What's a good talkatone replacement for free reception from landlines/mobile phones?

[Pat Wilson]

I've been using Talkatone on both iPad & Android to call landlines
and to RECEIVE calls from landlines (Talkatone used Google Voice).

After May 15th, it won't work.

What will?

[Lloyd E Parsons]

Google Hangouts is probably what you are looking for. I haven't tried
it out on my iPad or iPhone, but have used it from my MBP and it seems
to work OK.

Not quite as simple to use as Talkatone imo.

--
Lloyd

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd E Parsons wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 08:16:25 -0500:

> Google Hangouts is probably what you are looking for.

Thanks for that pointer.
It's getting close to the May 15 deadline.

The two things I liked about Talkatone were:
1. It made calls to USA telephones for free, and,
2. It received calls from telephones via Google Voice, for free.

Does Google Hangouts do those two things?

[~BD~]

Possibly totally irrelevant ....... but MIGHT be of interest to some
folk who live on the right side of the pond! ;-)

http://www.call18866.co.uk/index2.php

[Lloyd E Parsons]

I haven't used the iOS versions, so there may be some differences.
1. Yes, you can make USA calls
2. Don't know

Two reasons for not knowing about #2 but primarily because I don't use
it any more since I finally got an unlimited talk/text plan on my
iPhone so the need isn't there.

But the app is free so just give it a whirl!! :)

--
Lloyd

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 13:22:29 +0000:

> The two things I liked about Talkatone were:
> 1. It made calls to USA telephones for free, and,
> 2. It received calls from telephones via Google Voice, for free.
> Does Google Hangouts do those two things?

Actually, the *three* things I liked about Talkatone were:

1. It made calls to USA telephones for free, and,

2. It received calls from Google Voice, for free,
3. And, it sent & received SMS text to cellphones, for free.

Now that support for Google Voice will be killed on May 15th
http://support.talkatone.com/customer/portal/articles/1410745-support-for-google-voice-ending-may-15-2014

Does Google Hangouts do all three of those things?

[Jessie Williams]

Pat Wilson <patw...@example.com> wrote:

> Now that support for Google Voice will be killed on May 15th
> http://support.talkatone.com/customer/portal/articles/1410745-support-for-google-voice-ending-may-15-2014

Support for Google Voice ending May 15, 2014
Last Updated: Apr 15, 2014 06:06PM UTC
May 15th is fast approaching...here's what you need to know about the upcoming Google Voice transition:

1. After May 15, 2014, Talkatone WILL NOT work with Google Voice. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS!

After May 15, 2014, you WILL NOT be able to use Talkatone with Google Voice or Google Chat, which means you will not be able to make/receive Google Voice or Google Chat calls, nor will you be able to text/message using Google Voice or Google Chat.

2. We recommend you transition to a new Talkatone account prior to May 15, 2014 to ensure continuous service. You can do this directly in the app.

When you transition to a new Talkatone account, you will receive:

a. FREE, local US phone number
b. FREE inbound calls
c. FREE texting
d. Up to 20 minutes of FREE outbound calls minutes per month (with the ability to purchase additional outbound minutes in-app for a very, very competitive rate)

3. You can forward your Google Voice number to your new Talkatone number to continue to receive inbound calls on your old Google Voice number. Please contact us for step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

4. You can port your Google Voice number to Talkatone. Please contact us for step-by-step instructions.

Thanks again for your support as we go through this transition process. We know change is not easy, but we believe that our new Talkatone service is even better than Google Voice, and we look forward to continuing to provide you with an outstanding communications experience!

Happy Talking!
-The Talkatone Team

[nospam]

In article <lk5eul$tm4$2...@dont-email.me>, Pat Wilson

<patw...@example.com> wrote:

> > Google Hangouts is probably what you are looking for.
>
> Thanks for that pointer.
> It's getting close to the May 15 deadline.
>
> The two things I liked about Talkatone were:
> 1. It made calls to USA telephones for free, and,
> 2. It received calls from telephones via Google Voice, for free.
>
> Does Google Hangouts do those two things?

google voice is no longer going to allow third party apps to connect to
it which means that not only will talkatone stop working, but so will
anything else that did.

google voice is being integrated into google hangouts.

[M.L.]

>> > Google Hangouts is probably what you are looking for.
>>
>> Thanks for that pointer.
>> It's getting close to the May 15 deadline.
>>
>> The two things I liked about Talkatone were:
>> 1. It made calls to USA telephones for free, and,
>> 2. It received calls from telephones via Google Voice, for free.
>>
>> Does Google Hangouts do those two things?
>
>google voice is no longer going to allow third party apps to connect to
>it which means that not only will talkatone stop working, but so will
>anything else that did.

Will this change affect GV call forwarding to mobiles/landline/DID
numbers?

[nospam]

In article <p2ocm91q8lmtv5jau...@4ax.com>, M.L.

<m...@privacy.invalid> wrote:

> >google voice is no longer going to allow third party apps to connect to
> >it which means that not only will talkatone stop working, but so will
> >anything else that did.
>
> Will this change affect GV call forwarding to mobiles/landline/DID
> numbers?

that's the question everyone is asking and nobody seems to have an
answer for it yet.

all google has said is that google voice will be integrated into
hangouts, but they haven't said much more.

[Pat Wilson]

nospam wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 13:40:04 -0400:

> all google has said is that google voice will be integrated into
> hangouts, but they haven't said much more.

