Update google voice

[taters]

Well I had google voice for a week and I just deleted it. Even when I failed a number and was told it was a free call it was not. I still got charged minutes. I did like that it would forward callls to my cell but making free calls just was not happening for me. If it sounds to good to be true......... When am I gonna learn

[Bob Palin]

What are they charging for?

I thought domestic calls were free?

Were you making international calls?

[DavidEBSmith]

Google Voice apparently doesn't do a very good job of explaining what part of "free calls" is free.

 

There's two segments to any GV call: from you to GV, from GV to the phone you're calling or that's calling you.

 

The second half of this connection is free, domestically.

 

But if you make the first half of the connection, between you and GV, on something that costs money, it still costs you money. If you call someone on your cell phone through GV, you get billed for the airtime of the part of the connection from you to GV.

 

If you call through GV on a landline that has unlimited free calling, the connection to GV is free and the connection from GV to the phone you're calling is free. If you have free nights & weekends on your cell phone and you call through GV in the N&W period, you don't get charged for cell phone minutes and you don't get charged for the GV call. If you call through GV using your computer, you don't get charged. If you have the GV app on an Android phone, it uses the data connection and if you have unlimited data, you don't get charged.

 

When GV was GrandCentral pre-Google, it was promoted for the ability to direct various calls to and from various phones, not for "free calls". They made it clear that it didn't cost you extra, not that it would be totally free. I think Google too often issues press releases with the words "free calling" in the headline and nobody notices that it's free calling through Gmail on a PC, or through VoIP, or that there's a footnote that says "cell phone rates may apply".

[taters]

All I know is I got charged minutes on my iPhone I have at&t. Even when it told me it was a free call I got charged minutes. All incoming calls also charged me minutes. I'm back go square one. I never learn. I still lend money when the best I can do is break even if I get paid. Just got stiffed for $5000 from a " friend" I had known for over 25 years. Think I learned anything? If a friend was in need I'd do it again. I'm such a sucker. But at least I never married again. Learned a real good lesson there. Lol

[Mark K]

Never used it to place calls -- only receive. I haven't had any issues, plus I like the extra throw-away number they provide.

[Bob Palin]

Thanks for the explanation David, it never even occurred to me that someone might think the cell phone part of the call would be free.

[DiggerJim]

I thought domestic calls were free?

 

Except for the minutes per David's note (which I agree, I never would have thought were not going to be "used" or charged) even some international calls are not additionally charged -- my son had a g/f in Edmonton & was racking up serious cell phone bills (he thought it wasn't extra 'cause he didn't have to enter a country code or anything different than calling someone in NY - downside of countries like Canada sharing the US country code). He set up GV and we never got international long distance surcharges on the phone bill again - just the occasional runover on cell minutes if he didn't stick to Nights & Weekends to chat with her.

[RonStewart]

... downside of countries like Canada and the US sharing one country code).

Fixed it for ya.

[markgoodrich]

All I know is I got charged minutes on my iPhone I have at&t. Even when it told me it was a free call I got charged minutes. All incoming calls also charged me minutes. I'm back go square one. I never learn. I still lend money when the best I can do is break even if I get paid. Just got stiffed for $5000 from a " friend" I had known for over 25 years. Think I learned anything? If a friend was in need I'd do it again. I'm such a sucker. But at least I never married again. Learned a real good lesson there. Lol

 

Taters, I need a quick $6,000 loan, I can pay you back in a few weeks.

[John Ranalletta]

Just tried to use GV to retrieve a code for a craigslist posting. CL did not recognize the number.

 

I sent a text from my cell (IN #) to my GV number. It worked but the message came from a New Orleans area code and number; however, the GV acct screens lists my cell as the sending number.

 

A call back to the New Orleans # was routed to my cell.

 

 

[Shaman97]

Thanks for the explanation David, it never even occurred to me that someone might think the cell phone part of the call would be free.

 

Me either.

 

I use GV whenever I place an ad on Craigslist, or if I think the organization I am dealing with might put me on a "Please call me at dinnertime" list.

 

Perfect for those instances.

[DavidEBSmith]

Just tried to use GV to retrieve a code for a craigslist posting. CL did not recognize the number.

 

I sent a text from my cell (IN #) to my GV number. It worked but the message came from a New Orleans area code and number; however, the GV acct screens lists my cell as the sending number.

 

A call back to the New Orleans # was routed to my cell.

 

 

Sure it wasn't a 406 area code (Montana)? This explains what's up with that, in a confusing way, but it's a confusing process.