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Google Voice

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  Google Voice Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com> - 2016-08-08 17:27 -0400
    Re: Google Voice nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-08-08 17:33 -0400
    Re: Google Voice Aardvarks <aardvarks@a.b.c.com> - 2016-08-09 09:43 +0700
      Re: Google Voice The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-08-08 20:39 -0700
    Re: Google Voice VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-08 23:20 -0500
      Re: Google Voice Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com> - 2016-08-09 02:22 -0400
        Re: Google Voice VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-09 06:08 -0500
    Re: Google Voice M.L. <me@privacy.invalid> - 2016-08-09 18:19 -0500
      Re: Google Voice Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com> - 2016-08-09 19:47 -0400
        Re: Google Voice VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-10 01:30 -0500

#33228 — Google Voice

Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?

I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.

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#33230

In article <noatfk$df3$1@dont-email.me>, Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?
> 
> I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
> against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.

why would you think that? it's a regular phone call.

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#33234

On Mon, 8 Aug 2016 17:27:12 -0400, Alek wrote:

> I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
> against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.

I don't understand how gv actually works but when I couple gv with hangouts
I can make and receive calls and sms on my ipad to the united states and it
doesn't cost me anything whatsoever since my ipad had free data from
tmobile.

The ipad doesn't have a callable phone number so the people call the gv
number instead.

The reason I couple the gv is to get sms to and from the ipad.

So while I don't claim to understand how it all works, I know it does work,
so the op may be interested in setting up hangouts plus gv and that way the
calls and texts are free if the calls go to the united states (the calls
can be received from anywhere and the texts can go and be received from
anywhere).

It is only calls outside the USA that cost money but I don't have money on
my ipad so it's impossible for it to cost money.

I suspect it works the same on Android but I never tried it because I have
free calls and texts anyway.

So I only set it up for the ipad where I only have the 200MB per month free
from tmobile. But it works. And it's totally free. Like everything on the
ipad.

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#33236

On 08/08/2016 07:43 PM, Aardvarks wrote:
> On Mon, 8 Aug 2016 17:27:12 -0400, Alek wrote:
>
>> I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
>> against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.
>
> I don't understand how gv actually works but when I couple gv with hangouts
> I can make and receive calls and sms on my ipad to the united states and it
> doesn't cost me anything whatsoever since my ipad had free data from
> tmobile.
>
> The ipad doesn't have a callable phone number so the people call the gv
> number instead.
>
> The reason I couple the gv is to get sms to and from the ipad.
>
> So while I don't claim to understand how it all works, I know it does work,
> so the op may be interested in setting up hangouts plus gv and that way the
> calls and texts are free if the calls go to the united states (the calls
> can be received from anywhere and the texts can go and be received from
> anywhere).
>
> It is only calls outside the USA that cost money but I don't have money on
> my ipad so it's impossible for it to cost money.
>
> I suspect it works the same on Android but I never tried it because I have
> free calls and texts anyway.
>
> So I only set it up for the ipad where I only have the 200MB per month free
> from tmobile. But it works. And it's totally free. Like everything on the
> ipad.

Thank T-Mobile, who will give you a SIM that provides you with that free 
data on certain tablets with SIM sockets.



-- 
Cheers,  Bev
   "I can't stand this proliferation of paperwork.   It's useless to
    fight the forms.  You've got to kill the people producing them."
                                              -- Vladimir Kabaidze

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#33237

Alek wrote:

> Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?
> 
> I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
> against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.

For Google Voice:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115063?hl=en
Use of carrier minutes
When you use Google Voice on your mobile phone, domestic and
international calls will use the standard minutes from your cell phone
plan. Your call will be routed through a U.S.-based direct access
number.

If you want to get/make free wifi-based calls (VOIP) then you need to
add the Hangounts Dialer to Hangouts.  The dialer doesn't come bundled
with Hangouts because making free calls is contrary to the revenue
platform of cell phones making money off consumption of cellular
services.  VOIP calls are free using the Hangouts Dialer only when using
free wifi connections (which is all that Hangouts Dialer supports), like
your home wifi hotspot or the many others around.  VOIP just means the
call is over the Internet which could be via wifi connects or using data
from your cellular plan.

"Data use: If you're not connected to Wi-Fi when you get a phone call in
Hangouts, you'll use your phone's data plan. Contact your mobile carrier
for details about your data coverage and cost."

