Interesting possibilities with Google Voice.

DRNewcomb · **Interesting possibilities with Google Voice. -** 27-03-2009, 13:38

Yesterday I converted my GrandCentral account to Google Voice. There are two new features which could have a lot of value to me:
1. Free calling in the USA.
2. Free SMS
I find it hard to believe but it's true. I sent a SMS to my son at no charge and when he replied, his text was forwarded to my cellphone. The SMS I sent myself came from my Google Voice/GrandCentral number. So, I assume my son replied to that number. They seem to send real SMS and not use the carriers' e-mail gateways. SMS to @tmomail.net are forwarded to a bit bucket but this one came through.

On the free calling, you request a call to any normal US number (I presume 900 numbers don't work) and it calls you back on your phone and connects you to the called number. So, you need a phone line that accepts DID calls. However, the interesting thing (and this is what's neat for travelers) is that phone can be your GizmoProject SIP address.

This allows you to sit in a hotel or at a hotspot on the other side of the world and make free calls to just about any phone in the USA.

Now if I can just see if they have a mobile UI for the website that will work with my e61.

Of course, as with anything you do with Google, they record and log everything so be careful what you say and write.

Bossman · 30-03-2009, 12:38

The moble interface works quite well with my Blackberry 8310 using opera mini.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRNewcomb

Now if I can just see if they have a mobile UI for the website that will work with my e61.

andy3450 · 20-06-2009, 16:01

Sound very interesting. If it works on e61 then it should work fine on e51.

Thanks DRNewcomb for the info.

Stu · 20-06-2009, 23:11

Google voice has a great mobile browser, but I am waiting for an applet. Here is a link to a really cool third party applet for the iPhone:

GV Mobile Google Voice iPhone app screenshots posted | iPhonefreak

Hopefully some developers do something similar for the other popular formats. I have a callback browser app from Voxalot, but I use Google Voice more often.

thaiprepaidcard · 10-07-2009, 06:07

One of the best things about Google voice is that it forwards to your Gizmo SIP number. From there you can forward it anywhere.. Asterisk, Skype or any Mobile phone (via the Gizmo service). Yes.. so anyone in the world can use it.

You do need a USA IP and USA phone number to register.. but once past that hurdle, you can discard both and use via Gizmo SIP only.

FBlack_111 · 17-07-2009, 01:57

I have had a Grand Central account before and converted it to Google Voice today. SMS works well. I checked their long distance fees. Not too bad. Basically 2 cents to call a land line in much of Europe and 15 to 20 cents to call a cell phone.

I tested forwarding a call through Google Voice to my US number on my Dual number SIM. The call quality was not very good. In addition to the slight delay, there was an echo and the volume was low. I will test it again later.

I like being able to easily make a cheap International call by connecting to Google Voice on my own land line. You just dial your own Google Voice number, press a few keys, and follow the prompts. Works with cell phones too.

	(#1)
DRNewcomb (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,465 Join Date: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Mississippi, USA Country:	Interesting possibilities with Google Voice. - 27-03-2009, 13:38 Yesterday I converted my GrandCentral account to Google Voice. There are two new features which could have a lot of value to me: 1. Free calling in the USA. 2. Free SMS I find it hard to believe but it's true. I sent a SMS to my son at no charge and when he replied, his text was forwarded to my cellphone. The SMS I sent myself came from my Google Voice/GrandCentral number. So, I assume my son replied to that number. They seem to send real SMS and not use the carriers' e-mail gateways. SMS to @tmomail.net are forwarded to a bit bucket but this one came through. On the free calling, you request a call to any normal US number (I presume 900 numbers don't work) and it calls you back on your phone and connects you to the called number. So, you need a phone line that accepts DID calls. However, the interesting thing (and this is what's neat for travelers) is that phone can be your GizmoProject SIP address. This allows you to sit in a hotel or at a hotspot on the other side of the world and make free calls to just about any phone in the USA. Now if I can just see if they have a mobile UI for the website that will work with my e61. Of course, as with anything you do with Google, they record and log everything so be careful what you say and write.

	(#3)
andy3450 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 18 Jun 2009 Country:	20-06-2009, 16:01 Sound very interesting. If it works on e61 then it should work fine on e51. Thanks DRNewcomb for the info.

	(#4)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	20-06-2009, 23:11 Google voice has a great mobile browser, but I am waiting for an applet. Here is a link to a really cool third party applet for the iPhone: GV Mobile Google Voice iPhone app screenshots posted \| iPhonefreak Hopefully some developers do something similar for the other popular formats. I have a callback browser app from Voxalot, but I use Google Voice more often.

	(#5)
thaiprepaidcard (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 13 Join Date: 09 Jul 2009 Country:	10-07-2009, 06:07 One of the best things about Google voice is that it forwards to your Gizmo SIP number. From there you can forward it anywhere.. Asterisk, Skype or any Mobile phone (via the Gizmo service). Yes.. so anyone in the world can use it. You do need a USA IP and USA phone number to register.. but once past that hurdle, you can discard both and use via Gizmo SIP only.

	(#6)
FBlack_111 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 171 Join Date: 27 Feb 2008 Country:	17-07-2009, 01:57 I have had a Grand Central account before and converted it to Google Voice today. SMS works well. I checked their long distance fees. Not too bad. Basically 2 cents to call a land line in much of Europe and 15 to 20 cents to call a cell phone. I tested forwarding a call through Google Voice to my US number on my Dual number SIM. The call quality was not very good. In addition to the slight delay, there was an echo and the volume was low. I will test it again later. I like being able to easily make a cheap International call by connecting to Google Voice on my own land line. You just dial your own Google Voice number, press a few keys, and follow the prompts. Works with cell phones too.