Google Voice?

[nahte_twenty_10]

How many of you have snagged a Google Voice phone number? They used to be only available by "invite" however they went "public". I like it because it's a number that can receive and forward calls to a land line, cell, or hobby drop phone. It's a permanent number, for example, If you lose a connected land line the Google Voice number remains as is.

[MsPrittiKitti]

when you forward your "GV" calls to your cell, how does it show up?
trying to figure out how i would know the difference btw my "GV" calls & the calls intended for the cell.
thanks for posting!

[Tex_Dude]

Originally Posted by MsPrittiKitti

when you forward your "GV" calls to your cell, how does it show up?
trying to figure out how i would know the difference btw my "GV" calls & the calls intended for the cell.
thanks for posting!

You can have it either show up as the GV number or the actual caller ID of the person calling you.

[MsPrittiKitti]

thanks!

[bundy64]

"You can have it either show up as the GV number or the actual caller ID of the person calling you."

So if I have GV forwarding to my personal cell phone, my cell phone statement will have either the GV number or the caller ID of the GV caller.. including the date/time of the phone calls. If so, this is something to think about, so if you have an SO, one would take all precautions to not get paper statements and/or limit online access to your cell phone account.

[MsPrittiKitti]

whew! luckily i dont have one of those!!
i think ill sign up for a GV number, will make it easier to be contacted

[Sa_artman]

They should be rolling them out more frequently. I've got two GV # (signed up about 5 mo's ago) and I love the way it transcribes voice messages to a text msg or email. You have to register a phone (land or cell) that the number forwards to. When someone calls it, it goes straight to your phone or voice mail. When you call using it (say on iphone) it gives you a Google number to call that forwards the call so the GV number shows up on the other parties caller id. Really nifty. If you end up with a stalker, pull up the history and simply block the caller.

Keep in mind bundy, that your cell will show calls to an Austin number (Googles call center) that forwards the call - unless you call from a computer via microphone. I don't think it's traceable though as I'm sure the numbers are transitory and get reused frequently.

-oh and it's $10 to change numbers, but you can choose any area code when you set it up.

[bundy64]

Thanks Artman.. so outgoing calls from your personal cell will show up as a call to the google call center and not your GV assigned number? Would incoming calls show as the GV number (if that is how you set it up) or the providers call number?

[Sa_artman]

Originally Posted by bundy64

Thanks Artman.. so outgoing calls from your personal cell will show up as a call to the google call center and not your GV assigned number? Would incoming calls show as the GV number (if that is how you set it up) or the providers call number?

When you use your phone to dial a number (using google.com/voice or the dial app it calls first to a call center which forwards the call. The receiver see's the GV number though, not the call center. You phone bill will show the call to the call center, not the final recipient as it's a forwarded call. I'm not sure about the incoming, but I'm pretty sure it's the same (I've never checked).