Google Voice FREE in 2012
 

Looks like Google Voice calling in the U.S. and Canada will again be free for 2012. Users are reporting the following popup when signing up for new Google Voice calling in Gmail:

"Calls to the U.S. and Canada are free in 2012."

Call phones from Gmail

How does this work?
You can now place calls to landline and mobile phones from within Gmail. Just dial any phone number and you’ll be connected. Learn more.

Rates
Calls to the U.S. and Canada are free in 2012. International calls are billed at our insanely low rates.

Emergency Calls
By clicking accept, you understand and agree that Google Voice is an enhanced call management application and that Google Voice is not capable of placing and receiving emergency service calls. Read the complete Terms of Service.

Source: PIAF Forum [pbxinaflash.com]

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Rates: Calls to the U.S. and Canada are free in 2012. International calls are billed at our insanely low rates

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this is the most important bit of info for the year

thanks OP for reporting this

now this is a very very slick deal :D

Thumb UP!

Thanks OP. It is a great service and I was going to stop using it.

cool. feel free to buy those voip adapters for google voice again.

Looking forward to 12 more months of GrooveIP savings on my smartdroid.

happy new year to you too google

thanks for the heads up OP

Yes! Now I'm glad I spent $50 bucks on Obihai110. Google, you are not evil.

Gawd, i hate when people use the hot deal forum to promote what they think is importnat shit. Cancer reseacrh is IMPORTANT,
Feeding the hungry is important.

Google Voice works great with a Obi

http://obihai.com/

http://youtu.be/5LTmWqP706E

Boston Bruins getting their arses handed to them on a platter this year..that's important

it shows it is already free in their calling rates.

I was just looking for this info yesterday, thanks OP. Another year of free home phone service!!

Free phone calls to US and Canada are important public announcement.

Thanks for sharing the info

yeah, me too, now I'm glad I picked up obi! I was worried it would only be good for a few months. So good for another year! :)

yay!!!!!!

Woo, thats awesome.

I think this is good deal! :) Free google voice for 2012! You don't think this is GOOD DEAL, why? It's a FREE deal! :) And it seems lots of people are happy to hear about this DEAL! I am!:woot:

Easier just to use the computer.

The international rates are very good im paying 2 cents a minute to the UK

This is not a "deal". This is a continutation of what has been the same for years. It's nice it's still free but just because it's not changing does not make it a deal.

Allowing my relative make FREE calls to who has cancer and doesn't have a job to pay for food is IMPORTANT.

Let me know when you find a deal online for discount cancer research funding projects. Or a no hoops to jump through grant for cancer research...when you post one of those deals then you can get on your soap box.

Awesome
 

I have one of these. They are amazing. Call quality is perfect, you just link your google voice account with it and BAM no more phone bill and the wife gets her home phone.

ONLY ISSUE is no 911.

I have one of these. They are amazing. Call quality is perfect, you just link your google voice account with it and BAM no more phone bill and the wife gets her home phone.

ONLY ISSUE is no 911.

Awesome news. Now I don't have to find a replacement service for my absolutely free home phone :D

(cut to mastercard commercial, already in progress...)

"having google spy even more on you, with your full permission: priceless"

there is no free lunch. be VERY careful about what gifts you accept from folks who do not care at all about your privacy. and who bends over to any government and gives anything they want, trivially.

not a good idea, folks. just not a good idea. I know it looks like 'free stuff' to you but there's more to it than you're seeing, I guarantee you.

Awesome info, OP!!! Another year of using the Obi, cool.

For those who have not used the GV Intl plan, it's pretty good. Plus you just dial 011+country code+ number (assuming you have obi).

DS

Then why are you on Slickdeals again??

I'm thinking you are in the minority because look how many thumbs up this has! You can't get much better than FREE. The price has not gone up. Maybe you have not been around here very long. If you were, you would know many of us have devices that work with google voice and this just gives us another year for FREE phone calls. That is why some of us are happy. So you are not happy about this. Ok. I am! and lots of us are. Let us celebrate this for a couple of hours at least. :)

not really. a phone attached to an obi is really convient, and super easy to use.

Sigh of relief

Do you get free text to Canada too?

You can set this up if you know the DID number for your 911 call center with other adapters (such as the PAP2-NA from Linksys). Only problem is, setting up GV on these is a little bit trickier.

I've been using Google Voice for a while now, and calls to Canada have always been free.

I am a little bit of a noob to this stuff so can someone explain what exactly google voice is? I purchased a ooma a few months ago to get rid of my monthly service with verizon and have been happy except for the half second delay in conversation. I paid $200 for it. Is google voice like the same thing?

This is important due to rumors that google would charge for GVoice.
Cancer research, while important, does not belong on SD, unless a certain medication dropped in price dramatically. Feeding the hungry, again, while important, it does not belong in Hot Deals.

