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any Google announcements about Google Voice operation in 2017?

Started by lwaltierre, January 05, 2017, 06:32:51 PM

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lwaltierre

We are seniors and learn to rely on Obi202 and Obi201 to use Google Voice at home.
We want to know any announcements from Google about operation of Google Voice for 2017?

Thank you for your help.

SteveInWA

Many years ago, Google Voice's continued offer of free US calls was considered a temporary, or promotional/limited-time thing.  Eventually, Google fully embraced the offering, and it has been continually investing in the service and its infrastructure.  The back-end has been completely rebuilt/modernized, and the service has grown to many millions of users.  The same infrastructure is also used by Google Hangouts, Project Fi (hybrid VoIP/mobile phone service) and Google Fiber Phone. Some cool things are coming up this year.

It's not going away.

lwaltierre

Thank you for your reply.

We want to make sure we can rely on the Obi201 as our primary phone.

What is the best and safe method to port our current AT&T landland to Google Voice account?
We also wish to pay to make this ported land line number permanent.

Is there an exact step by step method to do this accurately. Thanks.

LTN1

One port method using landline to T-Mobile prepaid then to GV:

http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial

Just make sure the landline number is portable to GV in the first place.

SteveInWA

Quote from: lwaltierre on January 07, 2017, 09:54:19 AM
Thank you for your reply.

We want to make sure we can rely on the Obi201 as our primary phone.

What is the best and safe method to port our current AT&T landland to Google Voice account?
We also wish to pay to make this ported land line number permanent.

Is there an exact step by step method to do this accurately. Thanks.

Your first post implied that you already use Google Voice.  So, what are you trying to do now, port another number into Google Voice (AT&T landline)?  What do you want to do with your existing Google Voice number; keep it, or get rid of it?  If you keep it, do you want to be able to have two completely independent inbound/outbound numbers that work on two different telephone lines?  Or, do you want both inbound numbers to ring the same, single telephone line?

You identified as "seniors".  Do you have a cell phone for emergency use?  Google Voice is not 100% reliable, and it cannot, by itself, make 911 calls.   It is not intended to be the sole replacement for a land line -- it's not a free telephone company.  You will also need to sign up for E911 service with another provider, such as Callcentric or Anveo.

Aside from those questions, here is the "step by step" guide you asked for:

http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial

lwaltierre

I now understand porting my current AT&T land line is lot more complicated.
We can change and inform all contacts including credit card, banks, etc, to our current Google Voice number connected to the Obi202.

I checked, Google Voice cannot port our current AT&T land line number, with this message:
Ooops! We currently don't support porting from your carrier. We apologize and are working on adding support for more carriers.
I check T-Mobile, and I can transfer my AT&T land line number to T-Mobile cell phone.
Yes, we have a spare unlock GSM Android phone.

We have no need to keep our current Google Voice number.

Where in Google Voice I can make this ported number permanent?

In Obi Tutorial, www.obihai.com/porttutorial
item #6, I do not understand the T-Mobile pin number? Do you mean the T-Mobile log in account password?

Thank you for your advice.

SteveInWA

Quote
We can change and inform all contacts including credit card, banks, etc, to our current Google Voice number connected to the Obi202.

Again:  what do you really really really really want to end up with?  Why would you inform everyone of your current GV number, but then you say:

Quote
We have no need to keep our current Google Voice number.

Please clearly describe your ultimate end goal, again understanding/acknowledging that Google Voice is not intended to be your sole telephone service, and it cannot place emergency calls without adding a 911 service provider?

Choose one:

  • Keep current inbound GV number, and also port in your current AT&T number.
  • Replace your current inbound GV number with your ported-in AT&T number.

The error message you received is because you are trying to port in a land line.  I thought the tutorial was pretty clear on this:  Google Voice will not port in land line numbers.  You'd have to first port the number to the T-Mobile service, wait a week, then port the now-T-Mobile number into Google Voice.

lwaltierre

We wish to use Obi202 connecting to Google Voice to use our current AT&T land line number.

We wish to replace our current inbound Google Voice number with our AT&T land line number.


When I activate the T-Mobile SIM card, can I ask T-Mobile to activate this SIM card using my AT&T land line number?

SteveInWA

You need to port your AT&T number to T-Mobile.  Porting means:  T-Mobile will request, on your behalf, to AT&T, that AT&T lets T-Mobile take control of your number, thus canceling service with AT&T.  Do NOT simply activate the SIM; that will assign a random T-Mobile number to it.

Please read the porting tutorial linked in my previous post.

After you port the AT&T number to T-Mobile, wait at least 2-3 days, and ensure that inbound and outbound calls and inbound and outbound text messages to and from the T-Mobile phone work to/from other phone numbers.  Only then, begin the port into Google Voice.  After your port into Google Voice is fully complete, your original Google Voice number will become temporary, and will be removed after 90 days.

lwaltierre

thank you.

After I purchase the T-Mobile SIM card.
How do I ask T-Mobile to request AT&T for my land line number?

LTN1

Quote from: lwaltierre on January 13, 2017, 10:16:53 AM
thank you.

After I purchase the T-Mobile SIM card.
How do I ask T-Mobile to request AT&T for my land line number?


You call T-Mobile prepaid support and request that your AT&T number be ported into your T-Mobile prepaid account. You will also have to activate your T-Mobile SIM card by filling it with some money--I think $10 is the minimum. I trust that you can find the T-Mobile support numbers by yourself.

SteveInWA

Quote from: lwaltierre on January 13, 2017, 10:16:53 AM
thank you.

After I purchase the T-Mobile SIM card.
How do I ask T-Mobile to request AT&T for my land line number?

This is all spelled out in Obihai's porting tutorial, which LTN1 already provided to you as a link.

Again, click here:  http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial