# Google Voice Now Available to All in US



## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

www.google.com/voice


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

I just signed up. It took about five minutes.
I called my number and left a voice message in my regular speaking voice.
The service translated it to text perfectly and sent it to me via e-mail.

Good stuff!


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Hmmm. This actually is a good idea.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

A very good idea!
Read the messages you want and delete the rest.
Comes in handy in public (and private) places.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

It can do sweet stuff, the issue is if you already have numbers how to move everything to the GV number. Easy if you think about something like a business before hand, but for many of us it is a PITA to change over our personal numbers.

I have had it for quite awhile now, and it is neat, just hard to find actual uses for. The voicemail can be setup with your cell phone (where your cell phone's voicemail is replaced with GV), so that is one cool feature.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

DBSTALK celebrating it's 9th anniversary, GoogleVoice, new HD channels tommorow on DirecTV, not a bad week. Now if they would only fix the web page for the new version of Google Earth.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Grentz,
Either I'm not following you or something has changed.

I merely gave Google my phone number and they had me dial a special number one time.
From that point forward, people who call my original number are ported over to Google's voicemail service seamlessly. They call the same number they have always called to get me, and they hear my recorded greeting just like they always did.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Marlin Guy said:


> Grentz,
> Either I'm not following you or something has changed.
> 
> I merely gave Google my phone number and they had me dial a special number one time.
> From that point forward, people who call my original number are ported over to Google's voicemail service seamlessly. They call the same number they have always called to get me, and they hear my recorded greeting just like they always did.


Yes, thats the cell voicemail side which I said is neat (and I use myself), but google voice is WAYYY more than that. Your video goes into it a bit.

You actually have a google voice number that is a normal number from the zip/area you specify. People can call that and then you can route the calls, block calls, screen calls, etc. GV calls numbers you specify (such as a home phone, work phone, cell phone, etc.) and can even send certain callers to certain phones only if you specify so. On top of that you can call out by calling the GV number first and then specifying the number you want to call. This allows cheap international calls and calling numbers in the US (free) without long distance. There also are some SMS features (you can send and received texts for free), calling blocking/waiting features, conference features, etc.

Overall a lot of sweet features, but they mostly depend on people calling you at your GV number vs. directly to your cell, home phone, etc. This is great if you say make your business number the GV number, but for those of us that just want to use it on a personal level it is a bit tougher. Either tell everyone your number is changed, or there is not many other options. The very neat thing though is that you can direct that GV number to wherever (and multiple places) so you are free to change your other numbers as you like then and have one number that everyone contacts you on.

Confusing, hard to explain, and that is just the surface, but in essence yes there is a lot more to GV than just the voicemail :lol:


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

My bad. My cell number is my business number and my home number, so I assumed that if I had additional numbers that they would work the same way as the cell number did.

I guess I have just oversimplified things too much by having one single contact number.


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## Garyunc (Oct 8, 2006)

If you have AT&T like me and your cell phone voice mails take forever to arrive (like mine do), this is well worth the small investment in a little time to get your voice mails emailed (or texted) in a timely fashion. And yes I know it does a lot more but I don't know if I want to confuse my existing contacts with a new number. May just give the new number to new contacts. 

Great product google!!


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Garyunc said:


> If you have AT&T like me and your cell phone voice mails take forever to arrive (like mine do), this is well worth the small investment in a little time to get your voice mails emailed (or texted) in a timely fashion. And yes I know it does a lot more but I don't know if I want to confuse my existing contacts with a new number. May just give the new number to new contacts.
> 
> Great product google!!


I use GV for Voicemails since I like the email feature and transcribing, but I have never had an issue with voicemails taking awhile to arrive using the normal AT&T system?

Instantaneous pretty much on my family's and my own phone.


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## Garyunc (Oct 8, 2006)

Grentz said:


> I use GV for Voicemails since I like the email feature and transcribing, but I have never had an issue with voicemails taking awhile to arrive using the normal AT&T system?
> 
> Instantaneous pretty much on my family's and my own phone.


