Google Voice - replacing Verizon voicemail / slow to update

[UNEXPECTED62]

I have set my Verizon Voicemail to forward to my google voice number, essentially replacing my Verizon voicemail with google voice. This a cool way to get free visual voicemail.

However, I find that the actual Google Voice app seems slow to update, even though I have it set to check for notifications every five minutes.

I say this because I received a phone call today from someone at 11 AM, and I expected them to leave a message, but I never got a notification. At 2 PM I actually opened the app, and nothing. I hit refresh, and nothing. BUT, I went to google.com/voice and lo and behold I had a voicemail left 3 hours prior. Moments later, the app notified me. (maybe it was still refreshing?)

Is anyone else experiencing these symptoms... or using the app like me to replace default Verizon voicemail? This hasn't happened all the time, but I would hate to miss something important because of a buggy GV...

And if you are wondering how I did this, here are the instructions.

While having a Google Voice number is handy, the fact of the matter is that on whatever phone you call a person from (landline, cell phone, etc), many people are used to calling you back at the number you called them from.

Here's a master list by cell provider of conditional forwarding codes and directions to set up your cell voicemail so that unanswered/ignored calls to your cell go to your GV voicemail, Callwave-style (for those of you who have used that service!)

Caveat: depending on your cell phone provider, it can take anywhere from 6-10 rings for your GV voicemail to pick up.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Find your activation code in the list below.

2. Enter the first code exactly as written, as if you're dialing someone. Replace [GVnumber] with your GV phone number. For example, if your GV phone number is 203-555-1212, and your service is CellCom, then you would enter *682035551212.

3. Press "Send" or "Talk" or "Enter" on your phone to dial that number.

4. If multiple codes are given, repeat steps 2 & 3 for each code. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

5. After following the steps above, try calling your mobile phone from another phone and leave a voicemail. The message should appear in your GV inbox!

Wireless Carrier or Network ---> Activation Code

Verizon (CDMA network): *71[GVnumber] AND *90[GVnumber] AND *92[GVnumber]

 

[Backnblack]

Mine show up about 30 seconds after they leave the message....

 

[JhankG]

I'm not sure if I am understanding this correctly. I have a Google Voice number, but I really don't use it because too many people have my Verizon number. Am I able to keep using my Verizon number and still use Google Voice's voicemail features when people leave a message for my Verizon number?

 

[mach330]

yes. you can have your voicemail fwd to your gv.

 

[JhankG]

Are you still able to check your voicemails through Verizon's voicemail?

 

[Backnblack]

Are you still able to check your voicemails through Verizon's voicemail?

No...All VM goes to Google

 

[UNEXPECTED62]

I'm not sure if I am understanding this correctly. I have a Google Voice number, but I really don't use it because too many people have my Verizon number. Am I able to keep using my Verizon number and still use Google Voice's voicemail features when people leave a message for my Verizon number?

Exactly. I didn't really use it either because of that. Now when I don't answer my phone, google voice's voicemail picks up instead of verizons!! Its awesome!

 

[DebDroid]

that happens to me with verizon's regular voicemail. I don't get notifications until I actually check. :/

 

[chops]

yeah i have to check for the notification and it rarely transcribes the message too but it is a beta so i guess i expect it

 

[Backnblack]

that happens to me with verizon's regular voicemail. I don't get notifications until I actually check. :/

I get a email notification....transcribes about 75% of the time

 

[Chris214]

I'm having no luck getting this to work. I've added it three times, and every time it fails to initiate properly. When someone calls and it attempts to go to voicemail, the phone simply offers a busy signal. Everything appears to have been set up correctly on the website (google voice) and the phone) but no dice.

Any suggestions or similar experiences?

Christian
[email protected]

 

[bdbull]

I have set my Verizon Voicemail to forward to my google voice number, essentially replacing my Verizon voicemail with google voice. This a cool way to get free visual voicemail.

However, I find that the actual Google Voice app seems slow to update, even though I have it set to check for notifications every five minutes.

This happened to me last week. I got a phone call from someone around 2pm. Like you I expected them to leave a vm, but I never got a notification for it so I figured they didn't leave one. I got the vm in google voice the next day at 11am.

 

[Martin030908]

Google Voicemail works fine here. Set everything up, voicemail notification came through maybe a minute after the call. It was 85-90% transcribed from an automated message from the doctor. Not too bad.