i have used the search and even tried the similar threads but cant find anything specific or helpful. i downgrad my carreir plan from unlimited to 1000 minutes.
how can i make free mobile, lan lines, pc calls without paying for an additional service? wouldnt mind if it used data or wifi if this is possible.
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I just lost my cell plan, and need something till i can afford a new one. Can i have google voice still and use it online for texts if it doesnt have a forwarding phone? i know i can use email, but GV is better.
I wanted to get some opinions on this. I am getting sick of paying out the ass for talk, text, and data with VZW. I am looking to switch after my contract to a prepaid service. But, I am currently thinking about dropping the minutes and texting parts of my plan to use Talkatone with Google Voice so that I only need data, which I have unlimited.
I am wondering if anybody has any experience with this or thoughts on it.
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CarRamrod234 said:
I wanted to get some opinions on this. I am getting sick of paying out the ass for talk, text, and data with VZW. I am looking to switch after my contract to a prepaid service. But, I am currently thinking about dropping the minutes and texting parts of my plan to use Talkatone with Google Voice so that I only need data, which I have unlimited.
I am wondering if anybody has any experience with this or thoughts on it.
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With unlimited Google voice in conjunction with an app like sipdroid is the answer to your prayers. I use Google voice as my primary voicemail service & text. Highly recommend just for the ability to check your voicemail with the push of a button.
True that...but just remember gvoice will never let you delete your number unless you feed it a new one. You basically can't quit.
I've been thinking about it too and using it conjunction with ting. How easy is it to port your number back out if you aren't happy with the setup?
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You need to use a new number / GVoice number with any of these options right? Can't keep your VZW number right? Also, is it possible to have only data with a provider and not talk/text?
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Voice let's you choose a number that is your acct number & that number is linked to whichever phone you want it associated with. Specifically, Voice allows you to add and delete cell phone numbers that you indicate should be associated w/your Voice account telephone number. So, I choose Voice acct telephone #617 555-1234; then I link/associate that latter number w/my Vzn cell #617 555-4321. If I change my cell number or just don't want the 4321 number linked to my Voice acct, I just go into Voice and delete the 4321 number.
Oh ok. So if they are linked can people get through to you by calling/texting your vzw number? I mean this in the situation where I would be using Gvoice and Talkatone and not vzw for anything but data.
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Google Voice is pretty amazing. Just remember you'll need a data connection to make calls. Not too much of a problem on Verizon, but you never know where you'll be when you need to make a call.
Yeah well where I live, Pittsburgh area, I'm pretty sure all cell service sucks due to the old/terrible infrastructure and terrain.
Can you have a VZW plan with data only and no voice?
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I've been doing exactly this with a basic 450 min voice, no text and unlimited data plan and using Google Voice with Groove IP to get unlimited calls and SMS over data. It used to work great until the frequent Verizon data disconnects that render it useless. Haven't determined if it's a handset or network issue but hoping it's the former and will be fixed once I upgrade to a new Galaxy Note II handset. Paying $60 total with work discount. BTW, works great over WIFI on home broadband. I was contemplating going all data by dropping voice minutes, if it's even possible, from plan but decided to hang on to it as backup such as driving through areas with no or only 1x data like to Vegas.
I use voice to avoid texting fees on Verizon largely, but don't bother with sipdroid etc as I don't use many minutes.
Pros
$10 saved from dumping text fees
easier access to text and voicemail (I can check via any browser)
Improved voicemail which integrates into android entirely
Neutral
Number change/call forwarding. Plus for me as I can filter calls better and even redirect forwarding to work/home. Getting the new number out can be a pain depending on your situation. If someone dials my old number it still gets to me, but wouldn't use your sipdroid free time.
