Related
Hi Folks,
So I am not a programmer but an avid user of technology. On my tab I can:
Send and receive SMS to my permanent number, and when someone calls me, the call is forwarded to my work cell. Out bound calls go from my work phone (with or without Google Voice). Or I can use the Google Voice web interface to dial and then Google calls my work phone and the other phone.
The Tab # call forwarding is as far as I can tell not an official feature offered by VZW. In fact most of the folks I spoke to, at VZW, swore up and down that it wouldn't work.
Here is what I did:
Activated call forwarding from the regular cell on my permanent line.
Got a Tab, with its own #. Then swapped the two numbers and the call forwarding stuck.
I think there are about 4 people out there that this will be useful for but none the less all 5 of us will revel in our geekyness. (Insert mad scientist laughter here)
The advantage of all this is that I can finally get my SMS messages without carrying 2 "phones" (yes now I carry a tab and a work phone, that is bulkier package, yes, stop pointing out the obvious. This is only for a total of me and the 4 others remember? haha)
PS. Any programmers reading this, a clean Dialer app for the Tab that interfaces with the Google web dial feature would be awesome.
Hey I'm one of those four that appreciates the suggestion and idea! Ended up borrowing a friends old turd phone to port my ATT number to Verizon on. After it was activated and working I setup call forwarding to forward to my Skype number then immediately had them transfer that number to my new unactivated Galaxy Tab.
Works great have my same old cell phone number that I can text and pictures message and at the same time get calls automatically sent to my Skype so it's transparent to everyone calling me. Went ahead and set up Caller ID on Skype to appear as that same old cell phone number.
Thanks works great here as well hopefully they don't disable that down the line .
i just dont get why people would buy sprint or verizon tab? you can't do much with them, to me the GSM versions are the best.
Verizon has much better 3G coverage then both ATT and T-Mobile combined. Add to that Skype calling is $2.99 a month unlimited and works pretty great. Consider those using Skype need some strong and consistant 3G traveling.
Does this work with a Bluetooth ?
Morkai Almandragon said:
Does this work with a Bluetooth ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Current modded Skype app (allows 3G calling) supports media profile only meaning only sound no mic support from the bluetooth headset. It's not that bad in my opinion you just need the tab in your immediate space.
Apparently it's partially a limitation with the Skype app, there is a much newer version out that might have added full bluetooth support but I haven't seen anyone mod it for 3G calling yet (keeping eyes peeled).
Maybe not everyone wants to make carrier based calls on their Tab? I know I have no desire to do that. I have a Sprint Tab and can do exactly what I want with it. I don't need a 7" phone. I bought my EVO for that =)
Carrier based calls on my cell and voip calls on my Tab for when I am going to have long work related calls (once they fix the BT profile that is)
I'm not sure if I'm overlooking this or not, honestly surprised it hasn't been mentioned.... I'm using Sipdroid (which now supports google voice) to make and receive free calls on the tab. Incoming calls are forwarded to the tab and outgoing calls work fine. I've used it with a wired headset, haven't tried it bluetooth yet. Call quality is very clear.
WarlockLord said:
I'm not sure if I'm overlooking this or not, honestly surprised it hasn't been mentioned.... I'm using Sipdroid (which now supports google voice) to make and receive free calls on the tab. Incoming calls are forwarded to the tab and outgoing calls work fine. I've used it with a wired headset, haven't tried it bluetooth yet. Call quality is very clear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still new to android. Do you mind explaining how you set up superior with google voice. Don't know how to use superior.
WarlockLord said:
I'm not sure if I'm overlooking this or not, honestly surprised it hasn't been mentioned.... I'm using Sipdroid (which now supports google voice) to make and receive free calls on the tab. Incoming calls are forwarded to the tab and outgoing calls work fine. I've used it with a wired headset, haven't tried it bluetooth yet. Call quality is very clear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm also using sipdroid to make free calls thru google voice but how do you configure sipdroid to receive calls thru your google voice number? Bluetooth works for me though
Sent from my HTC Evo using Tapatalk
I am now using the free CSipSimple app with a trial of Sipgate SIP service and Google Voice service.
I am giving out the GV# to my contacts so that I can change SIP or VOIP carriers without affecting the way I am contacted ever again. To do this I am forwarding calls that are made to the GV# to my Sipgate number, and in the future, any SIP or VOIP number I may end up with.
