Re calling plans, are you on AT&T and would you mind telling me which plan? I will check it out to see if it would work better for me than what I have now.
Re the prepaid phone and number porting thing, perhaps I did not make my point well. In fact it is a very popular way of using gv and I tried it myself. (Abandoned it for reasons I won't get into here.) It goes like this:
Say you want the cheapest phone minutes, text and data and no contract. You have a few choices, mostly tracfone type stuff. Since there is no contract, you move to another carrier when something better comes along. These companies are notorious for horrible cs and often botch number porting so you don't even bother trying to port your number. You just take a new number each time. Since all your contacts use your gv number to call you anyway, you just add your new number to your gv account and presto! You don't miss a beat. Can you see where under that scenario I might say that this is not the profile of an iPhone user? There was nothing derogatory in my statement.
Cheers.
heh, I am a Canadian, so my plan won't help you (Actually, it also makes GV, whether native or web app, completely useless to me, since they cannot yet get regulatory approval for providing local Canadian numbers). But, I have found that my carrier is willing to bend over backward to keep me. I can call and adjust my plan pretty much as I like and my current plan is about 70% discounted from their retail offerings. I have heard AT&T isn't as generous or flexible with their client retentions offers, but they have some ability, so it might be worth calling to ask about cancelling your contract to see what they would offer you to stay. I have used the Skype call back service (where it calls the destination number and calls me on my phone) in the past for long distance calling, and so I have my carrier add unlimited incoming for free to my plan, which made all my long distance calls free (lately there is an annoying ringing on the line so I stopped using this service). If the GV apps instead support pass through dialing, then I will try to get free local calling or a much larger bucket of local calling minutes and maybe drop the early evenings I have as a trade off (this is assuming the GV service ever gets to Canada).
You might be right with your specific scenario. But I can see other scenarios that would perfectly with the typical iPhone user profile. Any user than has even a single phone number could benefit. It would give the more flexibility when choosing their plan. Perhaps they choose unlimited incoming or make sure they have a plan with a calling circle or unlimited local calling, etc. Having the GV service allows them to choose what would fit them best without having to move up to a plan that has extra services they don't want. I pay an extra $8 (nearly 40% of my entire voice plan) on my plan just to have VVM, as the base plan doesn't have VM. I could drop it but would have to pay $7 just for basic VM (talk about shitty). With GV, I could forgo the carrier VM and VVM entirely and drop my voice plan down to $13.
Since you asked, my plan gives me unlimited evenings and weekend starting at 5PM, 300 daytime minutes, unlimited incoming calls, 100 domestic long distance minutes, call display and VVM for $21. Without the VVM add-on it would be $13, which is pretty good for me. For some, this would be a shitty plan, as it doesn't have SMS/MMS, but I send like 10 SMS a year at $0.15 a pop, so no real loss for me not to have it. I guess if GV provided free US/Canadian long distance, I could save a few more dollars by dropping the 100 LD minutes, but I think that might be baked into the base plan and can't be dropped. I would certainly be able to avoid any long distance overages. Unfortunately data more than doubles the cost of my plan, at $30 for 6GB.
heh, I am a Canadian, so my plan won't help you (Actually, it also makes GV, whether native or web app, completely useless to me, since they cannot yet get regulatory approval for providing local Canadian numbers). But, I have found that my carrier is willing to bend over backward to keep me. I can call and adjust my plan pretty much as I like and my current plan is about 70% discounted from their retail offerings. I have heard AT&T isn't as generous or flexible with their client retentions offers, but they have some ability, so it might be worth calling to ask about cancelling your contract to see what they would offer you to stay. I have used the Skype call back service (where it calls the destination number and calls me on my phone) in the past for long distance calling, and so I have my carrier add unlimited incoming for free to my plan, which made all my long distance calls free (lately there is an annoying ringing on the line so I stopped using this service). If the GV apps instead support pass through dialing, then I will try to get free local calling or a much larger bucket of local calling minutes and maybe drop the early evenings I have as a trade off (this is assuming the GV service ever gets to Canada).
You might be right with your specific scenario. But I can see other scenarios that would perfectly with the typical iPhone user profile. Any user than has even a single phone number could benefit. It would give the more flexibility when choosing their plan. Perhaps they choose unlimited incoming or make sure they have a plan with a calling circle or unlimited local calling, etc. Having the GV service allows them to choose what would fit them best without having to move up to a plan that has extra services they don't want. I pay an extra $8 (nearly 40% of my entire voice plan) on my plan just to have VVM, as the base plan doesn't have VM. I could drop it but would have to pay $7 just for basic VM (talk about shitty). With GV, I could forgo the carrier VM and VVM entirely and drop my voice plan down to $13.
Since you asked, my plan gives me unlimited evenings and weekend starting at 5PM, 300 daytime minutes, unlimited incoming calls, 100 domestic long distance minutes, call display and VVM for $21. Without the VVM add-on it would be $13, which is pretty good for me. For some, this would be a shitty plan, as it doesn't have SMS/MMS, but I send like 10 SMS a year at $0.15 a pop, so no real loss for me not to have it. I guess if GV provided free US/Canadian long distance, I could save a few more dollars by dropping the 100 LD minutes, but I think that might be baked into the base plan and can't be dropped. I would certainly be able to avoid any long distance overages. Unfortunately data more than doubles the cost of my plan, at $30 for 6GB.
