round 2 ... help solve my phone woes?
March 8, 2011 6:44 PM

goal: ipad + wifi + google voice + x = inexpensive wifi calls using GV number. can you help me solve for x?

i have a spare iphone 3g sans simcard & a wifi ipad (3G - for short)
i have skype, google voice, Line2 (L2)
i have wifi

goal:
1. incoming calls to my google voice number (GVN) on 3G wifi
2. outgoing calls with GVN using 3G wifi
3. texting using GVN would be swell - not imperative

(at&t cell coverage is awful at home; your shock is noted)

1. with skype, i can make outgoing calls using GVN (excellent - and cheap)
2. with L2, i can receive calls using GVN (not cheap, no outgoing calls with GVN)
3. have downloaded a couple 3G apps: fring, talktome; am so overwhelmed i haven't really explored them

current issue:
spending $3/m on skype AND $10/m on L2 - i might as well get vonage and be done with it

i asked question previously, but the whole thing breaks down when i tried to get outgoing/incoming BOTH using GVN. right now when i call GVN, it goes straight to voicemail. i honestly don't even know what voicemail it goes to (GV? L2? skype?)

i've also read something about getting a skype number - can i mask it for incoming/outgoing calls with GVN? vonage has a free something or other.

is there help for me? am i leaving something out? should i stop obsessing and just pay for vonage?
posted by crankyrogalsky to Technology (8 answers total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
Textfree will let you get a free incoming number. Set that as one of you GV phones. Next, set the GV app to use click2call, and have it call your textfree number when you place calls. Bam: free incoming and outgoing calls. (you can pay a few bucks annually to turn off textfree ads.)

GV app itself works great for text messages.
posted by wyzewoman at 7:32 PM on March 8, 2011




I think this is exactly what the app Talkatone does.
posted by Salamandrous at 8:01 PM on March 8, 2011


The answer is talkatone.
In and out calls on my ipod using gvoice. Perfect and free.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 8:42 AM on March 9, 2011


And, get Ooma over Vonage.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 8:42 AM on March 9, 2011


I have iPad 3G + skype + google voice, (I only got google voice to port my old cell #) this is disastrous for me as a replacement phone, calls don't stay connected unless on 3 bars of wi-fi, the 3G WILL NOT support a call due to poor connection or something, even with 3 bars! texting works perfect on GV and is free except some numbers are blocked from calling/texting me, although I can call/text them, GV says this has something to do with the carrier the person has but some people who have the same carrier can and can't so I don't understand that. I got rid of my cell phone thinking this would be awesome and was sorely disappointed, You can't beat paying the $6 or so a month though...
posted by sadieglass at 5:33 AM on March 10, 2011


is anyone still reading? i'll look at ooma.

sadieglass - i dig. i don't think there's any real replacement for a landline. but i don't really talk on the phone that much and my at&t cell coverage is total crap. ultimately, i might just get the cell phone booster and use that.

it all started because i got rid of comcast - so i'm looking for a cheap workaround. if i end up with vonage/ooma, it's fine. but i thought i'd see about the other alternatives and how awful they are and how much i use them.

mostly i want to use my google voice number as much as i can - so i can keep a consistent number for whatever life has in store for me. and i hate texting on the phone ... so doing it on the computer when i'm home would be swell.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 11:37 AM on March 11, 2011


The most awful part is that sometimes you will go to call someone and they will answer but gv/skype will not connect you, so you just end up with a skype voicemail of the person saying "hello helloooo" this is expececially bad for calling someone who doesn't understand your phone situation and thinks its a prank call....
posted by sadieglass at 5:41 PM on March 11, 2011


« Older Can my employer see what I do at home?   |   How to pronounce Basquiat? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.