not understanding Google Voice key feature

[demonikal]

Google has over 10 videos on YT dedicated just to Google Voice. I understand quite a bit of it, but whenever I watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdQmGLjvMGo, I just don't get it from the beginning thru 45 seconds in

So, they say you can keep your number on your mobile phone, but then they contact your carrier telling them they will be porting your number. Then you need to cancel your contract with your carrier and get a new contract with a new number, a new number you shouldn't need if you already have one. I don't even get the cancelling the contract thing. And then somehow the thing that gets worked into all this is that you can combine your own number and the number that Google Voice gives you. I don't understand what the purpose of that would be.

If someone can please explain this to me in layman's terms

 

[beers]

Usually you can just use it as an abstraction layer kind of number. Once you get a GV number you can tie in your other endpoints like cell phone or home phone (or both) to have the google voice number ring those devices. If you no longer want to receive calls on that number, you can disassociate your 'real' numbers such as your cell so people can't call it using the google voice number.

So on that end it's useful for temporary transactions such as Craigslist. I believe the second part you are referring to is where you can port your number over to GV to have your main/normal number instead become your google voice number. You'd still need a number for your remote device such as a cell phone so you would have to get another one from the provider. Most providers cancel your contract or account once you port the number away from them.

I believe the number port is only optional and you have to manually specify if you want to port it over. For most people you would just hand out your new google voice number instead of having the hassle to move everything around. The main advantage to porting is that you retain the same number you've always had but then can associate it with other devices or numbers as forwarding points. Then if you ever change cell service or similar you can just adjust where google voice points to, but people would still call your same number they've always known you at.

If that helps at all

 

[voyagerfan99]

I got it right away.

So basically what they're saying is you can port your current number over to Google Voice so you can use that number with the service and not worry about giving people a new number. You would end up getting a new cell number from your carrier so you can receive calls on your phone forwarded by Google Voice.

I never did that. I rarely ever have people call the number myself. I use it for texting over wifi when needed, and I use it for my voicemail.

 

[Agent Smith]

I don't understand any of this. I thought GV worked like a phone number proxie? Where you get a GV number and that number will ring your phones you listed in your GV account.

I don't understand the changing your cell number with your carrier crap.

 

[beers]

I don't understand any of this. I thought GV worked like a phone number proxie? Where you get a GV number and that number will ring your phones you listed in your GV account.

I don't understand the changing your cell number with your carrier crap.

Same function, you're just moving your existing number to GV to use that as the 'phone proxy' instead of whatever random number they give you.

 

[voyagerfan99]

I don't understand any of this. I thought GV worked like a phone number proxie? Where you get a GV number and that number will ring your phones you listed in your GV account.

That is how it works....

I don't understand the changing your cell number with your carrier crap.

It's if you want to use strictly GV (Like Geoff does) for everything, but not worry about people needing to learn a new phone number for you or simply not getting the memo.

 

[Geoff]

I migrated over to my Google Voice number, I didn't port it as when you port a number you cancel your contract. Some carriers have workarounds, like on Verizon you can request a port with Google Voice, then immediately call Verizon and request a new number, since the port was already in process and takes 24 hours your request will go through without canceling your contract.

My preferred method is just to give people my new number. Since I still had my old, it wasn't a big deal to tell people my new number, and this way I can easily switch phones or cancel my plan without having to worry about getting my new number out to people ASAP. I mention this because I have unlimited data still, so Verizon can pull me off that whenever they'd like, and once they do I'm moving to a new carrier.

What I love about Google Voice and Hangouts is the ability to call/text from any phone, just install the app and sign in, and you can call/text over WiFi as well. In addition, you can install the Chrome addon and you will see incoming calls and can see/reply to texts from any computer running Chrome.

 

[voyagerfan99]

What I love about Google Voice and Hangouts is the ability to call/text from any phone, just install the app and sign in, and you can call/text over WiFi as well. In addition, you can install the Chrome addon and you will see incoming calls and can see/reply to texts from any computer running Chrome.

I have Hangouts installed on my workstation at work and my desktop at home. I use it to make calls when I want to use my nice gaming headset. However I don't use Hangouts for texts, I use Textra. So I have PushBullet installed to push notifications to Chrome that I can use to respond without picking up my phone.

 

[demonikal]

Usually you can just use it as an abstraction layer kind of number. Once you get a GV number you can tie in your other endpoints like cell phone or home phone (or both) to have the google voice number ring those devices. If you no longer want to receive calls on that number, you can disassociate your 'real' numbers such as your cell so people can't call it using the google voice number.

If you disassociated your original mobile phone number from the GV number, what is the purpose of having GV?

So on that end it's useful for temporary transactions such as Craigslist.

I use CL occasionally. I really don't like giving out my number, but it seems people respond via email a lot less these days versus mobile. So in this instance, would I give them my GV number or mobile number? I'm trying to figure out which one is more secure.

