Question about AT&T and Google Voice

[RayvenHawk]

Ok so I got the invite to Google Voice and set it all up, so it rings on my cell and SMS go to only email. I also added my google # to my A-List.

Now here is my question and scenarios:

Scenario 1: I make a call from my cell via GV to whatever #, it disconnects & calls me back to connect the call. (AT&T shows this is a call to my GV only & is not counted against me).

Scenario 2: I get a call from someone who dialed my GV # and AT&T shows an incoming call from my own cell & I get hit for minutes.

My first question is why? How is getting a call to that number different from that number calling me to connect the call I initiated?

My second question is this, lets say I have my GV # dial my home phone and have that phone set with call-forwarding & it's forwarded to my cell, and I add my home # to my A-List. Would that then in essence make the incoming call free??

I do want to mention I have no intention on lowering my plan (since if I do I lose the A-List anyway so it'd then become pointless), and I've had AT&T for almost a year and I've never come close to my 900 minutes so going over isn't my issue either. So that brings me to why I'm asking, I do wish to remove my TXT message from my plan and use just GV but if I get docked minutes for using GV then it'd be a pain to tell everyone I text to call me on cell A but only txt me on cell B.

[HayWire]

I've just now started using it for texting full time, but have yet to use it much for calling.. The only thing I can see is the numbers are somehow different when someone calls you on it? Don't know. I love it though, it's shaved off 20 bucks from my bill!

[AndrewBucklin]

From what I can tell, when a call is forwarded to your cell via Google Voice, AT&T somehow knows it's a forwarded call, even though the faked caller ID is that of your Google Voice account. This doesn't really bother me though, because I'd rather use minutes for incoming calls and know who the caller is.

For outgoing calls via Google Voice, where Google will call you before connecting to the other party; I haven't tried yet, but from what you said in your original post, you're saying that those types of calls work if you add the Google Voice number to your A-List?

Thanks!

[RayvenHawk]

From what I can tell, when a call is forwarded to your cell via Google Voice, AT&T somehow knows it's a forwarded call, even though the faked caller ID is that of your Google Voice account. This doesn't really bother me though, because I'd rather use minutes for incoming calls and know who the caller is.

For outgoing calls via Google Voice, where Google will call you before connecting to the other party; I haven't tried yet, but from what you said in your original post, you're saying that those types of calls work if you add the Google Voice number to your A-List?

Thanks!

I ended up setting Google Voice to not display the number of the actually caller (so when they call it just shows my GV number), and I tested this several times with different phones and according to my current usage on the AT&T site it's being reported as a call from my GV number and I'm not being charged for the minutes used. So I'm going to drop my txt messaging part of my plan once I get all my contacts to contact me on my GV number.

My only question now is how would I resolve the lack of MMS when I turn off my txting?

[HayWire]

I ended up setting Google Voice to not display the number of the actually caller (so when they call it just shows my GV number), and I tested this several times with different phones and according to my current usage on the AT&T site it's being reported as a call from my GV number and I'm not being charged for the minutes used. So I'm going to drop my txt messaging part of my plan once I get all my contacts to contact me on my GV number.

My only question now is how would I resolve the lack of MMS when I turn off my txting?

The old fashion way we used to have to do it anyways, thru email. Personally I don't get enough mms for it be a big enough deal for me..

[todesto]

I added my GV number on my A-list and it is free incoming and outgoing.
All the calls made to your GV is treated as GV is forwarding service, so when they call your GV, as long as you have GV number on your list, there is no charge.

[AndrewBucklin]

So I did some testing, and here is what I found...

For incoming calls via your Google Voice number, you are charged for minutes NO MATTER WHAT. I put my GV number on my A-List and called it during peak hours from another phone. The minutes WERE charged. I changed the GV setting to show my GV # as caller ID (instead of the original caller) and I was still charged peak minutes. Somehow AT&T knows it's a forwarded call and charges you minutes. If you look at your usage, AT&T actually puts your cell # down instead of the callers number in test 1 or your GV number in test 2. And obviously you can't add your own number to your A-List. Conclusion: Incoming calls via your GV number when answered on your cell phone WILL cost you minutes.

