Google Voice and Outgoing call charges question

[elgordo123]

Edited -
Please keep this on topic - I'd like to come up with definitive results using Google Voice with friends/family.
I have Google Voice installed on my droid and have my Google Voice # in my friends and family. I've been tracking my calls the past few days to see exactly what is charge-able and what isn't. I have my GV set to use my GV# on caller-id (incoming and outgoing).

I have found that your online "View Usage" is semi-updated same day - however if you check it the next day it will be up-to-date. I have edited my findings from my tests and thread replies.

This is what I am seeing - can someone else verify this?

Outgoing: (3 different ways):
1- GV call via GV website (and ring my phone): Minutes NOT used (shows in Friends/Family)

2- GV by calling GV#, entering pin, then 2, then #: Minutes NOT used (shows in Friends/Family). From my research
most people prefer to create a contact like "Google Voice" and set the contact phone# to:
yourgooglevoice#,yourpin,2 (and create a shortcut on home screen). This will auto dial GV, enter
your pin and press 2 (after the , which is a short pause). You just touch the dialpad and enter the #.
(This is kind of a pain as you have to remember/enter the phone# you wish to call.

3- GV App from droid: Minutes NOT used IF also add access#- This is a tricky one - GV App uses an "access number"
that is different than your GV#. Many people have reported that this access number changes
randomly. To make the GV App place free outgoing calls, you must add this access number to
F&F as well (It shows in the bubble when you use the app). Keep an eye on this so you will
know when/if it changes!


Incoming: (From Takeshi)
"For inbound, the only free calls are those from people on your F&F list. If you set all inbound calls to display your GV number and your GV number is in F&F then all inbound calls are free. I find that approach annoying as I want to know who is calling me so I just rely on free inbound calls from those on my list."


I'm sure the reason they make the friends and family plans (I'm on the 1400) so expensive is to cover the friends and family cost, so they have some lee-way on the GV/Friends and family combination.


Thanks everyone

 

[FingersXG]

Good Info.

 

[takeshi]

All this is covered quite a bit in the many GV threads.

If you want free outbound calls you need to add the access number (not the same as your GV number) to F&F. Or you need to use an app that makes all outbound calls via your GV number with it added to F&F. Or you can manually place calls via your GV number.

For inbound, the only free calls are those from people on your F&F list. If you set all inbound calls to display your GV number and your GV number is in F&F then all inbound calls are free. I find that approach annoying as I want to know who is calling me so I just rely on free inbound calls from those on my list.

It's very straightforward if you just sit down and think it out.

 

[elgordo123]

Thanks Takeshi. I found through lots of google searches and threads that there is no clear definitive tested answers, just a lot of "..it should.." and "..it's supposed to...". I wanted to have a post that has been tested and accurate.