If you want to ensure that you don't use any of your data minutes from
your cellular service, disable "mobile data" in your smartphone.  That
means you won't have any Internet access unless you are connected to a
wifi hotspot.  If the wifi hotspot is free then the call is free.

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#33239

VanguardLH wrote on 8/9/2016 12:20 AM:
> Alek wrote:
> 
>> Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?
>> 
>> I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
>> against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.
> 
> For Google Voice:
> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115063?hl=en
> Use of carrier minutes
> When you use Google Voice on your mobile phone, domestic and
> international calls will use the standard minutes from your cell phone
> plan. Your call will be routed through a U.S.-based direct access
> number.
> 
> If you want to get/make free wifi-based calls (VOIP) then you need to
> add the Hangounts Dialer to Hangouts.  The dialer doesn't come bundled
> with Hangouts because making free calls is contrary to the revenue
> platform of cell phones making money off consumption of cellular
> services.  VOIP calls are free using the Hangouts Dialer only when using
> free wifi connections (which is all that Hangouts Dialer supports), like
> your home wifi hotspot or the many others around.  VOIP just means the
> call is over the Internet which could be via wifi connects or using data
> from your cellular plan.
> 
> "Data use: If you're not connected to Wi-Fi when you get a phone call in
> Hangouts, you'll use your phone's data plan. Contact your mobile carrier
> for details about your data coverage and cost."
> 
> If you want to ensure that you don't use any of your data minutes from
> your cellular service, disable "mobile data" in your smartphone.  That
> means you won't have any Internet access unless you are connected to a
> wifi hotspot.  If the wifi hotspot is free then the call is free.

True or false: I can call only other Hangouts users with hangouts.

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#33242

Alek wrote:

> True or false: I can call only other Hangouts users with hangouts.

False.

Hangouts Dialer only uses wifi connects, so you get VOIP service through
Google Voice which lets you dial to any phone number.  I've used the
Hangouts Dialer to get inbound calls via wifi from landlines and cell
phones.  I've also used it to make outbound wifi calls to landlines and
cell phones.

True.

You can use Hangouts (just that app) to connect to other Hangouts users,
just you can do with Skype "calls" to other Skype users.  This is what
Hangouts alone does: it's a chat client.  You need to get the separate
Hangouts Dialer add-on to Hangouts to do the wifi calling through a
Google Voice account.

Using cellular connects to my cell phone:
- I can get cellular-based calls to my smartphone's number (the one the
cellular provider gave me).  Callers dial my cell phone number.
- I can get phone calls (landlines, cell phones, VOIP) through my Google
Voice via cellular connects to my cell phone.  Callers dial my GV number
(which rings all phones added and enabled in my GV account).
- I can make outbound phone calls via cellular service out from my cell
phone (using my cellular service).  The callee sees my cell phone
number.
- I can make outbound phone calls via cellular service through a Google
Voice hub.  You will see the dialer connect to a GV hub so it can modify
the Caller ID data.  The callee sees my GV number in the Caller ID.

All of the above use cellular service to and from my cell phone whether
I use my GV account or not.

Using wifi connects to my cell phone (Hangouts Dialer):
- I can get inbound calls from landlines, cell phones, or VOIP (anyone 
  with a phone number) to my GV number using [free] wifi connects to my 
  cell phone.  The caller uses my GV number.  I use wifi for the 
  incoming call.
- I can make outbound calls to landlines, cell phones, or VOIP (anyone 
  with a phone number) through a GV hub.  I see the dialer connect to a 
  GV hub (different cities in different states depending on where they 
  send you for load balancing).  The callee sees me come from my GV 
  number: the GV hub adds CID data that says the call originated from my 
  GV number.  I use wifi out.  They use whatever they like.

Using just the Hangouts app:
- I can connect to other Hangouts users, just like Skype-to-Skype 
  "calls" (actually chats).  It's a chat client over the Internet.  You 
  can directly get them into a hangout (a chat room) or send them an 
  invite.  These inter-host connects are over the Internet, so you end 
  up using your cellular's data minutes if you don't have a wifi 
  connect.

