I am thinking about just keeping the data plan on tmobile and canceling the voice plan and text plan and use gv to make calls and texts. What you guys think?
If someone texts you, they will charge you. Get unlimited data and text, I think that's better. I wouldnt just rely on data. No data means your phone is an expensive brick.
leyvatron said:
If someone texts you, they will charge you. Get unlimited data and text, I think that's better. I wouldnt just rely on data. No data means your phone is an expensive brick.
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i said keeping the data..and just the data no voice service. is that possible?
You can I am thinking about this myself you would need to set up a SIP account and something at pbx.org
Google Voice is not a VOIP service. Google Voice forwards calls dialed to your GV number to some other phone number(s), be they cell, land or sip/voip lines.
Your solution would only work if you have an active and functional sip/voip connection up and running on your phone full time.
GV text messages will work on data only accounts, though.
distortedloop said:
Google Voice is not a VOIP service. Google Voice forwards calls dialed to your GV number to some other phone number(s), be they cell, land or sip/voip lines.
Your solution would only work if you have an active and functional sip/voip connection up and running on your phone full time.
GV text messages will work on data only accounts, though.
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i have vonage for home phone service is that good?
2012iawait said:
i have vonage for home phone service is that good?
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No, that won't work. Your problem is that the phone has to have some way for the Google Voice server to send it a phone call. This is done by sending it to a phone number (or a gmail web account on a laptop/sesktop with the appropriate browser plug-in).
The phone number can be any phone number (land, cell, voip, sip, whatever).
If you cancel your voice service on the phone, the only way GV has to contact the phone is the data connection, which means you'll need a working SIP account.
The Nexus S does support SIP calling out of the box (but I'm not sure if it's over WiFi only). The setup for it is done in Settings, Call settings, Accounts. You'll need a server and account info. Then tell Google Voice to forward calls to that account, and they should forward to the phone that way (in theory).
Note the warning that having the phone receive internet calls (SIP) comes with a warning that it "reduces battery life." The reason for this is that to ensure you don't miss a call, a full time data connection will have to be maintained; this will be a serious battery drain on the phone I believe.
The point I was trying to make was that Google Voice is not really a VOIP solution the way traditional VOIP services are. It's more like one than it used to be now that you can actually make and receive calls from a web browser, but that won't work on the cell phone, especially for the incoming.
I may try setting up a SIP account on my phone to test this out sometime this week; but frankly, T-Mobile's 3G service is so spotty, especially inside buildings, that it would never serve as an acceptable voice service replacement. YMMV.
I use Google Voice with a data plan but no text plan. I do have a voice plan. You need to give out your GV number to everyone for texts, and then you can block texts through T-mobile and not worry about charges. GV doesn't support picture messaging and if someone sends you a picture message at your GV number it just disappears into the aether and doesn't notify you or the other person that it wasn't received.
There are ways of using GV without paying anything (detailed on this forum). Using a gizmo5 account allows for free incoming calls, and using an app to have your outgoing calls "call you back" on your gizmo5 account allows for free outgoing calls.
I have to disagree about the battery life and GV not being a true VOIP solution. With the addition of a SIP carrier of some kind (preferably gizmo5 for free calls) then it works well. Battery life is fine having my phone constantly registered with gizmo5 servers over data to accept incoming VOIP calls. No need to use a web browser.
But I have to agree with distortedloop about needing a high quality data connection. Unless you spend all your time near a 3g tower you're going to find plenty of times when you have no 3g data and therefore no good calling. You don't want to use VOIP over EDGE. It is nice that when I'm at home or office where I have my own reliable WIFI that I can use my cell without using any minutes. But I wouldn't trust it to be available when your car breaks down on some rural road.
Belarios said:
I use Google Voice with a data plan but no text plan. I do have a voice plan. You need to give out your GV number to everyone for texts, and then you can block texts through T-mobile and not worry about charges. GV doesn't support picture messaging and if someone sends you a picture message at your GV number it just disappears into the aether and doesn't notify you or the other person that it wasn't received.
There are ways of using GV without paying anything (detailed on this forum). Using a gizmo5 account allows for free incoming calls, and using an app to have your outgoing calls "call you back" on your gizmo5 account allows for free outgoing calls.
