Author Topic: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!  (Read 7336 times)

Zalo

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Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« on: January 29, 2014, 02:55:22 PM »
Right, well, I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

I set up my Airvoice Account and number: (413)801-****

And I set up my Google Voice account and number: (413)274-****

But, I can't port my new Airvoice number to Google Voice:

"Porting your mobile number to Google Voice is unavailable
Your mobile number can not be ported at this time.
- This number appears to be from an area we don't currently support for porting.
- We currently don't support porting from your carrier. We apologize and are working on adding support for more carriers."


AND, when I call through Google Voice's (413)274-**** using my phone, Airvoice Wireless still charges me!

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What's the problem and how can I fix it!?
« Last Edit: January 29, 2014, 02:59:22 PM by Zalo »

Zalo

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2014, 02:58:42 PM »
After you guys input a "Number to Call" in Google Voice's "Call" button, what do you choose for "Phone to Call With"?

Does your provider still charge you?

Daley

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2014, 03:29:54 PM »
Number porting is used to keep a number you want. If you want to port your existing number to Airvoice, you have to do so at the point of activation and not after. When you port a number, it terminates service with the carrier that number was with and switches it to a new provider. As for not being able to port a number into Google Voice? It happens with some numbers on some exchanges.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_number_portability

And yes, Airvoice will always charge you for any airtime spent on their phone network, even calling Google Voice. Using GV is not some magical way to get free phone calls through traditional phone service, that's not how it works. All it is is a VoIP based incoming call forwarding service with the ability to call out as well without using your phone and its data/minutes by using a software phone to make calls over the internet off of an already paid for WiFi data connection (amongst other methods). If you use your cell phone's phone number for any part of connection or termination with Google Voice calls, you will get charged for the minutes used.

http://google.about.com/od/socialtoolsfromgoogle/p/what_is_google_voice.htm

Before spending any more money, it might be best to tell us what you're actually trying to accomplish, work out what your actual calling needs are, and you should take more time to familiarize yourself with the technology you're trying to use to accomplish the tasks you're after. Also, don't be afraid to pay for what you need, especially if you're technologically challenged. Free sounds all nice and awesome, but you get what you pay for and it rarely ever is as awesome as it sounds.

Zalo

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2014, 05:03:27 PM »
The goal:

1. To utilize Google Voice for the bulk of my calling and texting needs (off my school's wifi)
2. While having Airvoice Wireless provide emergency calling service when I'm away from my computer

(I just started with the 10 a month plan, and will probably eventually switch to the pay-as-you-go plan, once I get more accustomed to using my phone as little as possible, working around people texting or calling me, etc. I hardly use my phone.)

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1. How can I use Google Voice to call people through my wifi instead of through my phone? (I can text just fine!)

Also, I now have two different numbers, one for Airvoice, and one for Google Voice...I'm having trouble understanding how GV works.

2. Do I just give people my Google Voice number? (then GV will forward calls or texts to my Airvoice Number if I'm away from my computer?)
« Last Edit: January 29, 2014, 05:52:20 PM by Zalo »

Zalo

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2014, 07:17:34 PM »
Right, I decided to start fresh. I ported my old AT&T number, 786-317-****, to Google Voice (which worked), replacing 413-274-****.

Now what? Should I now port the 786-317-9656 number to Airvoice Wireless? Or keep my current 413-801-**** AirVoice Wireless number?

Zalo

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2014, 07:25:25 PM »
I think I'm starting to get it! People will call my now ported 786-317-**** number, which will then call whatever numbers I attach to Google Voice, like my new number with Airvoice Wireless: 413-801-****!

But what about when I call people using the Airvoice Wireless 413-801-**** number? How do I call them using 786-317-9656 if I'm using my phone and not GV?

the fixer

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2014, 07:31:30 PM »
I've tried this setup with mixed success. You don't do any more number porting, but instead this:

In Google Voice, add your Airvoice number as one of your phones. Set it and Google Talk to ring when a call comes in.

When you get called and you're at home, answer on your computer. Otherwise, answer the call on your cell phone. Ditto for placing calls.

The downsides to this setup:
  • It seems like Google Talk doesn't ring every time for me, but maybe I'm not paying enough attention
  • Calls out from your cell phone appear to come from your cell, not Google Voice. The only way to fix this is to use an app like Google Voice Callback, which requires data to initiate the call and Google gives you a callback to connect.
  • Google Voice relies on being able to forward voicemail from your phones to its service, but this doesn't work with Airvoice. If someone calls your cell phone directly, the voicemail gets left there. So you don't want to let people know about your cell phone number. In combination with the previous problem, that's very hard to do.