For the in/out calls via Hangouts Dialer or when using the Hangouts app
alone to do chats, you are doing that over the Internet.  If you have a
wifi connect, that gets used (and is often free).  If you are out of
range of a usable wifi hotspot (not free, private, requires login but
you don't know the credentials, or simply none around) then your
cellular's data minutes get used up to make the Internet connection.

I have little use (well, so far, none) for an IM (instant messenger) or
other chat client (those go over the Internet); however, Google dumps
the Hangouts app in the Android OS.  It's a chat client so the cellular
phone companies don't care that it is there.  They would care if Google
bundled their Hangouts Dialer in Android but that is in direct
competition with the cellular providers.  That dialer uses wifi connects
which are usually free.  You make free VOIP calls over the Internet.
The cellular providers don't get to subtract any minutes from your
account with them.  They rely on their customers using up their minutes,
especially cellular providers that allow minutes to rollover (unused
minutes do not expire).  So you have to separately download the Hangouts
Dialer to get free wifi calls.  The Hangouts app alone is just a chat
client.

Many users think calls through Google Voice are free.  Well, if you
connect to your Google Voice account their the Internet then it is free
(if you omit any cost for you to get Internet access).  The Google Voice
service is free.  Their GV hubs are free.  If you instead use landlines
or cell phone to make calls to a GV number then you are paying for those
communication venues.  If you want to get calls forwarded through a GV
account to your phones that use landlines or cellular service then you
are paying for those communication venues.  Only if you use the Internet
to connect to your GV account are those connects free.

For example, you can use a web browser over the Internet to connect to
your GV account to have them dial the callee over landlines or cellular
service at no cost to you (other than any cost for Internet access).
Calls forwarded through your GV account to your phones will be via
landlines or cellular service (which you pay for) or via wifi *if* you
use a wifi dialer to do the connect to a GV hub.  Using the Internet
into a GV account or out of a GV account is free (or cheap).  Whether
you are using wifi, Ethernet, satellite, dial-up, or whatever to get
Internet access is your choice.  The only part of Google Voice that is
always free is the service itself, not necessarily how you connect to it
going in or coming out.

Hangouts alone is just a chat client.  Connects to other hosts running
Hangouts over the Internet.  I have a Skype account and could also use
that to make free VOIP calls, too.  I don't use either Skype, Hangouts,
or any chat client.  So the Hangouts app alone isn't of much use to me.
However, it is the infrastructure on which the Hangouts Dialer adds to.
You can't use the Hangouts Dialer by itself.  In fact, when you install
the Hangouts Dialer, load it or the Hangouts app shows the same GUI: the
dialer got added to the Hangouts screen.  Hangouts alone just has the
chat panel.  Adding the dialer splits the GUI into 2 panels: one for
chats and another for wifi calling.

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#33259

>Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?
>
>I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
>against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.

As others have stated, Hangouts allows you to send/receive free calls
with your GV number.

The GV smartphone app allows you to place carrier calls that use your
GV number as the caller ID. It also can display your GV inbox
messages.

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#33260

M.L. wrote on 8/9/2016 7:19 PM:
> 
> 
>>Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?
>>
>>I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
>>against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.
> 
> As others have stated, Hangouts allows you to send/receive free calls
> with your GV number.

Can I call people who do not use hangouts?

> The GV smartphone app allows you to place carrier calls that use your
> GV number as the caller ID. It also can display your GV inbox
> messages.

And that is a plus because??

Thanks.

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#33266

Alek wrote:

> M.L. wrote on 8/9/2016 7:19 PM:
>> 
>>>Do you use Google Voice on your personal cell phone?
>>>
>>>I was surprised to see that minutes on a GV call were being counted
>>>against my plan minutes. I had thought they were free.
>> 
>> As others have stated, Hangouts allows you to send/receive free calls
>> with your GV number.
> 
> Can I call people who do not use hangouts?

No.  Hangouts alone is just an IP chat client.  When you load Hangouts,
all you see is the chat panel.

You need to install the Hangouts *Dialer* app.  This is a add-on to the
Hangouts app.  After installing Hangouts Dialer, you will see 2 panels
in the Hangouts app: chat and call.

The Hangouts Dialer works with a Google Voice account and connects to GV
hubs to connect outside of the Internet.  To get from Internet to
telco/POTS or cellular means a POP (Point of Presence) for IP to
telephony conversion.  That would be Google when using Hangouts.

