This guide contains a complete end-to-end update of our 2013 Google Voice guide, chock full of new ideas, completely new articles, and amazing tips.
You'll learn how to port your landline to Google Voice, how to set up phone handsets, how to integrate Google Voice into your iPhone and Android experience, how to set up a multi-line office, how to get the most out of using Google Voice and SMS, and even how to use Google Voice effectively and safely in your car, and lots more.
So brew up a cup of coffee or your favorite tea, grab a few snacks, and prepare to discover how plain 'ol phone calls are about to be transformed into something virtually indistinguishable from magic.
What is Google Voice?
Let's get started with a quick overview of the service itself. Google Voice provides a number of unique features that will transform how you receive and make phone calls and text messages.
The Google Voice number
To me, the single most valuable feature of Google Voice is its ability to separate your phone number from your phone service. This is a big step beyond number portability, and here's why.
Google Voice on Your iPhone or Android Smartphone
How to Use Google Voice on Your iPhone or Android Smartphone
Google Voice allows you to make phone calls using a Google Voice number, as well as to send and receive free text messages, and to manage your voicemail as if it were just another part of your email. If you already have a Google Voice number (or if you would like one), Google Voice is a useful app to own. Here's how to set it up on your smartphone or tablet.
Step 1: Install Google Voice
Google Voice is a free app. Open your device's native app store and search for Google Voice, or go to the appropriate Web-based store page to grab and install Google
Google Voice allows you to make phone calls using a Google Voice number, as well as to send and receive free text messages, and to manage your voicemail as if it were just another part of your email. If you already have a Google Voice number (or if you would like one), Google Voice is a useful app to own. Here's how to set it up on your smartphone or tablet.
Step 1: Install Google Voice
Google Voice is a free app. Open your device's native app store and search for Google Voice, or go to the appropriate Web-based store page to grab and install Google
Set up Google Voice in Canada – Free Long Distance
Google Voice Overview
Google Voice is one of the greatest innovations in telephony. I am a huge fan of it and I have used it to pretty much nullify my phone bills, or at least drastically reduce them. Google Voice fixes many of the annoyances that people have with telephones now, as well as helps to use current communication technology to connect us at a very low price.
Some of the things I hate doing is checking my voicemail through the phone system and monitoring how many text messages or daytime minutes I have left. I particularly hate not knowing if a call is going to cost me long distance charges or not. I’ll show you how to use some of Google Voice’s features to reduce your telephone costs in Canada and in the US including getting free long distance in Canada (even from your cell phone) and getting a telephone line at home through VOIP (data).
This post will be about how to set up your Google Voice
Google Voice is one of the greatest innovations in telephony. I am a huge fan of it and I have used it to pretty much nullify my phone bills, or at least drastically reduce them. Google Voice fixes many of the annoyances that people have with telephones now, as well as helps to use current communication technology to connect us at a very low price.
Some of the things I hate doing is checking my voicemail through the phone system and monitoring how many text messages or daytime minutes I have left. I particularly hate not knowing if a call is going to cost me long distance charges or not. I’ll show you how to use some of Google Voice’s features to reduce your telephone costs in Canada and in the US including getting free long distance in Canada (even from your cell phone) and getting a telephone line at home through VOIP (data).
This post will be about how to set up your Google Voice
Google Voice Canada FREE Outgoing/Incoming
Google voice in Canada is possible. If you are wondering how to get the service in Canada, AND how to make Free unlimited outgoing and incoming calls from Google voice. Then, look no further! I have been holding off on this article because I wanted to try a couple of methods first and see which one is the fastest one… and make sure that you don’t get any extra carrier charges. The way I explain it is the simplest way so far, and has been followed successfully by many (see comments below) if you have other ideas or are having trouble using Google Voice in Canada, then please post a comment.
