Google Voice over Wifi Question:

[JunBringer]

I spend a good two nights a week at a good friend's house of which I don't get a cell signal at his house. I'm wondering if I can turn on airplane mode, then turn on wifi (which does work, I tried) and still get calls/texts through google voice through the wifi? Does anybody have experience with this?

 

[Tasmin]

Right now I only use GV for SMS and voice mail, and as long as you've got an internet connection those should work fine (assuming you're checking those online through the GV site or email).

Since GV is actually placing calls to your phone when you dial out (GV calls your phone, calls your target number, then connects them in the middle somehow like magic), if you're not getting a signal on your phone you shouldn't be able to make a call. As I understand it, you can't use GV for VOIP (making calls through the internet) unless you have another program in tandem with it (Gizmo5 is the one generally recommended). This article from LifeHacker describes how to do it through your PC; I assume there's some way to get this working through your smartphone too.

 

[JunBringer]

Gotcha. I'm thinking my perception of GV was a bit different than reality. I thought it WAS a VOIP type deal, even when I have a 3G signal, I thought it made those calls through the 3G, thus through the web. I need to research things more thoroughly. Thanks!


FYI Gizmo5 has been bought by Google.

 

[Tasmin]

Yeah, I think that was why the rumors started up that GV was going to become a true VOIP sometime soon.

 

[JunBringer]

I hope so, that'd be convenient.

 

[evoq]

Gotcha. I'm thinking my perception of GV was a bit different than reality. I thought it WAS a VOIP type deal, even when I have a 3G signal, I thought it made those calls through the 3G, thus through the web. I need to research things more thoroughly. Thanks!


FYI Gizmo5 has been bought by Google.

Actually, you can accomplish this using the free Google Voice callback app, a gizmo5 account (or any SIP number) and Fring (or any client that will allow SIP). I saw this following thread and just set it up. I was able to make calls using Airplane mode and wifi only.

http://androidforums.com/applicatio...ple-use-app-maximizes-your-gv.html#post974724

Here are the steps that I followed:
1. Set up fring for SIP calling. I entered my gizmo5 id, password and proxy server ( proxy01.sipphone.com) information.
2. Downloaded and installed the free Google Voice Callback app from the Market.
3. Entered the gizmo5 number in the GV Callback app setting and entered my Google Voice id and password.

Now when I dial any number, a menu pops up asking if the call should be made via the callback app. When I select that option, it calls back on Fring and after I accept that call, it connects the other party.

It was fairly straight forward to set up and the process works almost seamlessly (except for the two extra clicks/touch).

Alternatively, you can also pull up the google voice web site on your browser and dial from there too and accept the call on Fring. But it's much easier with the callback app.