Google Voice Question (Free Texts and Number porting from Verizon)

[magnus]

I've heard that You can get free text messages by using Google Voice. I've searched for it but haven't come across any new articles from back when Google Voice was still invite only.

Here are my questions:
- With Google voice, is it possible to get free texting to replace carrier text plans. This is what I'm looking for in Google Voice Texting:
------ Free incoming and outgoing
------ Instant send and receive (I do know that initially Google Voice would poll only every 5 minutes, is that still the case?......I sometimes have 'chat' conversations over text
------ MMS support?
------ Notifications on phone

- As far as porting a number for $20. Has anybody tried doing that from Verizon. I'm thinking of porting my existing numbers from Verizon to GV so that I don't have to tell everybody I changed my number.
------ Can you port a number from verizon without affecting contract status? I'm not on contract now.....but don't want to lose my unlimited data...and looking to get back into a 2 year with a new phone.


Thank you!!!