Important: Google Voice is not “officially” available in Canada. This shows you how to register and use a Google Voice number by using a “glitch” in Google Voice service by signing up with a free 403(alberta) number. This will Enable you to make unlimited calls to US and Canada for FREE when you use the mobile site from your cell phone, or Google voice App to initiate calls. This means, you should have an unlimited incoming plan to take FULL advantage of this. Please re-read that and understand it to avoid any long-distance charges. Read comments below, or ask if you are not sure. Now, let’s dig into the fun part!
First Step: Log in with your Google account, there is no need for an invite.
First time you try to login to Google voice in Canada, there will be an error message saying that it’s not available in your country. To bypass that you will need to install hotspotshield so you can get a US IP address (Don’t worry, it’s free and you can uninstall the program later.) Please check that you have a US IP by clicking here. Great now you are able to log in!
Second step: Get a free 403 number
Head over to freephoneline; they will be able to provide you a free Alberta number. Google Voice allows for Alberta numbers is some kind of glitch. The set up is pretty straight forward on Free Phone line, but here is a Quick Guide: Once you set up the account, log in to your account and go to the forward tab. From there choose Follow me and forward to a Canadian Cell or home number (Your personal number where you want it to ring). Also remember to download their program for authentication purposes of Free Phone Line and Google Voice. Again, you can uninstall the program later.
Third step: Google voice setup
Important: Google Voice is not “officially” available in Canada. This shows you how to register and use a Google Voice number by using a “glitch” in Google Voice service by signing up with a free 403(alberta) number. This will Enable you to make unlimited calls to US and Canada for FREE when you use the mobile site from your cell phone, or Google voice App to initiate calls. This means, you should have an unlimited incoming plan to take FULL advantage of this. Please re-read that and understand it to avoid any long-distance charges. Read comments below, or ask if you are not sure. Now, let’s dig into the fun part!
First Step: Log in with your Google account, there is no need for an invite.
First time you try to login to Google voice in Canada, there will be an error message saying that it’s not available in your country. To bypass that you will need to install hotspotshield so you can get a US IP address (Don’t worry, it’s free and you can uninstall the program later.) Please check that you have a US IP by clicking here. Great now you are able to log in!
Second step: Get a free 403 number
Head over to freephoneline; they will be able to provide you a free Alberta number. Google Voice allows for Alberta numbers is some kind of glitch. The set up is pretty straight forward on Free Phone line, but here is a Quick Guide: Once you set up the account, log in to your account and go to the forward tab. From there choose Follow me and forward to a Canadian Cell or home number (Your personal number where you want it to ring). Also remember to download their program for authentication purposes of Free Phone Line and Google Voice. Again, you can uninstall the program later.
Third step: Google voice setup
A way to get Google Voice to work in Canada. It does require you to snag a MagicJack, but that’s literally all you need to make this happen. Some of you might be a bit nervous about buying and using a MagicJack up in Canada, but we’ve been using it for a few months now up in our super-secret Canadian satellite office and have not had a single issue. And no, this Google Voice trick doesn’t require you to have the physical MagicJack plugged into your computer at all times. In fact, once you get your MagicJack set up and activate call forwarding, you can throw the little bugger in the trash if you want. Hit the jump to learn how to get your Google Voice on north of the border.
Before we begin, we should note that this tutorial assumes you already have a Google Voice invite. If not, it’s not that hard to find someone on the internet willing to let you take one off their hands for a few bucks or even for free. We should also note that MagicJack is offering a free trial right now so you really have no reason to avoid trying this out. Alright, here we go:
Before we begin, we should note that this tutorial assumes you already have a Google Voice invite. If not, it’s not that hard to find someone on the internet willing to let you take one off their hands for a few bucks or even for free. We should also note that MagicJack is offering a free trial right now so you really have no reason to avoid trying this out. Alright, here we go:
- Plug in your MagicJack, install the software and get your US number
- Activate your Google Voice account using your MagicJack’s phone number and pick yourself a snazzy new Google Voice number
- Go to my.magicjack.com, enable Call Forwarding and have your MagicJack forward all calls to your Canadian cell phone number (or land line, if you still have one)
Making Google Voice Work in Canada
So, I admit that I have been completely absorbed by the Googleplex. And… I kind of enjoy having a Google-centric life, actually. So when I moved to Canada and faced giving up my Google Voice, I cringed and cried and wept piteously.
