Google voice for the win? Free SMS?

[mayerjackson]

I have a google voice account and i am pretty sure that if you get the google number you can use that to text for free (receiving and sending as long as it is done through the google number). Anyone know anything about this?

 

[Abe21599]

yup u can - just dont expect to receive any MMS (cant do that)

 

[mayerjackson]

Are there any loop holes? Like i use Handcent, when that comes up, if i read it on there and hit quick reply will that go through my normal texting or google voice? Just need to not get screwed on my texting...

 

[harrellj]

Unless there's a way in handcent to tell it what number to use as your text messaging number, you will probably have to go through the GV app for free texts.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[Abe21599]

yep no app to use the GV number - handcent will use your cell number

 

[nerdkill]

that's a super interesting idea that i've never thought of. i wonder if there's a way to change the default number in handcent on a rooted phone or if it's much more complicated than that.

 

[aminaked]

Can't receive? Uh...just give your google voice number to people that text you and you can receive mms for free too.

And let's not forget free visual voicemail.

GV FTW!

Edit: You can receive SMS. You can't receive MMS. Thanks khelek (below)...

 

[khelek]

Can't receive? Uh...just give your google voice number to people that text you and you can receive mms for free too.

Unless something's changed in a recent update (and I've been suggesting it everytime I see the "take our survey" link at google.com/voice), GV does *not* support MMS, just text.

 

[unknowndroid]

A few things to make sure you aren't getting charged for SMS when using Google Voice:

1) ALL SMS need to come in and go out through the Google Voice Android App (or web client).
2) You can send to the "GV number" (assigned to each contact by GV) using stock texting app or Handcent, etc, but you WILL be charged for each message you send. Sending to the internal GV number assigned to a contact, just makes it so they see YOUR GV number when they receive. It DOES NOT make the text message free if you are using anything OTHER than Google Voice App.
3) There are two places where you want to turn off SMS. A) in your Google Voice settings on the web based app. B) in your settings on the Android App. If either of those has set to notify you via SMS, you will be charged for those messages.

A lot of confusion about this still exists, and you can find many instances of people thinking they were getting free SMS and then having huge bills cuz they were paying by the message.

 

[mayerjackson]

A few things to make sure you aren't getting charged for SMS when using Google Voice:

1) ALL SMS need to come in and go out through the Google Voice Android App (or web client).
2) You can send to the "GV number" (assigned to each contact by GV) using stock texting app or Handcent, etc, but you WILL be charged for each message you send. Sending to the internal GV number assigned to a contact, just makes it so they see YOUR GV number when they receive. It DOES NOT make the text message free if you are using anything OTHER than Google Voice App.
3) There are two places where you want to turn off SMS. A) in your Google Voice settings on the web based app. B) in your settings on the Android App. If either of those has set to notify you via SMS, you will be charged for those messages.

A lot of confusion about this still exists, and you can find many instances of people thinking they were getting free SMS and then having huge bills cuz they were paying by the message.

Could you please explain three a little more? Wouldnt you want google voice on?

 

[unknowndroid]

Could you please explain three a little more? Wouldnt you want google voice on?

You don't want to turn off Google Voice, you want to turn off the settings that send you SMS notifications. Specifically, go into the Google Voice Web Client, under Settings, Voicemail and Text, under Voicemail Notifications, make sure that you "uncheck" Send Text Message to (your Mobile number).

In the Android Client, go into Settings, Sync and Notifications and make sure you "uncheck" Notifications via Text Message.

 

[mayerjackson]

Could you please explain three a little more? Wouldnt you want google voice on?

You don't want to turn off Google Voice, you want to turn off the settings that send you SMS notifications. Specifically, go into the Google Voice Web Client, under Settings, Voicemail and Text, under Voicemail Notifications, make sure that you "uncheck" Send Text Message to (your Mobile number).

In the Android Client, go into Settings, Sync and Notifications and make sure you "uncheck" Notifications via Text Message.

Wow, you probably just saved my skin there, i would've had a whole bunch of text message charges and wouldn't have known why. One question though, in the web client can i change that number to send it to my google voice number or not?

 

[khelek]

3) There are two places where you want to turn off SMS. A) in your Google Voice settings on the web based app. B) in your settings on the Android App. If either of those has set to notify you via SMS, you will be charged for those messages.

Could you please explain three a little more? Wouldnt you want google voice on?

Google Voice *is* still on....unfortunately, a lot of people get bitten by the fact that, if the above things aren't disabled, messages sent to your GV number will *also* be sent to your carrier messaging. The messages that come in like that are treated out of carrier, so you get dinged against your pool of messages. So, a lot of people send a lot of messages thinking they're getting free SMS and it turns out that each of those messages was going to their carrier messenger and getting huge texting bills.

(sorry if this doesn't make sense, I'm trying to do this while on the phone)

 

[sonicxtacy02]

IMHO using google voices text app isnt worth it when weighed against $5/month for unlimited texting. It kicks ass for visual voicemail to prevent having to pay verizon for it

 

[khelek]

IMHO using google voices text app isnt worth it when weighed against $5/month for unlimited texting. It kicks ass for visual voicemail to prevent having to pay verizon for it

Um, where do you get $5/month for unlimited text on VZW? AFAIK, $5/month gets you 250 messages, $10/month gets you 500 + unlimited vz2vz messaging....