Daley

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2014, 08:53:13 PM »
The downsides to this setup:
  • It seems like Google Talk doesn't ring every time for me, but maybe I'm not paying enough attention
  • Calls out from your cell phone appear to come from your cell, not Google Voice. The only way to fix this is to use an app like Google Voice Callback, which requires data to initiate the call and Google gives you a callback to connect.
  • Google Voice relies on being able to forward voicemail from your phones to its service, but this doesn't work with Airvoice. If someone calls your cell phone directly, the voicemail gets left there. So you don't want to let people know about your cell phone number. In combination with the previous problem, that's very hard to do.

These are many of the reasons why I don't recommend Google Voice in the first place, but you've already ported your primary number to Google now, so you're in. Unfortunately, with Google abandoning XMPP compatibility in four months, the only way you'll be able to make calls over WiFi on that new iPhone of yours is with Google Hangouts, and at home, you'll have to be tethered to your iPhone or computer to make and receive GV calls as the Obi100 device will lose GV compatibility. There's better ways to approach all this, but they're already covered in the superguide and it highlights the purpose of paying for what you actually need instead of just trying to get your service as cheap as possible.

Jack

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2014, 09:10:37 PM »
But what about when I call people using the Airvoice Wireless 413-801-**** number? How do I call them using 786-317-9656 if I'm using my phone and not GV?

The answer is, you don't do either of those things. Forget about your Airvoice number; it's irrelevant. Get an app like Talkatone or Groove IP, set it up to connect to your Google Voice account, and use your phone's data connection (not voice minutes) to make calls. (This setup works great on my T-Mobile plan with lots of data butfew voice minutes -- at least for the next 4 months, anyway.)

Daley

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2014, 09:17:19 PM »
The answer is, you don't do either of those things. Forget about your Airvoice number; it's irrelevant. Get an app like Talkatone or Groove IP, set it up to connect to your Google Voice account, and use your phone's data connection (not voice minutes) to make calls. (This setup works great on my T-Mobile plan with lots of data butfew voice minutes -- at least for the next 4 months, anyway.)

Important disclaimer, Jack has the T-Mobile 5GB prepaid data plan. Using cellular data for making mVoIP calls on pay per MB prepaid plans is a really good way to blow through your entire balance.

Zalo

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2014, 07:37:32 AM »
Eh, it's fine. I'll have 4 months to learn about MNVO's, and 4 years before I have to pay for my own internet, at least for now this GV and AW combination will reduce my parent's communication bill from $130 to $30--even less once I only use my phone for emergencies & switch to pay-as-I-go (I just read about the roaming suggestion in your 'less-extreme plan', I might try that, too! I'm still using my old GSN phone from At&t).

Plus I learned a lot already! Thanks to all of you no less!

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The final thing I'm having trouble with is calling people using Google Voice's "Google Talk" feature. (I can call people through Hangouts just fine)

I enter a number to call under "Number to Call" and Google Talk under "Phone to Call With", then Google Voice says "Calling you"....but nothing happens!
« Last Edit: January 30, 2014, 07:57:12 AM by Zalo »

Daley

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2014, 08:29:52 AM »
I enter a number to call under "Number to Call" and Google Talk under "Phone to Call With", then Google Voice says "Calling you"....but nothing happens!

You probably have, but it doesn't hurt to ask anyway. Have you gone through number activation with GV for the line?

Beyond that, it happens. Sometimes GV doesn't want to connect for whatever reason. Just keep trying.

Srekar

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Re: Setting up a Google Voice/Airvoice Wireless Plan--help me!
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2014, 04:33:43 PM »
I'm doing this exact same thing with my iphone 5 from Verizon. I ported my cell number to Airvoice and started with a google voice number. So I have 2 numbers which is mildly inconvenient/confusing for others but I don't care. I'm saving a ton of money. I used the Talkatone app for VoIP calls for a while but have switched to google hangouts app and have had much better success with it. Most of the time the VoIP calls in Hangouts work great and friends and family can't tell a difference when I ask. I use the google voice app for texts and then voicemail notifications come through there as well.

I also live in a bigger city so I purchased a Freedomspot Photon hotspot from Freedompop for when I'm out of the house/free wifi. It was $20 and I get 500mb free every month. I've made VoIP calls from Hangouts on my phone through the hotspot with great results. I've also used the hotspot for FaceTime video and audio. I'm not going to come close to using the 500mb on a monthly basis.

So I have GV ring in Hangouts not my cell phone. I use GV/Hangouts to make my calls outside of FaceTime video/audio. I text from GV app to those that don't use iMessage.

I've used $1.70 and my plan resets on 2/2. I can't believe I used to pay $100+ cell phone bills!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!