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Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls.

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On 08/08/2016 10:16 AM, VanguardLH wrote:
> The Real Bev wrote:
>
>> I have a different 'hangouts' number from my regular cell number.  No
>> cell data plan.  I don't see the problem here.
>
> So do I.  I have a Google Voice account.  That is my Hangouts phone
> number.  It is not the same as the phone number assigned by the cell
> phone provider to the physical cell phone.  The Hangouts Dialer can't
> use your cell phone's number.  It has to use a Google Voice number.
> Without a Google Voice phone number, and without the Hangouts Dialer,
> just Hangouts by itself seems to be a knock off of Skype with its "chat
> number" (for Skype-to-Skype calls); i.e., an chat client.  To use Skype
> with real phone numbers (e.g., land lines and cell phones) requires
> buying their Skype-In phone number (and possible Skype-Out minutes).  So
> Hangouts by itself looks like a nude Skype and while Hangouts +
> HangoutsDialer + GoogleVoice which is all free for US+Canada calls
> (unless you one-time pay to port your old number to Google Voice).
>
> I could be wrong about just the Hangouts app by itself.  Is Hangouts
> alone (no Hangouts Dialer and no Google Voice account) capable of making
> phone calls or by itself is it just another chat client?

I have a google voice number, which is connected to/with 'hangouts' and 
I have the Hangouts Dialer.  The only time I've ever actually used 
hangouts is to see if it works.  Marginally from public wifi hotspots, 
fine 3 feet from my router.

> Alone it has
> instant messaging, video chat, and SMS but for VOIP you have to add the
> Hangouts Dialer and the Hangouts Dialer requires a Google Voice account.
> The Hangouts Dialer isn't bundled with the Hangouts app because that
> would conflict with the purpose of cell phone providers selling the
> smartphones their users to consume cellular services to generate revenue
> for those cellular providers.  Hangouts comes pre-bundled in Android.
> You have to separately retrieve the Hangouts Dialer.  I'm pretty sure
> the Hangouts Dialer (via wifi) only utilizes a Google Voice account for
> inbound and outbound calls.

Sounds reasonable.

> When I go into the Hangout Dialer's settings, you can pick an account
> with which to use that dialer.  You can add an account but they are all
> Google accounts hence the use of Google Voice.

I have at least 3 google voice numbers.  Not sure why, but I use only one.

> What I'd like to know is if the call itself is handled via wifi or
> cellular.  That Hangouts detects or gets notified via wifi of new calls
> to a Google Voice number does not mandate that the call itself is
> handled via wifi.

Why not?  Or do you have GV forward calls to your cell number?

> I've read many online articles saying Hangouts uses
> wifi for outbound calls but still uses cellular for inbound calls.

That seems stupid.  The only reason to have a GV number is that it's 
free.  Why would anyone choose to pay for a service normally obtainable 
at no cost?

> New-call detection might be via wifi but maybe the connect to the actual
> call is via cellular?  Lots of misinformation out there and Google isn't
> being clear on how Hangouts handles inbound calls (wifi only or a
> wifi+cellular hybrid).

If there were any possibility of hangouts switching calls to my cell I'd 
discontinue it immediately.

> Also, when a cellular call comes in, there still the problem that the
> Phone app (or whatever is the default dialer app) will pick up the
> cellular call and obliterate the Hangouts screen.  When a call comes
> into my Google Voice number, Hangouts gets informed via wifi but the
> cellular call still comes from Google Voice to my smartphone.  I end up
> getting 2 "channels" for an inbound call: cellular from Google Voice and
> wifi using Hangouts.  For an inbound cellular call and with a wifi
> connection, the effect is:
>
> - Hangouts shows up to announce the incoming call using wifi.  The
>    Hangouts ringtone plays.
> - If not answered within 2-3 rings, the Hangouts screen is replaced
>    (obliterated) with the Phone app's screen (using cellular).
> - Once the Phone app obliterates the Hangouts screen, I have 2
>    ringtones quickly alternating: 1 for Hangouts and 1 for the Phone app.
>    Searching online shows this has been a long-time problem with the
>    Hangouts app.
> - If I answer the call AFTER the Phone app has obliterated the Hangouts
>    screen, I'm picking up the cellular version of the call (instead of
>    what might've been a free wifi call).
>
> The "cure" that I've seen mentioned is to configure my Google Voice
> account to NOT include my smartphone when forwarding calls made to my
> Google Voice number.  My cell phone is still defined in my GV account
> but the suggested workaround is to deselect that phone.  That means GV
> will not forward incoming calls (to my GV number) to my smartphone.
> However, that also means that there will be no cellular channel for the
> new call to my smartphone.  Hangouts only does wifi (well, at least, for
> the new-call detect).  I'm more likely to be in a cellular coverage area
> than near enough to a usable wifi hotspot.  I'd be getting more missed
> calls (going to voicemail) if the cellular channel to my smartphone was
> turned off in my GV account.

I guess that's a matter of choice, then.  I don't think anybody knows my 
GV number, which is just fine with me.   I only have it if I have to 
make a LONG call close to a wifi hotspot, a sufficiently rare occurrence 
that it hasn't actually happened yet.  Actually, I could make a wifi 
call when I'm in the Tijuana dentist's office, so it's more useful than 
I thought...

> I'd like a way where if the Hangouts app appears to announce a new
> incoming call then the Phone app does NOT appear.  That is, once
> Hangouts latches onto a new call, the Phone app doesn't get it.  That
> way, and when there is a wifi connection, I can use Hangouts to use wifi
> for the new call without having to dash to my smartphone to pick up the
> call within the first 2-3 rings.  My smartphone is not glued to my hand,
> it may have the lockscreen enabled, or it may take more than 12 seconds
> for me to get to my smartphone (the 6 seconds between each of the up to
> 3 rings before when the Phone app kicks in, and only 6 seconds between
> 1st and 2nd ring if the Phone app gets the cellular call even sooner).
>
> When Hangouts appears for a new call, I'd like it to latch onto the new
> call and block out any other dialer app from snagging onto the call.
> That would keep the Phone app away and let me pick up the call using
> Hangouts.


-- 
Cheers, Bev
*********************************************************
Warning:  Objects in mirror appear smarter than they are.

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Thread

Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-08 02:13 -0500
  Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-08 04:51 -0500
    Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-08 05:08 -0500
      Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-08-08 08:51 -0700
        Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-08 12:16 -0500
          Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-08-08 14:16 -0700
            Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-08-08 17:33 -0400
            Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-09 01:12 -0500
  Re: Hangouts app: duplicate rings on inbound calls. VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-08-23 02:56 -0500

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