If Google Hangouts replaces the functionality of Talkatone
(namely free calls & text to and from the US to the US),
then, I'm OK with that.

What else, besides Hangouts, will allow people on landlines
and cellphones to call my Android and/or iOS devices for free?

[M.L.]

>> all google has said is that google voice will be integrated into
>> hangouts, but they haven't said much more.
>
>If Google Hangouts replaces the functionality of Talkatone
>(namely free calls & text to and from the US to the US),
>then, I'm OK with that.
>
>What else, besides Hangouts, will allow people on landlines
>and cellphones to call my Android and/or iOS devices for free?

Google Chat currently allows free calls to/from any USA phone if you
have a GV number and install the chat plugin. You must use the Gmail
interface and a headphone to send/receive calls. I'm not certain if
Hangouts will fully replace Chat.

[Carl Fink]

On 2014-05-04, Pat Wilson <patw...@example.com> wrote:

> What else, besides Hangouts, will allow people on landlines
> and cellphones to call my Android and/or iOS devices for free?

Skype?
--
Carl Fink ca...@li-con.org
Chair, LI-CON, March 29-30, 2014, Rockville Centre, NY
Con Site: http://li-con.org

[Pat Wilson]

Carl Fink wrote, on Mon, 05 May 2014 03:17:45 +0000:

> Skype?

How do you call, from a cellphone or landline, to Skype?
And, how do you call, from Skype, to a USA landline, for free?

Neither can be done.
Right?

[mike]

On 5/4/2014 9:25 PM, Lewis wrote:
> In message <lk71aa$gj9$1...@dont-email.me>

> Pat Wilson <patw...@example.com> wrote:
>> Carl Fink wrote, on Mon, 05 May 2014 03:17:45 +0000:
>
>>> Skype?
>
>> How do you call, from a cellphone or landline, to Skype?
>

> Dial the number.

>
>> And, how do you call, from Skype, to a USA landline, for free?
>

> I don't think you do.
>
>> Neither can be done.
>
> Not true.
>
>> Right?
>
> No.
>
all the snarky wordplay aside.
Anybody got any real relevant info in complete sentences that
are not totally ambiguous?

[M.L.]

>> What else, besides Hangouts, will allow people on landlines
>> and cellphones to call my Android and/or iOS devices for free?
>
>Skype?

Skype phone numbers are not free. Calling from Skype to a phone number
is also not free.

[Pat Wilson]

mike wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 22:33:05 -0700:

> Anybody got any real relevant info in complete sentences that
> are not totally ambiguous?

So far, the only helpful advice in this entire thread came
from the second post, which said Google Hangouts is the only
free replacement for Talkatone.

There must be something else, but that's the best the
minds on this thread have come up with to date.

[Pat Wilson]

Lewis wrote, on Mon, 05 May 2014 04:25:23 +0000:

>> How do you call, from a cellphone or landline, to Skype?
>

> Dial the number.

You do realize SkypeIn is not free, don't you?

[Pat Wilson]

mike wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 22:33:05 -0700:

> Anybody got any real relevant info in complete sentences that
> are not totally ambiguous?

Hi Mike,

Just to clarify, in complete sentences, why the venerable Skype
won't work is because Skype can do all the things that Talkatone
can, but Talkatone was free.

Skype is not free.
That's the difference.

Landlines & cellphones can call SkypeIn accounts, but, SkypeIn
is not free like Talkatone was with Google Voice.

Computers can call landlines & cellphones with SkypeOut, but,
SkypeOut is not free like Talkatone was with Google Voice.

So far, the only viable suggestion for replacing Talkatone
after the integration with Google Voice dies on May 15th, is
to use Google Hangouts instead.

[Pat Wilson]

M.L. wrote, on Mon, 05 May 2014 02:11:13 -0500:

> Skype phone numbers are not free.
> Calling from Skype to a phone number is also not free.

Ooops. My apologies for not seeing this sooner.
So Skype is clearly out, simply because it is not free.

The desired features are simply:
1. Call & SMS text to USA telephones for free, and,
2. Receive calls & SMS text from telephones for free.

It seems that the only viable options to Talkatone are
(so far):

a) Maybe Talkatone will add the desired features back?
b) Google Hangouts may have the desired features?
c) Maybe Hangouts + Chat may have the desired features?

[M.L.]

Talkatone won't be restoring the free services since it will cost them
money to send calls to mobiles/landlines.

Perhaps Hangouts will simply consolidate the features of Google Chat
and Google Voice.

Chat (using Gmail web browser interface and Chat plugin):
Free inbound calls to USA/Canada GV number
Free USA/Canada outbound calls from GV number

Google Voice:
Free USA/Canada phone number
Free call forwarding
Free send/receive texting
Free voicemail

Even if the features aren't consolidated, as long as current features
are kept in some form you should still be good to go (using a web
browser at least).

[Zaidy036]

Viber

[Savageduck]

Viber does not provide a number so it will receive calls from landline or cell.
Viber to Viber calls are free. However to make calls to landline or
cellphone you need to have a ViberOut account, so they are not free.
--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Lloyd E Parsons]

OK, got the Hangouts app for my iPad. Seems to work OK.

1. Called my cell number from Hangouts on the iPad. Worked.
2. Called my iPad on the GoogleVoice number I have and hangouts
received and used it fine.

BUT, there was a noticeable delay in the voice communication, enough to
notice and be irritating. IOW, not quite as good as I got with
Talkatone.

