Google Voice not seen as a phone app

[Spinetta]

I just got the Galaxy Avant for Christmas, Google is saying it's called Galaxy Core in Canada so I'm hoping this is the right forum...don't get why they have to be so confusing with the names. Anyway, I'm pretty android savvy, upgrading from a LG Optimus F3 (don't judge me, it was cheap LOL). The new Avant is running 4.4.2 and it does not see the GV app as a phone app at all, so there is no way to place calls using my GV #. Since I've had GV since before Google bought Grand Central (over 10 years) this is a huge problem, no one knows or even has my actual cell #, I use GV exclusively. I've googled for the last few hours and I see a few saying this is an issue with KitKat in general but I have not been able to find much and certainly nothing by way of a fix. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated, without GV this phone is completely worthless to me. Would pushing the 5.0 Lollipop ROM I saw floating around either here or XDA help? Thanks!