Porting number to Google Voice to scrap texting plan? Safe idea?

[antef]

I'm considering signing up for AT&T, however I don't want to pay for texting. I see that you can port your current number to Google Voice. So I was considering porting my current carrier number to GV, getting a new number on AT&T and forwarding calls to that, and then using GV to text. Then I get free texting and it will come from the same number I currently use so I don't have to give people a new number.

Other than losing MMS, are there any downsides or weaknesses to this plan that I'm missing? Is it a safe bet to rely on GV for forwarding all of my calls?

 

[Bitek]

The only big weakness I see in GV sms, is that the service is sometimes slow to deliver messages. Not always, but there are times you get one way late.

I don't text much, and I only use GV whenever possible

 

[trmiv]

I haven't had a text plan for over a year, and just use GV. Works great for me. Added bonus is when I'm at a computer I can just use the google voice site or Chrome plug-in and send texts that way.

 

[Dulanic]

I live gv. The only downside is if you have like free mobile to mobile minutes they won't be free anymore since your gv # is basically a land line.

 

[Fox5]

I considered this, but text message is my messaging of last resort. What I mean is, normal text messages can be sent and received at times when you can't get data and even phone calls won't go through.
Google voice means that you can only get text messages when you can get data.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I haven't had a text plan for over a year, and just use GV. Works great for me. Added bonus is when I'm at a computer I can just use the google voice site or Chrome plug-in and send texts that way.

Been doing this for nearly a year myself.

 

[Patranus]

You get a 'free' service in exchange for Google knowing who you are calling, who is calling you, and the text of your voice mail messages to sell to marketers.

Hope your friends/family enjoy their privacy being invaded as well.

 

[Dulanic]

You get a 'free' service in exchange for Google knowing who you are calling, who is calling you, and the text of your voice mail messages to sell to marketers.

Hope your friends/family enjoy their privacy being invaded as well.

Oh that's right you are for companies...... Unless you like their competitor better.

Its bad if google knows but yet apple knows what's in many of you're text messages and the carriers know what's in your vm... But its only bad if google does it right?

 

[TuxDave]

I live gv. The only downside is if you have like free mobile to mobile minutes they won't be free anymore since your gv # is basically a land line.

Thanks for bringing that up. That's a huge deal breaker for me since 99% of my calls are mobile to mobile and that's how I get away with the lowest minute plan on my carrier.

 

[Patranus]

Oh that's right you are for companies...... Unless you like their competitor better.

Its bad if google knows but yet apple knows what's in many of you're text messages and the carriers know what's in your vm... But its only bad if google does it right?

I simply pointed out a fact that many overlook.

Not only are your text messages parsed for personal information but so your voicemails are transcribed and your call logs. This is amplified if you use Google address book.

You don't have to turn everything into an Apple vs Google thread.

 

[Dulanic]

I simply pointed out a fact that many overlook.

Not only are your text messages parsed for personal information but so your voicemails are transcribed and your call logs. This is amplified if you use Google address book.

You don't have to turn everything into an Apple vs Google thread.

Nice politician type move. I simply am clearing up it isn't just Google. Verizon & Sprint both offer visual voice mail and Apple has any txts run through iMessage. Was just pointing out it isn't just Google like how you made it sound.

 

[kyrax12]

I am a noob at Google V. but what happens when someone call your GV number that you used to text?

 

[Patranus]

I am a noob at Google V. but what happens when someone call your GV number that you used to text?

Google calls whatever phone number you have assigned to the account or just pushes it to your Google Voice voicemail.

 

[kyrax12]

Google calls whatever phone number you have assigned to the account or just pushes it to your Google Voice voicemail.

so ultimately if someone calls my GV number than I still get the phonecall without exposing my real number.

Wow I could think of GV as my first line of defense knowing that I don't have to give out my real numbers to acquaintances.

Wow right now the only down side to this is that google voice knows my number, have all my texts on their server and I have to use my mobile data connection all the time to get updates which will drain my battery faster than on wifi.

 

[antef]

Thanks for all the input. I do like being able to send and receive texts from my PC easily. I know I'll give up "in network" minutes, but with free nights and weekends and rollover on AT&T, I still think I'll be able to get by with the lowest minutes bucket. I never really considered Google parsing my voicemails and texts, but whatever, there is far less personal information in those than there is in my email which they already handle. It is true I guess that you won't be able to send and receive texts without a data connection, but there is rarely a time even on Sprint that I have absolutely NO data signal - I imagine on AT&T it would be the same or better.

Mainly I just wanted to hear if people had done this and about the reliability and speed of it, and it seems a few of you are doing it just fine. To those of you who said you do this now, can you recall how many times receipt of a message has been significantly delayed or completely lost?

It would be a little scary porting my current number to GV, but hopefully it would go smoothly.

 

[Gillbot]

no MMS texts though

 

[kyrax12]

no MMS texts though

is the next update going to address this issue or what?

 

[soccerballtux]

what next update

 

[kyrax12]

what next update

google voice don't update?

 

[Dulanic]

is the next update going to address this issue or what?

It's in the works.

http://www.droid-life.com/2011/10/1...e-carriers-hoping-to-have-inbox-support-soon/

 

[palswim]

I'm considering signing up for AT&T, however I don't want to pay for texting. I see that you can port your current number to Google Voice. So I was considering porting my current carrier number to GV, getting a new number on AT&T and forwarding calls to that, and then using GV to text. Then I get free texting and it will come from the same number I currently use so I don't have to give people a new number.

Other than losing MMS, are there any downsides or weaknesses to this plan that I'm missing? Is it a safe bet to rely on GV for forwarding all of my calls?

Unless you have a data plan and smart phone, it isn't easy to make sure your calls all originate from your GV number.

 

[Gillbot]

It's in the works.

http://www.droid-life.com/2011/10/1...e-carriers-hoping-to-have-inbox-support-soon/

they've been saying "it's in the works" for a while now. I'm not holding my breath, but if I need a pic or something I just email it anyway.

 

[kyrax12]

Wait there is an option to also received and sent message with my stock messaging app via google voice.

This counts as google voice and Sms text from AT&T right?

To clarify.. receiving message via the stock msg app while on google voice don't incur sms charge right?

 

[soccerballtux]

google voice don't update?

there's some good reason that they don't do mms, supposedly they're working on it, but that was like a year ago or something, you can google for it they might have said more about it since when I looked. Anyways I find most of Google's products about 80% complete and they leave them like that-- example Google Talk not integrating with Messager never integrating with Google Voice. /rant so I think when they do get it, it's not likely going to be reliable. Man I'm in a sour, cranky mood lately.

 

[soccerballtux]

Wait there is an option to also received and sent message with my stock messaging app via google voice.

This counts as google voice and Sms text from AT&T right?

To clarify.. receiving message via the stock msg app while on google voice don't incur sms charge right?

it's half baked, if I recall, if you text them from one they'll have to text you back at the other...I don't recall...