--
Lloyd

[mike]

Will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.
I've been using an OBi-100 to receive calls from google voice.
That's the part that appears to be going away.
Looks like we'll have to pay someone for phone service, to use
google on a real phone.

I have a magicjack plus that works well, even thru freedompop/clear/wimax
wireless internet.
I've experimented with forwarding google voice to the magicjack number.
Works fine on my end, but the other party says it's too choppy to
understand me. I expected that google voice would not be in the loop
after handling the forwarding, but symptoms suggest otherwise.

I've experimented with the USB version of the magicjack interface.
It shows up as an audio device if you block the autorun from the device.
You can use a regular phone to talk to the browser version of google voice.

There's a payware program that appears to let you use the dial and answer
functions of your phone thru the magicjack interface without magicjack
service, but the payware part turned me off.

http://www.pcphonesoft.com/

Also don't like having to leave the computer on all the time.
Costs more in electricity than I'd save on a magicjack subscription.

If you don't have a lot of incoming calls, there's another cheap option.
Lycamobile has a prepaid cell plan for 2-cents a minute.
You need an unlocked GSM phone to use them.
The prepaid minutes never expire as long as you have one billable event
every 90 days. You can use the browser/google voice for outgoing calls.
Forward incoming to lycamobile so it rings if your computer is off.

[The Real Bev]

Try UppTalk. It will assign you a phone number. Not clear how well it
works -- last night I tried calling my home phone number (VOIP) and
UppTalk refused to connect. It may be because both are using the same
router, though. I've tried calling home from a hotspot across the
street -- it worked, but the quality sucked. I definitely need to do
more experiments.

--
Cheers, Bev
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm pretty sure omnipotent entities don't need
middlemen to get their message to the people.

[Pat Wilson]

Lewis wrote, on Tue, 06 May 2014 06:10:37 +0000:

> But calling from a telephone to A Skype phone number is free
Huh?

If I live in New York, for example, and, from my Verizon landline,
if I call, say, a Skype-In number in California, that call is decidedly
not free. It's a long-distance toll call to the landline caller.

> It appears that the question that should've been asked is how can I do
> exactly the same thing that I'm doing now without paying any money and
> the answer to that is you cannot.

Actually, I think this thread shows that you can.

[nospam]

In article <lkkcuv$ri1$1...@dont-email.me>, Pat Wilson

<patw...@example.com> wrote:

> > But calling from a telephone to A Skype phone number is free
> Huh?
>
> If I live in New York, for example, and, from my Verizon landline,
> if I call, say, a Skype-In number in California, that call is decidedly
> not free. It's a long-distance toll call to the landline caller.

long distance has been free for years.

[The Real Bev]

Not necessarily. AT&T (landline) wanted me to pay a minimum of $3/month
for LD access. I told them where they could shove that and we now have
Ooma at $4/month for everything.

--
"Tell someone you love them today, because life is short.
But scream it at them in Klingon, because life is also
terrifying and confusing." -- D. Moore

[Pat Wilson]

I think we can do what we did with Talkatone (namely free US outgoing and
incoming calls & SMS to/from the iPad) - but we just need to figure out how.

So far, I was able to test the following with Google Hangouts:


1. MAKING free US calls on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
This is as easy as dialing the number on the keypad.

2. RECEIVING free calls on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
Calling "my" Google Voice number still rings Talkatone on the iPad.
I don't know what will happen after May 15th, when that dies.
I'm hoping it will just automatically switch over to Google Hangouts
which is what this Google Support URL seems to indicate will happen:
https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3144495?hl=en

Receive calls to your Google Voice number in Hangouts

If you are a Google Voice user, you can receive calls to your Google Voice
number right in Hangouts in Gmail, Google+, and the Hangouts Chrome app.
Note that Google Voice is currently only available in the US.
To sign up for Google Voice, visit http://www.google.com/voice.

To receive calls to your Google Voice number, you don't even need to
enable a setting! Calls to your Google Voice number will ring in Hangouts
in Gmail, Google+, and the Hangouts Chrome app if you have a Google Voice
number associated with your account. When you receive a call you can:

Accept the call: If you accept, a Hangout window will open and you
can talk to the person calling you.

Ignore the call: If you ignore, the call request goes away.
The person will not be notified that you ignored the call.

If you do not want to have calls to your Google Voice number ring you
in Hangouts, please follow these steps:
Revert to the old Chat in Gmail.
Sign out of Hangouts.

3. MAKING or RECEIVING free SMS on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
I don't think Google Hangouts has an SMS capability.
If it does, I can't find it.

[Lloyd E Parsons]

On 2014-05-11 12:43:28 +0000, Pat Wilson said:

> Lewis wrote, on Tue, 06 May 2014 06:10:37 +0000:
>
>> It appears that the question that should've been asked is how can I do
>> exactly the same thing that I'm doing now without paying any money and
>> the answer to that is you cannot.
>
> I think we can do what we did with Talkatone (namely free US outgoing and
> incoming calls & SMS to/from the iPad) - but we just need to figure out how.
>
> So far, I was able to test the following with Google Hangouts:
>
>
> 1. MAKING free US calls on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
> This is as easy as dialing the number on the keypad.
>
> 2. RECEIVING free calls on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
> Calling "my" Google Voice number still rings Talkatone on the iPad.
> I don't know what will happen after May 15th, when that dies.
> I'm hoping it will just automatically switch over to Google Hangouts
> which is what this Google Support URL seems to indicate will happen:
> https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3144495?hl=en

I think that's because it really still works they way it always has.
That will change.