Canadian!? That explains everything. . Don't get me started on the US telecom situation. It gets my blood pressure up too high. Unfortunately, I hold no sway with AT&T so they are not going to do me any favors either. Just too small a fish...that's me. Anyway, at least I have great coverage from AT&T in my area. Also, I'm on wifi a lot so I can get away with their $15 data plan. So I can't complain too much. Still, you are getting a better deal than me and with way more options. I'd never even heard of unlimited incoming (or any sort of incoming). They get treated the same as outgoing. And my nights start at 9pm. I have no SMS plan either. I use textfree or I can use gv if that is mire convenient.
Canadian!? That explains everything. . Don't get me started on the US telecom situation. It gets my blood pressure up too high. Unfortunately, I hold no sway with AT&T so they are not going to do me any favors either. Just too small a fish...that's me. Anyway, at least I have great coverage from AT&T in my area. Also, I'm on wifi a lot so I can get away with their $15 data plan. So I can't complain too much. Still, you are getting a better deal than me and with way more options. I'd never even heard of unlimited incoming (or any sort of incoming). They get treated the same as outgoing. And my nights start at 9pm. I have no SMS plan either. I use textfree or I can use gv if that is mire convenient.
Cheers.
The Canadian wireless companies are well known as the most profitable in the developed world. They are also well known for bending us over and being in pseudo-collusion (which is why they are so profitable). I learned how to play their game just so I wouldn't get as violated by them every month and over the years feel I have put myself in a good position with them now. In a few months I will call them and try to get my data down to $20 for the 6GB.
Our incoming are also generally treated the same as outgoing, but a few years ago they started offering 'free' incoming as a paid option. I jumped at it and negotiated it to be included at no extra cost. No different, I guess, from them giving us included incoming texts but charging for outgoing, unless you pay for a plan with texting.
...And in case you're wondering, my question was an honest one. What will the app do that google's web app does not? I never got to use the app (no iphone at the time) so maybe I'll try it once it's approved and be pleasantly surprised.
There isn't much you will be able to do with GV Mobile that you couldn't do with the web app, other than maybe a nicer "native" experience and quick access to your local contacts. Though, if you're a serious Google Voice user, you're probably already using Google Sync for your phone contacts anyway, so its moot.
Keep in mind that the web app didn't exist when GV Mobile and VoiceCentral were pulled. It took Google about six months to code one, mainly because they had a native application in the works and weren't anticipating Apple rejecting it.
Besides... its too late. Already switch to Android from my iPhone ^_^. Not looking back.
There isn't much you will be able to do with GV Mobile that you couldn't do with the web app, other than maybe a nicer "native" experience and quick access to your local contacts.
Push notifications would be HUGE. A GV app with push for SMS would make me switch to GV for 100% of my texting and AT&T would never see another penny from me for SMS.
Thank you for your response. Yes, the SMS part is true and very valid. I prefer textfree for free SMS so I use that.
I use TextNow and some of my friends use TextFree. But instead of using their texting number, we use GV number to text (see TextFree instructions and TextNow instructions for instructions).
Why? Like I said, I don't have much trust in TextFree or TextNow being around a long time. And using GV number with these apps mean my text messages are archived on Google's server. Of course, when and if Google (or 3rd party) releases Google Voice client with push notification, I won't even have to use these apps.
I use TextNow and some of my friends use TextFree. But instead of using their texting number, we use GV number to text (see TextFree instructions and TextNow instructions for instructions).
Why? Like I said, I don't have much trust in TextFree or TextNow being around a long time. And using GV number with these apps mean my text messages are archived on Google's server. Of course, when and if Google (or 3rd party) releases Google Voice client with push notification, I won't even have to use these apps.
Comments
Re the app differences, thanks for the details.
Re calling plans, are you on AT&T and would you mind telling me which plan? I will check it out to see if it would work better for me than what I have now.
Re the prepaid phone and number porting thing, perhaps I did not make my point well. In fact it is a very popular way of using gv and I tried it myself. (Abandoned it for reasons I won't get into here.) It goes like this:
Say you want the cheapest phone minutes, text and data and no contract. You have a few choices, mostly tracfone type stuff. Since there is no contract, you move to another carrier when something better comes along. These companies are notorious for horrible cs and often botch number porting so you don't even bother trying to port your number. You just take a new number each time. Since all your contacts use your gv number to call you anyway, you just add your new number to your gv account and presto! You don't miss a beat. Can you see where under that scenario I might say that this is not the profile of an iPhone user? There was nothing derogatory in my statement.