Sipgate seems pretty reasonable beyond the trial in that it costs 1.9 cents per miniute and you just load your account with credit when you need it. I am using the "Voice" GV app on my tab to handle text messaging to the same GV#, so that GV# is used for both text and voice.
Now to find a reasonable unlimited data plan.
Honestly for what Skype cost a month for unlimited calling in the US and Canada ($2.99 a month) it's a hard to beat option. I simply forward my cellphone/tab number and GV# to Skype and I have Skype caller ID setup to display my GV# when I make calls out.
Add in the latest release 1.0.0.614 (1.0.1) fixes every single shortfall with the Skype app including more notifications for chat and everything else, no more signing out / time outs (8 hours strong without touching the tab still signed in and running), contact integration, etc. I'm using a modded apk for 614 that allows incoming and outgoing calls on 3G and it works without issue.
I may look into Sipdroid and Sipgate as alternatives but for the price Skype works great and has a great backbone as well (considering it's size and use).
Can you post the link for .614? ....
Sent from my HTC Evo using Tapatalk
Well I hit the dreaded bug we've been experiencing on 614 since adding the 3G hack "Already 2 ongoing calls, you must end one call before you can start another one". So it worked great and then now road block , reboot and flush and still the same thing it's like it magically can't call out from 3G (strange).
I'll report as I figure it out.
beestee said:
I am now using the free CSipSimple app with a trial of Sipgate SIP service and Google Voice service.
I am giving out the GV# to my contacts so that I can change SIP or VOIP carriers without affecting the way I am contacted ever again. To do this I am forwarding calls that are made to the GV# to my Sipgate number, and in the future, any SIP or VOIP number I may end up with.
Sipgate seems pretty reasonable beyond the trial in that it costs 1.9 cents per miniute and you just load your account with credit when you need it. I am using the "Voice" GV app on my tab to handle text messaging to the same GV#, so that GV# is used for both text and voice.
Now to find a reasonable unlimited data plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anyone have this working over bluetooth on a Verizon SGT?
jtwebfusion said:
Does anyone have this working over bluetooth on a Verizon SGT?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean working over a bluetooth headset?
i have tmobile, i can forward calls to my tmobile number to google voice and have it work over 3g or wifi?
i get a very bad signal only at home and cant make calls sometimes, so when someone calls my number itll just send to GV instead?
*i have unlimited data and a voice plan with tmobile*
Coolsaber57 said:
Do you mean working over a bluetooth headset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry. Yes, over a bluetooth headset.
magnum_touchpro said:
i have tmobile, i can forward calls to my tmobile number to google voice and have it work over 3g or wifi?
i get a very bad signal only at home and cant make calls sometimes, so when someone calls my number itll just send to GV instead?
*i have unlimited data and a voice plan with tmobile*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With Google Voice you can forward calls to multiple devices, including your cell phone, or your land line if signal strength is poor at home. Alternatively, Skype over WiFi can be very cool and very cheap - I use Skype on my tab for all outgoing calls from home as I have a poor cell signal.
GV is more than just Visual VM for Android - it is opening the door to a new generation of voice communications that will leave telephone numbers as obsolete as the old Compuserve numbers...
Sent from my SGH-I987 using XDA Premium App
woneill1701 said:
With Google Voice you can forward calls to multiple devices, including your cell phone, or your land line if signal strength is poor at home. Alternatively, Skype over WiFi can be very cool and very cheap - I use Skype on my tab for all outgoing calls from home as I have a poor cell signal.
GV is more than just Visual VM for Android - it is opening the door to a new generation of voice communications that will leave telephone numbers as obsolete as the old Compuserve numbers...
Sent from my SGH-I987 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks i have it set up and will test it out when i switch over to 3g, my plan was to switch over to 3g and disable the phone but if someone calls my tmobile # it can forward to google voice and ring me while on 3g.. hopefully this works lol
Hey guys,
I've come across something interesting and need the community to help me investigate.
I recently flashed my EVO to cricket, after porting my number to Google Voice and Sprint canceling my contract. Using Google voice, I have noticed a lag time via long distance. However here is the interesting part, the lag time is greater using sprint and cricket, than it is on AT&T and T-Mobile.