Grentz

I have an iphone and my voicemails take forever to show up. I have complained to AT&T and all they did was give me a $25 credit. Maybe it is because of location or maybe the iphone but all I know is AT&T could care less about addressing this issue for me so I am glad GV came along. I am glad to hear it does work for other people.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Interesting, that really does stink. I was just intrigued as I have never had an issue or heard of anyone having that issue around here, but maybe it does depend on your area or something like that. (I know they use multiple voicemail systems around the country)


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

My favorite GV feature: I can mark unwanted calls as "spam".


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## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

barryb said:


> My favorite GV feature: I can mark unwanted calls as "spam".


Dang. Is that why every time I call you now it goes straight to voicemail? 

Seriously, my uncle came by my office the other day and was telling us about all the stuff he does with GV. Pretty cool. I haven't used, or even looked into, GV at all up, but it can do some pretty cool stuff.


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

Sharkie_Fan said:


> Dang. Is that why every time I call you now it goes straight to voicemail?


You learn quick SF. :lol:



> Seriously, my uncle came by my office the other day and was telling us about all the stuff he does with GV. Pretty cool. I haven't used, or even looked into, GV at all up, but it can do some pretty cool stuff.


I use it for all sorts of mayhem, especially the type that would cause telemarketers to call, such as my Safeway card.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

I've been using GV for about a year and love it. It's the only number I give out and the one everyone uses.

Calls are always transferred to my cell phone. When I'm at my office, I also have calls transferred to my office line. When I'm at home, I have calls transferred to my house line.

I also have my Droid Incredible configured to use my GV number when making a call or sending a text.


I love the fact that people can reach me with only one phone number and that I can see all my messages in text (although the accuracy isn't that great).

It's also nice that my GV number is one of my Verizon cell phone favorites, so most calls made and received don't count towards my minutes.


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## feliciaevans (Jun 26, 2010)

This is great for me, And I think that GoogleVoice is excellent. I use one of my Google voice numbers exclusively for all my accounts. It helps to filter the marketing calls, and I can call from that number anywhere I’m at.Thanks Google!!


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Got a message today from a buddy. He was driving down a busy road with the windows down, so I got passing cars, trucks, and even some sirens (Yeah, ha ha ha ha ha) .

Google Voice tried its best, but it was no match for all of the stuff that was going on in this call. :lol:

_Hey, It's J at it. It's Friday afternoon. I'll talk to about 35 just wanna catch with you see if I'd like to get you some time. I got one more cameras and I'm just on the same time and I just voted of the woods today but like I say media. I think outrage that thanking the disk by before all something. I think hey located this. So anyway, I was just to see if I can figure out there, this is the best thing to do a lot. Yeah, ha ha ha ha ha. Just give me a call when you get a chance, I'd appreciate it. I come back. Bye bye. _


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## steve053 (May 11, 2007)

So not only does Google know who you e-mail (so they can target market ads to you), they now know who you call and have a transcribed record of it as well.

Thanks but no thanks Google. :nono:


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> www.google.com/voice


Hmm. Think this might come in handy.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

steve053 said:


> So not only does Google know who you e-mail (so they can target market ads to you), they now know who you call and have a transcribed record of it as well.


Yes, and I also let them monitor my webcams, except the one in the shower. :lol:


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## fluffybear (Jun 19, 2004)

I've been using Google Voice for about 6 months now and love it!


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

I have "One Number Service™" from Qwest/Verizon, so not needed here.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Not for me...I'm just a tad paranoid about funneling all my personal sh*t through Google or anyone else (FB) for that matter and having them profiling me and tracking my movements. At my age (old as dirt) I should be way beyond everyone's demo, but I sure as hell don't want to start getting spammed by gerontologists, old folks' homes or funeral homes. It's already bad enough with all the senior-targeted junk mail I get. No thank you, I don't need any adult diapers, rejuvenating pep pills or DME. At least not yet.

Telemarketers and spammers, just leave me the _hell_ alone!

Oh, and one more thing while I'm on a roll: I'm not ready to have a medically-beneficial computer tracking chip shoved up my behind either! :nono:


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

Just signed up. Very cool so far!

And I got a phone number _one_ digit off of my actual cell phone. Can't beat that.

All hail the might Google.


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