If you want important stuff to read on and get depressed about check out the Millennium Development Goals, and see how impossible it is for many countries to actually meet them.

Instead of typing the above I could've just strawman your argument and tell you to go hug a tree. Choices, choices...

I completely forgot that this was not "FREE" forever. Nice to have another year...

Welcome news. I use this service everyday and its great! I checked their blog the other day if they are going to extend this for another year and nothing thereb.

Just because you are happy does not make it a deal. Clearly I haven't been around here very long and have no idea how slickdeals works since I'm so new. And having been with Grandcentral before Google ever bought them and turned them into Google Voice I wouldn't know anything about that either. It's always been free. If they had charged and a free deal came out it would be worthy of a thread in this forum. It's great it will still be free but as it stands it does not qualify as a deal since nothing has changed.

how calls made from any cell phone to canada or within US are free? is there a special number we have to dial before we dial the number of the call receiver?

Yes really. You might like your phone better but having nothing to connect or setup makes the computer easier. No phone, No Obi, No configuration. Click and Talk, pretty easy.

you need to check your network and or internet provider if you have a 1/2 second delay in your ooma. I have had it since close to it's launch date and have had no such delays or issues with it at all. And this is on three different internet service providers. Currently running it on my $9.99 a month att dsl and it works flawlessly..
integrated with an obi as well for yet another free line of service=awesome!

yeah, unless you are in ANY OTHER ROOM THAN YOUR COMPUTER! If you can not handle the "setup" for an obi, I feel sorry for you...

Glad to know they are continuing the free service. I ported my landline number to Google Voice (through a 2 step process with a pre-paid cell) and added an Obi. I have been very pleased with the setup and with my $40/month savings (applied to my wife's iPhone service).

Does this mean that I can buy OBI 110, port my number from Vonage to T-Mobile prepaid, and then port it to Google Voice...and enjoy free US and Canada calling atleast through 2012???

Wow, so you just control it with your mind. Neat!

when i was in nepal on vacation, any calls all over the world, specially to US was absolutely FREE with a headphone from any computer with internet connection.. the call quality was awesome and i was told any calls anywhere in the world is always free from computer, thats why they have set up call and cyber cafes at tourist area where they charge 10 rupees maybe like 20 cents$ for a minute of call.

Im with this guy. i dont get it. Had they previously announced they were going to start charging or something?:confused:
GV is great and gives me free txt messaging... I feel bad for the people who are being robbed blind by their carriers who pay for txt.

Not true, plenty of wireless headsets which if you already have one is also already connected. You seem to be confusing things. Nobody said seting up an obi is difficult. Tell me what is easier and requires less steps, setting up an obi, or not setting up an obi?

Reading comprehension is severly lacking in this thread. If you want to try again you'll see where I said click before I said talk.

ETA: I just verified to add 3 clicks exactly for most of my calls.

I don't get it... Google Voice has always been free for me... I have been using it for years... so why is this a deal considering nothing's change...

I, too, once had Ooma.

Google voice is like having an Ooma, except that there are no taxes to pay each month, no "premium" membership fee, and you get unlimited text transcription of voice mails, people can text you via your GV number, you can set multiple schedules for incoming calls (like blocking everything from midnight to 6am Su-F, and until 9am on Saturday mornings), have different incoming messages for different people, automatically timed do-not-disturb (so you can set it for a 2 hr meeting or work, and you don't have to remember to un-set it), spam call filtering with Google's vast database, multiple voicemail outgoing messages you can record/save and then select from, conversation recording, adding and removing phones from your call forwarding list, and a functional messaging interface for your mobile phone (though not ip calling for the iPhone).

Google Voice is what Ooma Premium should be (but isn't), and it's almost $200/year cheaper. I use it for my business line (one man office), and it would be awesome at twice the price.

I don't keep my computer on all day and all night. My OBI doesn't care that the computer is not on. My phone still rings and I can make calls.

me either...
been free since i signed up...

Because as of Jan 2011, they only guaranteed it would be free through the end of 2011. Free for another year is good.

Doesn't change what is easier.

Can you port numbers?

NM: "Reading comprehension" bug in this thread again ;)

Good point. I mean, thankfully you didn't say this: You might like your phone better but having nothing to connect or setup makes the computer easier.

WHEW!

Looks like almost 10,000 folks disagree with you in the first hour. Like you said, you don't know much about what you're talking about. Google never promised everyone free long distance service forever. So... alerting folks that Google has decided to let everybody make unlimited free calls in the U.S. and Canada for another year AND give them one or more free phone numbers in area codes of your choice is a BIG DEAL to some of us. There were a handful of naysayers on SD as recently as last week chortling about how free calling with Google Voice was about to expire and Obihai devices would be worthless. They're awfully quiet this morning.