And I did NOT leave denial and move into acceptance! Instead, I plotted and schemed and conspired to bend Google .. itself! … to my will! Muhahahaha! They called me mad at the Sorbonne… mad, I tell you – MAD!
So! After a few hours of research, I had some good leads. After a couple of false starts and some experimentation, I found what seems to be the optimal (and cheapest!) solution.
While you can definitely adapt this method to your own needs, bear in mind it was originated for my own situation: having a US cell phone with a Canada/US calling package and an unlimited Canada/US data plan ($147/mo from Verizon on my DROID). That being said, onward to the good stuff!
I then went into the “followme settings” for my account, and set the FollowMe mode to “Always Forward” and added my local landline’s 780 phone number as the FollowMe number. To make sure GVoice picked up for vmail and not FPL’s native service, I set the “Number of seconds [to ring before going to vmail]” to 72. GV vmail picks up after 30s.
And I did NOT leave denial and move into acceptance! Instead, I plotted and schemed and conspired to bend Google .. itself! … to my will! Muhahahaha! They called me mad at the Sorbonne… mad, I tell you – MAD!
So! After a few hours of research, I had some good leads. After a couple of false starts and some experimentation, I found what seems to be the optimal (and cheapest!) solution.
While you can definitely adapt this method to your own needs, bear in mind it was originated for my own situation: having a US cell phone with a Canada/US calling package and an unlimited Canada/US data plan ($147/mo from Verizon on my DROID). That being said, onward to the good stuff!
Getting a Google Voice number
Since I already had Google Voice from when I was living in the US, I didn’t have to spoof my IP to be able to register an invite. If you’re reading this in hopes of copying my set up, there are plenty of tutorials on how to use public web proxies like hotspot shield to make it look like you’re in the US. And the method I’m going to describe DOES let you register with Google Voice without having to get an US ph#.The 403 area code hack + FreePhoneLine.ca
There is some quirk in GV that lets it accept 403 numbers, so I went to FreePhoneLine and registered for a 403 area code number (Calgary). They also have a Skype-like softphone you can download and install if you like that sort of thing, but I didn’t bother as I don’t need it. (plus it was Win or Mac only anyway)I then went into the “followme settings” for my account, and set the FollowMe mode to “Always Forward” and added my local landline’s 780 phone number as the FollowMe number. To make sure GVoice picked up for vmail and not FPL’s native service, I set the “Number of seconds [to ring before going to vmail]” to 72. GV vmail picks up after 30s.
Google Voice unlimted incoming and outgoing calls
So to sum up to achieve unlimted incoming and outgoing calls, once would need the following:
For unlimited incoming to work:
- A plan from the cell company that includes unlimited incoming calls (use your voice plan)
For unlimited outgoing to work:
- a google voice account (uses your data plan)
And the part about hotspot shield and the freephoneline account is only needed to activate a google voice account from Canada using an alberta number and you need to configure your followme setting to your cell phone number to pass the google voice authorization.
Would this be right?
Would there be anyway to receive also the incoming calls over voip for those of us who dont have an unlimited incoming feature?
For unlimited incoming to work:
- A plan from the cell company that includes unlimited incoming calls (use your voice plan)
For unlimited outgoing to work:
- a google voice account (uses your data plan)
And the part about hotspot shield and the freephoneline account is only needed to activate a google voice account from Canada using an alberta number and you need to configure your followme setting to your cell phone number to pass the google voice authorization.
Would this be right?
Would there be anyway to receive also the incoming calls over voip for those of us who dont have an unlimited incoming feature?
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