Give it a try. Here is a phone number that will echo anything you say 909-390-0003. Dial the number (it doesn't ring, it just picks up).
Using different service providers count 1-2-3-4-5.
I have noticed that Sprint (CDMA) has a longer response time than Att/Tmobile. Using google voice adds a small lag as well.
What i've decided is that Sprint + Google voice make the lag time so long its unusable, but Att/Tmobile + Google voice is acceptable.
Can anybody verify this for me?
Only time I did this was through gizmo5 and gv callback its seemed acceptable
I made a quick video for anbody that wants to see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_xj5sCT5ck
I cant believe more people didn't find this interesting. Its not a cricket thing, its a sprint think (i tried both)
It's called, "Google Voice got partnerships with the voice providers that made the most sense to, and stuck their SIP gateways directly into the local POP for those carriers"
AT&T and Verizon are the nation's biggest carriers, and T-Mobile is the biggest Android carrier. Sprint and Cricket? Pfft.
We've heard about the upcoming Google Voice + Sprint integration.
http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/sprint-integrates-google-voice.html
I use Google Voice for all of my calls. I don't give out my regular cell phone number, and have already 'trained' my audience to only use my GV#.
Also, many of you may be familiar with the app GV Callback, or now, "Google Voice Callback", coupled with Sprint to Home. This makes up for the fact that any call placed through the regular Google Voice App is billed as a 'Landline to mobile' (or landline to landline) call, incurring 'anytime minutes'. I discovered this the hard way, after a 2 month project, where I thought I was calling someone's cell phone, but it was really a landline. $900 later.. I began to research.
So basically, all of my outgoing calls (now) show as calls being placed to my "home" aka, my Google Voice number, and are therefore, covered by Sprint to Home ($5).
I haven't found any details on how this Google Voice + Sprint integration will affect this. I also emailed the developer of GV Callback, and he didn't know either. I'm curious if anyone knows, or has heard anything.
I use gv + sipdroid to handle all my inbound and outbound domestic calls. Avoids using up my minutes and keeps my cell number private.
Gv - outbound calls
Sipdroid - inbound calls
Sent from my SPH-D700
ghostrid3r said:
Gv - outbound calls
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does that avoid using minutes on its own?
I've used the official Google Voice on my phone for almost 2 years and I don't recall it ever counting as a landline. It's always been mobile-to-mobile for me.
BrianFX said:
How does that avoid using minutes on its own?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gv uses it's own list of callback numbers that gets re-routed through their VOIP servers to connect to the recipient. Therefore, the receiving party see's your gv number. Although, one does have the option to place a call using gv or without gv before call is made, which comes in handy if you have m2m feature on your plan and want to directly dial using your cell number instead of your gv number.
arashed31 said:
I've used the official Google Voice on my phone for almost 2 years and I don't recall it ever counting as a landline. It's always been mobile-to-mobile for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As mentioned in the comment above, if you use the gv app for your outgoing calls, I'm sure they count as calls to a landline. A way to check is, check an outgoing call on your bill- if you recognize the number, it most likely wasn't called through your gv app. If it's one of those 404 or 972 (or other less common) area codes, then you probably called through the gv app.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
I was wondering the exact same thing. I have to have people who call me a lot use my mobile number so I can use my unlimited sprint to sprint mobile minutes, but that means I can't have them use my GV number. I am hoping that Sprint + GV will make my GV number a sprint mobile number fixing this problem. I think this will be the case but would love to hear from someone who knows.
I'm also wondering what will become of the number I don't keep... does my current cell number go back into the Sprint pool if I choose my GV number? Does my GV number go back into the GV pool? I'd like to keep both if possible for a transition period, but I doubt that will happen.
From what I've read Sprint + GV this will also allow picture messaging to be sent to my GV# and for my phone to manage text messages. Which is great for most everyone in sprint as almost all of their plans have unlimited text. I'm also curious how this will work exactly...
I stop using gv cuz eats my minutes and learned the hard way and calls sometimes not clear it's good feature if U want to hide your # but useless or do pair with sip for free landline minutes.