You may prefer $20 off on a toaster oven, and that's fine, too. But it doesn't make something like this that can save folks hundreds of dollars over the course of a year any less of a deal. And, no, it's not up there with a cure for cancer, but not much on SlickDeals is.

Short Answer: Go elsewhere if this isn't your cup of tea. :wave:

Thumbs up for the latest on Google Voice.

You just dont get it, do you. Plus you proved my point. Just because something is important, doesnt mean its a hot deal and shouldnt be in the hot deal section.

ALl the thumbs up are from mostly noobs who havnt a clue.

KEEP The hot deals thread only for hot deals, otherwise people will be posting all kinds of non hot deals, but things they think are importnant. They do this, like Op because they know the hot deals thread gets the most views.

Cmon Mods...

Ah yes, posting about something that is bascially MSRP that anyone can get at anytime is definately a slickdeal.

Yep! You are speaking for most of us obviously, since many , many people are happy about this. That is why I was wondering if he was around SD much, because many of us have been discussing what would google voice do for 2012. Today we know. We get another year FREE. Why is that not a good slick deal? Only trolls would try to bring "hate" into this thread. :)

Awesome news..anybody knows how to use fax through internet using the GV number?

Was there any mistreatment that made you think it wasn't going to be free? It's GOOGLE. They have other ways of making money.

Exactly.

I love Google Voice and it's been great to make calls from Afghanistan. But not worth posting in this forum. I come here looking for deals as in something is cheaper than normal, something is in stock that is hard to find, something different. This isn't the only thread that shouldn't be here but that doesn't make it any more correct.

Robert Heinlein: “Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.”

They only say it's going to be free for 2011, then see what the response is. If they can get away with it they charge. If it doesn't look favorable they leave it free. They left it free.

i got two of those also - no problems so far ( in 6 months)

Being a troll is not. shoo.

Can you use Google Voice on an Ipod????

I don't make calls to Canada by my mom's sister lives there and calls her often. Is it free to Canada if you use your phone? Such as dialing your google # from any phone and making the outbound call that way for free. I'd be completely free that way using a cell phone on the weekends

edit: just tried it, it does tell me "this is a free call"

This service has saved my ass many a time when I've been without a phone. Every company has their quirks/issues, but man I love Google sometimes.

Yes, and you can even program your speed dial to do it automatically.

What is the best streaming phone device to use and any deals on them? Thanks! New to the google voice.

This guy is still right. there us no discount or deal to be had here as it requires no action by readers. It just "is". This is a public service announcement and belongs elsewhere.

thanks OP! in for unlimited calling

If you mean the iPod Touch, the answer is absolutely. Download Google Voice, GV Connect, and Talkatone apps from the App Store and enjoy your free calling.

There are still a few folks in the world that aren't using Google Voice. :bulb:

Normally I use my cell phone. While overseas I use the computer. Some use the obi and connect a phone for use as a home phone.

Just want to recommend GrooveIP for your android phone. It logs into Google Voice and places calls for you using your GV account.

I have a corporate account with Sprint so for some reason cannot port my number. After spending hours trying to figure out how to get GV to work on my phone I finally downloaded GrooveIP (it does have a one time fee of $5) and was up and running with all my contacts automatically uploaded in about 2 minutes.

If you travel abroad, this is the way to go since there is no charge to the US (I'm guessing since my GV is a US number as well), no matter where you are calling from. I was just in Mexico and easily able to call home from any hotel or restaurant with wifi.

Sweet! Thanks OP!

do you have to use a Obihai OBI110 Voice Service Bridge and Telephone Adapter to make this work or are there other adaptors, I currently use magic jack and quality is lacking, will be getting this

Another uninitiated luddite: did you mean to say iPod Touch (not the iPad)?

We will see about that!

But back to the topic at hand ... this is great news - another free year from Google Voice.

Normal>>Cheaper>>Free.
There, I fixed the issue for you. Hopefully this is simplified enough for the muscle inside your cranium.:D

And so is the ability for these cancer researchers and "Feed the hungry" coordinators to FREELY converse using Google voice.
You might be surprised just how many Google products are used by a wide range of researchers globally.
Making it free makes it that much more easier to globally collaborate.

A hot deal indeed.:D

I am not familiar with these things. Can we make calls using ipod touch from abroad?

Yeah, 96 percent of the people giving thumbs up are saying this is GREAT DEAL! And only 2 percent don't think it's not a good deal with 2 percent listing other stuff (poor reputation of vender-google).

Come on, this is more than a public service announcement or 96 percent of people would be agreeing with you. You are part of the 2 percent that instead of looking at the "glass half full" take a thread like this to point out the "glass half empty". Do people like you go around raining on Party's everywhere you go. Think about it. The thread Title is:
Google Voice Free for 2012
The title says it all, and 96 percent of us are Celebrating and Partying but there are always a few people that come to the party to belly ache and complain. Troll somewhere else. This thread now has over 100 thumbs up and climbing.
Party Time! :hug:

Is this not normally free? And you wrote it backwards, free is better than normal. Unless it is normally free then it's the same thing.