Next, I tested outgoing calls. When using the Google Voice app available in Cydia, peak minutes were charged. Again, AT&T somehow knows that GV is calling you. Has something to do with the caller ID and how GV sends it. I'm assuming the same is true for when you place a call via the web interface at Google.com. Conclusion: Outgoing calls via the GV Cydia App WILL cost you minutes.

Finally, I called my Google Voice number from my cell phone. Just a normal phone call. Entered my PIN and pressed 2. Then I entered the phone number I wanted to call. This time, it did NOT cost me peak minutes and fell under my A-List unlimited minutes. Problem with this is that I either have to memorize the phone number of the person I want to call before calling GV, or have really fast fingers to make the call to my GV number, then open my contacts up and find the number I want to call. Conclusion: Outgoing calls via the phone-based option menu that you get when calling you own GV number and entering your PIN will fall under your A-List plan.

So really, the Google Voice number is great and all, but not very helpful in saving us minutes. The reason I'll keep using it is that I can give the one number out to everyone (which also accept text messages) so that when they do call, if I happen to be at home or office and near my land line, I can answer it on my land line rather than my cell phone...

I ended up setting Google Voice to not display the number of the actually caller (so when they call it just shows my GV number), and I tested this several times with different phones and according to my current usage on the AT&T site it's being reported as a call from my GV number and I'm not being charged for the minutes used. So I'm going to drop my txt messaging part of my plan once I get all my contacts to contact me on my GV number.

My only question now is how would I resolve the lack of MMS when I turn off my txting?

Did you actually look at your usage report for the calls? It usually take a few hours for calls to show up on that report...

[appleguru]

I've added my GV number to my A-List and I'm using GV with call forwarding for voicemail. *Almost* all of my incoming *and* outgoing calls are counted towards my alist minutes, as are calls forwarded to voicemail. I've had a single anaomaly to this. I have GV set to show my GV number when someone calls.

Here's the anomaly: I made two identical outgoing calls to a phone that is on AT&T via GV.. Both were declined and sent to voicemail, and both showed up as 1 minute calls in OLAM... One of them is listed as an A-List call, the other is listed as my own number and counts as a daytime minute.... weird.

See below for an edited screencap from OLAM.. Red highlighted calls are outgoing GV calls, Green highlighted calls are incoming GV calls.



And here are some calls forwarded to VM:

[AndrewBucklin]

I've added my GV number to my A-List and I'm using GV with call forwarding for voicemail. *Almost* all of my incoming *and* outgoing calls are counted towards my alist minutes, as are calls forwarded to voicemail. I've had a single anaomaly to this. I have GV set to show my GV number when someone calls.

Here's the anomaly: I made two identical outgoing calls to a phone that is on AT&T via GV.. Both were declined and sent to voicemail, and both showed up as 1 minute calls in OLAM... One of them is listed as an A-List call, the other is listed as my own number and counts as a daytime minute.... weird.

See below for an edited screencap from OLAM.. Red highlighted calls are outgoing GV calls, Green highlighted calls are incoming GV calls.



And here are some calls forwarded to VM:

How are you making outgoing calls via GV? By dialing your GV number directly or by using the GV App from Cydia or the web interface to initiate the call?

[appleguru]

How are you making outgoing calls via GV? By dialing your GV number directly or by using the GV App from Cydia or the web interface to initiate the call?

GV app from cydia mostly, though I've used the web interface too.

[HayWire]

so your saying those calls arent counting towards your minutes?

[appleguru]

so your saying those calls arent counting towards your minutes?

correct.

OK, I just double checked.. seems link onely some of my outgoing calls are counting towards GV.. which ones doesn't seem to have to do with anything in particular, but the calls either show up as my GV number and dont count towards my minutes, or they show up as my own number, and they do.

I don't make too many calls with GV, but I'm going to start a google doc or something anyone can edit with type of call, how it was initiated, duration, and whether or not it counted as a-list minutes or not. I'll see if we can get some more data and figure this one out!

Ok, just made a spreadsheet!

Please fill in as much data as you have here:

Google Voice AT&T A-List Matrix

You can view the results here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...3T2dKU3c&hl=en

[RayvenHawk]

So I did some testing, and here is what I found...

