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Since Google Voice began accepting number transfers to their service earlier this week, the tech community has erupted in excitement. Freeing your primary phone number from dependence on a traditional telecom service provider is undoubtedly satisfying. If you are not familiar with Google Voice, definitely watch this video about the free service. In short, it transcribes voicemails, rings multiple devices including a computer at once, conditionally forwards/filters calls, and offers free text messaging. For those considering porting their number over, here are somethings you should know:
The True Cost
Grabbing a new Google Voice number is entirely free for new users, but it means having to share new digits with friends, family, and colleagues. To make things easier, Google now allows porting your existing number to their service for $20. Sounds affordable, right? Unfortunately, porting entails cancelling your existing contract which is not cheap. For instance, Verizon Wireless has early termination fees that ranges from $175 for feature phone owners to $350 for smart phones owners.
The costs do not end there. Since your existing phone will no longer work after porting a number, you will need to get a new device and plan. If you were previously eligible for an upgrade, those bonus discounts are no longer available. Keep in mind most carriers charge activation fees in addition to hardware and taxes. Unless you are in a rush, the best time to switch over to Google Voice is when your contract expires.
Plan For The Switch
Porting is not instant. Your phone number will be unavailable for nearly 24 hours during the transfer. Be sure to pick a day when you are not expecting too many calls. A long weekend or a holiday might be a good choice. You should buy a new phone and sign a new contract before porting your current cell phone number. This will make it easy to quickly begin forwarding calls to your new phone once your ported Google Voice number becomes active. Plus, you will also have a device during the down time.
Data Network Needed
If you plan to use the Google Voice Android App, you will need a data connection to place a call with your universal number. Recent updates to the app have enabled caching information to make it work in more situations, but it is not perfect. You can also choose to call your Google Voice number directly then input a number to dial, but it is just tedious. Google Voice includes unlimited SMS, but this needs constant data connection to send or receive a message as well.
Other Issues
Google Voice offers no support for picture or video messages. This means users will have to still share their phone’s number to receive messages. Having to use two numbers in instances such as this might be even more confusing for others. I have also seen the Gmail Voice integration audio quality drop to unbearable levels at times. There are often a few seconds of additional delay when Google attempts to route calls to other phones.
For the most part, the best integration comes with Android devices since users can choose to permanently route all calls through the service in the settings. Even feature phones can use Google Voice, but it requires dialing your own number before dialing the destination number, making it a hassle. Apple iPhone owners now have a Google Voice app available in the App Store, however users must head to that app to initiate a call rather than using the regular dial pad app.
The Bottom Line
I use Google Voice each day and I can not live without it. The ability to see transcribed voicemails and share them with others is incredibly easy. I can record calls and listen to them later as well. When someone calls me, I love that my computer and smart phone ring at once. I can even initiate a call from a web browser and answer it on my mobile phone. It is a great service, but those who are not too tech savvy should do their homework before switching to the service.
Links: Google Voice | Porting Information
You do not need a data connection to use your Voice number on a phone. All it does is re-rout calls through google via call forwarding. For texts, you do.
I probably should have clarified further. If you are using GV on a feature phone, you do not need data because you naturally can not install an app. If you have Android, you need data for multiple reasons. First, you need data to download and install the app. Either a 3G or WiFi connection will do. Second, data is needed at the start of each phone call. Let’s be clear, it is not a VoIP call. However it needs data to fetch the temporary number that GV calls behind the scenes to make your call go through. If your phone is in an area with no data, but only voice, you will not be able to initiate a call through the Android OS. You may have to directly call your GV number then input the number you intend to call.
I am very interested in porting my cell number over to GV but I have one question. Can I re-port my number away from GV to a traditional cell carrier at a later date if I wanted to?
Yes, google doesn’t impose any contacts or termination fees.
CAN YOU USE IT WITHOUT PORTING?
Yes. This article is only to highlight the potential issues you may run into if you choose to transfer your number. I use google voice with the number they provider with no issues. I have friends who use it for just voicemail as well.
If I buy a prepaid phone at Walmart and have a local number assigned by whatever carrier handles prepaid, can that number be ported to GV. Alternatively, can I port a land line to GV?
Landline porting is not available yet, but porting a cellular number from a prepaid should work. I can’t confirm that for sure, but you can check to see if your number is compatible on the Google Voice website.
If I port in my mobile number to Google Voce, can it be ported out if I decide not to use Google Voice in the future?
Can I use google voice without adding porting? Anyone know the answer?
Yes, they will provide a free number. Porting is only if you want to move your existing phone number to Google.
