Does Google Voice Use Data or Minutes?

[androidluvr2]

Can anyone explain to me how it works?

 

[saeufer]

Depends on how you access it. With only the 'stock' GV app, GV makes a domestic phone call no matter where you've called (e.g. if you call Germany with GV, you're only paying your cell provider for the American phone call--Google gets the 2c/min). If you call an American number, you're just using minutes either way since Google doesn't charge for US/Canada calls.

If you use a 3rd-party app like GrooVe IP, you can make calls over Google Talk, which uses data. That means it's free if you're calling the US or Canada. It doesn't use your plan minutes. Call quality is pretty good if you have good data coverage (or use a good wifi network) and are in one place for the whole call. It doesn't work so well on a train, for example.