I believe the second part you are referring to is where you can port your number over to GV to have your main/normal number instead become your google voice number. You'd still need a number for your remote device such as a cell phone so you would have to get another one from the provider. Most providers cancel your contract or account once you port the number away from them.

This was one of the things I could never understand until I read your explanation several times I guess the video makes it seem like GV is responsible for you needing to get a new contract from your provider. I guess since they're porting your number, the provider contract getting cancelled is inevitable.

But I just don't understand what you would do with the new mobile phone number that your provider would give you. Is this number useless? Does only GV need to know what this number is? Can this number be given out as a new number to friends, family, and co-workers? Or would that defeat the purpose?

I believe the number port is only optional and you have to manually specify if you want to port it over. For most people you would just hand out your new google voice number instead of having the hassle to move everything around. The main advantage to porting is that you retain the same number you've always had but then can associate it with other devices or numbers as forwarding points. Then if you ever change cell service or similar you can just adjust where google voice points to, but people would still call your same number they've always known you at.

So, I would have zero use for a GV number if I ported my original mobile number?

So basically what they're saying is you can port your current number over to Google Voice so you can use that number with the service and not worry about giving people a new number. You would end up getting a new cell number from your carrier so you can receive calls on your phone forwarded by Google Voice.

So, the new cell number from the carrier, after porting, only has use for Google Voice? I wouldn't even use it?

I migrated over to my Google Voice number, I didn't port it as when you port a number you cancel your contract.

My preferred method is just to give people my new number. Since I still had my old, it wasn't a big deal to tell people my new number, and this way I can easily switch phones or cancel my plan without having to worry about getting my new number out to people ASAP.

If you use the GV number that they give you, what do you do with your your provider contracted mobile phone number? What is the purpose of having two (or more: other mobiles, work, landline, etc.) phone numbers?

What I love about Google Voice and Hangouts is the ability to call/text from any phone, just install the app and sign in, and you can call/text over WiFi as well.

I don't understand this either. People can still call/text from any of their phones without Google Voice. How does GV help with that more?

I'm just trying to wrap my head around all of this. It seems like a really cool feature (Google Voice) and yet I don't understand it.

 

[voyagerfan99]

Google voice is VOIP which is why you can call and text from any device. You don't need cell service in order to text or place calls.

The mobile number is needed so Google voice can forward your calls to you. That's why you need two numbers. You need to associate your Google voice account with a mobile number in order to even use it.

 

[Geoff]

If you use the GV number that they give you, what do you do with your your provider contracted mobile phone number? What is the purpose of having two (or more: other mobiles, work, landline, etc.) phone numbers?



I don't understand this either. People can still call/text from any of their phones without Google Voice. How does GV help with that more?

I'm just trying to wrap my head around all of this. It seems like a really cool feature (Google Voice) and yet I don't understand it.

As Travis said, Google Voice is a virtual number that is used to forward calls to your carrier provided number. Hangouts does have the option to place and receive VoIP calls using your Google Voice number however, so you could call using a tablet or mobile device without a data plan.

The difference here is that with Google Voice, you only give out and use one number between multiple devices. If you used your carrier numbers on different phones, they would allow show up as a different number.

The biggest benefit I see to using Google Voice is if you have multiple phones, you switch carriers often or want to be able to without having to worry about porting your number, or you often go overseas and use SIM cards while there. As I said before, the best thing about Google Voice is that it doesn't matter what your actual carrier number is. Just load Google Voice and Hangouts, sign in, and you can place and receive calls/texts from your GV number.

 

[demonikal]

As Travis said, Google Voice is a virtual number that is used to forward calls to your carrier provided number. Hangouts does have the option to place and receive VoIP calls using your Google Voice number however, so you could call using a tablet or mobile device without a data plan.

The difference here is that with Google Voice, you only give out and use one number between multiple devices. If you used your carrier numbers on different phones, they would allow show up as a different number.

The biggest benefit I see to using Google Voice is if you have multiple phones, you switch carriers often or want to be able to without having to worry about porting your number, or you often go overseas and use SIM cards while there. As I said before, the best thing about Google Voice is that it doesn't matter what your actual carrier number is. Just load Google Voice and Hangouts, sign in, and you can place and receive calls/texts from your GV number.

Thanks Geoff. I finally get everything now with your message

And thanks for telling me the benefits. The videos told me all the benefits that go along with Google Voice, but hearing about the things people that actually use it like the most is usually more helpful.

And thanks to beers and voyagerfan too. Just took a while to sink in =)

 

[Geoff]

Thanks Geoff. I finally get everything now with your message

And thanks for telling me the benefits. The videos told me all the benefits that go along with Google Voice, but hearing about the things people that actually use it like the most is usually more helpful.

And thanks to beers and voyagerfan too. Just took a while to sink in =)

No worries, it is a bit confusing.