Sent from my SPH-D700
hoopsbwc34 said:
I was wondering the exact same thing. I have to have people who call me a lot use my mobile number so I can use my unlimited sprint to sprint mobile minutes, but that means I can't have them use my GV number.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a solution for that if you only want to use your GV number-- in the 1st post. I run about 0-15 minutes per month with that setup
With GV Callback, you can easily set up filters to *not* call certain people from you GV number, etc.
which is why I hope it doesn't change.
Why use that Google Voice Callback? It's not even officially support by Google.
The Google Voice integration does the following:
1. Ports in your Sprint number for free
2. You use Google Voice with you Sprint number
3. All the benefits of Google Voice with your Sprint number for free. No ten dollar fee and no opting out of your contract.
Whosdaman said:
Why use that Google Voice Callback? It's not even officially support by Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have unlimited minutes. Placing a call through Google Voice uses my "anytime" minutes, and as mentioned above, murdered my bill.
Whosdaman said:
The Google Voice integration does the following:
1. Ports in your Sprint number for free
2. You use Google Voice with you Sprint number
3. All the benefits of Google Voice with your Sprint number for free. No ten dollar fee and no opting out of your contract.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the thing, will this be optional? Because, (also mentioned above), I don't give out my sprint number any more. I've been primarily using my GV number for a couple of years now.
decalex said:
I don't have unlimited minutes. Placing a call through Google Voice uses my "anytime" minutes, and as mentioned above, murdered my bill.
That's the thing, will this be optional? Because, (also mentioned above), I don't give out my sprint number any more. I've been primarily using my GV number for a couple of years now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't run into any problems, do you have free incoming calls? Incoming don't count against my minutes, and I have unlimited nights+weekends.
decalex said:
I don't have unlimited minutes. Placing a call through Google Voice uses my "anytime" minutes, and as mentioned above, murdered my bill.
That's the thing, will this be optional? Because, (also mentioned above), I don't give out my sprint number any more. I've been primarily using my GV number for a couple of years now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please pardon my ignorance but I just started researching how to make a call over Wi-Fi and I have tried to make a call from my computer using GV to a toll free number. It worked and I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna get charged by google or Sprint so I just wonder why should it be any different if I do the same from my phone??? Over Wi-Fi, using sipdroid with GV.
I just can't get it what they would charge me for? The call isn't using Sprint voice network or Sprint Data network for that matter since I'm using my cable internet.
As far as I see it, it uses Google and pbxes bandwith.
And what is GV callback good for anyway? By my understanding that would be something Sprint could charge me for since I don't have free incoming calls.
And I can make call without GV callback just as well over Wi-Fi with my phone.
AND I totally don't understand how Sprint charged you $900 when you didn't even use your Sprint #
Please explain it to me as I was a little child.
Stank0 said:
Please pardon my ignorance but I just started researching how to make a call over Wi-Fi and I have tried to make a call from my computer using GV to a toll free number. It worked and I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna get charged by google or Sprint so I just wonder why should it be any different if I do the same from my phone??? Over Wi-Fi, using sipdroid with GV.
I just can't get it what they would charge me for? The call isn't using Sprint voice network or Sprint Data network for that matter since I'm using my cable internet.
As far as I see it, it uses Google and pbxes bandwith.
And what is GV callback good for anyway? By my understanding that would be something Sprint could charge me for since I don't have free incoming calls.
And I can make call without GV callback just as well over Wi-Fi with my phone.
AND I totally don't understand how Sprint charged you $900 when you didn't even use your Sprint #
Please explain it to me as I was a little child.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK he was billed because he was calling a landline number that he thought was a cell which used his anytime minutes and mad him have overage.
With Google voice the downside is that you lose anymobile anytime because all calls are coming from Google which is not a cell number. The solution open provides is to subscribe to sprint to home which lets you have free calls to your home number. You make that home number you Google voice number. Then you use ghost callback to make your calls this makes Google call your cellphone from your Google voice number which is a free call so then every call you make becomes free. Combine this with setting up Google to show your Google voice number as the callerid when it forwards calls to your cell and then every call can be free.
The question open has is that all this depends on essentially having two numbers. A gv number and a sprint number. When you combine them by porting no one really knows what happens to a setup like this...
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
stilesja said:
OK he was billed because he was calling a landline number that he thought was a cell which used his anytime minutes and mad him have overage.
