The better: You can use the CallerID block, The personalized Greeting, the SMS transcriptions, the advance voice mail, and all the other extended features of Google voice with your existing number.
The worst: You must still paying to your cell company.. but all is not bad… read below…
Example: With T-mobile (or any other), you can add a new line to your existing plan (don't accept the new phone that they will wants to give you -unless you want to upgrade the phone, but remember that if your old phone stills with the two years agreement, you must have in service to the termination of your agreement or you will be charged for Early Termination-… or they will tie you for another TWO years. Buy a compatible phone with your company on Ebay) for $9.95 (I believe… in all the companies the cost is similar) and use the new number that they give you as your main number. Remember, for you can get the maximum experience with Google Voice, don't give this new number to somebody… keeps in private.
Your old 'all-life' number stills in your existing account only for that cost, sharing the minutes, the SMS count, etc…
How to use??? You must press on 'Leer Mas…' link below to know the system.
Step-by-Step
1.- Log on to your Google Account and navigate to http://google.com/voice
2.- Press Settings
3.- Press 'Phones' option -if not pressed-
4.- Setup forward to both numbers, the 'all-life' number and the new one
that you get when you add the additional line to your account. You must verify both numbers with Google Voice following the directions on the screen.5.- Setup both numbers as mobile (cell numbers).
6.- Press the 'Voicemail & SMS' option, and press again the 'Phones' option.
This is for update the screen and shows the voicemail forwarding option nearest to both phone numbers.
7.- Now you can see '
Activate Google Voicemail on this phone' in both numbers… Press the option nearest to your 'all-life' phone number8.- Select your Carrier and follow in cell phone, the directions showed in the Greybox. Press Done when finish.
9.- Press again the 'Voicemail & SMS' option, and press again the 'Phones' option. This is for update the screen as you knows… but this time nearest to your 'all-life' phone number you can see 'Deactivate Google Voicemail on this phone'.
10.- Press these option.
11.- This will show another Greybox with the directions for deactivate the Voicemail forwarding.
12.- DON'T FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR CELL, only press done on the Greybox.
13.- Unmark the forward in your 'All-life' phone number.
That's IT…. now when somebody dial your 'All-life' the call will be forwarded to your new -and secret- phone number, but trought Google Voice with all your advanced features… (CallerID Block, etc…).Your actual cell phone stills works and you can (must) make the calls with him, if you wants to remains private your new phone number… yes, you must carry two phones 🙁 but is only temporal.… Or you can buy a phone that accepts two SIM cards like theses (for CDMA phones -Sprint, Verizon, Crciket, AllTell, UsCellular, MetroPCS, etc… you only have the ' carry TWO phones option') and stills making calls for the old number.
When Google Voice accepts to port numbers to their system, you only needs to port your 'all-life' number to your GV account and cancel it with your cell company. Because you are not canceling your Cell phone service, (you only are porting one number of the account) you don't have to pay any Early Termination Fee -if you didn.t take the phone offered at signup time with the additional line-.
Then (after the port -when available-), when you makes calls using Google Voice -call in from your new phone number your GV number and pressing the option 2-, the CallerID will show your 'all-life' phone number, because the 'All-life' number will be your Google Voice number.
PORT YOUR CELL NUMBER TO GOOGLE VOICE NOW, BEFORE THEY OFFICIALY STARTS WITH THE PORT SERVICE IN THE USA.
Angeloso
P.d.: Por que lo puse en Ingles??? Pues porque el post no tiene mucho valor para los paises de habla hispana donde va dirigida IslaTortuga. Cuando Google Voice funcione en dichos paises, prometo traducirlo… aunque creo que ya no hara falta.