Google Voice 0.4.0.12 - no more FnF?

[les017]

Looks like the latest GV takes away the ability to get the most from your Verizon Friends & Family. Used to be that all calls using GV went via a single, relatively consistent 916-xxx-xxxx number. Not anymore. Seems each number you dial now goes out through a different 972-xxx-xxxx number.

At least i can't see any way to disable this. Oh well, Titanium Backup to the rescue...back to 0.3.4 for me.

If anyone has more/better info please chime in.

 

[DigiK]

Absolutely right and very underhanded of Goog. Avoid the update if you're not rooted or revert to a backup of 3.4.

Google Voice has been updated to 4.0 in the market, but the only new 'feature' is unique, per-contact access numbers. Users who currently enjoy unlimited free calling by entering their Google Access Number on their Friends and Family list should avoid this update.

Additionally, it's kind of insulting that Google bothered to push this update out without atleast including features that users have been emphatically requesting on market for a while including save as draft, separate VM & SMS notification sounds, message threading, and FB picture display.

All in all, I'm a bit incredulous of the stated motives of "place calls faster" here; we can only hope Google isn't getting a bit too close with Verizon these days.

Time to 1-STAR in Market.

 

[hookbill]

Looks like the latest GV takes away the ability to get the most from your Verizon Friends & Family. Used to be that all calls using GV went via a single, relatively consistent 916-xxx-xxxx number. Not anymore. Seems each number you dial now goes out through a different 972-xxx-xxxx number.

At least i can't see any way to disable this. Oh well, Titanium Backup to the rescue...back to 0.3.4 for me.

If anyone has more/better info please chime in.

Excellent catch!!!!

 

[les017]

Excellent catch!!!!

It's my M-O for almost anything I do. Hang around for 6-8 months and eventually do something useful.

I had heard that an update was coming soon, but I had hoped that MMS support would be near the top of the list. This is a more than a little disturbing to me. It might have been foolhardy, but I had actually spent more than a bit of time porting non-VZW, non-MMS contacts over to my GV number. I still need a 1400 minute plan to get FnF but I now only carry 1 phone as I have forwarded my work desk and cell phones to my GV number.

Oh well, as long as 0.3.4 doesn't expire

 

[boddah]

can anybody put up a copy of 0.3.4? I updated this morning, doh

 

[wuyanks]

not cool, google. not cool. i love how they mask the update as "faster calling" LOL!

here are some more complaints about the update:

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/voice/thread?tid=68b66765e4e4ada2&hl=en

 

[DigiK]

can anybody put up a copy of 0.3.4? I updated this morning, doh

We have you covered. =)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6035817/com.google.android.apps.googlevoice-1.apk

 

[boddah]

Nice, thanks DigiK

 

[pc747]

good job, good catch. Man google you suppose to b on our side.

 

[qoncept]

very underhanded of Goog. Avoid the update if you're not rooted or revert to a backup of 3.4.
...
Additionally, it's kind of insulting that Google bothered to push this update out without atleast including features that users have been emphatically requesting on market for a while including save as draft, separate VM & SMS notification sounds, message threading, and FB picture display.

All in all, I'm a bit incredulous of the stated motives of "place calls faster" here; we can only hope Google isn't getting a bit too close with Verizon these days.

This is complete nonsense.

My first reaction was that yeah, Verizon and the other carriers were pressuring Google. But if they wanted to fix the problem, it would be easy enough to get a list of phone numbers Google uses for routing and blacklist them from Friends and Family. In fact I assumed that would happen sooner or later.

The fact is, calls genuinely do go through faster now since they don't have to be routed by Google. In fact the pathetic connection times are why quit using GV for calls. This is not only a feature people want, but in at least my case, a make or break feature.

 

[GolfProRM]

The fact is, calls genuinely do go through faster now since they don't have to be routed by Google. In fact the pathetic connection times are why quit using GV for calls. This is not only a feature people want, but in at least my case, a make or break feature.

Bingo! Some of us actually use GV without trying to circumvent our minute plans and are quite pleased that it works significantly faster now.

 

[sonicxtacy02]

I dont get the people who complain about this change. You cant have a FNF plan with less than 1400 minutes! Are you really in jeopardy of going over a 1400/month limit? If so, put down the phone and go enjoy the outdoors lol

 

[DigiK]

This is complete nonsense.

My first reaction was that yeah, Verizon and the other carriers were pressuring Google. But if they wanted to fix the problem, it would be easy enough to get a list of phone numbers Google uses for routing and blacklist them from Friends and Family. In fact I assumed that would happen sooner or later.

Firstly, I never found call connect time to be excessive enough with GV to be a deal breaker.

As much as unique access numbers seem like a reasonable feature to some, Google chose to release this update without including any other user-submitted feature/bug fix requests or making unique access numbers an OPTION.

Blacklisting Google Voice access numbers would have been an utter PR travesty of user back-lash; so if collusion DID occur, this was an easy way to mask true motives.

Unfortunately, over my life I've found the saying "Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence" to be bidirectional. Companies exist to make money, back room deals are struck all the time. That's life.

Bingo! Some of us actually use GV without trying to circumvent our minute plans...

I dont get the people who complain about this change. You cant have a FNF plan with less than 1400 minutes! Are you really in jeopardy of going over a 1400/month limit? If so, put down the phone and go enjoy the outdoors lol

No need to frame those of us who have been using GV as a quasi-VOIP tunnel as being unscrupulous or unethical; and furthermore, you should not make inferences or unqualified statements about others' plans or usage here.

FYI, I now carry a Nationwide Talk/Text 1400 minute plan with two data plans. I'm sharing minutes between four users who all call unique numbers. I pay Verizon ~$400 a month for Fios TV, internet, and wireless services. I have every right to use legal means at my disposal to ensure that I'm not creeping up into the overage territory by using GV on my phone.

 

[hookerdj]

this isnt true anyways i have google voice and as long as you use google voice callback it still works...i tried a outgoing and a incoming call and it still shows my google voice number...

 

[circsmonky]

I dont get the people who complain about this change. You cant have a FNF plan with less than 1400 minutes! Are you really in jeopardy of going over a 1400/month limit? If so, put down the phone and go enjoy the outdoors lol

yes you can, i have FNF with 900 min, before GV i used about 700-800, I have my phone set to ask before every call, i still call verizon people and FNF people from my Verizon number, but since I have the GV number on FNF I will be sure I will never go over my min.