Quote from: TTCP on September 02, 2016, 04:12:22 PM
Quote from: vtsnaab on September 01, 2016, 07:49:12 PM
Why not get a free DID from Callcentric ??
They give away free NY numbers.
CallCentric free DID can only receive voice calls. It is not capable of receiving text messages.
If some Google employees can come out and tell us the real reason why these free app-style phone numbers not working, and show us the source code/algorithm how Google does it, that would be great. Hope Google will not treat it as trade secret.
I think Google has plug the hole, and ****All**** the hacks/articles on the Internet on how to get GV numbers from outside USA is outdated and not working.
Google has put in place various tools to minimize fraud and abuse of the service. They're not going to publish their methods. Does your credit card company publish documentation on how their fraud detection systems work?
The point is: Google Voice is intended to be a comprehensive inbound call forwarding, voicemail and text message management service. It was never intended to be a substitute for legitimate US telephone service, as doing so would run afoul of US telecom regulations requiring carriers to provide E911 service, and to pay Federal, state and local taxes and USF fees. Google had to implement stricter eligibility requirements to protect that legal and regulatory distinction, and to minimize abuse of the service by people grabbing multiple numbers.
Here are a few actual, (documented on the Google Voice Help Forum) examples of abuse that will help illustrate why this is a big deal:
Online "escort services" (prostitutes) have published Google Voice numbers obtained fraudulently, and published them on their "backpage.com" or craigslist listings.
Predators have been using multiple GV numbers to call and text their victims with violent and/or sexually abusive messages, then deleting and changing their numbers to do it again.
Companies that prey on the families of prison inmates were snatching up multiple Google Voice numbers near various Federal or state prisons, and selling these numbers to the inmates' contacts, as a cheaper, local call for the inmate. In some cases, every single number in the podunk town near the prison was taken.
If all you are looking for is VoIP telephone service, with none of the other features Google Voice offers, then there are plenty of other alternatives.