So, how can I lower my minutes? Calls over data?

[mgftp]

First, I searched around Google and got a lot of conflicting into on this. I recently fell victim to the $20 UDP price hike and finding staying on Verizon difficult with what my bill currently totals. The only way I can see getting it lower is to change my voice plan but I use right on the boarder of what the next lowest plan would give me.

Is there a simple and reliable way to make and receive or at least make calls over data? I remember Google Voice and Hangouts being a thing awhile back but I could never get the Google Voice aspect setup correctly and eventually gave up. Can I use just the Hangouts Dialer without Google Voice setup? Or is there another service? Please, any info that could help me out would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[N4Newbie]

If you can get several of your besties to install WhatsApp, then you can talk to each other over data connections...

 

[mgftp]

If you can get several of your besties to install WhatsApp, then you can talk to each other over data connections...

Thanks but unfortunately most of the calls are to landlines, actually 90% or more of what isn't to landlines is cover under verizon-to-verizon anyway.

 

[dpham00]

You can make and receive calls from hangouts. Quality isn't the best, but should be ok if you are in areas with plenty of available bandwidth.

 

[mgftp]

You can make and receive calls from hangouts. Quality isn't the best, but should be ok if you are in areas with plenty of available bandwidth.

So maybe I am a little slow with this stuff but is there an easy way to set this up?

Again, I had a ton of problems and gave up in the past but when I tried it hangouts was brand new and it seemed there were many complaints of GV not working properly for people.

 

[dpham00]

So maybe I am a little slow with this stuff but is there an easy way to set this up?

Again, I had a ton of problems and gave up in the past but when I tried it hangouts was brand new and it seemed there were many complaints of GV not working properly for people.

If you are just looking to make and receive calls then hangouts works fine, just call quality can vary.

 

[N4Newbie]

The really big question is, why on Earth are you still on Verizon? They are ridiculously expensive and, unless you have a very good reason for staying with them, I would go elsewhere.

For example: https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phone-plans

 

[dpham00]

The really big question is, why on Earth are you still on Verizon? They are ridiculously expensive and, unless you have a very good reason for staying with them, I would go elsewhere.

For example: https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phone-plans

Verizon could be the cheapest for his needs. It is for me. Also att is crap at my work.

 

[mgftp]

If you are just looking to make and receive calls then hangouts works fine, just call quality can vary.

So I must be a little slow but how do I do that? I have Hangouts on my phone already, I don't ever remember seeing an option to use it when I am getting an incoming call or when I make one, so there must be a setting or something somewhere?

The really big question is, why on Earth are you still on Verizon? They are ridiculously expensive and, unless you have a very good reason for staying with them, I would go elsewhere.

For example: https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phone-plans

Are you saying cricket has a network that rivals Verizon?

I tried all the major carriers 10 or so years ago and Verizon blew them away where I live, work, and travel. I realize coverage has probably changed for all carries since then but I never had a problem paying a little more for the best at the time. It's just the recent $20 increase where it is a more noticeable difference that I am asking myself if the difference is worth it.

 

[dpham00]

So I must be a little slow but how do I do that? I have Hangouts on my phone already, I don't ever remember seeing an option to use it when I am getting an incoming call or when I make one, so there must be a setting or something somewhere?



Are you saying cricket has a network that rivals Verizon?

I tried all the major carriers 10 or so years ago and Verizon blew them away where I live, work, and travel. I realize coverage has probably changed for all carries since then but I never had a problem paying a little more for the best at the time. It's just the recent $20 increase where it is a more noticeable difference that I am asking myself if the difference is worth it.

It is in your hangouts settings

 

[Davidoo]

I recently had a co-worker that had cricket and most of the time you would call him and get a recording that "the cricket wireless customer is not available or out of range." I respectfully say that comparing cricket to Verizon is similar to comparing McDonald's with Shula's steakhouse. I do agree that in many cases Verizon is more expensive. You should check to see if your employer has a discount program with them which helps" the price.

 

[dpham00]

Cricket uses att network

 

[Almeuit]

I recently had a co-worker that had cricket and most of the time you would call him and get a recording that "the cricket wireless customer is not available or out of range." I respectfully say that comparing cricket to Verizon is similar to comparing McDonald's with Shula's steakhouse. I do agree that in many cases Verizon is more expensive. You should check to see if your employer has a discount program with them which helps" the price.

How so? Cricket is AT&T which is right behind Verizon in terms of network.

 

[dpham00]

How so? Cricket is AT&T which is right behind Verizon in terms of network.

Does cricket get to use att roaming partners?

 

[Almeuit]

Does cricket get to use att roaming partners?

Not sure AT&T roams much -- if at all. Usually they are the roaming partner for those on T-Mobile. Roaming or not though that wouldn't degrade it to McDonalds lol .

 

[Davidoo]

How so? Cricket is AT&T which is right behind Verizon in terms of network.

I can only tell you it was a joke in the office that we could call him sitting right next to us and get the unable to reach recording. You could be 100% accurate as I don't know exactly how that works, meaning do they actually get full use of the AT&T towers? I would imagine actual AT&T customers get priority during heavy traffic.

 

[Almeuit]

I can only tell you it was a joke in the office that we could call him sitting right next to us and get the unable to reach recording. You could be 100% accurate as I don't know exactly how that works, meaning do they actually get full use of the AT&T towers? I would imagine actual AT&T customers get priority during heavy traffic.

Well I am 100% accurate in that it uses the AT&T network. They bought it and own it. Yes AT&T customers do get priority on data but calls should still go. That just means AT&T may not be that good at your work (or his desk inside) -- locations definitely matter but in the broad scheme of things it still runs on their network. It isn't Sprint or something.

 

[N4Newbie]

Obviously the Cricket vs. Verizon argument will depend greatly on where you are located and the general quality of service in that area. Yes, Cricket uses AT&T's network and, yes, it is imperfect, but it suited me and my wife just fine in the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area.

I was simply making the point that not everyone *needs* Verizon's network and, considering it's (and AT&T's) hefty price tag, it is worthwhile to shop around. That's one of the reasons that I have only used Nexus (unlocked) phones for the last several years - I can change networks whenever I want to with no penalty. My wife and I are currently on Google's Project Fi and never pay more than $30/month for each of us. Perfect coverage? No - but damned good enough!

 

[Channan]

I lowered my minutes from 450 with free nights and weekends to just 30 anytime over a year and a half ago and it saves me $25/month. I use Hangouts with Google Voice for 99.99% of my calls and rarely have issues with it. It's a much better experience on Android, but I also make do on iOS.