You don’t need to get a new device/phone when porting just a new service plan.
That’s just what i was going to say. What, do you mail your phone to google to port your number? All you should need to do is tell your carrier to reactivate service with a new phone number. If you talk to them first, you could probably even avoid the ETF. Or, could you add a second line of service with some other phone you have laying around, port out your number, your plan would still be active, so no ETF, just get a new number assigned to your phone than drop the second line?
thank you for answering our questions. to make sure I understand this process, it is suggested that I wait until my mobile contract is over before I port my number. then I should get a new mobile plan. Can i get the very minimal plan since I will be using my GV for my calls and texting? Consumer Cellular for seniors have plans as low as $10 and you can buy data plans for $10 a month as well. That means I can make calls and text messages for about $20 a month!!! Also, after I port my number will that stop me from having to dial my GV number before I can make a call.
I think you misunderstood. Even once you port your number to Google Voice, minutes and text do not become free. It is free to use the Google Voice service, however forwarding calls or SMS to your new mobile device still will cost you money on your regular cellular plan. If you place 100 minutes of calls and send 100 text messages with GV on your Consumer Cellular device, it will cost you whatever Consumer Cellular charges for that many minutes and messages.
I don’t know if you have a smart phone or not. I’m guessing you do not. And if that is the case, you will still need to dial your old number (which is now your GV number) each time you make a call from your new device. Does that make sense?
This is a vain conceit and is clear evidence that Google is out of control with Phd’s running amok with idiotic ideas. Nowhere has anyone made the case for why anyone would want to port a mobile phone number to Google voice. What we want to do is exactly the opposite – port our Google Voice number to our devices and maintain Google Voice functionality and the only reason we want to do that is to have our Google Voice number show up in the caller id and send and receive text messages to and from our Google Voice number. That is what Google should work on.
Outtanames999, Yours is a very vain and self centered view. I’ll tell you how this option works great. My employer has issued a company phone that I am required to use. So I have been carrying around two devices for awhile now. In porting my personal cell number to Google Voice I have eliminated my personal cell phone and now “we” have no monthly payment to make. It gets even better, anyone that has contacted me at my personal number for the last 15yrs can stay in touch without any change of number. Nice!
Two cell numbers, one device and no added expense. I love it. Thanks go out the Phd’s with a vision at Google.
Does Google plan to allow porting landline numbers to GV? If so is there a timeframe planned?
I have a family plan with 3 phone numbers. If I use GV to port one phone number at a time, then will the very first port action should cancel my contract. Thus, I cannot continue to port my 2nd and 3rd phone numbers. Please advice. Thank You.
I would call your cellular provider just to double check before doing anything. If I am correct, only the single line should move over. The other two lines should stay intact on your Family Plan.
Also, are you by chance a Sprint user? If so, you no longer need to port to get Google Voice features!
Hello – i noticed in a previous question-answer that once a number is ported to GV, it can be ported-out to a carrier – it the same true for a GV number. I have a great GV number and don’t want to loose that in the process of porting in another number. I’ve already established carrier service so that porting old number will not be an issue, but can’t find a way to add/another number/port the number with out changing and thus loosing the GV number already established??? Thanks
So my service was recently shut off on my sprint android because I just couldn’t afford the bill this month, but my google voice features still work when I am in wifi range, but I can only send/receive texts, and I can listen to voicemail messages left on my GV number from my phone. The only thing I can not figure out is if there is some way to send and receive phone calls from my phone using only the data I get from wifi, without it having to rout through a cell signal. If I can send and receive calls on a laptop through wifi, why can’t my android do it too?
Google had not released VoIP calling for Android yet. Google Voice calls still go through your regular minutes.
You can use Skype on your Android though. It’s $3 a month for unlimited calls.
So let’s say I port my number to GV. Get a prepaid plan for 100 mins/unlimited data.
When I make calls through GV app, the mimutes used through GV are applied to my plan minutes?
I have seen nothing but abuse with this service, Some measures hafto be taken before someone gets seriously upset, The abuse I have seen is multiple fake phone numbers all coming from one person, and that was just one incident ,We all remember what happened on criaigslist It took Phone verification with non Ip phone based numbers that way someone won’t want to go out and murder anyone anonymously that way they had an indefinite account as to who was using there service, This is a disturbing reality Give a man something he can abuse and he will
I have a droid x, through Verizon. Our phones got shut off (yeah, couldn’t pay for our bill) so we have no service, data, phone numbers are disconnected. we managed to get google voice with sipdroid and now when we have internet, we can make and receive calls and text with new local numbers…haha take that Verizon lol!