I'm surprised no one realized this is for Gmail calling to landline/cell phones, and not directly to do with google voice....

The greater than sign denotes price. Nothing's backward or backards (what that is)

Fixed.

I guess it could be correct if you're going off the numbers. I was thinking more in line of greater than meaning what is better. Either way in this case it's,

Normal=Free

Pretty sure GrooveIP is only for Andriod right now. I believe there are a couple similar apps for the Iphone and Ipad, like Viber, but I don't think they link into your GV account and they charge if you are not calling another Viber user.

I have a google voice number, and when I make a call via gmail, it routes using my google voice number.

So I'm pretty sure it's safe to assume that this encompasses google voice as a whole, and not just the gmail calling part.

Great news!!!! Now I can use all my numbers to call each other!!!:nod:

Google Voice has been a pretty important for staying in touch with some people for me! Great news!

Yes, but since GV is heavily integrated into Android, it would make no sense for them to start charging. GMail calling on the other hand I could see, so it would make sense for that kind of announcement.

We will see about that!

But back to the topic at hand ... this is great news - another free year from Google Voice.

sorry, but installing windows 7 and then the browser plugin is way too expensive and time consuming.

For UK: I am paying 1c for landline and 14.9c for cheapest mobile, vs GV's 2c landline and 10c for cheapest mobile.

Calling cards are like credit cards. Before calling you can decide which card to use depending on call destination. I think that with GV + sipsorcery + sipgate, calls can be routed depending on destination, so if for example you dial a UK number, the info you put into sipsorcery will use the calling card for the UK, bypassing GV.

GV can be used with PIAF (no need for sipsorcery + sipgate), using a cheap atom-based PC, but I couldn't set up many lines that are in different locations because of firewall. If you have an office, and all lines are in the same building, then GV + PBX in a Flash makes sense.

google voice is not voip.

Seems like alot of hardware/software in the middle that can break down fail, affect bandwidth and voice /call quality to save 1 cent . Plus you have to have that crap sitting around your place. Sometimes the saving is really negated buy the additional headache potential. Oh and doesnt that equipment come with a cost ? Its like those that use a cashback site for a $5.99 purchase and then have to go through a huge headache when they arent credited for purchasing through that site.


I really dont need to run a Call center out of my home.

They are already snooping my email. And my online searches. Same goes with Yahoo.

I would rather have them snoop my calls than emails.

Google is horrible at call transcripts. I have had GV since it was GrandCentral. It is like a tourist that has only been to the country one week.


Going on two years my friend. I was doing it for family and friends. You can also get rentpbx for $15/month or instead maybe a free cloud service.

Look at part 9 of this article [voxilla.com] for how to set up 911 service for $1.50/month.

Tu from me too..

Why do you need Windows 7? Whichever OS and browser you are using now or used to begin with will work. You can't skip signing up for it anyways.

I thought it was always free? been using it for awhile now.

questions about OBI,

If i have the OBI device, and someone has an OBI devivce in another country. Can I call that OBI device from where they are?

assuming we both have the OBI connected to the internet

can't believe you're still arguing this.

you need a compatible computer. one that can run a browser that can install the plugin.
that computer needs to be on
you have to use a computer compatible headset.

vs.

setup obi once
plug in phone

I guess most people really dont want to be telephony engineers and i honestly dont spend 25+ hrs on the phone a month to the UK that would even justify that expense.

Yes its really cool to have webservers, data clusters and folding machines filling your bedroom I get it ;)

Yes. You can set it up so that each OBI can call the other by putting them in a Circle of Trust.

yay nice!!! calling thailand for free in 2012

Great news! Thanks!


Are you kiding on me?

Isn't it Free to begin with?

Easier is Easier. I prefer my cell phone myself.

But you need a computer and a browser to sign up using obi as well. Leaving a computer on is not difficult. And I'm not sure what you mean by computer compatible, my headset has regular 3.5mm plugs and work in anything that takes them. 3 clicks or so to add the plugin, then it's only 1 to 9 clicks to make a call each time. And if it's a laptop you can take it on trips and it still works just as easily. You may like your setup which is fine but that doesn't change anything.

This is good news!

Now if only the connection was better so calls weren't dropped half the time and people on the other end could hear you the first time you call.

It isn't safe to point out the obvious around here.

yes but it remain free. that is the beauty of it
why would i?

Thanks so much! Just finished setting it up.

Great news! My asterisk can keep purring along for another year free of charge!

Do you still need an invite for this? I would love to get it- thanks and reps!

you can use any computer to signup. you can use somebody elses computer or library computer

leaving lots of things on isn't difficult. I would love to leave my 60" plasma on 24/7 and make it into a giant digital picture frame, but there are reasons i don't do that.

for a computer you're limited to headsets with dual 3.5mm plugs, bluetooth headsets, of if you have the correct adapter or a laptop with the correct plug a 4-pole 3.5mm plug that combines both mic and speaker.
where as a real phone is just plain easier to use.

you can take the obi on trips too. just plug into the hotel ethernet and you're golden. and there is no clicking on the obi, just dialing via your phone number.

Doesn't sound like you own a obi? right?
Those that own it do not have to have computer on to use it.
Only use computer to set it up the very first time, then never again.
Plug in wireless phone with answering phone into back of obi and it works just like landline does. Pick up phone and answer and call. So for us with obi , we have another year to use the device.

Actually to some of us GV is very important! I use GV all the time and it is great that you can call people on it when you don't have reception or if you don't want random people on craigslist and stuff to have your actual cell number. This is SUPER HOT!

Obi has it's advantages but I still think computers are easier. Most people using anything with google, or even this site already have everything they need. Problem with taking the obi though is most hotels have went to wireless. Assuming you're even in a hotel. But alot of that wireless that is in hotels, airports, or other places is not free and will only allow either the first device that logs on to connect or allows one device at a time. Everything has it's plusses and minuses but I still think overall, for most users, a computer is the easiest. I really don't care what you use one way or the other in the end.

Awesome find, thanks!

Google, you just retained yourself another customer for a year ( i'm a international caller so I do pay for service).

Is this process documented anywhere btw? This is basically the only part holding me up, would love to start this and kill my almost $90 phone bill.

Yeah, having options is cool, right? I guess I didn't understand your postings in this thread to begin with. You came here to say "it's not deal, so it shouldn't be in hot forum room". But you have commented a lot in this thread. And you show your ignorance about obi and when people try to point it out to you (that OWN an OBI) you say "computer is easier to make phone calls with, compared to picking up phone in home). If you didn't care what we use or what we say in this thread, why are you commenting so much about it. Maybe read amazon reviews on obi then come back with "informed knowledge". Many of us also use computers to make phone calls too, on laptops and itouchs/ipads. They are options too. Obi and skype have apps for these devices that work on wifi zones. The obi app taps into my obi device at home and I can make phone calls on ipad/itouch anywhere wifi spot it with laptop too. I'm with you with using computer with headset on to make my phone calls, I use this most of the time. But I also have handsets in different rooms in home connected to obi and use it just like regular landline. You can see the convenience of this too, right?

Okay, I can see my Obi100 got more value with this extension.. thanks OP...

For PBX in a Flash, an atom-based notebook can be found for $200 tops, and run maybe 40 calls simultaneously, which means 100s of GV numbers for family and friends. It can run on a virtual machine so you can keep using the notebook.

Once you have that many numbers it makes more sense to host on a cloud such as rentpbx or maybe Amazon's, with guaranteed uptime (and backups).

I think for most users Obi110 makes more sense, but I couldn't find a good bulk price. If I can get them for $30 each, about the same price as Linksys PAP2, it will be ideal.

^ ^ ^ What he said!


Rep for shooing the troll. Never tried that before, just say "Shoo!" Maybe it works?


:lol: :lol: :lol:


Phone service equivalent to old landlines can be had for nearly free by flashing the router with DD-WRT and installing Asterisk, then connecting an ATA. "Nearly free" because electricity costs for ATA run ~$5/year.

I think it's a Win/ Win if you have OBi and Google Voice. You're at a hotel, you use Google Voice on the laptop. You're at home, you use OBi and then walk around the house with your cordless phone. You don't care about making calls with your laptop but think the ppl who live with you or come over to visit will really think it's odd to have to get in-front of your laptop and put a headset to use the phone. I have the OBi connected at home and ppl use it with knowing it's actually Google voice.

Never said it wasn't convenient or easy. What I said was the computer is easier. That is not the same as saying an Obi is difficult or is not worth it. And we weren't even talking about any apps. I don't care what you use, but I will point out that the computer is still easier.

NICE. fark you AT&T, no more of your landline bulllllllshit

I had thought about getting an Obi but wouldn't use it. In the states I use it on my cell phone, overseas I use it on a computer.

I should add the nice thing is that while overseas I can still receive voice messages, and receive and send text messages from the computer using Google Voice.

Been using the Obi110 for a month, works great.
A one-time $50 purchase to save about $500/year as long as Google Voice remains free.

