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Google has extended their offer free domestic calls within the US and Canada through 2012, a kind holiday gesture to Google Voice users in North America (excluding Mexico). The catch? You will have to place the calls via Google Voice and Gmail, excluding Android users wishing to make calls from their mobile device. It’s still a great offer and one worth taking advantage of if you are already a frequent Google Voice user.
[via Google]
I’m not sure where it says anything about excluding Android, or having to use Gmail.
Yea me either, I just says ” And you can still call the rest of the world from Gmail at our insanely low rates.”….
I don’t think you could *ever* make free calls on Android. I’ve only been able to do it from Gmail. I think that’s what the title means …
If you can add numbers to your family circle that you can call for free, add Google Voice, then set it so all calls go through Voice.
When you make calls from straight from google voice on your android phone it still uses your phones minutes unless you have some app like groove voip. They probably just said that to clear things up.
Add your gvoice number to a family circle, if you have a plan like that and then all your calls will be free.
I have “Family and Friends” on Verizon. My Google Voice # has been a great friend!
So basically, nothing changes from 2011 to 2012. Got it, I thought there was some new exclusion…that is how the article makes it sound.
basically, but it sounds like google was thinking about stopping the google voice thing but they extended it.
GrooveIP FTW. Or pbxes.com if you like to roll your own.
Werd!
People always complain that they cant hear me on GrooveIP… Even when on WiFi or 4G.
Where do they exclude android?
Where did you get that you have to use gmail? It says that non-domestic calls can still be made from Gmail, but the point was that free domestic calling has been extended for 2012…at least that’s how I read the source link.
So… To use gvoice on my tbolt I will have to pay for minutes even when calling within the US?
I love GVoice. I just think they need a few usability fixes. I need to be able to set a different ringtone for my phone and GVoice so I can filter the calls more accurately.
I’m not sure if this is what you mean but in the Gvoice settings, under the Calls tab, you can change incoming calls to show your Gvoice number rather than the caller’s number. Then, if you add your Gvoice number to your phone book, you can set up a new ring for that. It’s not the best solution because you can’t see who is calling you from Gvoice but at least you can tell if the call is coming from Gvoice or your regular number.
I’ve been using this service for a while now, and it works great. You can also receive calls to your google voice number in gmail — pretty sweet!
you could never make calls over GV on your android device without using carrier minutes without some kind of 3rd party software.
False. With Sprint/GV integration I haven’t use ONE min of my plan in months.
ok when you have coverage that is great, but that isn’t what i was talking about, obviously.
So lets assume this went into effect today. Are you telling me that to make a call on VZW or any other carrier and use google voice, i wont only have to pay for the minutes i am using on VZW, but also .01 cents per minute? Sounds like i would be being billed twice for this minute, once from VZW and once from google voice all just to use my g.voice number?? Am i missing something here?
Currently I am using Google Voice so that my voice number shows up on the caller id or that they call me using my voice number, but the minuets are still coming off of my VZW plan as google is just doing the phone connection.
no google voice wont charge you to call, but if you use google voice on your android phone it still counts as carrier minutes, but if you use it on a computer it is free.
Keith I think what they’re saying is Google will start to charge in addition to your cell minutes being used.
For those that want to bitch you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
I disagree, why would they charge you on your phone but not a computer for the same service? The only time they charge is for international calls. When you make a call from your phone it’s not free because your using carrier minutes, that’s all.
Keith Phandroid is horrible when it comes to accuracy. Routinely their articles are incorrect. I think this is an example of bad writing on their part. I don’t think they’re going to charge to use Google voice on your android phone.
LOL! wait a 2nd let me get this straight. You want a phone number you can use to make calls with from your cell and I am sure obviously this is benefiting you somehow yet your panties are all ruffled because Google is ending the free ride? Not only that but there are constant notifications that this was going to end.
Wow
Brian, you need to use an older version of Google Voice. 0.3.4 Google voice routes you through a different number on the outgoing call and that number should show on your android phone when calling. The newer versions route you through a different number every time you make a call. The older versions don’t and as long as you add that routing number and your google voice number to your “My Friends and Family” all of your outgoing calls will be free. The only way to get incoming calls to be free is to set your caller ID to show your Google Voice number but then you won’t know who is calling.
I didn’t even know Google had a phone service. And why is Android excluded? Is there some beef between the two companies we should know about?
beef between google and the mobile OS that google makes? No I dont think so. You just cant get free calls from the google voice app on your phone, thats all but you can still use it.
Oh man! This is awesome I can’t wait for them to….. oh hang on. UK user here. I guess I’ll go sit in the corner and wait for Google Voice, Music, Wallet…
we will patiently wait for bangers and mash
For fucks sake!!
“The catch? You will have to place the calls via Google Voice and Gmail, excluding Android users wishing to make calls from their mobile device. ”
Where are you getting this from?!?! Your own linked article doesn’t even say this!!! think please before you type and post
I’m using Google Voice as my home (landline) phone service. It was a complicated procedure to port over the existing landline number to, but I got it working. So, I hope GV will be free forever! =)
Same here but what did you have to do to port your land line?
1) Get a prepaid cellphone (or SIM card). I used AT&T GoPhone which cost me $9.
2) Fight with the current landline provider (Cavalier for me at the time) to get the number ported to another carrier. This step takes the longest. Took about 4 days for me.
3) Once authorized by the landline company, port the landline number to the cell phone.
4) Once it’s been ported over to the cell phone, you can immediately port it over to Google Voice.
There may be other intermediate steps, too. It’s been a while so I don’t remember all of the details involved. I’m using an Obi110 and it’s been running pretty solid for months now.
Oh and for 911 service, I signed up with CallCentric. Their E-911 service is only $1.95/month.
Omg, lol, why is it so confusing? Is this article just poorly written? What it is saying is that you can still call people for free through gmail for a little while longer, meanwhile it still costs money for calling worldwide.. so what does this have to do with google voice you ask? Gmail uses your gvoice number for the call. Mystery/debate solved..
And if u wanna make free calls from your cell using google voice, google search “android sip gvcallback (sipgate, or ekiga ipkall)” :)
How much is it going to cost (calls in the US) when it becomes paid?