the prevailing data connection for SMS.

 

[hilmar2k]

There are apps that will allow you to send a message via wifi that will be delivered as an SMS, but it isn't sent as one on your end. A true SMS isn't sent using data.

 

[lowlyworm]

There are apps that will allow you to send a message via wifi that will be delivered as an SMS, but it isn't sent as one on your end. A true SMS isn't sent using data.

I disagree, in the case of Google Voice. I believe the message is sent as data to Google and they send it as a SMS.

 

[lowlyworm]

I disagree, in the case of Google Voice. I believe the message is sent as data to Google and they send it as a SMS.

Rereading your message, I guess we do agree. The OP was looking for a way to effectively use data to send a SMS from his phone. Google Voice will do the trick.

 

[hilmar2k]

I disagree, in the case of Google Voice. I believe the message is sent as data to Google and they send it as a SMS.

That's exactly what I said.

 

[gloriousnumber1]

I realize now I'm asking for something impossible. Imagine this scenario with me for a moment to understand why that is.

Imagine you are in an area where you have zero phone coverage. You can't text or call, even someone next to you or even dial 911 in an emergency. You don't have any data coverage either.

Then imagine you have WiFi hooked up and running. Anything data related you can easily use.

Now imagine you want to text people from that place. You can use hangouts and such but what if many other people don't have gmail , android, etc or even a smart phone?

What I want is a way to send texts through some app that will convert them to SMS. I also want some (miraculous) app to convert incoming texts (SMS) to data somehow even with ZERO coverage so they come to me via data. I want this without the other person needing to have the same app.


See? This is impossible to my knowledge because any incoming texts wouldn't be able to be converted to data if there is no coverage. How would my phone know anything was received so it could do this?

It appears that short of moving, getting a coverage extender, or having both people needing the same app, this can't be done.

In reality I do have a little coverage in my apartment, but it's spotty and I can't usually make or receive calls. I can text sometimes but I will have times I can't do anything, then hours of it working pretty well.

Thanks everyone!

 

[lowlyworm]

If you have a good Internet connection and WiFi hooked to it, Google Voice will work fine for incoming and outgoing SMS. One solution for telephone service, linked to your handset, would be to get Vonage service, and use Vonage Extensions on your handset. You get one free handset link for the Vonage account. You can pay additional to include more handsets. Vonage Extensions will also work for SMS.

 

[Ted1Jones]

Unless I am missing something here, your solution is to use one of any number of free Android messaging apps such as TextNow, Text Free and HeyWire. Google Voice should also work. All send and receive messages over WiFi (or cellular data) converting to or from SMS on their servers. All give you an actual telephone number so that people can text you using actual SMS.

I like HeyWire because you can use the the same account on multiple devices at the same time.

The only downside of this is that people must know to use your new number to text you, instead of your cell phone number. But if your phone service is so bad, you can switch to this method fulltime.

You can also send and receive picture messages and MMS, I believe, on these services though I notice it may be hit-and-miss. I don't use these services often, usually only from a tablet but they do work.

 

[codyedmonson]

You could also try using textplus, it sends messages via any connection possible.

 

[gloriousnumber1]

I want to keep the same # though. I had text plus a while back and never really used it. What I really want is some VZW big shot to send someone out to my place to check service indoors , admit it sucks , and give me a free coverage extender.

 

[nomarsgirl]

I want to keep the same # though. I had text plus a while back and never really used it. What I really want is some VZW big shot to send someone out to my place to check service indoors , admit it sucks , and give me a free coverage extender.

Sounds like you live at my house. I did get the free network extender. It works great. Just took finding a csr who could look at the coverage map and realize that i really don't have service at my house and probably never will.

 

[gloriousnumber1]

Sounds like you live at my house. I did get the free network extender. It works great. Just took finding a csr who could look at the coverage map and realize that i really don't have service at my house and probably never will.

Was that on the phone or in person? At my local (and favorite) VZW store, they showed me a map saying I have lots of coverage, or course they can't check indoors.