Well I can think of lots of times when the obi with cordless handset it easier to use. Like if I have to go to bathroom or on porch to make a call or receive a call. Come on, guy, you were ignorant about what obi was and you are back peddling. Ok, but just read some amazon reviews about obi and how people are actually using this device. When I'm at the computer, using the pc headset is easy to use. But my family is not always sitting at the computer. So picking up one of the 4 cordless handsets to answer and call is easier for a lot of us, BUT NOT YOU. :):bounce:

Of course I had no idea what an Obi is, I'm new to the site remember? I don't care what you prefer, don't even care what I prefer. It doesn't change what is easier. SIUCC

Google Voice has been very valuable to me. I'll even continue paying for it when Google starts to charge. All my friends have my GV number and I don't want to change it on them.

Personally, I dumped Verizon landline and got a dedicated DSL line for VOIP (naked DSL). My cable internet connection always had problems with VOIP. A basic $25/month DSL connection (at 1m/256k) works perfect. I also bought a Siemens Gigaset cordless VOIP phone. I used to have a Cisco PAP2T which worked with any regular phone, but there is a slight "echo" with the PAP2T. The Siemens Gigaset works perfectly with excellent sound.

I also have two VOIP providers: VOIP.ms and Callcentric.com. They both provide excellent service. These services along with Google Voice save me tons of money as well as giving me programming options that aren't available with regular phone service. e.g. I can spoof my caller ID to any number (lets you have lots of fun with friends!).

I love Google Voice. Sure, big brother probably loves me for using GV. But I'm not doing anything illegal, so I don't care.

BrokenR1!
Sorry, I guess you are Broken and not NEW member. Hey, bro, if you didn't care, you wouldn't have written so much in this thread. You do care. And it's ok to care. Have fun bro, your name and BLACK Shark with big teeth sort of implies you like arguing with people, right?
I'm happy with google voice FREE for 2012 and I'm happy I can use OBI for another year. So , I'm having fun with you over this matter, because it's fun because I'm HAPPY FREE google voice for 2012, lots of us are. So you are not NEW , just broken member. Lighten up, bro. Be happy the rest of us are happy. FREE google Voice for 2012. Yeah , baby! :woot:

Wonder what tests theyre going to run or what data they need to collect. Nothings free in life

I'm traveling at the moment so I can't put my finger on it, but I was able to Google for documentation at the time. Basically, I just ported my AT&T landline to an old T-mobile PrePaid cell phone I had laying around with $10 credit on it (took less than 24 hours) then I ported the T-mobile PrePaid cell phone to Google Voice for $20 (took less than 24 hours). Based on other's experience, I was expecting a longer delay. It all happened so fast, that I had Google Voice up and running before my Obi arrived so we just forwarded our "Home" number to our cell phones for a bit. I love the flexibility that Google Voice offers. We can have our number ring at our Home Obi or cell phones or all three. Voice mails are transcribed into text and E-mailed or texted..although the voice-to-text is hit or miss, we can get the general intent of the message without having to listen to it. My wife was a little hesitant at first, but she if fine with it now and she uses her iPhone most of the time anyway.

How does google make money on google voice? I'm always afraid they'll pull the plug on it or attach a fee to us/canada calling.

thans op

do you have to use an obi device and have a special phone?

Most Excellent!
 

Yay, google. I don't even use Skype any more, have not for 2 years, even though I still have 9 dollars credit with them. No need to, google is free, 3x better quality, etc etc.

Now you get it! :)
I'm on SD to have fun and get good deals. I am really happy with this thread because I was wondering what I would do with my 2 obi's after 2011. So for me and others like me, we are celebrating in this thread.
Let's not fight over something that is not worth it.
Join the "party" .... Free Google Voice for 2012! :hug:

Thanks OP.. Nice info.

Google voice is great until you run into problems. Then good luck getting any customer service. I actually paid for credit to make international calls. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. If not, you're out of luck and credit.

While I don't know about celebrating I haven't fought over anything. I only stated two points, wrong forum, and computer is easier then watched the fun ensue as people couldn't handle one or the other. I am happy though as I've been using it to call home quite a bit and would rather not pay for it.

im a canucks fan and would be happy if that happen. but how is that related?lol

yay another year of free phone calls!

ya google free for 2012 is pretty dang important....a kind fellow who is very caring (read sensitive) about the earth and pollution and what not who posted above me indicated his displeasure for the thread and how unimportant it was. I was kind enough to read his signature line. Seems this caring fellow is very into the very deep subject of boosting Boston sports teams, haha.

Yea google voice 2012. rah rah rah.

whether it is important or not has nothing to do with whether it should be posted in the Hot Deals section. I understand that this forum gets most of the attention (as well it should) but it doesn't mean that PSA's should be posted here. I also understand that most of the time they do get posted here and that they usually don't get moved. However, PSA's are not hot deals.

Let's see. Over 20,000 people have viewed this thread in the last 4 hours, and 3 people think it's a public service announcement. If someone tells you they'll give you a car to drive for free for one year and, at the end of the year, they say you can drive it for free for another year, is that not a Hot Deal for you? Or is that a public service announcement, too? This deal is worth as much as a car payment each month to some of us. If you find the news so offensive, why do you keeping posting here? :confused: Move along, little trolls.

