Are there any downsides to using Google Voice?

greydarrah

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I'm contemplating switching over to a Google Voice number and wonder if there are any downsides to it. I've read through a number of threads that talk about 1 or 2 second delays associated with using GrooVe IP. Is the delay only experienced through this app, or do you notice a delay anytime you use Google Voice?

Also, when using Google Voice (straight up...not with GrooVe IP), do you call people using any special Google Voice app, or do you just call them like you regularly would? I'm not concerned with using my regular cell minutes, I just want to centralize my phone number in the event I decide to switch carriers.

Thanks
 

Xopher

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When you load the Google Voice app, it adds options for calling. You can set your phone to always use the Google Voice number for all calls, not use it, or prompt for each call. There is no lag with voice when using GV for your number.

The lag that GrooveIP had is from converting the call to VOIP and voice going over the internet instead of through cell towers.
 

greydarrah

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When you load the Google Voice app, it adds options for calling. You can set your phone to always use the Google Voice number for all calls, not use it, or prompt for each call. There is no lag with voice when using GV for your number.

The lag that GrooveIP had is from converting the call to VOIP and voice going over the internet instead of through cell towers.

I'm guessing that you use GV. Any negative issues at all that I might want to consider?
 

Ry

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I'd also add the limits of messaging.

You can't send MMS messages.
Receiving MMS is kind of wonky.
I don't think you can do group messaging.
Your recipients may be charged for receiving your message unless they have an unlimited plan or are also using Google Voice.
You can't send messages to most shortcodes.
 

jasonandc

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I'd also add the limits of messaging.
You can't send MMS messages. Receiving MMS is kind of wonky. I don't think you can do group messaging.
Your recipients may be charged for receiving your message unless they have an unlimited plan or are also using Google Voice.
You can't send messages to most shortcodes.

Are there work-arounds for any of that? Can you, at the least, temporarily disable GV so you can send MMS, do group messaging, message shortcodes, etc? If your recipient hadn't maxed their messages for the month, would they still get charged for receiving your SMS?
 

dprice95

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If I can add a question..
Any issues with caller ID, from either end? Does it show up as the GV number for others, both when you call, and when you text?
MMS is no big deal, I usually just email photos anyways, seems to work better on my current phone.
 

ibikeiruniswim

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I use my Verizon number for friends and family and my Google voice number for work and my only real complaint is that you can not tell which number an incoming call our text is coming to.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 that's right 6.
 

EvilMonkey

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I'm just going to quote another post I made awhile ago. In a nutshell, the disadvantages of porting it are:
1) Data: you have to have a data connection to initiate the call
2) Caller ID: If you don't call with Google Voice, your cell phone's number will show up on the other person's end.
3) Text: If you don't use the Google Voice app to text (like if you want to use Handcent or GoSMS or even the Messaging app that came with the phone), your cell phone's number will show up as the sender.

However, if you're with Sprint, you can integrate them (so your Google Voice number is the same as your Sprint Number) and it works awesome. Anyways, here's my entire post:
This may end up being confusing. The only true "integration" with Google Voice is from Sprint. That's what I used to have (before I switched to Verizon) and it worked awesome. You just ported your Sprint Number to Google Voice and it all worked great (you didn't need a separate phone number for each).

So if it's not Sprint, this is how Google Voice will work if you want to use it for calls.
  • You will have one number for your phone (your "Real" number), and one number for Google Voice (your "GV" number).
  • When you set it up on your phone, you can choose to always, never, or prompt on each call to use Google Voice to make calls.
  • If you choose to use Google Voice to make a call, it makes a short data connection to Google, and basically Google Voice initiates the call, then connects your phone to it. It requires a data connection for that initial "handshake" on a call, but then uses the regular cellular airwaves (so it's not VOIP).
  • if you choose to use Google Voice to make a call, your GV number will show on the recipients side.
  • If you don't use Voice to make the call your "Real" number shows on the recipients side.
  • No matter what you do, if you don't use the Voice app to text, your "Real" number shows on the recipients side since it's coming from the phone and not through GV. The only way to have your GV number show up for the recipient is to use the GV app to text.

So with that being said, if you can live with the above, GV has a ton of benefits, such as call blocking, groups, customized voicemails for different recipients, forwarding phone calls to other phones (like how if one of my kid's friends call, I could forward it to my wife's phone and mine never rings), etc.

But I couldn't live with the above, due to texting and having to have the data connection to initiate a call and the concern that my unknown number (my "real" number) would show up on the recipient's phone and not my GV number (that everyone knows). I really wanted my GV number to be the number I've used for years and my "real" number to be hidden, but I couldn't really get it to work reliably due to the above (and I wanted to use Go SMS for texting and not the GV app).

So what I did was I kept the "Real" number on my phone (that I've had for years), but I use GV for voicemail, which gives me all the benefits of the voicemail functionality (different messages for different callers and the voice-to-text transcription of voicemail). That's easy to set up, as you just need a separate GV number (which is free) and then when you install the app on the phone, it just prompts you if you want to use GV for your voicemail. I just don't get the additional benefits with call blocking and forwarding and stuff, which is disappointing.

it's not ideal, but that's what I have done with Verizon. If you are going to Sprint though, that integration is AWESOME, and alleviates all the concerns above. There is no reason to not use GV for Sprint, since your "real" number and the GV number are the same, so there's no issues with any of it. Don't even need the data connection to initiate the call. There were rumblings Verizon was going to get this, but that was well over a year ago now and I haven't heard anything about it.
 

Ry

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Are there work-arounds for any of that? Can you, at the least, temporarily disable GV so you can send MMS, do group messaging, message shortcodes, etc? If your recipient hadn't maxed their messages for the month, would they still get charged for receiving your SMS?

You can receive MMS, but it'll go to your Gmail as an email attachment.

As EvilMonkey pointed out, the workarounds are basically being aware of when to use and when not to use the Google Voice app.
 

EvilMonkey

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I can't receive mms to my Google voice number... Message sending fails.

You need to go http://voice.google.com, click on Settings (under the gear icon) and then click on "Voicemail & Text".....there's a checkbox to forward text messages to you email, and then you'll get them.

Of course, this means that all of your text messages will show up in your email as well. This is easy enough to get around by going to Gmail and setting up a filter to delete any text messages (I think the word "Google Voice" is in the subject) that don't have attachments. Then only the MMS ones will make it to your gmail inbox. Unless of course you want all of your text messages in gmail, in which case the filter is unnecessary.
 

Chevyracing252

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Still no dice for me... I thought this had only been enabled for folks with Sprint...

Sent from my SCH-R760 using Android Central Forums
 

sdchargers12

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I have been trying to have my GV number show up in other people's caller ID but they say it's showing a random number. I'm using the Google Voice app with tmobile and have it set to always use GV to make calls. Do you know any workarounds so my GV number will show up?