Cheers.
heh, I am a Canadian, so my plan won't help you
You might be right with your specific scenario. But I can see other scenarios that would perfectly with the typical iPhone user profile. Any user than has even a single phone number could benefit. It would give the more flexibility when choosing their plan. Perhaps they choose unlimited incoming or make sure they have a plan with a calling circle or unlimited local calling, etc. Having the GV service allows them to choose what would fit them best without having to move up to a plan that has extra services they don't want. I pay an extra $8 (nearly 40% of my entire voice plan) on my plan just to have VVM, as the base plan doesn't have VM. I could drop it but would have to pay $7 just for basic VM (talk about shitty). With GV, I could forgo the carrier VM and VVM entirely and drop my voice plan down to $13.
Since you asked, my plan gives me unlimited evenings and weekend starting at 5PM, 300 daytime minutes, unlimited incoming calls, 100 domestic long distance minutes, call display and VVM for $21. Without the VVM add-on it would be $13, which is pretty good for me. For some, this would be a shitty plan, as it doesn't have SMS/MMS, but I send like 10 SMS a year at $0.15 a pop, so no real loss for me not to have it. I guess if GV provided free US/Canadian long distance, I could save a few more dollars by dropping the 100 LD minutes, but I think that might be baked into the base plan and can't be dropped. I would certainly be able to avoid any long distance overages. Unfortunately data more than doubles the cost of my plan, at $30 for 6GB.
heh, I am a Canadian, so my plan won't help you
You might be right with your specific scenario. But I can see other scenarios that would perfectly with the typical iPhone user profile. Any user than has even a single phone number could benefit. It would give the more flexibility when choosing their plan. Perhaps they choose unlimited incoming or make sure they have a plan with a calling circle or unlimited local calling, etc. Having the GV service allows them to choose what would fit them best without having to move up to a plan that has extra services they don't want. I pay an extra $8 (nearly 40% of my entire voice plan) on my plan just to have VVM, as the base plan doesn't have VM. I could drop it but would have to pay $7 just for basic VM (talk about shitty). With GV, I could forgo the carrier VM and VVM entirely and drop my voice plan down to $13.
Since you asked, my plan gives me unlimited evenings and weekend starting at 5PM, 300 daytime minutes, unlimited incoming calls, 100 domestic long distance minutes, call display and VVM for $21. Without the VVM add-on it would be $13, which is pretty good for me. For some, this would be a shitty plan, as it doesn't have SMS/MMS, but I send like 10 SMS a year at $0.15 a pop, so no real loss for me not to have it. I guess if GV provided free US/Canadian long distance, I could save a few more dollars by dropping the 100 LD minutes, but I think that might be baked into the base plan and can't be dropped. I would certainly be able to avoid any long distance overages. Unfortunately data more than doubles the cost of my plan, at $30 for 6GB.
Canadian!? That explains everything.
Cheers.
Canadian!? That explains everything.
Cheers.
The Canadian wireless companies are well known as the most profitable in the developed world. They are also well known for bending us over and being in pseudo-collusion (which is why they are so profitable). I learned how to play their game just so I wouldn't get as violated by them every month and over the years feel I have put myself in a good position with them now. In a few months I will call them and try to get my data down to $20 for the 6GB.
Our incoming are also generally treated the same as outgoing, but a few years ago they started offering 'free' incoming as a paid option. I jumped at it and negotiated it to be included at no extra cost. No different, I guess, from them giving us included incoming texts but charging for outgoing, unless you pay for a plan with texting.
...And in case you're wondering, my question was an honest one. What will the app do that google's web app does not? I never got to use the app (no iphone at the time) so maybe I'll try it once it's approved and be pleasantly surprised.
There isn't much you will be able to do with GV Mobile that you couldn't do with the web app, other than maybe a nicer "native" experience and quick access to your local contacts. Though, if you're a serious Google Voice user, you're probably already using Google Sync for your phone contacts anyway, so its moot.
Keep in mind that the web app didn't exist when GV Mobile and VoiceCentral were pulled. It took Google about six months to code one, mainly because they had a native application in the works and weren't anticipating Apple rejecting it.
Besides... its too late. Already switch to Android from my iPhone ^_^. Not looking back.
There isn't much you will be able to do with GV Mobile that you couldn't do with the web app, other than maybe a nicer "native" experience and quick access to your local contacts.
Push notifications would be HUGE. A GV app with push for SMS would make me switch to GV for 100% of my texting and AT&T would never see another penny from me for SMS.
Thank you for your response. Yes, the SMS part is true and very valid. I prefer textfree for free SMS so I use that.
I use TextNow and some of my friends use TextFree. But instead of using their texting number, we use GV number to text (see TextFree instructions and TextNow instructions for instructions).
Why? Like I said, I don't have much trust in TextFree or TextNow being around a long time. And using GV number with these apps mean my text messages are archived on Google's server. Of course, when and if Google (or 3rd party) releases Google Voice client with push notification, I won't even have to use these apps.
I use TextNow and some of my friends use TextFree. But instead of using their texting number, we use GV number to text (see TextFree instructions and TextNow instructions for instructions).
Why? Like I said, I don't have much trust in TextFree or TextNow being around a long time. And using GV number with these apps mean my text messages are archived on Google's server. Of course, when and if Google (or 3rd party) releases Google Voice client with push notification, I won't even have to use these apps.
Thanks! Clever doings in that thread!