Are there SMS clients that work with Google Voice?

[TabGuy]

I use Google Voice exclusively for my phone number. No one ever sees messages or receives calls from me that ever show my phone's real phone number they only see my Google Voice number. It's been that way for almost 2 years now. Heck, I don't even know my phone's real phone number, I'd have to look in settings.

So, to keep the phone's number hidden I use Google Voice's SMS app exclusively. That way when a message is sent the recipient sees my GV number and not my phone's real number.

However, I'm not exactly thrilled with GV SMS. It's a bland app and doesn't do some things I would like to have. For example, I'd like to get a popup window when a message comes in like Handcent does. I'd like to be able to do group messaging. There are a lot of things other SMS apps do that GV doesn't. I don't see Google making many changes to GV in the future.

So, my question is: Are there other SMS clients that will use my Google Voice phone number exclusively? Also, if there are, can I turn off notification from original GV SMS app so that I don't get multiple notifications?

Thanks.

 

[anon(596177)]

I use Google Voice exclusively for my phone number. No one ever sees messages or receives calls from me that ever show my phone's real phone number they only see my Google Voice number. It's been that way for almost 2 years now. Heck, I don't even know my phone's real phone number, I'd have to look in settings.

So, to keep the phone's number hidden I use Google Voice's SMS app exclusively. That way when a message is sent the recipient sees my GV number and not my phone's real number.

However, I'm not exactly thrilled with GV SMS. It's a bland app and doesn't do some things I would like to have. For example, I'd like to get a popup window when a message comes in like Handcent does. I'd like to be able to do group messaging. There are a lot of things other SMS apps do that GV doesn't. I don't see Google making many changes to GV in the future.

So, my question is: Are there other SMS clients that will use my Google Voice phone number exclusively? Also, if there are, can I turn off notification from original GV SMS app so that I don't get multiple notifications?

Thanks.

At the moment, unfortunately I'm going to say no, there aren't any SMS apps out there that will allow you to use your google voice number. I could be wrong.

 

[9KRacing]

Hrmm, when anyone texts my google voice number it still shows in my regular sms app. It shows as coming from a weird number, but it shows their name and the message. Have you looked at your sms app?

 

[brownhornet]

This is what I do... I just have my GV SMS forwarded to my real number in my GV settings. When I do that, I can use GO SMS to text through GV. The only issue with that is, if you don't have unlimited texting on your account that option wont work for you. But doing it this way also allows you to send MMS through GV (which a lot of people still dont know actually works now for the most part.)

When the texts come through to GO SMS, your native number will assign that person a specific number that you can use. I just save that number in that persons contact information as cell phone and use it to text/call them. For example, I have Tiffany that I text through GV. When I set GV to forward texts to my regular number, her text pops up in GO SMS. Her real number is 205-XXX-XXXX but GV assigned her a number like 909-XXX-XXXX. The 909 number is linked to her 205 number so whenever you text the 909 number it automatically recognizes that as her 205 number but it still shows up to HER as your GV number.

I know it may sound complex but I love it like that. I don't give out my real number anymore either especially now that MMS works.

 

[brownhornet]

Hrmm, when anyone texts my google voice number it still shows in my regular sms app. It shows as coming from a weird number, but it shows their name and the message. Have you looked at your sms app?

^^^ In short this is what I just described lol. But that only works when you have the texts forwarded to your real number.

 

[dano272]

I agree that the gv app needs an upgrade. But to one of the OP's 'wants' from the gv sms app - it does do group messaging.

 

[DaPoets]

Hrmm, when anyone texts my google voice number it still shows in my regular sms app. It shows as coming from a weird number, but it shows their name and the message. Have you looked at your sms app?

adjust your settings in google voice to not show this.

 

[TabGuy]

I agree that the gv app needs an upgrade. But to one of the OP's 'wants' from the gv sms app - it does do group messaging.

Can you show me how? And, by "group messaging" I mean using a single group address (like in email), not putting in a bunch of user IDs at the beginning of a message.

 

[BSG75]

This is what I do... I just have my GV SMS forwarded to my real number in my GV settings. When I do that, I can use GO SMS to text through GV. The only issue with that is, if you don't have unlimited texting on your account that option wont work for you. But doing it this way also allows you to send MMS through GV (which a lot of people still dont know actually works now for the most part.)

When the texts come through to GO SMS, your native number will assign that person a specific number that you can use. I just save that number in that persons contact information as cell phone and use it to text/call them. For example, I have Tiffany that I text through GV. When I set GV to forward texts to my regular number, her text pops up in GO SMS. Her real number is 205-XXX-XXXX but GV assigned her a number like 909-XXX-XXXX. The 909 number is linked to her 205 number so whenever you text the 909 number it automatically recognizes that as her 205 number but it still shows up to HER as your GV number.

I know it may sound complex but I love it like that. I don't give out my real number anymore either especially now that MMS works.

 

[zzbxdo]

I hope there is an update for GV or more apps to come out. I don't plan to pay for texting plans and feed vzw anymore money.

 

[yosteve]

Even though my brain hurts right now from reading this, I'm guessing when you get a Google text it can alert your gmail right? So use that to alert you of texts.

I see the setting to have gv handle your voicemail, how does it do that of you don't use your Google voice number to call out.

 

[TabGuy]

Even though my brain hurts right now from reading this, I'm guessing when you get a Google text it can alert your gmail right? So use that to alert you of texts.

Yes, but that's not the issue. Google Voice text messages, like email, do give an alert. But I want a pop up message that pops over the top of everything. Handcent, for example, pops over the lock screen and you can respond to a message without ever unlocking the phone.

I see the setting to have gv handle your voicemail, how does it do that of you don't use your Google voice number to call out.

I do use Google Voice to call out. My phone's phone number is never seen by any recipient of the call.

As a user of Google Voice, the voice mailbox offered by Verizon that comes with the phone is never used. All of the voice mail is handled and stored by Google on Google's servers. The reason for this is that when someone calls my Google Voice number it actually rings on 4 separate phones at once. (Home land line, personal cell phone, company cell phone and company desk top phone.) I never want any of the voice mail systems from any of those four phones to ever pick up and answer the phone. Google Voice must be the answering machine, it must pick up the phone if I don't answer. That can be tricky as I need to set each one of those four phones to go at least 5 rings which is how long it takes for GV to pick up.

Once a voice mail is taken by Google Voice it then translates the voice into text. That translated text is sent as a text message to my GN phone and an email to my Gmail account. It's not a perfect translation, in fact it's often a hilariously silly translation, but that's OK because it also attaches the actual voice file to the text message and email. When you click on Play to hear the voice message it actually highlights the text in the text message, or email, as it plays. Kinda like a karaoke machine displays text during a song.

It's all very cool. Except there's no message popup or cool looking bubble though message texts. Maybe I'll just stick with what I have.

 

[KayMoo07]

WIVI messenger by invi labs is the best I've found. Love it and it's UI is lovey.
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ps/details?id=com.invi.android&token=7T3hg7JT

 

[joel benitez]

thank this works

 

[triseank]

how do you forward texts from google voice to my at&t number. Essentially hangouts isn't working that well and GV app is not robust but i have two numbers and want all calls and texts to come into one app if possible...an app that has emoji and can see emoji and knows my contacts' names