> it’s free to call numbers in the U.S. and Canada, and the international rates are really low
So is it free to call a US number from another country, too? Or only if you call from inside US?
Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
31–40 of 212 posts
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But aside from that.... what good reasons still exist for having a cell phone bill? Coverage. Cell phones are much longer range than wi-fi. For instance, you couldn't make a wi-fi call out of your car without using the cell network. So if your cell phone is connected to the net in your car then you're using the cellular modem, not the wifi one.
I think widespread 3G is making the range less of an issue now. I can see providers - third party or not - using existing cellular networks offering data-only plans that make this far more feasible.
You'd just be exchanging your 'cell phone bill' with a 'data plan bill'. The phone company really doesn't care if you stick that SIM in a tablet or in a phone.
From the phone company's view there are only data networks, voice networks are dying out. Voice is just another form of data.
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Google Voice app still did a traditional cellular call to my knowledge. You had to get a third party app like GrooVe IP in order to make a data call via the Google Voice system.
They had a phone system built into Gmail's web interface, which IIRC could be treated the same as any other forwarding phone in GV. So when someone called me, it'd ring on my computer and on my phone, and I could answer either of them. I don't recall personally placing any calls from the Gmail interface, but I think the functionality existed.
The call out from Gmail is still present.
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#34Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But aside from that.... what good reasons still exist for having a cell phone bill? Coverage. Cell phones are much longer range than wi-fi. For instance, you couldn't make a wi-fi call out of your car without using the cell network. So if your cell phone is connected to the net in your car then you're using the cellular modem, not the wifi one.
I think widespread 3G is making the range less of an issue now. I can see providers - third party or not - using existing cellular networks offering data-only plans that make this far more feasible.
Widespread is one of those relative terms... finding a carrier that understands people use their phones outside of population centers has always been a challenge for me.
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#36Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
The GMail functionality appears to still be there. I think OP was referring to the Android app Google Voice.
Ah, I assumed he was talking about calls placed via the Chat interface in Gmail. I guess Google Chat has an Android app then?
There was a Google Talk app that was replaced by Hangouts.
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
They had a phone system built into Gmail's web interface, which IIRC could be treated the same as any other forwarding phone in GV. So when someone called me, it'd ring on my computer and on my phone, and I could answer either of them. I don't recall personally placing any calls from the Gmail interface, but I think the functionality existed.
The call out from Gmail is still present.
Good to know. I still have Google Voice, but I've more or less stopped paying attention to its development... but maybe I'll use that call-from-Gmail feature.
iOS client is abandoned (it's the only app I have that hasn't been updated for iOS 7), and Google blocked access for the 3rd party clients (killing GrowlVoice, which was better than any of Google's clients, and which I paid money for). Not to mention MMS still doesn't work, so any group texts or pictures sent to me disappear into the ether and make me look like an antisocial curmudgeon who never responds to anything. Blah.
I paid $20 to port my number in, but I'll be moving it back out to a real carrier next time I'm switching phones/plans around.
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#39Does this mean us European peons can finally use Google Voice...?
Re: Introducing free voice calls from Hangouts
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But aside from that.... what good reasons still exist for having a cell phone bill? Coverage. Cell phones are much longer range than wi-fi. For instance, you couldn't make a wi-fi call out of your car without using the cell network. So if your cell phone is connected to the net in your car then you're using the cellular modem, not the wifi one.
I think widespread 3G is making the range less of an issue now. I can see providers - third party or not - using existing cellular networks offering data-only plans that make this far more feasible.
data-only plans solve all issues, we don't need "talk" or "texts" to be included. Just carry around a "hotspot" (it get's hard when you have a family plan since it would be to expensive to buy multiple hotspots.