>
> Receive calls to your Google Voice number in Hangouts
>
> If you are a Google Voice user, you can receive calls to your Google Voice
> number right in Hangouts in Gmail, Google+, and the Hangouts Chrome app.
> Note that Google Voice is currently only available in the US.
> To sign up for Google Voice, visit http://www.google.com/voice.
>
> To receive calls to your Google Voice number, you don't even need to
> enable a setting! Calls to your Google Voice number will ring in Hangouts
> in Gmail, Google+, and the Hangouts Chrome app if you have a Google Voice
> number associated with your account. When you receive a call you can:
>

Yep, that works. I took Talkatone off my iPad and got Hangouts and
then called and made a call to it. Worked as well as Talkatone. Just
different interface.
--
Lloyd

[Lloyd E Parsons]

On 2014-05-11 12:43:28 +0000, Pat Wilson said:

> 3. MAKING or RECEIVING free SMS on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
> I don't think Google Hangouts has an SMS capability.
> If it does, I can't find it.

I think this does it:
https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3111992?hl=en&ref_topic=2944973

What I haven't figgered out is how to add my iOS phone book to
Hangouts. Talkatone got it, but Hangouts doesn't seem to have this
capability.

--
Lloyd

[Lloyd E Parsons]

Ooops, or at least I think it is. It appears that the messaging just
goes to others using Hangouts and no SMS on iOS. Android users can do
SMS it appears.

--
Lloyd

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd E Parsons wrote, on Sun, 11 May 2014 08:38:51 -0500:

> I think this does it:
> https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3111992?hl=en&ref_topic=2944973

That looks like what we needed!

So, apparently, with Google Hangouts, we can duplicate the four things we had
with Talkatone, which are:

1. Free outgoing calls to US mobile or landline phones from Android or iPad
2. Free incoming calls to Android or iPad (via a free Google Voice phone number)
3. Free outgoing SMS texts to US mobile phones from Android or iPad
4. Free incoming SMS texts to Android or iPad (via a free Google Voice phone number)

https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3111992?hl=en&ref_topic=2944973
Send messages
Hangouts messages can include text, photos, and emoji.
Here’s how you send a message:

Select the people you want to have a Hangout with. Here are three ways to find people:
Find people by scrolling through your Hangouts list of existing conversations. If you already have an existing one-on-one conversation with someone, you could just click on their name in the list to start a message.
Click the + button at the top of your Hangouts list and type a name, email address, or phone number.
Search for a Google+ circle using the search box at the top of your Hangouts list.
For new conversations, click the grey check mark next to the person’s name or the circle.
Repeat the first two steps to add additional people.
Click the message button at the top of the Hangouts list.
Type your message in the Hangout window that appears. You can also click the camera button to add a photo or the smiley face to add emoji.
Press Enter to send the message.

Others in the Hangout will see a typing indicator at the bottom of the Hangout window whenever you’re typing a new message.
If a message isn’t successfully delivered it will appear red. This usually happens when your internet connection is temporarily interrupted or is too slow. When your connection is restored, the message will be sent, and the text will turn black.

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd E Parsons wrote, on Sun, 11 May 2014 08:47:22 -0500:

> It appears that the messaging just goes to others using Hangouts
> and no SMS on iOS. Android users can do SMS it appears.

https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3111992?hl=en&ref_topic=2944973

I'm confused.
Does this appear to be the summary for SENDING an SMS text?

Android:
Sending SMS from Hangouts goes not only to existing Hangouts users
but also that SMS text goes to cell phones???

iOS:
Sending SMS from Hangouts goes only to existing Hangouts users
but it does send SMS text to cell phones???

Why would Apple be different?

[Lloyd E Parsons]

I'm confused myself. :)

I tried Hangouts on Android (my NookHD tablet) and could send a text to
my cell phone number just fine.

Tried it with the Hangouts on my iPad and couldn't find a way to send
it to a phone number. As to why, I suppose they just haven't
implemented it on the iOS version yet, or I don't understand how to do
it.

--
Lloyd

[Lloyd E Parsons]

Did some googling. According to a few sources, SMS can't be
implemented on iOS. Since SMS will work from Apple's software, I
suspect that is a limit that Apple put on 3rd party software and not a
technical reason.

--
Lloyd

[Lloyd E Parsons]

On 2014-05-12 15:30:03 +0000, Lewis said:

> In message <btc5pv...@mid.individual.net>

> What's App sends sms messages, and I think TextFree (which may have been
> renamed Ping! ?

> ?) could as well when I used it ages ago.
>
> And, of course, Google Voice can send SMS messages from iOS.

Well, until towards the end of this month anyway... :)
--
Lloyd

[Pat Wilson]

M.L. wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 21:28:42 -0500:

> Google Chat currently allows free calls to/from any USA phone if you
> have a GV number and install the chat plugin. You must use the Gmail
> interface and a headphone to send/receive calls. I'm not certain if
> Hangouts will fully replace Chat.

Are you sure about the requirement for *headphones*?
Can't Google Chat use the microphone?

What's the difference (technically) between the microphone/speaker
and headphone anyway?

[Pat Wilson]

Lewis wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 15:28:23 +0000:

>> 3. Free outgoing SMS texts to US mobile phones from Android or iPad
>

> Not as far as I can tell. I have to launch the old Google Voice app to
> send or read SMS messages.

