Considering using Skype as a main phone

[desura]

To have a phone number which accepts incoming calls is like $60/yr or $5/mo, and unlimited calls to the US is $3/mo.

Most of my time is spent at home or work where there is wifi signal. I never pick up the phone while inside my car anyways, and to check calls I could always just stop by the nearest wifi-providing food joint.

I'd probably keep around a prepaid dumbphone for the rare instance when I need to call while on the road, as well.

Anyone done this? I'm wondering how well this could be managed using either android or win phone or even an ipod touch. I bet the one hangup would be the app receiving calls...

 

[Yuriman]

$5 per month is hard to beat but I had some problems when I tried this a while back. I don't use many minutes and little data - most of my usage is near wifi too - but it's the 1% of the time I need a phone and I'm not near wifi that makes keeping a real phone worthwhile.

I haven't tried their service myself but from what I've read, something like Republic Wireless might suit you pretty well. You have to buy their phone but $19 per month for a smartphone plan is pretty tempting.

 

[ravestar]

Sounds like a cool idea, would love to hear more people view on this. $5/mo is a very good price.

 

[ImDonly1]

Sounds like an awful idea especially when you can get free phone service...
http://slickdeals.net/f/6239866-Rin...nth-for-Free-New-Promo-Announcement-on-Monday

Or PagePlus $80/yr 2000 minutes, etc.

 

[Crow550]

Google Voice: https://voice.google.com + Hangouts: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...jgafhacjanaoiihapd?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon + Google Voice Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...mehfkdnkjomaanaooo?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon on Chrome for Desktop.

For Android or iOS. Snag GrooveIP or Talkatone. Or PHONE for Google Voice & GTalk by Mo+. Optional Google Voice app.

Price for this: $0.

Make and receive calls to the US & Canada including texts.

Add in a Obi device(100 model goes on sale for $30): http://www.obihai.com/googlevoice and hook up a phone and you get a free Landline too.

Throw in a cheap Tracfone for like 911 calls. You can find phones with Double & Triple Minutes on Ebay easily. You can set Google Voice to ring this phone too. Also make calls for those times when Wifi is out of reach.

 

[bearxor]

Yeah, it doesn't sound like a good idea. If you're a low data user, which you sound like since you mentioned you're mostly on WiFi, you should just consider one of the low cost prepaid providers. You can basically get unlimited minutes, text and 1-2GB of data minimum for $50/mo or less.

 

[desura]

Yeah, it doesn't sound like a good idea. If you're a low data user, which you sound like since you mentioned you're mostly on WiFi, you should just consider one of the low cost prepaid providers. You can basically get unlimited minutes, text and 1-2GB of data minimum for $50/mo or less.

Eh, well, this way the total cost per month is a bit under $20/mo. Like ~$10/mo for the prepaid minutes (for use in emergency, or when out of wifi range), $8/mo for the skype (for main use).

 

[SnuggleTheBear]

I've also played around with this idea. I think some of the MVNOs might look attractive to you. The one that comes to mind (because I'm on it) is Ting.com which runs on Sprint's network. The downside is it would cost an additional $6 a month plus any data/minutes/text used.

 

[Crow550]

Give G-Voice a whirl. Won't cost ya to try.

 

[desura]

Google Voice: https://voice.google.com + Hangouts: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...jgafhacjanaoiihapd?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon + Google Voice Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...mehfkdnkjomaanaooo?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon on Chrome for Desktop.

For Android or iOS. Snag GrooveIP or Talkatone. Or PHONE for Google Voice & GTalk by Mo+. Optional Google Voice app.

Price for this: $0.

Make and receive calls to the US & Canada including texts.

Add in a Obi device(100 model goes on sale for $30): http://www.obihai.com/googlevoice and hook up a phone and you get a free Landline too.

Throw in a cheap Tracfone for like 911 calls. You can find phones with Double & Triple Minutes on Ebay easily. You can set Google Voice to ring this phone too. Also make calls for those times when Wifi is out of reach.

Yeah, google voice probably is a better choice.

I'm still leaning to Skype though because --

1. Unified. You can't actually make phone calls through an official google voice client but have to use 3rd party clients and other various hacks.

2. Uncertainty. Google might change up terms within a year or so, like they did with Google Reader.

3. Integration with Windows 8. I'm using a few Windows 8 devices, will probably be using this on a Nokia Windows 8 handset.

Still, google voice could be good b/c

1. supposedly has better audio quality

2. Should be cheaper. Though they lack an unlimited calling plan, they do give you a free phone number, which I still have from several years ago.

3. One number to ring them all? So I could give out a google voice number, and if someone rings it, my backup prepaid phone also rings? Haven't quite figured that one out.

 

[Seven]

Terrible idea. The GV, Groove IP, skype, all of them are not reliable.

 

[Crow550]

Yeah, google voice probably is a better choice.

I'm still leaning to Skype though because --

1. Unified. You can't actually make phone calls through an official google voice client but have to use 3rd party clients and other various hacks.

2. Uncertainty. Google might change up terms within a year or so, like they did with Google Reader.

3. Integration with Windows 8. I'm using a few Windows 8 devices, will probably be using this on a Nokia Windows 8 handset.

Still, google voice could be good b/c

1. supposedly has better audio quality

2. Should be cheaper. Though they lack an unlimited calling plan, they do give you a free phone number, which I still have from several years ago.

3. One number to ring them all? So I could give out a google voice number, and if someone rings it, my backup prepaid phone also rings? Haven't quite figured that one out.

I should have edited my post to be more clear but it's Unlimited calling to the US and Canada. Talk as long as ya like.

Yes one number to ring them all. You choose what phones you want to forward it too. If it's a non-smart phone you will have to dial your G-Voice number then there number if you want your G-Voice number to show up on there Caller ID. You can also set the non-smart phone to be unknown when calling out if you don't want that number to be displayed. Otherwise the Google Voice app on Smart Phones will display your G-Voice number.

Hell if you're at a friend's house you can pick up there phone & dial your G-Voice number then when the greeting plays press * and enter your pin. Then you can check voice mail and call people back and even set your friend's phone as a temp phone to ring! So if you have crappy wifi and are expecting a call while at your friend's House. This is just as an example.

Since it's free it's worth a try. Seriously why not? Even if they decided to become a pay model they would price it to be competitive to Skype. The whole free calling till next year is just a thing they put in to cover there ass in case they need to change it without getting a huge back lash.

I don't know what the Windows Phone store has in terms of apps for Google Voice. I will try and look later.

You can use Google Voice with Skype: http://lifehacker.com/5878980/how-to-make-skype-play-nicely-with-google-voice

If you have any other questions feel free to ask. You can at least try this method and if it doesn't work for you.... Well there is always another thing to try, right? Got plenty of great suggestions here from others too.

 

[desura]

Well, Google voice is pretty neat! And I didn't know that you could make calls to US landlines without using up credit. This alone makes google voice...around $100/yr cheaper than Skype.

I tested it out with my home phone and it is kind of cool how it sort of relays around.

So, what I found was that talkatone on android works really well. Feels like a regular phone. Google voice apps on iOS and Win8 have the big problem of not ringing when I try to call the number.

Might be worth trying out with an android phone then...at the very least. I'll have to test it with a friend's smartphone to see how well talkatone googlevoice plays with regular cell phone service.