[champion6]

Does anyone have any first-hand experience using Google Voice in The Villages?

Specifically, I am trying to get a Google number that is a local call from TV. I have a list of all the exchanges that are a local call from TV, but I can't find a Google number available. There are many area code 352 Google numbers available, but none appear to be local when calling from TV.

What has been your experience with using Google Voice in TV?

[same]

I have been using Google Voice for several months. ...it works as described and you do get your choice of a local number.

[mitchbr47]

I have had a positive experience also. I use it for voicemail on my laptop, syncing my phones so it rings on both the LAN line and cell phone, and making free long distance calls. It does have limitations, but the price was right.

[Freeda]

I have used Googlevoice for about six months. Because of friends/ business/ family etc in Kentucky, where I moved from, I still have my long-time cell phone # from Kentucky; and now, with my Googlevoice phone # I now have a local area code 352 number that people can call, or from which I can make calls, that still rings to my cell phone; so both Kentucky and local calls come to my single cell phone.

I can also, by first accessing my Googlevoice phone #, place calls from my Kentucky cell phone that show a local 352 phone # calling, so that my local friends, etc, here in The Villages see my local, 352 phone # when I am calling them (even though I am using my out of state cell phone to place the call).

The other great thing is that ATT, my cell phone service provider, has an 'A-list' feature that allows you to list ten phone #s on your account for the calls between that number and your ATT cell phone to be free of any minutes charges. I have 'A-listed' on my ATT cell phone plan my Googlevoice phone # and that now means that any time I receive calls to my Googlevoice phone # (or make calls from my Googlevoice 352 area code phone #, using my Kentucky ATT cell phone) there is no minutes charge. This is saving me lots of minutes charges; in fact, I was able to lower my rate plan because of this, since I am now using so many fewer charged minutes on my cell phone.

It does take a few extra steps to actually place a call from my cell phone from my local Googlevoice phone #, but the convenience, and savings, of having all of this functionality on a single phone makes it, to me, worth it; and it has, like anything else, just become a habit that I do without thinking about it. I put my Googlevoice phone # on a speed-dial button on my cell phone, which makes it a little faster to use it when making calls.

The other thing I like about Googlevoice is that any voice mails people leave on my local Googlevoice phone # appear as text messages on my cell phone, as well as being audio voice messages.

[champion6]

Thanks for the feedback. It's good to know it works well.

I plan to have a setup similar to Freeda. We each have a cellphone with an Illinois area code. We won't get a land line in TV, but want to get a Google Voice number that is a local call from TV. We will program it to ring our cell phones.

The reason for my original post is that in the Goggle Voice (GV) sign-up process, I can't seen to find a number that is in area code ThreeFiveTwo and is a local number when calling from TV.

Freeda, mitchbr47, same (and anyone else with GV in TV): I don't want you to post your compete number. But I would like to know the first 3 digits (the exchange) of your 7-digit Google Voice number. I will try searching for a GV number with that exchange.

Thanks in advance for your help. I appreciate it!

[memason]

Once setup, can you simply use it for voicemail? In other words, can you have Google Voice NOT call any numbers ?? I know, this seems an odd request....

The reason: I'm still living in Germany and it would be nice to have a voicemail account that I could check and then call back. International calls are much cheaper for me (free) than for the U.S. to call Germany.

I recently got an invitation to sign-up, but you need a US phone number to complete the sign-up process.

[champion6]

memason, YES you can do that. From the reading I have done, there is a feature that I think is called Do Not Disturb where all calls go to voicemail.

You may still hampered with the requirement to have a US phone number at sign-up.

[memason]

Thanks Champion! I used a proxy phone number [my kid], in the U.S. to complete the setup. Per your recommendation, went in and clicked the Do Not Disturb and called my Google Number....went straight to Google voicemail..... PERFECT! As soon as a voicemail arrives, it sends a transcribed email to my iPhone, here in Germany. Isn't technology great ??