I'll check out this "Google Chat" to see if it does incoming and
outgoing SMS to and from cellphones in the USA.

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd E Parsons wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 09:57:04 -0500:

> According to a few sources, SMS can't be
> implemented on iOS.

Hmmmmmmmm...... but the Talkatone SMS seems to have worked
going from the iPad to the cellphone, and vice versa.

At least I think it did.

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 23:10:31 +0000:

> I'll check out this "Google Chat" to see if it does incoming and
> outgoing SMS to and from cellphones in the USA.

I don't know how up-to-date this reference is from Google,
but check it out:

https://www.google.com/mobile/sms/

Google SMS applications
-----------------------
Use Google applications via SMS text message.
---------------------------------------------
1. SMS in Gmail
Send free SMS to your contacts from Gmail.

2. Calendar SMS
Check your calendar when you're on the go.

3. Google Voice Text messages
Send and receive SMS text messages through the Google Voice.

4. Blogger Mobile
Keep your readers posted wherever you are.

5. Google+ SMS
No data? No service? No problem! Now with SMS notifications for Google+, you can stay connected on the go wherever you are.

[Lloyd]

Confusing, huh?

--
from Lloyd's iPad

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Sun, 11 May 2014 12:43:28 +0000:

> 3. MAKING or RECEIVING free SMS on the iPad with Google Hangouts:
> I don't think Google Hangouts has an SMS capability.
> If it does, I can't find it.

I just found out that Google Chat SMS features have been turned
off as of April 1st, 2014, according to this notification:

https://support.google.com/chat/answer/112176?hl=en
SMS through Google Chat in Gmail was discontinued

As of April 1, 2014, sending SMS messages to phone contacts through
Google Chat in Gmail was discontinued for all supported mobile operators.

Existing users can opt in to Hangouts and select to receive messages in SMS
settings ( https://www.google.com/settings/smsextensions ).

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 23:41:11 +0000:

> 3. Google Voice Text messages
> Send and receive SMS text messages through the Google Voice.

Here's the web page on Google Voice SMS text, I think:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115116?hl=en

Send text messages
MMS: At this time MMS is not supported by Google Voice.

International text messages: At this time Google Voice text messaging doesn't support sending and receiving text messages from international numbers, with the exception of Canadian numbers. You can only send and receive text messages to phone numbers in the U.S and Canada.

There are several ways to send text messages from the Google Voice website.

To prevent abuse, there are limits to the number of text messages you can send from Google Voice. If you've reached the limits, you will see a message that says 'Your message was not sent because the text message limit was reached. Please try again later or try sending to fewer contacts.' You'll have to send to fewer people, or try sending your text message at a later time.
If you're having trouble sending or receiving text messages please use our troubleshooters to help you resolve your issue.

Forward your messages to your cellphone

Anyone can send a text message to your Google number and the message will be forwarded only to the phones you've marked as Mobile in the Phone Type section of your Phones tab.

If you reply to the message, your replies display your Google number as the caller ID and the whole conversation is stored and searchable from your inbox.

The text messages that are sent to your Google number will also be displayed on the website. You can reply to the text message from the Web as well.

Receive text messages in your email

In addition to receiving text messages sent to your Google number on your mobile device and in your Google Voice inbox, you can also have text messages sent to your Google number delivered to your email address. By enabling Google Voice text-messaging to email, you'll be able to keep, search, and organize your text messages along with your email messages.

If you enable Google Voice text messaging to email, text messages sent to your Google number will be delivered to the email address associated with your Google Account. If you reply to the text email message, your reply will be sent as a text message to the original sender.

To enable sending Google Voice Text Messaging to the email address associated with your Google Account, follow these steps:

Click the gear icon at the top of the page, click Settings, and select the Voicemail & Text tab.
Check the box next to 'Forward text messages to my email:' in the 'Text Forwarding' section.
Click Save Changes.

Note: You can only reply to text messages from the email address it was originally sent to. If you're forwarding messages from the email address associated with your Google Account to another email address and try to reply to the text message from the other address, your text message won't be delivered.

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 23:41:13 +0000:

> Confusing, huh?

I'm thoroughly confused!

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 23:44:53 +0000:

> Existing users can opt in to Hangouts and select to receive messages in SMS
> settings ( https://www.google.com/settings/smsextensions ).

Can someone else try this in the USA?
https://www.google.com/settings/smsextensions

I went there. It told me to log into Gmail. I logged into Gmail.

Then it said SMS wasn't supported "for my country".

Do you get the same message from the USA?

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd E Parsons wrote, on Mon, 12 May 2014 11:42:11 -0500:

>> And, of course, Google Voice can send SMS messages from iOS.
> Well, until towards the end of this month anyway...

I'm thoroughly confused, what with the different ways
iOS & Android handle SMS with hangouts plus the drop-dead
dates for Google Voice & Google Chat integrations.

But, if these two URLs are still valid, Google Voice
support shows how to send SMS text to a cellphone here:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/168516?hl=en

And here are the instructions for the iPhone:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065742?hl=en

Here's the text of that first URL:
Text messages

You can use Google Voice to send and receive text (SMS) messages.

Text messages will be sent through your data plan, as opposed to your
text messaging plan, so there won't be any text messaging charges for
messages sent to numbers in the US or Canada.

Send a text message

Open your Inbox.
Press Menu and touch Compose.
Enter the phone number to which you want to send the message. You can
also enter the name of a contact with a mobile number.
Enter a short text message.
Touch Send.