Without a Google Voice account, you might be able to dial out via wifi
to connect to landline and cell phones.  I haven't tried this.  I've
never needed a dial-out only phone.  If I'm calling family, friends,
coworkers, dentists, my bank, the car shop, etc then I also want them to
be able to call me back (on the same phone number).

Get a Google Voice account.  Use the number they assign to you, or port
(~$20) your old phone number (the one your family, friends, and everyone
else you told knows about) to the Google Voice account.  Make sure
Hangouts is logging into your Google account (which will use the Google
Voice service associated with that Google account).  I already had a
Gmail account so setting up Google Voice was just doing the config for
it, like adding the phones that I want it to call for inbound calls.

Google Voice is not a wifi-only telephony service.  Neither are they
landline (POTS) or cellular only.  Those calling into your GV number
have to provide their own means of connecting to it.  GV has to use its
own landlines or cellular service or VOIP (for Internet) to call out
which means you have to pay for landline service, cellular service, or
Internet service (which includes wifi) to get incoming calls forwarded
through GV to your own phones.  At home, you can use the wifi for your
Internet service (that you pay for).  Elsewhere you can borrow wifi
access that others have provided (sometimes free, sometimes not,
sometimes with no registration/login, sometimes not, sometimes time
limited, sometimes not).  When away from home, you would be using
someone ELSE's wifi access to their Internet service to use VOIP to
handle the phone call.

>> The GV smartphone app allows you to place carrier calls that use your
>> GV number as the caller ID. It also can display your GV inbox
>> messages.
> 
> And that is a plus because??

Do you want someone responding to your call going out on a GV "line" to
come back on your landline or cell phone directly?  Why?  You called
them from GV so why don't you want them calling you back via GV?  

You call call GV so your call to the intended callee shows your GV
number in the Caller ID that the callee sees.  Or you can directly dial
the callee and your caller ID will show the phone you actually used to
call them.  It's your choice.

Just remember that if you are using "free" wifi to call out to someone
and showing them your cell phone number in your Caller ID then that is
likely the number on which they will call you back.  So you call out
free but they call you back using your cellular minutes.  If you're
going to do the setup to call out for free, don't you also want calls in
to be free?

In the Google Voice app, you can configure how that app handles outbound
calls from your smartphone.  You can choose one of the following:

- Use Google Voice to make all calls.
  (Callees see your GV number in your CID.)
- Do not use Google Voice to make any calls.
  (All calls go out using your cellular service.  Your phone still gets 
  called when someone uses your GV number - having one number to call 
  all your phones makes it easy for callers because they only have one 
  number to remember for you.)
- Only use Google Voice for international calls.
  (GV calls to USA and Canada are free. Intl calls cost money but Google 
  has low rates.  Folks making lots of intl calls want low per-minute 
  rates, so this would help ensure they get Google's low intl rates.)
- Ask every time I make a call.
  (After dialing a number and tapping the Call button, you get a prompt 
  asking if you want the outbound call to go out through a GV hub so the 
  callee sees your GV number or through your cellular provider so the 
  callee sees your cell phone number.)

How many phones do you have?  Each has a different phone number, right?
You have a home phone number, a work phone number (maybe more than one),
a cell phone number (maybe more than one).  Is it easier for family,
friends, coworkers, or anyone to have to remember 4, or more, phone
numbers to contact you or would it be easier to know just one number?

Also, you could have multiple GV accounts, like one for personal calls
and another for your business.  That would present 2 identities to
callers that you could keep separate.  Those GV accounts might call the
same phones but the callers won't know.  They could call different
phones so as not to mix together your personal and business calls.

You get flexibility with a free PBX-like service.  How you use it is up
to you.  As with everything Google, it might disappear one day.  After
all, it costs money to Google for the servers, manpower, GV hubs, and
whatnot to provide this service and they might decide one day to drop
it.  At least it is not classed as an experiment.  Google's experiments
(aka Labs) typically have a 3 year lifespan.  If Google drops their
Google Voice service, I can fall back to the one my ISP (Comcast)
provides.  It has many of the same major features as Google Voice, like
one number that calls all your phones or however many you want.  Google
Voice lets you decide when each phone will ring, something that Comcast
has yet to add.  At night when sleeping, it's nice to have just my home
phone ring (in case of emergency) instead of my home phone and multiple
cell phones.

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