Forwarding Google Voice Number to India Cellphone

[Deep]

It may be a duplicate topic. I recently switched from vonage to Obihai (using GV) for international call.  Vonage website was having a feature to forward all call to anywhere. So whenever I do a trip abroad I used to forward it to my India cellphone number. Wondering how do I achieve that using Obihai or Google Voice. I don't see an option in Google Voice for call forwarding.

I will be obliged if you can help me with that if there is any such option available.

- Deep

[SteveInWA]

 

Google Voice IS a call forwarding service.  You can forward calls to up to six US phone numbers, and to an OBi device, and to Google Hangouts.  You can't forward Google Voice calls to non-US numbers via the Google Voice service itself.  You'd have to forward it via a different service provider.

The easiest and cheapest solution is to install Google Hangouts on the Indian cellphone, assuming that cell phone is a smartphone with WiFi and/or 3G/4G data service.  You can then answer the call on the Hangouts client on that phone.  Hangouts uses data, not voice connections, so your cost will only be whatever it costs you to connect to the internet on that phone.

[LTN1]

Hi Steve...from what I understand (unless things have recently changed), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) severely limits VoIP usage in India. They want to keep a monopoly on PSTN and cell usage--thus VoIP would disrupt their monopoly. This is why most people in India would not be able to receive incoming VoIP calls like GV or Hangouts.

[SteveInWA]

All I know is that, because of those regulations, Google Hangouts and Chat/XMPP outbound calls can only be made from India to other countries (international calls), while Indian domestic calling is unavailable.  Inbound calling to a US number, answered on a Hangouts client on an Indian network, may/should work, but I have no personal experience.

[LTN1]

I think you are right Steve. I may have been confused with using Hangouts (dialing and receiving) WHILE in India AND to other Indian numbers.

Receiving calls from outside of India on Hangouts should be fine...but perhaps someone using it in India can confirm.

[Lavarock7]

I looked up Voip.Ms rates and they appear to be 2.5 cents per minute to India cellphones.

I don't know how that compared to Googlevoice. Forwarding from GV to Voip.Ms would also cost a bit for the inbound call. Then again, a new inbound number with them is only about 85 cents a month. Still, not free like GoogleVoice, but perhaps an option for a month or so.

[LTN1]

Assuming the cell phone has reliable data or WiFi connection, besides the Voip.Ms route, and assuming a person didn't want all the extra options besides normal call forwarding and caller ID, I would consider Localphone.com as a forwarding option. GV to Localphone to Indian cell. The forwarding rate is 1.3 cents and lower depending on pay per minute or subscription: https://www.localphone.com/call/india