I have to disagree about the battery life and GV not being a true VOIP solution. With the addition of a SIP carrier of some kind (preferably gizmo5 for free calls) then it works well. Battery life is fine having my phone constantly registered with gizmo5 servers over data to accept incoming VOIP calls. No need to use a web browser.
But I have to agree with distortedloop about needing a high quality data connection. Unless you spend all your time near a 3g tower you're going to find plenty of times when you have no 3g data and therefore no good calling. You don't want to use VOIP over EDGE. It is nice that when I'm at home or office where I have my own reliable WIFI that I can use my cell without using any minutes. But I wouldn't trust it to be available when your car breaks down on some rural road.
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I agree with this.
GV is something I wouldn't rely on 100%.
I have the cheapest voice plan with unlimited data and text. When I make calls, I use GV and when I receive I have my voice. That works for me and I pay 67 a month.
Not sure where to post this, but if you make international calls using GV, triple-check your bills. I just received mine and it shows that I was double-charged, both by Google and Sprint for the call.
I was just curious if anyone knew how I could use text, data, and voice in another country without having to pay for the extremely high charges for international roaming. Someone mentioned buying a prepaid SIM card once I get in the country from one of the local carriers and switch it out with my SIM card. I'm also curious if something like Google Voice would work, if I set it to use Google Voice for all of my voice calls and texts if I set it to use VOIP instead of the standard network. I know this will only work if I'm connected to WiFi, but I can deal with this Instead of paying so much for data & minutes if I buy a plan. Has anyone figured out the best way, or cheapest I should say, to be able to use the phone internationally without having to pay for a plan and have to pay $1 USD per minute for overage.
If anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them.
Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk
I tried to make an outgoing call this morning, only to get a notice that my outgoing calls have been restricted and that my 2g phone will no longer work. It re-directs me to their call center, where my only options seem to be either order a replacement phone or activate the replacement phone.
Here's the catch. I'm using an iPhone 6 with a 2-year old SIM card that has worked flawlessly the whole time (actually, it still works fine, it's Straight Talk's system blocking my outgoing calls). When I question them on this, they blame my phone and say I need to order a new SIM, and the tech was unable to answer my question regarding the ability to call 911 (I can't even check voicemail, but I don't want to test 911).
I can still receive calls and my cellular data works just fine (posting this on LTE), but my outbound calls are being re-directed.
Has anyone run into this issue? Has anyone found a way to get rid of the block? I can't get anywhere with their "support". I should not have to buy a new SIM card for something that shouldn't affect my service.
Straight Talk should just send you a new sim without charging for the sim.
They sent me a replacement sim when I misplaced my phone without any problems. I found the phone and didn't need the sim. They didn't charge me for the sim.
The problem is likely on their end with the provisioning of the sim.
Did they try to send you a new sim ?
I finally was able to get around scripted CS and talk to somebody knowledgeable. They're sending me a new SIM.
Apparently, I got caught by the net because I used this SIM in an old flip phone several months ago.
My biggest concern with the whole thing is the ability to call 911, and why they don't have an escape route so that you can still place calls without ordering or activating a replacement phone. My first few contacts left me with a replacement phone as my only option.
Notice to all providers. In the future, please make these notifications so that they don't block outgoing calls. Play a notice, give a number to call, then allow the call through.
Luckily, I have FaceTime Audio to continue making calls in the meantime (new SIM arrives Tuesday).
Hey guys! I'm hoping someone here can help me. I just recently got a Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Verizon) and it will only connect to 4G LTE (data only) I can't access my SIM card's phone number or messaging services. Which is kind of fine because I use Google Voice for my calls and messages, but my banking app won't use my GV number for verification reasons and fraud alerts.
I'm on Straight Talk Verizon towers, and the phone will only connect to data. I can't use the phone number that is assigned to me through S.T. which normally I wouldn't care because like I said I use Google Voice for everything. But my banking app will not recognize my Google Voice number to verify things, so that's what I use the number assigned to me from Straight Talk for. This phone has had all kinds of connectivity issues since I got it.
It says "searching for service" while connected to 4G LTE. All I get is data. No phone calls or text messages from the number assigned to me through Straight Talk. If I pop my SIM card into a different phone, I don't have these issues. I can access that phone number, calls & messaging as well.
I'm hoping someone here can help me.
Thank You!