I am intrigued enough. Can Google Voice do what I want to accomplish?

Well, one thing I notice on my cellphone usage is that I use a lot of monthly plan minutes checking voice mailbox (can't pick up call in the office). So I am looking for ways to check voice mailbox without using plan minutes. Please keep in mind that I can't use Gmail phone function at work (this is how I would normally check voice mailbox at home), nor can I use another phone to check. I am pretty much stuck to use my own phone to check.


The good news is that I already have a google voice number , and the app installed on my phone. Say if someone calls me now, at my cell phone number (rather than GV number), will it automatically get forwarded to Google Voice, and then Google Voice can transcribe that voice message and send to my email? Is this how GV works?

My friends don't have my GV number, it's difficult to ask all of them to update my number to GV number.

Hard fact:
Virgin Mobile (sprint)
Motorola Triumph

 

The way I have GV set up is so that it's my default message system. I check my messages with the voice app but people call me on my regular phone number/ leave messages on it. I don't use my voice number for anything.

I also check with my voice.google.com or whatever

 

So when you check the GV voice mailbox using your cell phone, do you use the mins? Or is it over data (3g or wifi)? Being a VM customer, I have unlimited data but only 300 mins monthly.

 

google voice would forward the recorded voice message(and the attempted speech to text) to my gmail account so I don't usually need to check the voice box.

 

That sounds really good.

Just one question, do they have to call the GV number for Google Voice mailbox to do that? Or they can call my regular cell phone number?

 

I think they have to call your GV number as otherwise, GV is not in play.

 

Damn it. Any way for this to work when they call the cell phone number? Although I am on virgin mobile, the carrier is recognized as "Sprint" in Google Voice. I heard Spring and Google Voice has deeper integration than other carrier. This is my last hope...

 

do you have data plan ? If you do and is using iphone, I would say just use talkatone which ties directly into google voice(via wifi/data plan) so you can use that for anything you want.

the alternative is get a SIP account and use SIP softphone I am using voip.ms which charges 0.005c(CDN) and I really don't care much for the time use. And the nice thing about it is if I call 1-800 etc. number it is free.

So SIP or talkatone both would give you effectively free minutes, only using data.

 

No. They can call your regular number.

 

I am confused. How would GV take part when people call regular number ? Unless of course there is some call forwarding on the regular number.

 

No idea. But people call my number (not my google voice number) and I check my google voice to get my messages.

 

Do you mean check your voice mail by calling your google voice number or you mean you see a voice recording in say google voice site(or have it forward to your gmail account) ?

 

I will let you two figure it out...then rip the benefit.

 

Oh. I use a "Google Voice App" to check my messages, I dono if it makes a call or uses 3G/ the browser on my phone.

I just mean that no one calls me on my google voice number and I don't make calls from that number. I just have all of my voicemail handled by Google Voice.

 

This may explain that, but not sure if it applies to all numbers

Google Voice Account Options - Google Voice Help

 

If you have an android phone, your first step is to download the google voice app.

Once you start it up you will be asked how you want google voice to behave. You will also be asked if how you want to use Google Voice with phone calls.

Your options are:
-Use Google Voice to make all calls.
-Do not use Google Voice to make any calls.
-Only use Google Voice for International Calls
-Ask every time I make a call.

Using Google Voice to handle calls will still use up your plan minutes. Personally, I see no benefit to letting Google Voice handle your calls if you are on, for example, Verizon's network using a Verizon phone number.

The main benefit to Google Voice (when not using a phone that is activated with a Google Voice number) is for voicemail (you will be given the option to let Google Voice handle your voicemail when you install the app). Voicemail transacription to email or text saves those valuable minutes you would normally use to retrieve your voicemail. Being able to access Google Voice voicemail through the web and the android app is also incredibly useful and saves your call minutes.

 

this is one thing that surprised me. Talkatone is a iPhone app that is the equivalent of the google chat plugin in the gmail which allows you to make voice call via google voice(data i.e. VOIP, not callback like the android app by google). Why can't google make such app for android ?

I do use google voice app for iPhone(by google) which makes sending/receiving SMS a breeze to use.

 

The interface is also great. Getting to view and select each message is so much easier.

 

you mean the google voice app ? Yep, I use it for everything except voice calling which doesn't work in canada anyway. Basically, talkatone for GV voice call(which is free for anywhere NA), GV app for everything else and SIP phone for international voice calls. Thinking about using an iPad sim in place of my current SIM as it has cheaper data.

 

GV will do exactly what you need. You can Google instructions on how to set up GV as your default voicemail for your current cell phone number. From there, just make sure you have data or wireless and the GV App (I'm on Android) and you're all set. You can check any voicemails directly from the app or configure it to send texts or email to you, if you prefer.

 

I beleive its carrier-dependent. On my GV account, i cant forward voicemail to GV. It wouldnt let me activate. I believe the only way to do this on VM network is to port the number.