With Google voice the downside is that you lose anymobile anytime because all calls are coming from Google which is not a cell number. The solution open provides is to subscribe to sprint to home which lets you have free calls to your home number. You make that home number you Google voice number. Then you use ghost callback to make your calls this makes Google call your cellphone from your Google voice number which is a free call so then every call you make becomes free. Combine this with setting up Google to show your Google voice number as the callerid when it forwards calls to your cell and then every call can be free.
The question open has is that all this depends on essentially having two numbers. A gv number and a sprint number. When you combine them by porting no one really knows what happens to a setup like this...
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's what you would have to do to receive INCOMING calls.
Outgoing calls shouldn't be charged at all since I initiate the call over Wi-Fi and it's being routed outside of Sprint network completely.
(Phone->router>modem>my Internet provider> sipdroid>GV>target phone)
And unless Sprint owns at least one of those "nods", I don't think they have any grounds (or even way) for charging (or using my minutes) for anything. Sprint shouldn't even KNOW that I made such a call.
Henceforth. I understand that it's probably true for Sprint to use my anytime minutes for INCOMING calls (without Sprint to Home), OUTGOING are a different story no matter whether I call cell or landline. All expenses are on Google since GV makes that final part of call. And for the time being GV calls (to US numbers) are free. At least till the end of this year.
I'm still missing point of using the GV callback though. As far as I understand it, GV callback will turn your FREE outgoing call into CHARGEABLE incoming call.
EDIT: BUT... If the incoming call come through sipdroid... it shouldnt use my anytime minutes either since it doesn't use Sprint network. Voice nor data.
Tagged for future research OR as seen mentioned elsewhere "for cute kittens".
Haha, ya, I'll do the research once they take away my sprint to home dealy... Still going strong though.
. . NS4G . . CM7 . .
Anyone had any issues with google voice? I have had phone calls not come through every so often, and contacts not blocked end up in the spam folder. Only fix I found was to deactivate my Sprint number and re-activate it 15 mins later on Google Voice. Friend has a Nexus S 4G and can not contact her unless I have google voice activated and even then it will go back and some contacts. If anyone has issue like this let me know.
i never really had an issue with google voice, but whenever i did have some sort of issue the first thing sprint reps would ask is "are integrated with google voice?" seems like they want to blame that first for any tech problems.
i got a new ns4g yesterday and decided ditch googlevoice, the novelty has worn of for me
Canadians' reply to American question
G'day,
You asked about Gvoice problems.
Not sure if your situation can be considered contextually similar to mine as I am doing a bit of trickery to be able to use the voicemail section from Canada.
The relevant problem for me is similar to your spam thing. Very rarely, and randomly to boot, voicemail left for me will vanish ... I only know it was left for me because the leavers informed me. No hint whatsoever that it ever happened.
Aside from that its been good to have a voicemail that can SMS me, transcribe to text and just overall be what I thought my OVERPRICED carriers voicemail should be. Already pay far too much for cellular anything in my opinion.
floydlloyd said:
G'day,
You asked about Gvoice problems.
Not sure if your situation can be considered contextually similar to mine as I am doing a bit of trickery to be able to use the voicemail section from Canada.
The relevant problem for me is similar to your spam thing. Very rarely, and randomly to boot, voicemail left for me will vanish ... I only know it was left for me because the leavers informed me. No hint whatsoever that it ever happened.
Aside from that its been good to have a voicemail that can SMS me, transcribe to text and just overall be what I thought my OVERPRICED carriers voicemail should be. Already pay far too much for cellular anything in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please let us know how you managed to get it working in canada
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I'm not sure how he does it but I have my Nexus on Boost and supposedly you can't use Google Voice mail on a prepaid service but mine works. All I did was go through the setup on the google voice app and set it to be my voice mail...I didn't set up anything through the online settings from my computer. But the funny thing is if I reject a call myself it will send it to my Boost voicemail....if I let it just ring out, it will go to Google Voice mail. Don't know if that helps in your case but it works for me.
Story of the guy who thought in circles !!!
asb123 said:
Please let us know how you managed to get it working in canada
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well ... Joke was on me !!
At first I thought I had discovered the Holy Grail ... (fool ... I am I am) I erroneously thought that I could beat the system by forwarding unanswered / phone off type calls to Google Voice, then use "Google Voice Callback FREE" app to "intercept" the "outgoing" forwarded call.
