Google Voice...

[jrl9851]

Does google voice use your minutes when you call someone using your google voice number?

 

[thexxoffspring]

No it uses data

 

[csimo]

Does google voice use your minutes when you call someone using your google voice number?

This gets confusing, but if you just use GV (Google Voice) to make calls YES it uses your Verizon plan minutes.

BUT, there are ways around it.

Let's say you wanted to call 123-456-7891 but not use your Verizon plan minutes. You could do this by adding your GV number to your Friends and Family list, and then dialing your GV number, then 2, then 123-456-7891# and the call would NOT use your plan minutes.

There's an app that does this automatically called GVMyNumber.apk http://gvmynumber.googlecode.com/files/GVMyNumber.apk It works for me, but others have problems with it.

Make sure your GV number is on your Friends and Family list first.

-Joe

 

[csimo]

I guess I should give more info on GVMyNumber.

I use a Droid X and it works great. The default delay is 2 seconds and that doesn't work all the time for me, but the 4 second setting works great.

Is it worth waiting 4 seconds to make free calls? For me, yes (most of the time anyway).

GVMyNumber is an old app that hasn't been updated since the initial release, but it still works great. It's not on the Market, you have to use the link above.

-Joe

 

[csimo]

No it uses data

Unfortunately this is WRONG.

Google Voice SMS (text) message use data and do not count against your Verizon text messages.

Google Voice voice calls DO count as minutes on your Verizon plan unless you do as I stated above. Simply adding your GV number to Friends and Family does NOTHING and they still count against you unless you use a special dialer (as I suggested) or you manually dial your own GV number first.

GV uses random outbound numbers, not your GV number.

 

[harrellj]

No it uses data

Unfortunately this is WRONG.

Google Voice SMS (text) message use data and do not count against your Verizon text messages.

Google Voice voice calls DO count as minutes on your Verizon plan unless you do as I stated above. Simply adding your GV number to Friends and Family does NOTHING and they still count against you unless you use a special dialer (as I suggested) or you manually dial your own GV number first.

GV uses random outbound numbers, not your GV number.

In case anyone gets confused on reading older sites on the web, this used to not be the case. It used to be that you could put your GV number into your Family and Friends list and GV wouldn't use your minutes. However, an update broke that functionality a few months ago.

 

[takeshi]

In case anyone gets confused on reading older sites on the web, this used to not be the case. It used to be that you could put your GV number into your Family and Friends list and GV wouldn't use your minutes. However, an update broke that functionality a few months ago.

Actually that wasn't true either. GV has always used an access number (not the same as your GV number) for outbound calls. The update mentioned above came with rotating access numbers so you can't just add the access number to F&F any more.

 

[Jim 777]

Well that's as clear as mud

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

 

[Jim 777]

Ok, the more I think about this the more I'm curious. I am on an older plan that doesn't have friends and family so there's no way for me to include my number. So how, without getting in on some unobtainable apps, can I use GV to make calls that don't go on my minutes?

 

[takeshi]

You can't. GV uses minutes unless you go the VOIP route. I can't guide you through setting it up but there are plenty of threads on using VOIP with GV.