Google Voice, anyone?

[ChrisGreaves]

I have just read a report that mentions Google Voice.
The possibility of routing my desktop landline to my rarely-used cell phone on occasion is tempting.
Is anyone here using Google Voice (Lite, free etc) and if so, how is it working out?

Another use that strikes me is diverting my landline number to my friend's number, ten minutes walk away, when I'm heading over there to do some repair work for 1/2 a day ...

P.S. I see WesternEagle has taken a look.

[westerneagle]

I've had GV for about 2 years. I first only used it for free long distance. I would dial any number in my browser and my home phone would ring and you pick up and the long distance number would be ringing. My wife mostly used it to talk for hours to her mother and sister. FREE.

I never gave out my Google number. Then I got a cell phone. Now I give my Google number to everyone as my cell number.
When someone calls my google number, my cell phone and home phone rings. I can answer either one. If I am home, I of course answer the home phone and save my cell phone minutes.

also, I use the webbrowser gmail and I can use google voice to make calls on my computer. I use a bluetooth with my laptop. Very good quality.
I can use it even if my wife is on the home phone. So it is like an extra line if I need it.

I did get a note from google that they were going to offer free long distance "again this year." This seems to indicate that perhaps in the future they might charge for the use of Google Voice.

There also seems a way to 'port' your google voice number so that it becomes your cell phone number. But my 'pay as you go' (Trac phone) cell phone will not allow that. Hence when I make a call to someone with my cell phone, the number of the cell phone will come up on their phone instead of the google voice number. So it has taken a little training with some of my friends to get them to put in my google numbe and ignore the cell phone number.

Anyway, I like GV for the free long distance and having the option to answer the cell phone on my home phone.
Plus being able to make calls from my computer.
(Oh, the computer will also ring when the google number come in, and if I wanted I could answer on the computer too.)

GV will also 'transcribe' all incoming voice mail. It does pretty good, but sometimes it can be funny on it's word choice or what it thinks is being said.


Mike

[ChrisGreaves]

I've had GV for about 2 years. ... When someone calls my google number, my cell phone and home phone rings. I can answer either one. If I am home, I of course answer the home phone and save my cell phone minutes.

Mike, thanks for the response.
I think the excerpt is close to what I seek.
From what you've written, I don't want to retrain my contacts, but if Google intercepts my landline (416)... and echoes it to my cell phone (647) ... that would suit me just fine.
Most days I don't have my cell phone on, don't carry it.
But a day like today when I'm out holding someone's hand for 3 hours, it'd be neat to be able to answer an incoming land-line call on my cell phone.

Thinks: Maybe I should call my landline's tech support on and see if they already have that option.