Making international calls

[cb2367]

I recently installed hangouts dialer. Yesterday evening I added an international plan to my account which includes voice and data.

I had the occasion to make a call. From what I can tell, the call went through with hangouts dialer and the app showed the call was free.

I guess other than verifying my phone call details online in a few days, how do I know the call actually went through with hangouts dialer and didn't get charged against my international plan?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[limeyinusa]

Please post back your results. I use Localphone which is excellent and cheap.... But not free

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Crashdamage]

You don't need to use Hangouts.

https://support.google.com/voice/answer/141922?hl=en


Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001.

 

[cb2367]

I looked into Google voice and the options I have are to get new number or use my existing number.

If I choose to use my existing number, I have to port it. I already ported my number from Sprint to Verizon, and I'm still on contact with Verizon. I don't want to give up my existing cell number.

According to the description for Google voice, I can make international calls for a low rate by purchasing credits. With hangouts dialer, it seems to show the calls are free. Just want to make sure they are truly free and that I'm not actually using my international plan.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Crashdamage]

OK, first you do *not* have to give up your present number. You get a Google Voice number *in addition* to your present number. It's just like adding a second line to your phone. Plus, Google Voice adds lots of very useful features, some of which apply to *both* of your numbers. All totally free. My wife and I have used our Google Voice numbers as our business numbers for years.

You can port your cell number to Google Voice if you want but there's not much reason to.

Second, I don't use it for international calls so I can't claim to be expert, but as I understand it, Hangouts-to-Hangouts calls are always free. International Hangouts-to-non-Hangouts (other numbers) are at cheapo rates.

But...if you read the information in the link I gave earlier, apparently you can make cheap international calls with Google Voice and without Hangouts. So I dunno just how Hangouts figures into this. I said I was no expert...

Anyway, you will not be using your international calling plan if you are using Hangouts - or maybe without - and Google Voice.

Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001.

 

[cb2367]

OK, so when I go through the setup for Google voice, I should choose the option to get a new number which essentially will give me a second number in addition to the one I already have.

I had previously asked about international calls in another thread and someone mentioned that hangouts provides free outgoing calls and Google voice allows for free incoming calls.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Crashdamage]

I'm fairly sure international calling works basically like I outlined in my last post and in the link I provided earlier. Some Google searches or asking in the right place will no doubt get you some definitive answers

Anyway, yes, get a Google Voice number. It's just like getting a second line on the phone. The original cell number works same as always. Just go into GV settings online and set GV to forward all calls to the cellphone number. Then no matter which number is called the phone rings normally.

My wife and I have used our GV numbers for business numbers and almost everything else for years and literally thousands of calls with no problems. Only friends and family know our real cellphone numbers.

Since you have prepaid service, you also have conditional call forwarding, which makes it possible for GV to handle all voicemail.

Install the GV app and you have visual voicemail for both numbers in one place. During setup choose GV for all voicemail service, not your service provider's voicemail. This activates conditional call forwarding.

Remember, in initial setup outlined earlier, GV was setup to foward all calls to the GV number to the cell number. This is standard setup.

Well, now unanswered calls to the cell number are forwarded by conditional call forwarding back to GV so GV can handle all voicemail, for either number, in one place and as visual voicemail.

To really make GV work seamlessly, especially if you've organized your contacts into groups, install VoiceChoice 2.0.

It works like this: Setup VoiceChoice to, for example, call all Business Group contacts using the GV number and call all Friends & Family Group contacts with the real cell number. Set the GV ap to make all calls through GV by default. But VoiceChoice 2.0 actually dials out. It automatically chooses to use either the cell number or GV number, depending on the contact group the contact being called is in. So, Business contacts see the GV (aka business) number, and Friends & Family contacts see the cell number.

This works perfectly. Routing is automatic. You don't have to do anything special or remember anything, just use the phone normally and GV and VoiceChoice 2.0 automatically deals with which phone number is used for outgoing calls.

With VoiceChoice you can also choose which number is used by individual contacts instead of by group. And GV wil do specialized voicemail messages by contact group and much more.

Let me know if I can help with anything.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...oogle.android.apps.googlevoice&token=19GVJvf5

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e.../apps/details?id=com.voiceplus&token=L4rhPO_j


Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001.