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iMessage a step Backwards for Google Voice users?

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shanezam203

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
64
1
Chicago
I have slowly but surly transitioned over from my carrier cell phone AT&T work # to my Google Voice # and I LOVE IT. I can SMS on my iPhone, iPad, online and it works awesome!

On my iPhone I have an SMS Extension that sends SMS as my GV #, best $1.50 I spent in my life. When I make calls, it prompts me to call from Carrier or GV. Now with iMessage texting to other iPhone users, it is nice the conversation is streamed on all iDevices but I can't text online like I do with GV.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both... with GV I can't SMS 100%, with iMessage you can for Free. With GV I my iPhone can be syncing on my computer with iTunes & I can text back and forth online away from my device...

Anyone else having a similar 1 step forward and 2 back now with iMessage & Google Voice?
 
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gentlefury

macrumors 68030
Jul 21, 2011
2,866
23
Los Angeles, CA
I've only found google voice to be a complete mess! You need an app that rarely works as it should to use it....it dials a different number every time, so I can't even add it to my friends list for free calling. VM transcription is a joke. Yet another half baked google invention. iMessage however has been freaking amazing! Fast, and I can now chat with people I couldn't chat with before, because they were on ATT and it would cost me money. Best addition they have made!

With all the problems I've been having with google products lately, I have done my best at distancing myself from them as much as I can.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
gentlefury said:
You need an app that rarely works as it should to use it....it dials a different number every time, so I can't even add it to my friends list for free calling.
Click to expand...

Google Voice should be calling and texting "from" your/their GV number... doesn't it do that for you? If you SMS from Gmail's chat bar, this sends your texts from fugazi numbers.

The only thing I don't like about GV SMS is that it doesn't seem to support receipt of text messages from servers that have five-digit numbers (like when Twitter, RedBox, store order fulfillment reminders, airplane reminders, etc get sent), does it? If I abandoned my AT&T texting plan, I'd have to figure out how to replace this aspect of how I use it.
 
A

AnionicStrength

macrumors member
Dec 28, 2010
75
0
Google Voice also does not support sending or receiving (except from Sprint subscribers) of MMS messages. Thus, I have to keep my $5 200 text message plan.
 
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britboyj

macrumors 6502a
Apr 8, 2009
814
1,086
Google Voice was a bit of a disappointment for me, I just use it for spam control (never give my real number to companies)

I do wish iMessage was integrated into iChat though...
 
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shanezam203

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
64
1
Chicago
Regarding GV and the new phone #'s every time... It stays the same for me, I save the incoming phone # as a 2nd contact for my friends and I was able to SMS that directly or call it even from my carrier SIM and it would show up as coming from my GV #.

Example my brother now has his cell in my contacts and also the GV # that he responds with...

AnionicStrength said:
Google Voice also does not support sending or receiving (except from Sprint subscribers) of MMS messages. Thus, I have to keep my $5 200 text message plan.
Click to expand...

That's right, just recently I started getting MMS's from Sprint customers...
 
D

dickdaney

macrumors regular
Dec 10, 2009
154
1
britboyj said:
Google Voice was a bit of a disappointment for me, I just use it for spam control (never give my real number to companies)

I do wish iMessage was integrated into iChat though...
Click to expand...

Same here. I use it just to control who gets my real number now. I use text forwarding to forward the GV texts to my phone. I got tired of having to wait for the app to update for every new text. When you're in a building with a bad signal, that gets annoying rather quickly. I was like those AT&T commercials where everyone got their texts five minutes before you.
 
miles01110

miles01110

macrumors Core
Jul 24, 2006
19,260
37
The Ivory Tower (I'm not coming down)
shanezam203 said:
Regarding GV and the new phone #'s every time... It stays the same for me, I save the incoming phone # as a 2nd contact for my friends and I was able to SMS that directly or call it even from my carrier SIM and it would show up as coming from my GV #.
Click to expand...

