Google Voice - what is it & what does it do for me?

[hookbill]

Hi, just added GV mostly for getting voice mail in text. used my current vz phone number. any way to just get sms, and not both email and smsfor the text of VM? how do you configure it?
thanks

Turn the notification off for email in your settings. That way you'll only get one notification. This is done on line at your Google voice page under voice mail and SMS I believe.

 

[Fraxinus]

I can't speak for what other people say in this forum but I did some test calls this morning and I was not charged by Verizon for either one of them.

That's really interesting Hook...I'll have to experiment myself. Everything I've read points to needing a calling circle to pull this off but not having truly tested it myself I can't say for certain.

any way to just get sms, and not both email and smsfor the text of VM? how do you configure it?
thanks

1. Open your account and click "Settings"
2. Click the "Voicemail & SMS" tab
3. Under "Voicemail Notifications" uncheck your email account and check the SMS mobile option only

pretty sure that should be all you need to do. I have the SMS notify turned off since I don't have a text allowance on my Verizon plan. I just use GV for all SMS now.

 

[Fraxinus]

Hook, what has the time-frame been between when you placed a GV call and when you checked your account status? I just did a couple tests and I notice that the Verizon usage tracker doesn't update immediately. I'm not sure how long it takes though...

I tried a GV call and a regular call but neither one has shown up yet, so I'll update when I find out what happens.

 

[hookbill]

Hook, what has the time-frame been between when you placed a GV call and when you checked your account status? I just did a couple tests and I notice that the Verizon usage tracker doesn't update immediately. I'm not sure how long it takes though...

I tried a GV call and a regular call but neither one has shown up yet, so I'll update when I find out what happens.

I put it in my post. It was 10:28 that it updated. The calls I made were not included. Still arn't there, though the time frame hasn't changed since I last checked it's still showing as of 10:28 I just checked a few seconds ago.

 

[Flomaster]

I have made a couple test calls today and Verizon has not updated the website since I have made my calls so I do not know if GV is using my minutes or not..... I do NOT have my GV number in my friends and family as I don't have that service

also Verizons website is VERY VERY VERY SLOW... on Google Chrome and FIREFOX


-=Jason=-

 

[Vindii]

Hook, what has the time-frame been between when you placed a GV call and when you checked your account status? I just did a couple tests and I notice that the Verizon usage tracker doesn't update immediately. I'm not sure how long it takes though...

I tried a GV call and a regular call but neither one has shown up yet, so I'll update when I find out what happens.

I put it in my post. It was 10:28 that it updated. The calls I made were not included. Still arn't there, though the time frame hasn't changed since I last checked it's still showing as of 10:28 I just checked a few seconds ago.

Your still calling a number from your phone. Your just calling your GV number to make a call to another number. How can it not use minutes if it is calling a GV number? Same as any other number.

 

[ZWD12]

google voice

Hello,

new here on this forum, but I would really appreciate it if you can send me an invite to google voice if you have a spare one...

Please PM me and I'll tell you which email to send it to.

Thanks.

Eugene.

 

[Fraxinus]

Eugene - try here:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-general-discussions/11807-google-voice.html

That's the sticky thread for requesting/giving GV invites. Welcome to the forum

 

[hookbill]

Hook, what has the time-frame been between when you placed a GV call and when you checked your account status? I just did a couple tests and I notice that the Verizon usage tracker doesn't update immediately. I'm not sure how long it takes though...

I tried a GV call and a regular call but neither one has shown up yet, so I'll update when I find out what happens.

I put it in my post. It was 10:28 that it updated. The calls I made were not included. Still arn't there, though the time frame hasn't changed since I last checked it's still showing as of 10:28 I just checked a few seconds ago.

Your still calling a number from your phone. Your just calling your GV number to make a call to another number. How can it not use minutes if it is calling a GV number? Same as any other number.

I'm telling you that using Google Voice does not work that way. I don't know how it works but if you use Google Voice it does not use your minutes. I just checked it again and both calls are not listed and that's as of 3:43 according to Verizon.

I suggest you try it yourself if you doubt me. I've known this for sometime and I've been making calls with GV for at least 6 months. While I didn't check every call I've ever made on the ones I have checked they have never shown up as being charged on my Verizon account.

If I see something to the contrary in the next 24 hours I'll let you know but Verizon information is relatively up to date so I don't think anything will change.

 

[Vindii]

I put it in my post. It was 10:28 that it updated. The calls I made were not included. Still arn't there, though the time frame hasn't changed since I last checked it's still showing as of 10:28 I just checked a few seconds ago.

Your still calling a number from your phone. Your just calling your GV number to make a call to another number. How can it not use minutes if it is calling a GV number? Same as any other number.

I'm telling you that using Google Voice does not work that way. I don't know how it works but if you use Google Voice it does not use your minutes. I just checked it again and both calls are not listed and that's as of 3:43 according to Verizon.

I suggest you try it yourself if you doubt me. I've known this for sometime and I've been making calls with GV for at least 6 months. While I didn't check every call I've ever made on the ones I have checked they have never shown up as being charged on my Verizon account.

If I see something to the contrary in the next 24 hours I'll let you know but Verizon information is relatively up to date so I don't think anything will change.

If you have been using it for 6 months you should know for sure as your bills should have 0 minutes on them? Is that true?

 

[Flomaster]

well according to Verizon as of 3:45 PM my estimate of minutes used has ZERO calls for today. I made 3 or 4 calls 1 of which was a GV call and the others were not....

-=Jason=-

 

[droidtom]

verizon website

As far as I have ever seen the verizon website only updates call data once a day usually by noon. The number of minutes seems to change fairly often, but I would still be careful. I'm pretty comfortable that i have read enough times on here to add the GV # as a friends/family number to avoid charges. No matter what, if you can use it for outgoing minutes it will save even if people call you on the regular billable number. I know the friends/family deal saves me a lot of minutes so I assume that I could make some long calls with the GV deal and save a chunk as well. It seems great for free.

 

[hookbill]

As far as I have ever seen the verizon website only updates call data once a day usually by noon. The number of minutes seems to change fairly often, but I would still be careful. I'm pretty comfortable that i have read enough times on here to add the GV # as a friends/family number to avoid charges. No matter what, if you can use it for outgoing minutes it will save even if people call you on the regular billable number. I know the friends/family deal saves me a lot of minutes so I assume that I could make some long calls with the GV deal and save a chunk as well. It seems great for free.

I'm just checked My Verizon again. Last update was at 3:24pm and neither of the GV calls I made this morning are on the list of calls charged against my minutes.

 

[pisssed]

I have read this whole thread, i would love GV but i need a invite can someone help?

 

[Bull4595]

So I have read the whole thread and have one question that I don't think has been answered, but if it has then I must have missed it. Everyone is saying things about GV just being a forwarding serivce so that's why it charges minutes when used, without the whole F&F work around, so I was wondering the effect calling in for VM does if you only use your verizon #. In other words, regardless of which GV plan you pick, if you use the GV voicemail feature instead of verizon, does that charge your verizon account minutes? If this makes sense...