Signed up with PhonePower but can't access GV voicemail?

[kittyworld]

I signed up w/ PhonePower last night, w/ Google Voice number forwarding and outbound number spoofing. All is well except dialing GV number to check for GV voicemail doesn't work - just silence, and the call won't go through at all (maybe because it keeps on bouncing back to itself?). I can also use PP's vmail but GV's vmail always kicks in first, and there's no way to disable vm on GV settings. This phone service is for my mom, who has no computer to check her vm any other way but on her phone directly. So, how do you guys handle the voicemail situation?

Worse comes to worst I am thinking about porting her GV number to PP, but I like GV's ability to ring her cell phone simultaneously in case she is out of the house.

[Taoman]

So, how do you guys handle the voicemail situation?

This is indeed a problem and not just for PhonePower. Anyone spoofing their outbound CID with their GV number will have a problem accessing their GV voicemail. PhonePower is well aware of the problem and "supposedly" working on a solution but I wouldn't hold my breath. Here is a thread on it over at PP forums:
http://www.phonepower.com/forum/?topic=cant-call-google-voice-voicemail&paged=2#post-12168

If an alternate outgoing phone number, computer, or smart phone is not available then the only "solution" I am aware of is to preface the call to GV voicemail with *67 to block outgoing CID. To say this a less than perfect solution is an understatement. You still have to jump through hoops to access your voicemail. You have to wait for GV to pickup, hit the * key, enter your PIN, and then enter one of your forwarding DID numbers for verification. A major pain in the a$$ to say the least.

[Echo]

If you log into your GV account and click the gear symbol for Settings, go to where you marked the box to forward GV calls to your PP number.

Click the Edit button there and then click Show Advanced Settings.

You will see Voicemail Access. Select Yes to direct your self-call to have access to Google voicemail, with or without using your 4-digit PIN, as you choose.

If you ported your GV number to PP, then you only have PP voicemail when somebody dials your former GV number.

[kittyworld]

If you log into your GV account and click the gear symbol for Settings, go to where you marked the box to forward GV calls to your PP number.

Click the Edit button there and then click Show Advanced Settings.

You will see Voicemail Access. Select Yes to direct your self-call to have access to Google voicemail, with or without using your 4-digit PIN, as you choose.

I did that first. Didn't work. Then checked "no". Same thing. Remember I had outbound number spoofed as my GV number. That's why it didn't work. GV needs to see that the call comes from my real PP number.

I thought about porting the number to PP, but GV does a great job at filtering out spam calls and ringing different phone numbers at different time of the day. I think these features alone worth gold.

[kittyworld]

OK, I found a solution. I already have PhonePower @ sp1, so I add GV as sp2. Meanwhile, do NOT check Google Chat as a forwarding number on your GV settings - you are no longer using it for regular phone calls.

Now program **2xxxxxxxxxx in your phone's VM access number. **2 means you are calling out via sp2. the 7Xs are your GV number. Voila! even the vm indicator light works just like the old days!

Ok I don't know if this method will continue to work in the coming days, weeks, or months. When I signed up w/ PP last night GV no longer ringed my incoming calls but didn't test the outbound calls. So try this solution and let me know if it works for you. If anybody has a better solution please share!

[gderf]

What you are doing is no different than everyone else is doing by calling their GV number via GV from their OBi. It will work until XMPP stops working, whenever that is. At which point you'll have to come up with another solution.