You must have something misconfigured. Whenever I get calls, the actual number shows up... not just a GV forwarding number. In fact, I wasn't even aware that incoming calls ever got sent to a forwarding number first and then your GV number.
 
aziatiklover

aziatiklover

macrumors 68030
Jul 12, 2011
2,704
269
8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
google voice is just epic! Especially when you are overseas and text back or even calling for free with GV connect without any international charge. Just use wifi and local 3G connection. On the other hand I like imessage and facetime when overseas well. However kinda limited when not all my friends and family have iDevices! That's the only downside for me.
 
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shanezam203

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
64
1
Chicago
SGMD1 said:
I've been looking for a way to do this...how do you do it?
Click to expand...

1st your iPhone needs to be jail broken.

Then go in cydia and get both Phone GV Extension and SNS GV Extension.

Then inside Settings in the iPhone you can change the settings + make rules that do some #'s automaticly... ex. dial with Carrier for some, or GV for others... or prompt you for anything else.
 
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shanezam203

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
64
1
Chicago
miles01110 said:
You must have something misconfigured. Whenever I get calls, the actual number shows up... not just a GV forwarding number. In fact, I wasn't even aware that incoming calls ever got sent to a forwarding number first and then your GV number.
Click to expand...

When I get calls to my GV # their actual # shows up too. I was referencing a text response, that comes in forwarded to my carrier # as the 2nd # I have them saved in my contacts. you too?
 
Small White Car

Small White Car

macrumors G4
Aug 29, 2006
10,966
1,463
Washington DC
Your iPhone friends probably don't like it.

If you used iMessage it'd be free for them, but by using GV you're costing them text messages. Right? Is that how it works?
 
OneMike

OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,816
1,796
I was a google voice user solely and find iMessage as a step forward, if nothing else for the fact I can now send pictures.

Beyond that, the integration of being able to read/send/reply without launching the app. It's also free for the other party..
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Small White Car said:
If you send me a message from Google Voice to my iPhone, how do I get it? I'm apparently not understanding how this works.
Click to expand...

GV does a few things which are loosely related.

Messaging -- you can send/receive messages via the GV app on the iPhone (or you can install some third party apps that link into GV, or use Safari). If you both have iPhones or other devices that have the appropriate app (or, I guess, a web browser), you can both message with only data (not SMS) charges by messaging to each other's GV numbers, and on devices like the iPhone, the notification system also gives you badges or alerts as long as you can receive data. The messages are integrated across device and the web, so you see the same stream of messages on them all and you can log into the website and text from there. You can also text to SMS numbers, which as you say, will cost the recipient per their SMS plan (not data) and cost the sender via data.

The major limitations are: (1) it does not use your existing mobile number, so if you cancel your text plan and use GV, anyone who still texts you at your mobile number will cost you; (2) at least with AT&T, you have marginal cell and no data service more often than vice versa, and in that situation you might be able to get/send SMSs but GV notifications and messages might fail.

FWIW, GV also allows you to place and receive calls via the GV phone number, and finally it also allows the GV phone number to ring multiple destinations and allows you to transfer a call from one to the other (e.g. if you
start the call at your desk phone and want to leave, you can zap it over to your mobile without having to hang up the call).
 
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LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,780
10,844
I frequently make/receive calls & texts on my GV number. It's very reliable for me. Having a reliable second line for FREE is sweet.

As far as iMessage goes, I don't view it as a comparison. It works great for me, especially when chatting with people overseas.
 
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shanezam203

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
64
1
Chicago
Small White Car said:
If you used iMessage it'd be free for them, but by using GV you're costing them text messages. Right? Is that how it works?
Click to expand...

That is how I understand it too, iMessage is free SMS and picture mail; so I can understand it's value. But GV in a way is free SMS too + some advantages pointed out in this thread that only recently are available on iDevices (thanks to iOs5).

My problem is my friends having 2 conversation threads for me on their iPhone. One for my GV and one for iMessage; the point of Google Voice is 1 #... :cool:
 
S

shanezam203

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
64
1
Chicago
OneMike said:
I was a google voice user solely and find iMessage as a step forward, if nothing else for the fact I can now send pictures.

Beyond that, the integration of being able to read/send/reply without launching the app. It's also free for the other party..
Click to expand...

But you are using your carrier #, not GV right? So do your friends have 2 #'s for you in their contacts?
 
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