Google Voice set up

[Jim 777]

I hope this is not redundant to the point of deletion.

I have been all over this board, others, and Google Voice Help trying to figure this out. Here's where I'm at.


I have a GV number. I was experimenting with what I can do without accruing minutes or messages against my plan. It seems that calling out to people from my GV can still incur minutes. This is the same with messaging. When someone messages me to my GV number, Handcent displays a 406-xxx-xxxx number. I put that number in to their contact info and from then out it displays their name. Now I read that in order to keep things off the network radar, I have to use my GV number to call/message their 406 number, however it doesn't work. There's a message that says "the call can't be comleted, please try again. We're sorry for the inconvenience."

I can however call the 406 number from my Verizon number and it goes through. I can call their normal number from my GV number and it goes through. It's the GV to "GV" number that doesn't work.

I have Verizon, and do not have Friends and Family so there's no where that I can include my number as unlimited calling.

My brain is fried trying to make this work. Any help would be appreciated. I don't use GV VM so unless I can put a dent in minutes/messages used, I'm not sure what it's going to do for me.

 

[thistle]

You are correct, without F&F you will still be charged minutes going through GV for calls. The best way around this that I've found is using this tutorial for sipdroid+GV: extraneous: Sipdroid + GV = GUAVA = Free Calls and Messaging to USA and Canada. However, it requires a Gizmo5 account which are currently closed for new signups. If you happen to have one, however, it works great.

If you want unlimited SMS, use either the Google Voice or GV app, or go through your browser. You'll also need to turn off "Receive SMS on this phone" from your mobile phone's settings on the website. The 406 numbers allow you to text contacts directly through non-GV apps like Handcent but still count as messages since they are forwarded.

 

[Jim 777]

You are correct, without F&F you will still be charged minutes going through GV for calls. The best way around this that I've found is using this tutorial for sipdroid+GV: extraneous: Sipdroid + GV = GUAVA = Free Calls and Messaging to USA and Canada. However, it requires a Gizmo5 account which are currently closed for new signups. If you happen to have one, however, it works great.

If you want unlimited SMS, use either the Google Voice or GV app, or go through your browser. You'll also need to turn off "Receive SMS on this phone" from your mobile phone's settings on the website. The 406 numbers allow you to text contacts directly through non-GV apps like Handcent but still count as messages since they are forwarded.

OK, so let me see if I understand you correctly.

I have the GV app on the droid so if I text to a non verizon person and to their normal number, it should be "free" (not count against my number of free messages)... correct? I have the forwarding off since day one.

Also, looking at Verizon, if I went with a F&F plan, would I just need to add my GV number as an included number?

 

[thistle]

OK, so let me see if I understand you correctly.

I have the GV app on the droid so if I text to a non verizon person and to their normal number, it should be "free" (not count against my number of free messages)... correct? I have the forwarding off since day one.

If you have forwarding off, where are you getting the 406 numbers from? The only way to get free SMS is through accessing GV via data by one of the methods I mentioned. Last time I checked Handcent doesn't do this.

Also, looking at Verizon, if I went with a F&F plan, would I just need to add my GV number as an included number?

There are two ways:

1. Add your GV number and the random number the official Google Voice app uses to call out with. With this method you will need to check which number the app is using to call out as it can change periodically, leaving you with a surprise come bill time.
2. Use the unofficial GV app (by Evan Charlton) to do callback or dial-out. Both of these settings use only your GV number for outgoing calls so you don't need multiple numbers in F&F or have to check that the outgoing number hasn't changed. I personally have used the dial-out for months now.

For both of these methods you'll need to make sure to have Caller ID (in) set to "Display my Google Voice number".

 

[Jim 777]

If you have forwarding off, where are you getting the 406 numbers from? The only way to get free SMS is through accessing GV via data by one of the methods I mentioned. Last time I checked Handcent doesn't do this.

Since getting the GV number, any messages that come in to my GV number or responded to my GV number, also come in to the Handcent app (I'm assuming teh default app too). So if I not go back to the GV app and view the message in Handcent, it would display the incoming number until I add that number to someone in my contacts. It's that number that woiuld be the 406 number. Oddly enough, if I respond in Handcent to a conversation that originated with my GV number, it would stay there and not use my Verizon number.

There are two ways:

1. Add your GV number and the random number the official Google Voice app uses to call out with. With this method you will need to check which number the app is using to call out as it can change periodically, leaving you with a surprise come bill time.
2. Use the unofficial GV app (by Evan Charlton) to do callback or dial-out. Both of these settings use only your GV number for outgoing calls so you don't need multiple numbers in F&F or have to check that the outgoing number hasn't changed. I personally have used the dial-out for months now.

For both of these methods you'll need to make sure to have Caller ID (in) set to "Display my Google Voice number".

Bummer but thanks.

 

[zero7starz]

At this point, if you're not on a family share plan, then going to unlimited calling is only 10 a month more then the regular single line plan with F&F. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting call overages, and can focus on getting the free SMS to work (because Verizon likes to charge out the a$$ for SMS...)

 

[Jim 777]

At this point, if you're not on a family share plan, then going to unlimited calling is only 10 a month more then the regular single line plan with F&F. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting call overages, and can focus on getting the free SMS to work (because Verizon likes to charge out the a$$ for SMS...)

We're on a discontinued plan called Family Share, two lines. Based on the website, it'd be at least $40/month for the lowest amount of minutes and still F&F.

Not in the cards yet.

 

[zero7starz]

At this point, if you're not on a family share plan, then going to unlimited calling is only 10 a month more then the regular single line plan with F&F. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting call overages, and can focus on getting the free SMS to work (because Verizon likes to charge out the a$$ for SMS...)

We're on a discontinued plan called Family Share, two lines. Based on the website, it'd be at least $40/month for the lowest amount of minutes and still F&F.

Not in the cards yet.

Yea, if you're on Family Share then its a lot bigger jump to unlimited Sorry wish I could have helped.