While I did tell you the benefits, there are a couple downsides. GV requires data for texts and calls, so if you are in an area that doesn't have data but only voice and text coverage, you won't be able to utilize your GV number. This is not very common though, and I rarely run into it.

 

[demonikal]

No worries, it is a bit confusing.

While I did tell you the benefits, there are a couple downsides. GV requires data for texts and calls, so if you are in an area that doesn't have data but only voice and text coverage, you won't be able to utilize your GV number. This is not very common though, and I rarely run into it.

Hmm. What happens to your mobile number when you start using GV with your GV number? Can't you just pick up your phone and sign out of Google Voice? Wouldn't it then just revert back to your mobile number and you could make calls over minutes and texts over texts?

Or if you ported your mobile number with GV, would you then be able to revert back and forth whenever you liked?

Looks like more questions are popping up the more I figure out

Oh that reminds me of the first thing that popped into my head when I saw what you wrote. Is there an average number of megabytes (or whatever) that you think might take up a typical call and a text with 150 characters or less (that would be an SMS I think)? I know that sounds extremely general for calls, but it's like how companies who made hard drives eventually started telling people, "You can fit either 30,000 mp3s or 200 videos on this hard drive." It's an average, since there's no such thing as having all your mp3s be exactly the same size. I can find that out though probably by just contacting Google or commenting with a question on one of the Google Voice YT videos.

 

[Geoff]

Hmm. What happens to your mobile number when you start using GV with your GV number? Can't you just pick up your phone and sign out of Google Voice? Wouldn't it then just revert back to your mobile number and you could make calls over minutes and texts over texts?

Or if you ported your mobile number with GV, would you then be able to revert back and forth whenever you liked?

Looks like more questions are popping up the more I figure out

Oh that reminds me of the first thing that popped into my head when I saw what you wrote. Is there an average number of megabytes (or whatever) that you think might take up a typical call and a text with 150 characters or less (that would be an SMS I think)? I know that sounds extremely general for calls, but it's like how companies who made hard drives eventually started telling people, "You can fit either 30,000 mp3s or 200 videos on this hard drive." It's an average, since there's no such thing as having all your mp3s be exactly the same size. I can find that out though probably by just contacting Google or commenting with a question on one of the Google Voice YT videos.

If you don't have data, when you try to make a call it will attempt to use Google Voice, and then prompt you saying it couldn't communicate with Google and if you want to try again or make the call using your carrier number, so you can still make calls in either scenario, such as an emergency, it would just show up as your carrier number. For texts you can text from your GV number or carrier number interchangeably.

Data usage is very low. Calls are still going over as voice and using minutes with the traditional calling, it just communicates to Google first to initiate the call. Unless you are using VoIP, that uses data for the call, but that's optional and I don't use it as it kills the battery quickly. Texts barely use any, I send thousands of texts and I only use a <100MB which includes a bunch of MMS.

 

[demonikal]

I won't need to worry about minutes, but I like that you can still use your carrier number at times in emergencies. I've had my current number going back to I think 2007, so I'm sure people would recognize it if I ever called from that number after switching.

I'm sold.

Not sure if I already have a Google Voice number or not. Signed up for it in December of 2013. It says on the mid to lower left hand side of the screen "Access Number" and then it's a regular 10-digit phone number. Would that be the GV number? And then I just install the app on my mobile phone?

Still clearing things up. You might want to get out while you can So, the GV number makes all the phones that you identify with it ring at the same time? If I'm at home, that would mean my mobile phone and landline would ring at same time? It's not a big deal. Just wondering.

 

[Geoff]

Just to be clear, the integration is a LOT better with Android phones than iOS or Windows Phone.

You have multiple settings, you can have it prompt you when you make a call what number to use, or to use either all the time. I would recommend using Hangouts for texting. If you get a text to your carrier number, you reply and it automatically replies with your carrier number, if you get a text to your GV number replies come from that, just so you don't confuse your contacts.

That is correct, if you have 2 phones, a tablet, a laptop, and a PC, with the app installed and enabled all will ring and show texts. Once one is answered, the rest stop ringing

 

[demonikal]

I've never had anything other than Android

That's cool. I didn't know Hangouts could send texts. I thought it was basically just like Skype (which I've used it for) and instant messaging (which I've used it for).

I guess the ONLY worry I have is that this is going to make me a bit lazy I don't mean truly lazy. But I'm on the computer a lot and usually when I get on the computer, I put my phone on silent if I know I'm going to be on a while. So, I guess for me it's just a senseless worry that I'll become incommunicado when I'll actually be more efficient, since I'm sure I'll be able to get desktop notifications when I'm on the computer and my phone is silent.

I've only seen a person use a tablet as a mobile phone once in my life. It was weird. But I have used Skype on mine.

 

[Geoff]

You can get desktop notifications using Pushbullet as well. It can send all your phone notifications like texts, snapchats, email, etc. to your computer for you to view/respond to.

Hangouts does this as well using your GV number and the Hangouts extension in Chrome.