Haha, so you're saying it's normal for people to give away a free car for a year? I'm sure if that was normal and someone brought it up then it would still be normal. It's hilarious how butt hurt a couple of you got for being called out.

Thank you google!
 

Google voice rocks with an Obihai OBI110 and a QOS capable router! Using Google voice as my VOIP provider for the phones in my home!

No , what I think is, some people are trying to be charitable to a TROLL (like you) , who from the beginning thought this was not a slick deal and number two don't understand why some people like using a obi type device and picking up a handset instead of having to use PC with headphones.

Some of us were trying to give you the benefit of the doubt , that you are not just a "black shark with big teeth as your icon suggests, and were a "good guy". But bro, you are "not a nice guy" and others just don't understand how you could "belly ache" over having Google Voice FREE for 2012. And if you look at all the thumbs up for this thread , obviously , over 96 percent think this is good deal.

Go away troll!

You guys know what they say, about Trolls, "don't feed the troll".
You can't reason with someone who is not "reasonable".

Thrilled about this news and was just about to drag out the ObiTalk box for VOIP. I just got my broadband upgrade so it should work better. I used up all of my prepaid minutes on damn DELL tech support and they still didn't solve my problem.

Projecting a bit aren't we? Troll huh, seems like you're the one twisting words.

So tell me this,

Was this free the last 4+ years?
Is this free now?
Will this be free for 2012?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Next, want to point out where I said I don't understand why people like the Obi? Good luck with that one as well even though it has nothing to do with either of my two points. Although if you do want to start a discussion about that I'm sure you can find a participant.

It's kinda late here so I'm going to be but do me a favor and get on tomorrow so you can keep me entertained for another day. Maybe tomorrow we can discuss why my cell phone is even better than the obi since you don't care about sticking to the original topic I was talking about.

Thanks so much!

No cnam kills the deal. :p

good, my Obi110 will be worthy again

The thumbs up having nothing to do with whether the thread belongs here. Obviously the mods believe that these type of threads are fine in this forum, otherwise they would remove them much quicker than they do. However, something that was always free and is still free is not a hot deal. It is a PSA. The thumbs up mean that people are happy that GV is going to remain free and the thumbs up would be there even if this thread was in the contests/sweepstakes thread.

I have the same setup for my parents. They tell me if they use google voice often, they will get cut off... There are rumors that google is limiting the minutes for long distance calling. Either that or its a bug, I'm not sure.

http://www.google.com/support/for...&start=160

http://www.google.com/support/for...df91&hl=en

http://www.google.bg/support/foru...3888&hl=en


My parents who live 3 hours away from me complained a month ago and I'm thinking of moving them to magic jack -- or anything else that is more reliable. Heck, I would pay a LITTLE bit of money to have something more reliable. As of right now, they haven't complained again.. perhaps they are too busy? Not sure. Yeah, google voice is free.. but I would pay to have something a little bit more reliable.

sorry, i'm a noob. can I text with this too?

yes :-)

free is good

Wait a second... when did anyone ever pay for Google Voice? It's been free since day 1.

i wish google voice would have some SIP or DID interface. "wish" as in, does anybody actually know a way to get this?

i see users talking about voip adapters and sip phones blah blah. well if you knew what the fark youre talking about, you cant just do that with google unless you have a SIP/DID provider.

they were supposed to start charging after this year

Where did it say that? Never got any official word on that from Google ever...

200 thumbs up and counting! Let SD'ers decide if it's a Hot Deal or not. :)
Obviously if people didn't think it was a Hot Deal, they wouldn't be voting with Thumbs up, this way.

Some of the factors why people are voting this way is because it extends devices we bought here on SD for another year. And saves many people from having to use landline or skype or other phone services that cost money. Why in the world would you guys coming down on this deal on SD hot forum room. Does google voice for 2012 SAVE me money! You bet it does.

If it was up to you and a very small percent of you, this thread would never have been posted. I'm glad it's not up to you to make that decision. Let's keep this a friendly place and not a police state.

This is a great deal. I use this on my Iphone. I have SMS GV extension and Phone GV extension. Both apps are through Cydia. This allows me to text on my iphone with the native texting app (rather than the GV app)
and it allows me to choose which number to call from with Iphones phone app.


i save $20 a month with GV by using their texting services. Thats 240 for the next year.

anyone know how to access the call menus in gmail with the new look? i had to revert to old look

you completely missed the point. It would be posted, just not in this one forum. You do realize that there is more than one forum on this site, right? And like I said in the post that you quoted, it would have thumbs up regardless of where it got posted.

So, was Google ever planning on making GV a paid service? I mean, why is this even news?

