Why use Google Voice?

[Ghalt]

I have an unlimited data and voice plan.

What is the value of using Google Voice?

I enjoy GV for the voicemail aspect (transcription, no dialing in, etc.)

But I'm trying to figure out why to use GV to dial or send SMS.

Am I missing something?

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As a separate question, is there a way to have your GV number show up on other people's phones when calling using GV. When I dial using GV, it is still showing my cell number on their phone.

The reason I ask is I was going to try only ever giving out my GV number to people...and have it forward to my Droid. But then it gets confusing when they are calling me on one number, then I call them back on a different number.

Interestingly, SMS through GV does show the GV number to the other person.

Thanks!

 

[icculusX]

To tell you the truth I have absolutely no knowledge about the SMS and dial out Voice stuff, I have heard about it but don't use it or know how. I use Voice for voicemail because its free and more than amazing...

 

[Vitticeps]

I suppose the messaging would be good for those who don't pay for an unlimited plan.

As for the voice calling, it can be helpful if you want to maintain a single phone number that can reach you at home, at work, or on the go. Easier to give someone just that one number than all 3.

For me it's more novelty than utility though. I only use the VM as well.

 

[Mark_Venture]

With a google voice number, I can give my friends/family one single number for them to reach me.

They call that number and my home, personal cell, work cell, and office phone number will ring. (i can set it up to ring my work numbers only during the week). SMS Text messages sent to my GV number come into both my personal cell and work cell, this is good when I dont carry my personal cell during the work day.

Those are the biggest advantages for me.

Is it necessary? Nope. The hard part is getting friends/family to use that new GV number instead of the other numbers they were used to dialing.

 

[Ghalt]

OK. So I'm not crazy.

It's just going to be confusing for my friends.

"Here's the number to call me (insert GV number)."

They call me, it works great.

I call them, and they see (insert Droid number) on their caller ID. They're all like "who dat?".

Then they can text me on the GV number and it goes to my GV app, but if I send them a text and they reply, it will come into my Droid message box.

Dang it.

 

[matt30]

Cheap international calling. My grandparents live abroad, so it was helpful on mothers day. I move around alot and some people have hangups with calling a number thats not in the same area code. I use GV for my Boston callers and my cell number for my SF callers.

Also, the custom voicemail greetings depending on who's calling are nice.

 

[Ghalt]

OK...just made a call and double-checked, and now I'm getting confused (though maybe closer to liking GV for outbound calls).

I've been asking people who I call what number shows up, and they've been telling me the Droid number.

But this the person told me they saw the GV number. And I noticed that this time the call screen was different. It actually specifically mentioned that it was calling via Google Voice...BUT, the number it showed was a completely different number than any I've seen before. (But the person still saw MY GV number.) :icon_eek:

So, it looks like I get what I want if I turn GV dialing on. The problem is, though, that it doesn't dial all the time. That sounds like a separate thread.

Conclusion

Basically - since people are seeing my GV number, which is what I want, GV works for me. The only problem is to ensure that it uses GV for EVERY dial, which apparently it doesn't always do, even if I have it setup to do that.

 

[IncredibleUser]

Here are the reasons I find GV very useful.

1. As pointed out, one number calls 4 phones simultaneously.

2. If they leave a voice mail, it gets translated and sent as a text.

3. If I get a persistent solicitor I can put that number in a separate group and never pass their phone calls through to the phone.

4. It's Free!

 

[nightfishing]

I don't use GV (I use a similar service : YouMail), but for anyone who is on the phone for work, voice mail transcription is a life changer.

Easily the biggest productivity bump I have seen in years.

Saves a ton of time reviewing VM's, enables you to be able to read VM's when listening wouldn't be possible and allows for easy archiving of VM's (you can treat them like emails).

 

[hookbill]

Text Messaging. I have Verizons cheapest plan and I don't text often, except during baseball season. My brother and I can get into pretty heavy.

He just got a Droid though so we will probably be using Gtalk instead since it's faster.

 

[matt30]

I heard you can get unlimited minutes if you add the GV number as one of your favs.

 

[Mule65]

Text Messaging. I have Verizons cheapest plan and I don't text often, except during baseball season. My brother and I can get into pretty heavy.

He just got a Droid though so we will probably be using Gtalk instead since it's faster.

So you can get unlimited messaging for free?

 

[Ghalt]

So, it looks like I get what I want if I turn GV dialing on. The problem is, though, that it doesn't dial all the time. That sounds like a separate thread.

Conclusion

Basically - since people are seeing my GV number, which is what I want, GV works for me. The only problem is to ensure that it uses GV for EVERY dial, which apparently it doesn't always do, even if I have it setup to do that.

OK, I have since learned why Google Voice was only being used for SOME of my calls:

How to get Google Voice to dial from your Droid every time

I will now go in and update all my contacts in Google Voice!