Data. Probably slight batt drain compared to SMS, but worth getting away from archaic text services to me
Cons
No MMS and it does not even let you know if someone unsuccessfully tries to send you a MMS (I just tell people to email me but people always forget)
No short code texts (so uh, less spam, but I can't get notifications from UPS,Amazon,Pharmacy either)
Voice integration in android leaves some to be desired. Apps that interact with SMS often don't recognize Voice SMS.
mi7chy said:
I've been doing exactly this with a basic 450 min voice, no text and unlimited data plan and using Google Voice with Groove IP to get unlimited calls and SMS over data. It used to work great until the frequent Verizon data disconnects that render it useless. Haven't determined if it's a handset or network issue but hoping it's the former and will be fixed once I upgrade to a new Galaxy Note II handset. Paying $60 total with work discount. BTW, works great over WIFI on home broadband. I was contemplating going all data by dropping voice minutes, if it's even possible, from plan but decided to hang on to it as backup such as driving through areas with no or only 1x data like to Vegas.
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Will this work for you if Verizon takes away your unlimited data?
I'm thinking about getting a Google Nexus with the T-Mobile plan that only has 100 voice minutes and 5GB of pretty fast data for $30 per month.
To avoid ever going over the free minutes, I'd want to use a VOIP app like Skype or Talkatone everywhere, including in the car over bluetooth.
Are there any VOIP apps that include or integrate with voice commands in general and voice dialing over Bluetooth?
The next choice plan would be to go to Straighttalk for $45 that gets you unlimited voice, but a slower network (but better coverage if you choose AT&T SIM) and throttling to even slower speeds after 2GB data.
If using VOIP apps could be made convenient in the car, then I'd rather go that way and save the $15 per month.
web1b said:
I'm thinking about getting a Google Nexus with the T-Mobile plan that only has 100 voice minutes and 5GB of pretty fast data for $30 per month.
To avoid ever going over the free minutes, I'd want to use a VOIP app like Skype or Talkatone everywhere, including in the car over bluetooth.
Are there any VOIP apps that include or integrate with voice commands in general and voice dialing over Bluetooth?
The next choice plan would be to go to Straighttalk for $45 that gets you unlimited voice, but a slower network (but better coverage if you choose AT&T SIM) and throttling to even slower speeds after 2GB data.
If using VOIP apps could be made convenient in the car, then I'd rather go that way and save the $15 per month.
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You can consider using GrooveIP. It lets you make calls with your Google Voice account via VOIP. One of the options it has in its settings is the ability to make all outbound calls with GrooveIP automatically by integrating in with the native dialer. What this means is that you should be able to use Google's Voice Search to allow you to dial-by-voice as if you were using the native phone, but GrooveIP should snag the outgoing call and use VOIP instead.
I haven't tested this exact scenario (using voice dialing), but I have tested something similar on my tablet, which doesn't have phone hardware built in. I create direct dial shortcuts on my home screen, and rather than failing when the tablet detects no real phone hardware, GrooveIP kicks in and makes the call via wifi.
I'm almost always connected to wifi at home or at work. I use an app called groove IP with google voice to make the majority of my calls and texts, The times I'm not in either of these two places I can't make any calls unless I'm close to free wiif. I would like to get some sort of plan that gives me access to the internet while I'm out in minimal amounts (only to make calls/texts if I need to when I'm not on wifi). What would be the best way of doing this? I'd say 1gb a month or so to be safe. I don't want text/voice plans since I can get all that as long as I'm connected to the internet.
This has been a work in progress over on the N4 forums, with little progress. I have zero cell reception in certain parts of my home with T-Mobile USA. What can I use as an alternative? Without using a different phone number (i.e Google Voice). Does Hangouts send SMS over Wifi or Cellular? What are you guys using?
Have you ever called tmobile about this. They have given people cell boosters for similar problems
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I'm having the same issue with T-Mobile. I have full LTE signal all around my city but the second I walk into my apartment I have absolutely no service. It's quite frustrating and I'm trying to find an alternative. I tried calling T-Mobile about it but they said their cell boosters are "only for stand alone homes and won't work in an apartment complex", which seems ridiculous but whatever.