But they are also not HOT DEALS.

btw- you spelled research & important wrong.


Who are you?

Someone who downvoted this whole post.

Maybe I missed your point! Maybe not! :)
Your point is this is not a Hot DEAL, there is no deal here. Right?
It belongs in another forum room. right?

Well, I for one and many people posting and giving it thumbs up are saying the exact OPPOSITE to you! Do you get OUR POINT!

The point is, this "google voice FREE for 2012" saves me money, and we just found out today. We knew it was FREE until the end of 2011 and we were not sure if google would start charging for this.

This is SAVING me money, and for that , it's a good deal! A HOT DEAL! And I would not have found out in the other forum rooms because I only go for HOT DEALS , and this is HOT DEAL FOR ME and I'm not alone. :) :bounce:

I use GV, saves me cell phone minutes. It is not a hot deal. For one, it's not even live since it's for 2012. Secondly, it was already saving people money by being free. Still being free does not make it a Hot Deal- Facebook is still free, is that a Hot Deal? And how does the way you browse slickdeals have anything to do with the discussion? Just because you wouldn't have seen it anywhere else make the Hot Deals section the correct place to put it. Regardless, the mods obviously don't care about the PSA's being in Hot Deals because they allow it often.

again. who r you? What number? Where are your papers?

Thats cool

Thanks for the most excellent news OP!. Just signed up a few weeks ago. Happy with it! :woot:

I didn't think I would be able to change your mind about it. Maybe another way to look at it is, lots of people are posting in hot deals stuff I don't think is a hot deal. Many deals I pass on, I look at thread title and if it sucks for me, I don't waste my time with it. I'm looking for HOT DEALS that are HOT for me. Maybe you should just spend your time looking for HOT DEALS that seem hot to you. :)

why do that when you can argue? :lol:

GV is important to me. Was glad to hear the news. Still not the right forum. People post truly hot deals all the time that I don't look at past the title of the thread. They are still in the correct forum. This one isn't. Some deals get posted in hot deals when the deal actually sucks... they don't last long. Unlike you, I'm not trying to change you're mind just point out where you are wrong :D

Perhaps the 3 of you that don't consider this a Hot Deal will exercise your constitutional right to click the thumbs down button. Then, rather than repeating your diatribe over and over and over and over, start a new thread (ELSEWHERE) about what you think a Hot Deal really is. Maybe Bill Clinton will even join you. We'll be here with the 30,000 folks that disagree with you. Have a good day. :heart:

There is already a post about what a Hot Deal is... It's the thread that is locked at the top of the Hot Deals page.

However, I already gave the thread a thumbs up because it is good news- just because it's misplaced doesn't make it worthy of a thumbs down. And s***w Bill Clinton.

Even the 3 people that are upset about it posting are HAPPY Google Voice is FREE for 2012. Weird how some people look a gift horse in the mouth and punch it instead of Kiss it!
Overwhelmingly, your posting this TODAY in Hot Deals made my day! And lots of us gave it a thumbs up! Thanks for this very HOT DEAL! :hug:

Don't worry about it.
They don't own the servers that SD.net/hotdeals is on any how.

Wish I could give you another thumbs up for this post! Already Repped you too. Personally, I only read the Hot Deals forum. I know there are many other forums, but this is the only one I care about. I'm sure many others do the same.

Just ordered obihai,,, thanks for the heads up!

I was just going to add I hooked mine up just now and it's FANTASTIC. It was rather iffy on my old 1.5DSL but just got a speed bump up to 7Mbps on Monday and it's working great. Here is a CNET article on it with gooble voice
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_1...th-an-obi/
It was a slickdeal from long ago. Should of hooked it up yesterday before the long tech support calls. Now I use my old POTS Panasonic cordless phone just like the old days. Also using my Touchpad Bluetooth to make and recieve calls over my VM Rumor.

VOIP uses very low bandwidth. 1.5 DSL is MORE than sufficient (and overkill). My 20MB Time warner cable connection sucked with VOIP. Drop outs all the time. I got a 1.5 Verizon DSL and it works awesome...much better than my fast cable.

I use the cable for general Internet needs, including streaming Netflix and other shows. I keep the slow DSL strictly for VOIP.

So it's not the speed, but the reliability of the line. Some systems are fast, but they don't send/receive packets in the right order which doesn't matter to general Internet surfing, downloading, and streaming. But VOIP is very sensitive. At least that's what I was told in the VOIP forums.

In other news: Google will be offering FREE web searching in 2012!! :woot:

I'm amazed at how excited over this some people are, 1st because it was already free but second because, Free Canada calling aside...Do you folks not have cell phones?

No, this is not a HOT DEAL.
Noob

so let me figure this out, i have been using GV on my iphone to call canada for free for a year now. can somebody explain to me whats new about calling canada for free?