Your Google Voice number will show to the person you're messaging.

You can also send text messages by selecting the person's number under
Contacts. You'll be prompted to complete the action using Google Voice or
Messaging, and you have the option to set Google Voice as your defaut
selection.
Read and reply to a text message

When someone sends a text message to your Google Voice number, you
receive a notification that it’s in your Google Voice Inbox.

Open the Notifications panel and touch the notification that you have
a message. You can also touch any message that’s in your Inbox. The
message, and any previous messages in the conversation, is displayed.

To reply to the message, enter a short message and touch Send.

Note: If you have your mobile phone listed as one of your forwarding
phones, replies will come to your Android Messaging app. Depending on
your carrier, you may be charged for your received text messages.

To disable this and only have messages sent to the Google Voice app:

Sign in at voice.google.com,
Go to Settings > Voice settings > Phones > (your iPhone number) >
Edit > Receive text messages on this phone
Uncheck and Save.


And here's the text of that second URL (for the iPhone):
Send and receive text messages
Send a text message

You can send text messages that display your Google Voice phone number to
the person you're messaging. To do so, follow these steps:

Launch Google Voice for iPhone.
Tap the Dialer tab.
Enter the person's number, then tap the Text button.
Compose your message, and tap the Send button.

You can also send text messages by selecting the person's number under
"Quick Dial" or, tapping Text at the top right side of your Inbox. You
can even respond to messages in your Inbox via text.

Text messages will be sent through your data plan, as opposed to your
text messaging plan, so there won't be any text messaging charges for
messages sent to numbers in the US or Canada.
Notifications about new text messages

Google Voice for iPhone uses push notifications to instantly alert you
when you receive a new text message. You can manage your options by going
to Apple's Settings > Notifications > Google Voice. There is no charge
for text messages received in Google Voice for iPhone.
If you enable push notifications on your iPhone, text forwarding will
automatically be disabled from your Google Voice account. This means that
text messages sent to your Google Voice number will only show up in the
Google Voice for iPhone app, and will not show up as a duplicate
notification in your iPhone Messages app. If you choose to have text
messages forwarded to your iPhone Messages app, you may be charged for
your received text messages, depending on your text messaging plan.

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Tue, 13 May 2014 03:52:59 +0000:

> And here are the instructions for the iPhone:
> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065742?hl=en

> Launch Google Voice for iPhone.

I easily found Google Voice on Android (it's just called "Voice")
but there is apparently no Google Voice for the iPad.

I see Google Voice for the iPhone only.

So, I ran this (successful) test of SMS texting on the iPad
to my Android cellphone which did *not* have Google Voice
installed on it (the Android cellphone only has a normal
default SMS texting app).

1. I downloaded "Google Voice" for the iPhone onto the iPad.
2. I launched Google Voice for iPhone on the iPad
3. "Settings->About" reported Google Voice "v. 1.5.0.5049"
4. "Settings->This device" reported "Not a phone"
5. I pressed the Google Voice "Dialer" button
6. I entered my US cellphone number of the form: 12125551212
7. Instead of the "Call" button, I hit the green "Text" button.
8. I typed up a short text message & hit the "Send" button.
9. That message was received on my Android cellphone SMS "Message" app.
10. I typed a reply on my Android cellphone SMS app.
11. That reply was received on the iPad in Google Voice!
12. That reply was also received on the iPad in GMail.
13. An iPad or Linux or Android Gmail reply went back to the Google Voice
app on the iPad.

So, the "Google Voice" app seems to allow free texting to and
from the iPad!

One question:
Since the Google Voice seems to work on the iPad, do you
know why it's only listed as an iPhone app?

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 12:58:34 +0000:

> I've been using Talkatone on both iPad & Android to call landlines and
> to RECEIVE calls from landlines (Talkatone used Google Voice).
> After May 15th, it won't work.
> What will?

How does this sound as a step-by-step tutorial for others to try
who want free US phone calls & SMS texting on their mobile devices?

Soon Talkatone won't work the same because Google Voice is disengaging
as of May 15, 2015.
http://support.talkatone.com/customer/portal/articles/1410745-support-for-
google-voice-ending-may-15-2014

So, what we want to replace are these four free capabilities:
a. Free outgoing calls from Android or iOS tablets to all US phone numbers
b. Free incoming calls to Android or iOS tablets from anywhere
c. Free outgoing SMS texts from Android or iOS tablets to US cellphones
d. Free incoming SMS text to Android or iOS tablets from anywhere

It seems, so far, the newsgroup has come up with these two suggestions:
A. Google Hangouts app (free calls + free video conferencing on tablets)
B. Google Voice app (free calls + free SMS texting on tablets)

Note: I already had a Google Voice & GMail account previously set up.

Here's how I set up Google Hangouts on the iPad (free calls + video):
0. On the iPad, in the App Store, I searched for "Google Hangouts" (using
the default "iPad Only" search)
1. On the iPad, I downloaded "Google Hangouts" onto the iPad
2. On the iPad, I launched Google Hangouts
3. On the iPad, I had to log in to Google Hangouts the first time using
my Gmail account (after that, it remembered my login details)
4. On the iPad, I pressed the Google Hangouts "Call" button & then the
"keypad" symbol.
5. On the iPad, using the Hangouts keypad, I entered any US telephone
number of the format 12125551212
6. On the iPad, I hit the green Google Hangouts keypad "Call" button
7. On the iPad, in Google Hangouts, I was able to talk to the recipient
8. If we cared, we could also have seen video of each other (but we
didn't bother).

