Currently on Sprint, will sign up with T-Mobile when I get Nexus 5. Should I port to Google Voice?

[youngjediboy]

I'm currently using a SGSII on Sprint, will be getting a Nexus 5 soon and will sign up with T-Mobile with it.

I've read that Sprint has a partnership with Google Voice to easily port my number so I was wondering if I should do that or should I port my current phone number to T-Mobile.

From what I've read, by default vanilla Android doesn't have Visual Voicemail and that most people have to use Google Voice to get that feature, otherwise you have to do it the old fashioned way by calling in, inputting a PIN, etc. Is that correct?

On my current SGSII VVM was a preinstalled app, I know bloatware right? But it's the only piece of carrier/Samsung bloat app that I've ever used and it's simple and works. GV seems to be the only other way to do it now, but I don't have any need for call forwarding and texting seems to be handled by Hangouts now. So if I were to port to GV, would GV be handling my phone calls, voicemails and texts?

Sorry for the confusing mess of questions. This will be my first Nexus/vanilla Android phone and I'm just trying to prepare for it the best I can so I can start using it without messing things up. I don't want to have to have a mess of different apps do the same thing.

Thanks!

 

[kellynj]

I'm still trying to find my GVoice number - I THINK I had one when it first came out - but I have to figure out how to find it too - on top of all the same questions as you.

 

[lulzplzkthx]

I've heard, though I can't verify, that T-mobile doesn't support Google Voice on their prepaid plans, only their postpaid ones. Worth checking into.

Also, pretty sure you'd sign up for Google Voice *after* moving to T-mobile, but I don't know. Vanilla Android 4.2 did not have visual voicemail and I don't think they added it later. I've always used Google Voice to get it on my Galaxy Nexus. Sprint also has some really cool integrations with it, allowing me to call and receive calls on my laptop through my Sprint phone number, as well as send and receive texts.

 

[Brainerd]

Here are some great replies to a similar question that I posed a few days ago.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=329121

Because Google Voice does not support MMS, I decided not to port to it. That looks like it will happen next year with Voice scheduled to be woven into Hangouts, but I didn't want to lose that service for the foreseeable future.

I received my Nexus 5 yesterday and I ported my number from Sprint to Straight Talk (AT&T SIM). It went very well, my phone reception is much improved and the data speeds are crazy. Almost 16 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up. I'm so happy to be off Sprint. I'm paying half of what I did and getting so much more.

BTW... I live in northern Jersey and I did the $45 plan with Straight Talk (AT&T SIM).

Posted via Android Central App

 

[chadsoc]

I did the same as you, switched from my GSIII on Sprint to T-Mobile to the Nexus 5. I will miss Sprint's VVM, and using Google Voice is an option to make up for it. It doesn't matter when you sign up for Google Voice as the porting of my number was painless.

I was given a temporary number from T-Mobile until Sprint released my number. That process only took about an hour (the sales person said it may take up to 12). My Sprint phone still received calls during that period, so I wasn't missing out on any calls.

I hope this explanation hleps.

 

[youngjediboy]

I did the same as you, switched from my GSIII on Sprint to T-Mobile to the Nexus 5. I will miss Sprint's VVM, and using Google Voice is an option to make up for it. It doesn't matter when you sign up for Google Voice as the porting of my number was painless.

I was given a temporary number from T-Mobile until Sprint released my number. That process only took about an hour (the sales person said it may take up to 12). My Sprint phone still received calls during that period, so I wasn't missing out on any calls.

I hope this explanation hleps.

Thanks! Yeah it took about an hour for me as well for the number porting from Sprint to Tmo.

I ended up accessing G Voice on my desktop browser to get into options to enable Voice to handle voicemail for my Tmo number. Now I can use Voice as a VVM and it seems to work well.
I think I'll keep my number on Tmo instead of porting it to GV for now as I don't need any of the call forwarding. I'm only going to be answering my phone calls and text on my phone.

 

[Biggnaa20]

.

From what I've read, by default vanilla Android doesn't have Visual Voicemail and that most people have to use Google Voice to get that feature, otherwise you have to do it the old fashioned way by calling in, inputting a PIN, etc. Is that correct?

T-Mobile has a visual voicemail app that's available in the play store. It's working fine on my Nexus 5 right now. If you need transcribed texts, Google voice might be the cheaper options (I think this has a buy in that I didn't buy into).

But for porting, I wouldn't do it until Google figures out a true MMS protocol. It's still hacky and unreliable.

nb

 

[whatsitsname]

Better to just get a new number from T-Mobile first. Once you are sure you have the coverage then you can port your Google number over.
In the meantime you can still make phone calls as you normally would. Text requires the Google Voice app to be installed. The Google Voice app also will handle your voicemail. Works just like a visual voicemail.

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