Author Topic: Need a double check on plans to drop the cell phone  (Read 2809 times)

1000Ways

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Need a double check on plans to drop the cell phone
« on: March 13, 2013, 12:57:18 PM »
Right now I have an iPhone with a data plan that's costing approx. $60/month.  I've had a (very crappy) work cell for a long time that I've never used (because of the crapiness).  Now that I'm trying to get Mustachianistic, I'm thinking about dropping the iPhone coverage and switching over to the free, crappy work cell.  But I'm the kind of guy who likes his cake and wants to eat it too, so I've devised this scheme to try and still have maximum iPhone functionality while paying nothing.  I'm hoping the tech savvy and ultra-smart people on this forum can vet my plans or offer an even better alternative.  The plan:

I have two phones and three phone numbers:
iPhone = Phone Number 1 (PN1)
Work Cell = Phone Number 2 (PN2)
Google Voice mapped to Talkatone app on iPhone= Phone Number 3 (PN3)

Seeing as I am within WiFi range a good 80-90% of the time, I figured I could utilize the iPhone pretty close to usual with the Talkatone App.  This would switch the iPhone from PN1 to PN3.  For the times that I'm not within WiFi range and need to use a phone (or be contacted by the DW) I would have to carry the Work Cell with me.

Now for the creative part (and I'm not entirely sure this will work).  I'm thinking about taking PN1 and porting it to a new Google Voice account and then using GV to ring PN2 and PN3.  The beauty of this is that I don't have to give anyone a new phone number to call (texts are a different issue) and I don't lose my original number (PN1) that I've had since having a cell phone.  I'm also thinking of getting the OBi device (this one: http://www.amazon.com/OBi110-Service-Bridge-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B0045RMEPI) to have a "land line" for the house using PN1 as well.

I will have to carry two phones, but for $60/month it's well worth it

Can anyone see any flaws in this plan?  Do you have any better suggestions?  The part I'm not sure about is whether GV will allow you to ring another GV number.  Also, I live in a region where Verizon is the only reliable carrier so many of the MVNO options just won't work.

Daley

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Re: Need a double check on plans to drop the cell phone
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2013, 02:20:52 PM »
The part I'm not sure about is whether GV will allow you to ring another GV number.

You are correct, that's not an option. GV numbers can't and won't forward to other GV numbers. What I'm wondering is if you're wanting to do the GV thing anyway, why not just use (PN1) with Talkatone on the iPhone after you port the number over to use with it and the Obi, and just dump (PN3)?

Arbor33

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Re: Need a double check on plans to drop the cell phone
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2013, 06:33:25 AM »
why not just use (PN1) with Talkatone on the iPhone after you port the number over to use with it and the Obi, and just dump (PN3)?

Do that.

If somewhere down the line you no longer have the work phone, your number is already accessible to you through GV on whichever replacement device you buy/receive. It's $20 to port your number to GV but IMO, it's money worth spending.

I'm not sure how seamless GV is on iPhone, but speaking from my Android experience, it's been pretty stellar.