Here's how I set up Google Voice on the iPad (free calls + SMS):
0. On the iPad, in the App Store, I searched for "Google Voice" after
turning on "iPhone Only" <=== this is not intuitive!
1. On the iPad, I downloaded "Google Voice" for the iPhone onto the iPad
2. On the iPad, I launched the newly installed Google Voice app.
3. On the iPad, I had to log in to Google Voice the first time using my
Google Voice account name & password (after that, it remembered the login)
4. On the iPad, I pressed the Google Voice "Dialer" button
5. On the iPad, I entered a US cellphone number of the form: 12125551212
6. On the iPad, I hit the green Google Voice "Text" button
7. On the iPad, in Google Voice, I typed up a short text message & hit
the Google Voice "Send" button
8. On the recipient cellphone, that message was received in the default
SMS "Message" app (the Android cellphone did *not* have the Google Voice
app installed; it only had the default SMS texting app)
9. On the Android phone, I typed a reply on the cellphone default SMS app.
10. That reply was received on the iPad in the newly downloaded Google
Voice app.
11. That reply was also received in Gmail on the iPad, and in Gmail on
the Android phone, and in Gmail on the Linux & Windows laptops.
12. An iPad or Linux or Windows or Android Gmail reply went back to the

Google Voice app on the iPad.

I tested both with just WiFi enabled, and with just the free (for
tablets) T-Mobile 4G Cellular enabled on the iPad; both seemed to work
the same, although the cellular seemed flaky with the Google Voice app
(but that might have been due to my low 4G signal levels so someone
else with better signal may want to test that out and report back).

In summary, we should be able to replace what Talkatone is losing on
May 15th with the combination of Google Hangouts (free US phone calls +
video conferencing) and Google Voice (free US phone calls & SMS texting).

Or so I think.

[M.L.]

On my laptop, without the headphone there is too much echo feedback to
allow an intelligible conversation from either end. Even a $5.00
headphone worked fine.

[M.L.]

>>> 3. Free outgoing SMS texts to US mobile phones from Android or iPad
>>
>> Not as far as I can tell. I have to launch the old Google Voice app to
>> send or read SMS messages.
>
>I'll check out this "Google Chat" to see if it does incoming and
>outgoing SMS to and from cellphones in the USA.

SMS can't be sent from the GMail/Chat interface, only from Google
Voice interface.

[mike]

Skype typically works well.
They put a delay in the feedback so it doesn't
"feed back".

[Pat Wilson]

M.L. wrote, on Tue, 13 May 2014 05:33:03 -0500:

>>I'll check out this "Google Chat" to see if it does incoming and
>>outgoing SMS to and from cellphones in the USA.
>
> SMS can't be sent from the GMail/Chat interface, only from Google Voice
> interface.

Looks like not only can't it be done, Google Chat appears
to be deprecated, in favor of, I guess, Hangouts & Google Voice.

[Pat Wilson]

mike wrote, on Tue, 13 May 2014 12:31:31 -0700:

> Skype typically works well.
> They put a delay in the feedback so it doesn't "feed back".

I've sometimes had a problem with built in mics and speakers,
but not in a while, so, thanks for clarifying the headphone
requirement.

[M.L.]

>>>I'll check out this "Google Chat" to see if it does incoming and
>>>outgoing SMS to and from cellphones in the USA.
>>
>> SMS can't be sent from the GMail/Chat interface, only from Google Voice
>> interface.
>
>Looks like not only can't it be done, Google Chat appears
>to be deprecated, in favor of, I guess, Hangouts & Google Voice.

I just used Chat today.

[Pat Wilson]

M.L. wrote, on Wed, 14 May 2014 11:08:33 -0500:

> I just used Chat today.

I see I must have been mistaken.
I agree I am thoroughly confused.

At the moment, I have Google Hangouts on the iPad calling any USA
phone number for free, but I can't yet get the iPad Hangouts to
audibly RING when I use a landline to call my Google Voice number.

When I call, from a landline, my Google Voice number, I see
a silent "swipe to answer this call" notification on the iPad,
which then opens Hangouts, which then connects to the call.

But, the iPad doesn't ring yet. Need to figure that one out.

As for SMS text, the iPhone Google Voice application seems to
work on the iPad to send and receive SMS text messages.

That Google Voice application also has the strange ability
to "call" (duplicating hangouts?) but it seems to need a
second phone to make that call, so, I consider it worthless
(where would that ever be useful?)

[M.L.]

>That Google Voice application also has the strange ability
>to "call" (duplicating hangouts?) but it seems to need a
>second phone to make that call, so, I consider it worthless
>(where would that ever be useful?)

You can forward the GV number to the second number to make cheap calls
via a 3rd party Voip provider. Hangouts not needed.

For example, Localphone provides a phone number for $1.00/month with
1�/minute for outgoing calls. Incoming and 800 number calls are free.
3rd party Voip providers can offer services that GV or Hangouts
cannot.

Forwarding your GV number to a 3rd party number allows you to change
your Voip provider without changing your GV number.

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 12:58:34 +0000:

> After May 15th, it won't work.

Talkatone sent me a message saying it dies at 9am today!

[Pat Wilson]

M.L. wrote, on Wed, 14 May 2014 23:57:40 -0500:

> You can forward the GV number to the second number to make cheap calls
> via a 3rd party Voip provider. Hangouts not needed.

