google voice and groove ip

[Bman123]

I want to use google voice on my cell phone due to having only 100 minutes a month. If I set it up to where google gives me a gv number and forward it to my cell phone and install groove ip I will be able to make calls unlimited from my phone but what about incoming calls? Will I have to give everyone my gv number to call or can they call my t mobile number without using my plan minutes?

Mostly I text but will need to call out some times. I don't want to have to give out my cell and gv # to everyone. So if I can't get free incoming calls that is fine I can miss the call and call them back thru the groove ip app. Just trying to grasp how it all works.

I have the gv all set up but waiting to buy groove ip til I hear from actual users

 

[Bman123]

I know my texts will show my t mo # and calls will show my gv number. I just don't want friends to make 2 contacts for me since im basically using 2 numbers

 

[Dulanic]

They would need to call your gv # for you to be able to take a call via GrooveIP.

 

[soccerballtux]

You willwant to refrain from doing this anywhere except with strong Wifi Signal. Otherwise its going to sound too bad.

 

[vshah]

I know my texts will show my t mo # and calls will show my gv number. I just don't want friends to make 2 contacts for me since im basically using 2 numbers

use gv app for texting, then your texts will show up with your gv number as well. only 1 number for your friends to deal with.

 

[abaez]

You need to transition to GV fully and don't give anyone your regular cell number.

 

[KillerBee]

You need to transition to GV fully and don't give anyone your regular cell number.

I was just thinking about doing this.
Are there any downsides to porting your main number to Google Voice for $20?

 

[Bman123]

use gv app for texting, then your texts will show up with your gv number as well. only 1 number for your friends to deal with.

I didnt even know I could txt thru the GV app, thanks a million. Now I can just buy the groove IP app and give everyone my GV number so when anyone calls in or I call out it will be free.

 

[Bman123]

You willwant to refrain from doing this anywhere except with strong Wifi Signal. Otherwise its going to sound too bad.

Is there a guideline about what the data speed should be? I know at my house on my wifi 12mbps using the groove ip lite app the calling sounded just fine. I went outside to where I had one bar of signal strength on my wifi and it sounded the exact same.

I pull between 4-6mbps on my 4g at home and in the area surrounding my job. Do you think 4mbps isn't enough for the calling?

 

[Headcase_Fargone]

It seems to be an issue with upstream more than down. On T-Mobile's 4g I hear the other person fine but they can't really follow what I'm saying because of all the drop-outs.

 

[Bman123]

what speeds are you getting? Can you run a speed test and post your numbers please

 

[Headcase_Fargone]

I get pretty crappy speed in Houston compared to what others have posted from T-Mobile in other areas. Every time I run a test I get right at .9Mbps down and ~.4-.5Mbps up.

 

[alent1234]

I was just thinking about doing this.
Are there any downsides to porting your main number to Google Voice for $20?

You may not be able to get it back if you don't like the service and google may drop the service like they have done with lots of other services

 

[podspi]

Also, I don't think GV supports multimedia texts, although I'd love to be wrong about that...

 

[alent1234]

not only is there no MMS, you can't have anyone email a text to GV

 

[vshah]

not only is there no MMS, you can't have anyone email a text to GV

they could just email your email address, since you're on a smartphone and all

 

[Dulanic]

not only is there no MMS, you can't have anyone email a text to GV

Yeah that's kind of pointless (the email to txt). The only people who do that is spammers and/or companies. People can just email your email instead and you get it just as fast with push email.

 

[alent1234]

i've done it a few times. the last time i wanted to use my GV number to receive work related server alert texts. it's a PITA to get SQL to send SMS messages so i was going to email them to GV because i was going to dump the text plan on my lines. then i found out it doesn't work.

 

[abaez]

MMS receiving works now. It goes to your gmail address.

 

[Dulanic]

MMS receiving works now. It goes to your gmail address.

That only applies to Sprint doesn't it?

 

[GT1999]

Meh, I bought Groove IP. I always get echoing, or so the person on the other end says. I tried the echo cancellation still to no avail. Big let down.

 

[vshah]

i've done it a few times. the last time i wanted to use my GV number to receive work related server alert texts. it's a PITA to get SQL to send SMS messages so i was going to email them to GV because i was going to dump the text plan on my lines. then i found out it doesn't work.

again, why not just email them to your gmail address which you will still receive on your phone.

 

[Headcase_Fargone]

Meh, I bought Groove IP. I always get echoing, or so the person on the other end says. I tried the echo cancellation still to no avail. Big let down.

That seems to be an issue with some devices but not others. My Evo 4G and even my Asus Transformer tablet work fine, but on my wife's Exhibit II the other end of the conversation always gets echo.

again, why not just email them to your gmail address which you will still receive on your phone.

Some people (myself included) turn GMail push off to preserve battery. Texts come through as soon as it happens. If he's sending SQL events it might be something important that he wants to know about right away.

 

[vshah]

Some people (myself included) turn GMail push off to preserve battery. Texts come through as soon as it happens. If he's sending SQL events it might be something important that he wants to know about right away.

if you had turned of gmail push to preserve battery, wouldn't you want to turn off google voice sync to preserve battery too?

 

[abaez]

if you had turned of gmail push to preserve battery, wouldn't you want to turn off google voice sync to preserve battery too?

And if you're going to do that, might as well tell Google Voice to send an email to you whenever you receive a GV message. That way you can turn GV sync off and have Gmail sync on and get the best of both.