Google Voice and N4

[mrdwong]

If I want my GV number to show, do I have to use the GV app only? I can't just use stock OEM dialer and messages after setting the Settings in cp.

2nd, incoming texts are not sender's numbers.

 

[zkSharks]

If I want my GV number to show, do I have to use the GV app only? I can't just use stock OEM dialer and messages after setting the Settings in cp.

2nd, incoming texts are not sender's numbers.

If you want your Google Voice number to show when making calls, you can use the stock dialer. You need to set calls to be made via Google Voice, which can be done in the Google Voice app in Settings > Making calls > "Use Google Voice to make all calls." You can dial with the stock dialer and the calls should be made via your Google Voice number. There should be a light blue box near the top of the in-call screen that says "Calling via Google Voice."

As for using the stock SMS application to receive text messages, there should be an option on the Google Voice Settings page under your phone's number that is labeled "Receive text messages on this phone." I'm not entirely sure how they will appear for you, perhaps someone else can jump in here and verify the process for using the stock app. I know that Google Voice uses intermediary phone numbers for each contact, but I'm not sure if or when that comes into play when using the stock messaging application.

 

[mrdwong]

If you want your Google Voice number to show when making calls, you can use the stock dialer. You need to set calls to be made via Google Voice, which can be done in the Google Voice app in Settings > Making calls > "Use Google Voice to make all calls." You can dial with the stock dialer and the calls should be made via your Google Voice number. There should be a light blue box near the top of the in-call screen that says "Calling via Google Voice."

As for using the stock SMS application to receive text messages, there should be an option on the Google Voice Settings page under your phone's number that is labeled "Receive text messages on this phone." I'm not entirely sure how they will appear for you, perhaps someone else can jump in here and verify the process for using the stock app. I know that Google Voice uses intermediary phone numbers for each contact, but I'm not sure if or when that comes into play when using the stock messaging application.

Thanks Patrick. I think I got the voice part down but I have issues with SMS. People (I know) have not been recognizing my texts because the SMS is using my cell phone number rather than my GV number. I text with the stock SMS app. I don't see a setting to use GV number for texts from the stock app. So therefore, do I have to use the GV app when sending texts so that it will use my GV number? Also, when receiving texts, I get a random number (in caller id) due to the nature of GV rather than the original caller's number since I tell GV to send the SMS to the Messages app. It seems it is not resolving the two numbers. So I'm in a conundrum...for people to recognize (my GV number in) my texts, I have to send it via GV app. For me to recognize people's (number in their) texts, I have to text them with the stock app with my cell phone number so that when they reply I can recognize who it is. I guess GV was built more for voice than SMS?

 

[greydarrah]

Thanks Patrick. I think I got the voice part down but I have issues with SMS. People (I know) have not been recognizing my texts because the SMS is using my cell phone number rather than my GV number. I text with the stock SMS app. I don't see a setting to use GV number for texts from the stock app. So therefore, do I have to use the GV app when sending texts so that it will use my GV number? Also, when receiving texts, I get a random number (in caller id) due to the nature of GV rather than the original caller's number since I tell GV to send the SMS to the Messages app. It seems it is not resolving the two numbers. So I'm in a conundrum...for people to recognize (my GV number in) my texts, I have to send it via GV app. For me to recognize people's (number in their) texts, I have to text them with the stock app with my cell phone number so that when they reply I can recognize who it is. I guess GV was built more for voice than SMS?

I'm using GV on my N4 and I only use the GV texting app (sending and receiving). As far as I know, that's the only way to insure that people will receive your text from your GV number, as opposed to your SIM card number. I'm not what you would call a massive texter (maybe text 10 to 20 times a day), but I don't see any downside to sticking with the GV texting app. As far as the text that I receive from people, they show up correctly identified in the GV texting app. Are you saying that even in the GV app, if you have a contact on your named John Doe, and you get a text from him, that text does not display the name John Doe?

 

[anuswax]

GV will only show your number if you use the GV app and/or if you use the native SMS app when you reply to a text you already have received. So, if a friend sends you a text and you reply back using the native texting app, it should show you're GV number but if you send a text (not a reply) to someone it will show your default provider number (the number you use to forward your calls to GV).

If you want to never have to worry about what number people are seeing when texting, just use the GV app and make sure in your GV "Sync and notifications -> Receive Text messages" settings is set to "Via the google voice app." When you do this, if you ever check your settings on the web, you will notice that there is a setting that will be unchecked "Receive text messages on this phone", leave this unchecked, otherwise it will change your GV setting to receive text messages via the native app. You will still receive text messages! After that, just remove the native SMS icon on your launcher and replace it with the GV icon instead so you force yourself to only use it instead of the native messenger.

Also keep in mind that when dialing numbers, GV only supports 10-digit dialing. So if you manually enter a number into the dialer, you need to also include the area code for GV to intercept the call and dial it. When you manually enter only 7 digits (no area code), GV won't intercept the call and your stock dialer will make the call and will show your provider number instead (the number you use to forward to GV) and not your GV number.

 

[mrdwong]

Excellent explanation! (Feels weird, no pun intended, but) Thanks anuswax!