I'd be willing to switch to Google Voice but I haven't been able to confirm whether or not Google Voice makes/receives calls and texts via Wifi, or if I'll need a separate app to make it work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The typical method these days is Google Voice (since that's not specifically an SIP/VoIP thing itself) + either GrooveIP or Talkatone (which ARE those things) and you can then do SIP/VoIP calling from the Google Voice number, but as noted in the T-Mobile $30 plan thread multiple times (and other places as well) Google is removing the ability for third party apps to interact with GV at the end of April 2014 so that's when we (people that GV + third-party apps) will be forced to find other solutions to make SIP/VoIP calls).
And the other thing is that T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling setup uses minutes from your service plan - most people don't know this and it's not a big hassle on a 1500 minute or unlimited calling plan, but for those of us with the $30 plan it's basically pointless to use it when other alternatives (such as those I just described, at least for another 5 months or so) exist.
Skype is another option but you could be looking at some money involved based on what/who/where you're calling, and then there's stuff like Vonage if you use that service but that's an expenditure as well.
Google Voice for the Home via ObiTalk
sn0warmy said:
I'm having the same issue with T-Mobile. I have full LTE signal all around my city but the second I walk into my apartment I have absolutely no service. It's quite frustrating and I'm trying to find an alternative. I tried calling T-Mobile about it but they said their cell boosters are "only for stand alone homes and won't work in an apartment complex", which seems ridiculous but whatever.
I'd be willing to switch to Google Voice but I haven't been able to confirm whether or not Google Voice makes/receives calls and texts via Wifi, or if I'll need a separate app to make it work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Just FYI; I told AT&T to go fly a kite about 8 months ago for my home phone and have been using Google Voice on my home line as well as my cell phone for FREE. Yes; that's FREE incoming and outgoing calls.
I am using a small VoIP phone adapter found on Amazon called OBi202 from ObiTalk.com
Costs about $80 bucks and there is even a wifi adapter for $25 if you can't plug it in via Cat5 to your internet connection at home.
Anyway; you configure the phone adapter to use Google Voice and voila! You can connect 2 separate lines. I have mine and my wife's hooked up to cordless phones so I now have free home phone service.
Down side? The caller ID is a numer and not a name. I read about services available for a subscription that will give you the Name on Caller ID but if this is so important to you I guess you are OK with paying $60+ for phone service. (Yea right)
When you get a call it will ring simultaneously on your home phone and your mobile.
Free service; I LIKE THAT. And if you get bad reception at home from your mobile the nice part is that this could solve your issue because you give out your Google Voice number out and the phone will automatically start be ringing on your cordless when you are home.
Hope this helps you!!:good:
---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:50 PM ----------
sn0warmy said:
I'm having the same issue with T-Mobile. I have full LTE signal all around my city but the second I walk into my apartment I have absolutely no service. It's quite frustrating and I'm trying to find an alternative. I tried calling T-Mobile about it but they said their cell boosters are "only for stand alone homes and won't work in an apartment complex", which seems ridiculous but whatever.
I'd be willing to switch to Google Voice but I haven't been able to confirm whether or not Google Voice makes/receives calls and texts via Wifi, or if I'll need a separate app to make it work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Click to collapse
Oh; to answer your question I sent myself and back texts using Google Voice over Wifi only and it worked. I have called with it via Wifi also when traveling.
So it does.
You can use MagicJack. They also have a android app. I heard it pretty good, however to use the android app, you need to register your phone. Once you register your phone, you can't unregister it. This is info I pulled about a year ago. Look into it though.
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Port your number to Google Voice.
Get a VoIP account at a provider that has good latency for your location (I use voip.ms, costs $0.014/min outgoing, ~$0.01/min incoming).
Set up CSIPSimple on your phone (use g729a for good quality on slower connections, PCMU on faster connections; be prepared to fiddle with settings to get it down right)
Make calls using CSIPSimple from your voip.ms account
Set up Google Voice to ring both your voip.ms number when you receive calls, as well as your T-Mobile number (in case you don't have WiFi or data when the call comes through).