Damn ... worked really well in my coupla tests with friends etc but I quickly realized, once my online call log was posted (roughly 3 hour wait plus or minus) I was essentially just calling Google Voice using INTERNATIONAL LONG DISTANCE ... not good, I was prepared to eat the coupla minutes there, so not ready to fall on sword or anything just yet LOL
( Must have been on some heavy drugs 'cause I never stopped to realize that the forwarding is out of my hands and done at the carriers end FIDO.ca in my case)
Unless there is a way to do forwarding LOCAL to the phone or maybe have it answer THEN redirect the call using tasker or some other programmatic method I think I'm stumped ... of course I'm stumped just like the rest of us Canucks. LOL
I have a long distance plan that gives me free minutes to the US that I never use ... tried setting my voicemail # in Android to dial it ... then pause (tried comma and semicolon) then dial my Gvoice number ... No go there ...
Aaaaaargh ... lotta wasted time really without thinking it thru b4 hand AND here I was thinking that I had figured it out, so I posted that yesterday.
So out of all this blah blah blah Coupla questions
1. Is the forwarding TRULY out of my hands and done at the carriers end?
2. is there SOME way I can redirect incoming unanswered calls locally on my phone so that "Google Voice Callback FREE" app can intercept it?
Sorry to get any hopes up with my "genius" non-discovery
Floydlloyd
budphone.ca cheesy interface with ads BUT voicemail & Canadian Long Distance free
Me again,
For those too cheap ...like myself, to pay even more for voicemail. I got this in a tweet a while back and ignored it thinking I could get the Gvoice thing going "somehow".
budphone(dot)ca
Labatts breweries wants our "consumerist" attention so thru freephoneline.ca they are offering this ... get a phone number and long distance calling to many cities in Canada + voicemail + forwarding to normal phones + coupla other things ... go see if you're interested. I dont work for BUD or Labatts BTW. I just like the free voicemail ...1 day only so far.
I signed up and it is OK for me for now. I really only wanted the voice mail. It does give me an alternate phone number too ... without affecting my current FIDO cell plan.
I already have long distance at $.25 per call in North America no matter how long the call is ... (dial a number ... pause ... dial target number. Works on cellphone homephone etc.
I haven't left it off the hook for days or anything to see if the "no matter how long the call is" thing is true, but hours on end is no problem.
This was called talk 25 with win-tel who now seems to primus.ca and it seems they've abolished that SUPER deal except for grandfathering AFAIK You can look there too to see if they offer any killer deals.
Whew ... lotta babbling there ... but might spark some Ideas perhaps?
Floydlloyd
Google Voice is available in Canada at the 403 (Calgary, AB) area code. Google will let you set it up if you sign up over a vpn. Buy yourself a cheap DID.
So This might sound a little odd.
I am moving about the country quite a bit in the next few months, and I work in northern bc/alaska where there is no cell towers. I am curious if it is possible to get a data only sim for my phone and use google voice with my number ported over. Or possibly a SIP account with a number. I use my phone on wifi where I am working currently and I use skype, works great but I cant get a canadian skype number which means no one can call my existing phone number and have it get through to me.
I Dislike the Idea of having to switch a whole bunch of providers and I like the idea of getting a data sim and just having a flat monthly rate. But is that even possible?
Any ideas/suggestions?
Worst case I can get a new number from my provider and have my existing number ported to google voice, as I am on an unlimited data plan but then I am still paying for all the extras of having a phone and not just data. I really would like to keep my existing number as I have had it forever and use it for work purposes.
Not in the exact situation as you, but similar. I travel outside of the country often and usually have wifi (hotel, etc.). Groove IP from the market is the easiest solution. As long as you have data 3g/4g/wifi, you can receive and make calls to any US number using your google voice number. It has a separate dialer, but you can set it to use the native dialer as well (it will prompt you if you want to use grooveip or regular cell towers). Just read the instructions on it well (forwarding calls to google chat), and it's the best $5 I've spent. No hassle.
Obviously, the better data signal you have, the better the call quality is.
(I am not affiliated with Groove IP in any way)
Hmm well that app actually does almost exactly what I would like to do. Thanks for the info.