For incoming calls via your Google Voice number, you are charged for minutes NO MATTER WHAT. I put my GV number on my A-List and called it during peak hours from another phone. The minutes WERE charged. I changed the GV setting to show my GV # as caller ID (instead of the original caller) and I was still charged peak minutes. Somehow AT&T knows it's a forwarded call and charges you minutes. If you look at your usage, AT&T actually puts your cell # down instead of the callers number in test 1 or your GV number in test 2. And obviously you can't add your own number to your A-List. Conclusion: Incoming calls via your GV number when answered on your cell phone WILL cost you minutes.

Next, I tested outgoing calls. When using the Google Voice app available in Cydia, peak minutes were charged. Again, AT&T somehow knows that GV is calling you. Has something to do with the caller ID and how GV sends it. I'm assuming the same is true for when you place a call via the web interface at Google.com. Conclusion: Outgoing calls via the GV Cydia App WILL cost you minutes.

Finally, I called my Google Voice number from my cell phone. Just a normal phone call. Entered my PIN and pressed 2. Then I entered the phone number I wanted to call. This time, it did NOT cost me peak minutes and fell under my A-List unlimited minutes. Problem with this is that I either have to memorize the phone number of the person I want to call before calling GV, or have really fast fingers to make the call to my GV number, then open my contacts up and find the number I want to call. Conclusion: Outgoing calls via the phone-based option menu that you get when calling you own GV number and entering your PIN will fall under your A-List plan.

So really, the Google Voice number is great and all, but not very helpful in saving us minutes. The reason I'll keep using it is that I can give the one number out to everyone (which also accept text messages) so that when they do call, if I happen to be at home or office and near my land line, I can answer it on my land line rather than my cell phone...



Did you actually look at your usage report for the calls? It usually take a few hours for calls to show up on that report...

I did check my log and noted the time I did my tests to ensure I was looking at the right line. Here is what I found out.

My 1 minute tests came back under my alist for my GV number (cool!).

But I answered a call earlier for my GV number and that one lasted a few mins (9 total), that call came back as my cell & I was charged the mins.


Now the weird part is EVERY call I made via my GV App are considered to go to my GV number and I'm not charged mins for outgoing calls (even those that last 20 or 30 mins).

So my plan is to give all my cellphone contacts (since this wouldn't apply to land line) my GV number and call me via that one (either I'll get hit for mins or I wont), the ones I have on my alist I'll have call me on my regular number & txt me on my GV # (I know a pain, but since I only have 3 cellphone numbers on my alist, I'm ok making things difficult for those 3 people).

In the end the only thing I can remove is my TXT messaging since I cant lower the mins or I lose my alist ability.


Now on a side note I'm curious, AT&T's commercial states you get 10 alist numbers, but when you go to activate it they only give you 5. I wonder who dropped the ball on that one?

[appleguru]

I think family plans get 10

[RayvenHawk]

It would be nice if they told you that in the commercial, but oh well whatever.

Hey another quick question, I notice on my data usage I have large amounts of data sent from my phone to 'phone' at odd hours at night (1am, 4am, 2am, etc) last I checked I am pretty sure I don't sleep-browse. But who knows, perhaps I'm so addicted to using my iphone I use it in my sleep too.

[HayWire]

I think family plans get 10

yep thats correct only family plans get the ten invididuals get 5. I've gone ahead and dropped texting, but make sure you have blocked on your account via att customer care, otherwise if someone errantly sends you a text even if you dont read it youll still get charged the per diem rate and IM not sure what that is.

All in all, gv is worth for me alone in the free sms.. esp now with that goog sync feature working the sms/emails are going thru much faster now for me! almost like a real text!

[appleguru]

It would be nice if they told you that in the commercial, but oh well whatever.

Hey another quick question, I notice on my data usage I have large amounts of data sent from my phone to 'phone' at odd hours at night (1am, 4am, 2am, etc) last I checked I am pretty sure I don't sleep-browse. But who knows, perhaps I'm so addicted to using my iphone I use it in my sleep too.

Do you happen to have your phone set to check your email every hour? (Or use push data for anything?)