Ah. I see. I would normally just ask "why wouldn't I just use that
cheap VOIP provider in the first place?". But, that would show up
to the recipient as some whacko phone number (which isn't my GV number).

Right?

> Forwarding your GV number to a 3rd party number allows you to change
> your Voip provider without changing your GV number.

I see. So, to summarize:

a. I can use my cheap VOIP provider to call people, but, they would
see that I'm using a whacko number (which is not my GV number).

b. If I use the GV app to make that call, it can make the call for me,
and the recipient would only see my GV number (and not the VOIP provider
number).

Hmmmmmmmmmm.....
Does that mean I can call Europe on, say, Skype or Ooma,
from the GV app on my iPad, and the recipient "thinks" the call is
made from my GV number, but, I pay only the 2cents/minute that
Skype or Ooma charges me?

Why wouldn't I just make that International call from GV which
would then charge me the 2c/minute?

From the USA, aren't all three about the same to, say, Germany?
a. Skype is about 2c/minute from USA to German landlines, & about 40c/minute to cellphones.
a. Ooma is about 2c/minute from USA to German landlines, & about 40c/minute to cellphones.
a. GV is about 2c/minute from USA to German landlines, & about 40c/minute to cellphones.

[DevilsPGD]

In the last episode of <lktrv0$1l6$1...@dont-email.me>, mike

Yup. Except that latency is terrible for human communication, our brains
don't handle it well and we trip over each other's words constantly.

Still, it's a solution for when a company can't figure out echo
cancellation.

--
Going to war over religion is fighting to see who's got the
better imaginary friend.

[Pat Wilson]

Lloyd E Parsons wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 08:16:25 -0500:

> Google Hangouts is probably what you are looking for.

I had three of four things working:
1. Calling *out* from Hangouts on the iPad, for free, to USA telephone numbers.
2. SMS texting *out* from Google Voice on the iPad, for free, to USA mobile phones.
3. SMS texting *in* to Google Voice on the iPad (and to Gmail) from anyone.

The fourth task, I will need to test how to set it up:
4. Calls *in* to Hangouts on the iPad, for free, from anyone.

I "think" the procedure to set up #4 free "incoming calls" on the iPad is here:
https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3438876?hl=en

Set the Hangouts app as the default for incoming Google Voice calls
Open the iOS Hangouts app.
Touch your profile photo at the top of the screen.
Choose the settings icon.
Touch Phone number.
Touch Incoming phone calls to on make Hangouts the preferred destination for all calls made to your Google Voice number.

Hangouts will be the automatic setting for calls to the Hangout app on iPads and iPod Touches, but not iPhones.
This setting is only for each device you have, not each account.
So if you more than one device you'll need to change the setting on each device.

[Wolfgang Barth]

Am 04.05.2014 14:58, schrieb Pat Wilson:
> I've been using Talkatone on both iPad & Android to call landlines
> and to RECEIVE calls from landlines (Talkatone used Google Voice).
>

For incoming calls use IPKall.com
And use any IP-Voice Provider and IP telephone App like 3cx.

[Pat Wilson]

Pat Wilson wrote, on Sun, 04 May 2014 12:58:34 +0000:

> I've been using Talkatone on both iPad & Android to call landlines
> and to RECEIVE calls from landlines (Talkatone used Google Voice).

> After May 15th, it won't work.

> What will?

THANK YOU ALL!

Here is my final update now that it's finally all working!

My prior problem was that I inadvertently had a different email address
for Hangouts than I did on Google Voice, so that's why all four critical
items weren't working these past days.

Now that I fixed that, I have a reasonable 1:1 replacement (actually 1:2)
for replacing Talkatone's four features:
-----
1. You can now MAKE calls from the iPad to all USA numbers for free (using the "Google Hangouts" iPad app).
2. You can now RECEIVE calls on your iPad for free (using the "Google Hangouts" iPad app) when people call your Google Voice number.
-----
3. You can now SEND SMS text from the iPad to USA mobile phones (using the "Google Voice" iPhone app on the iPad).
4. You can now RECEIVE SMS text on the iPad (using the "Google Voice" iPhone app on the iPad) when people text your Google Voice number.
-----

If anyone knows why you can't find "Google Voice" in the "iPad only" section,
I'd appreciate knowing why.

[Pat Wilson]

Lewis wrote, on Sun, 18 May 2014 01:30:50 +0000:

> Because there is no ipad version of the Google Voice app.

Luckily, the iPhone version of the Google Voice app
seems to work just fine on my iOS7 iPad Air.

[runn...@gmail.com]

Finally, I head the magic words - IPKall!
Can someone guide me through/show me the steps to configure GV+IPkLL?
Talkatone was a charm and reading all the prior posts - i am a confused heap!!
appeciate your help, in advance.

Thanks, a

[runn...@gmail.com]

Second post in quick succession!
@Pat Wilson, I am going to print out this thread and follow your steps (outlined, i think). Hope it works! if not, i will be back here to post!

thanks, a

[anuradh...@gmail.com]

Finally, I head the magic words - IPKall!
Can someone guide me through/show me the steps to configure GV+IPkLL

Talkatone was a charm and helped me deal with daughters in college while I was in India.

appeciate your help, in advance.

Thanks, a

On Friday, May 16, 2014 2:43:05 PM UTC+5:30, Wolfgang Barth wrote: