Help me with Google Voice

[sk1wbw]

Question about Google Voice... does the Lite version give you the ability to send sms via a Google Voice app? If it does, I can't get it to work. And what happens if you completely port your number over, does it cancel your contract with your carrier, and what other benefits are there in doing this?

 

[siurpeeman]

the lite version of google voice is used primarily for voicemail and voicemail transcription. if you want sms, you'll have to use the full version of google voice, either requiring you to get a new google number or to port your number to google voice.

if you do port your number out, your line with your phone company will be closed, and you'll have to call them up to reinstate your account but with a different number. the advantage of this is you get the benefits of google voice without having to tell everyone you know that your number changed. however, i think the downsides greatly outweigh the pros. i think google charges $20 for the number porting, then there's the hassle of dealing with the phone company to get your line reinstated, you can't port your number back out (i've read some people trying to limited success), texting from the google voice app is not as nice as texting from the native messaging client, no mms, and more.

my biggest worry is that google will just one day make google voice disappear the same way it's doing to google reader. that uncertainty is reason enough why i'll never port my number out.

 

[mattopotamus]

the lite version of google voice is used primarily for voicemail and voicemail transcription. if you want sms, you'll have to use the full version of google voice, either requiring you to get a new google number or to port your number to google voice.

if you do port your number out, your line with your phone company will be closed, and you'll have to call them up to reinstate your account but with a different number. the advantage of this is you get the benefits of google voice without having to tell everyone you know that your number changed. however, i think the downsides greatly outweigh the pros. i think google charges $20 for the number porting, then there's the hassle of dealing with the phone company to get your line reinstated, you can't port your number back out (i've read some people trying to limited success), texting from the google voice app is not as nice as texting from the native messaging client, no mms, and more.

my biggest worry is that google will just one day make google voice disappear the same way it's doing to google reader. that uncertainty is reason enough why i'll never port my number out.

I sure hope not. It is the best way to get visual voicemail on a nexus phone....unless someone else knows a better solution?

 

[sk1wbw]

That's my fear, as well. They'll get rid of it, leaving lots of cell users out under the bus.

 

[Tinmania]

Perhaps something has changed, but I have several GV numbers--none of which were ported over or had any connection to my cell carrier--and can send and receive texts with them. The texts from my main GV number are forwarded to my phone as well as sent to email, transcribed.




Michael

 

[mattopotamus]

Perhaps something has changed, but I have several GV numbers--none of which were ported over or had any connection to my cell carrier--and can send and receive texts with them. The texts from my main GV number are forwarded to my phone as well as sent to email, transcribed.




Michael

I think they have changed it. I know when you go to change the number it warns you that it will cancel your carriers plan.