Google Hangouts w/Voice (Was Google Voice)

[Galaxyguy]

After using the integration for a couple weeks I found 2 minor flaws that I hope may get addressed at some point.

 

The first is that mms messages only go to and from the phone. It would be nice if they went to/from all devices just like sms messages.

 

The 2nd is related to phone calls. When on a traditional call, my phone cuts off the screen using a proximity sensor. When on a call through Hangouts, it doesn't cut off the screen and I end up in crazy places with my phone from my cheek hitting the screen. If I remember to hit the power button after placing the call, it cuts off the screen, but I have to remember to do that.

 

Anybody else have any other potential improvements other than what I just thought of?

 

Sent from my Note 4.

[kct1975]

I'm sticking with the old Google Voice app until it is no longer supported.

 

Personally, I have absolutely no interest in the Google Hangouts integration.

[Dkoellerwx]

The 2nd is related to phone calls. When on a traditional call, my phone cuts off the screen using a proximity sensor. When on a call through Hangouts, it doesn't cut off the screen and I end up in crazy places with my phone from my cheek hitting the screen. If I remember to hit the power button after placing the call, it cuts off the screen, but I have to remember to do that.

 

 

When I make calls using Hangouts, the screen turns off just fine using the sensor. Perhaps there's a specific issues that the app is having with your device? Works fine on my Nexus 5 and LG G3.

[Eric Phipps]

So I just got a hangouts update. Its the one with project Fi support. I wonder if some of the features will work with google voice users.

[mikejeep]

Anyone with GV Lite (voicemail only) having issues recently? My voicemails are suddenly going to the default Sprint system now, and when I try deactivating or reactivating my N5 with the * dialer code provided by GV (that always worked in the past), it says the feature code is not valid.

 

-Mike

[DurhamHusker]

Anyone with GV Lite (voicemail only) having issues recently? My voicemails are suddenly going to the default Sprint system now, and when I try deactivating or reactivating my N5 with the * dialer code provided by GV (that always worked in the past), it says the feature code is not valid.

 

-Mike

No problems here.

 

I think I see a phone call to a sprint CSR in your future. (Or an online chat session. I think I like those better.)

[WiWavelength]

Anyone with GV Lite (voicemail only) having issues recently? My voicemails are suddenly going to the default Sprint system now, and when I try deactivating or reactivating my N5 with the * dialer code provided by GV (that always worked in the past), it says the feature code is not valid.

 

Even with full Google Voice integration, I had month or so this summer when voicemail ended up on my various handsets, not in the Google Voice system.  Fortunately, SMS distribution was never affected -- it functioned properly across all of my handsets and devices.  And, at least as of today, a voicemail I received was through the Google Voice system again.

 

AJ

[Cataract2]

I just wish there was a way to have Hangouts only handle the Google Voice voicemail side of the house.  Anytime I've tried to mess with it, Hangouts wants to take over my SMS and MMS side as well.  I don't want to use Handouts for that.  I just want Google Voice for my voicemail.

 

So, I am still sticking with the old Google Voice.

[travismheim]

I just wish there was a way to have Hangouts only handle the Google Voice voicemail side of the house. Anytime I've tried to mess with it, Hangouts wants to take over my SMS and MMS side as well. I don't want to use Handouts for that. I just want Google Voice for my voicemail.

 

So, I am still sticking with the old Google Voice.

You should be able to do that. Just change the default SMS app to whatever it is you want to use.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[kct1975]

I just wish there was a way to have Hangouts only handle the Google Voice voicemail side of the house. Anytime I've tried to mess with it, Hangouts wants to take over my SMS and MMS side as well. I don't want to use Handouts for that. I just want Google Voice for my voicemail.

 

So, I am still sticking with the old Google Voice.

Exactly... And that is one of the reasons that I absolutely refuse to initiate Hangouts app, and am clinging to the Google Voice app for as long as it is still working.

[mrrogers1]

You should be able to do that. Just change the default SMS app to whatever it is you want to use.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

I'm not Google Voice integrated and this is what I do, works great. 

[DurhamHusker]

I just wish there was a way to have Hangouts only handle the Google Voice voicemail side of the house. Anytime I've tried to mess with it, Hangouts wants to take over my SMS and MMS side as well. I don't want to use Handouts for that. I just want Google Voice for my voicemail.

 

So, I am still sticking with the old Google Voice.

You should be able to do that. Just change the default SMS app to whatever it is you want to use.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

travismheim is right.

 

I have Hangouts installed and use it exactly in this fashion. It only accesses Google Voice voicemail and messages that are sent to the GV phone number. My stock messaging app handles normal messaging.

[Cataract2]

travismheim is right.

 

I have Hangouts installed and use it exactly in this fashion. It only accesses Google Voice voicemail and messages that are sent to the GV phone number. My stock messaging app handles normal messaging.

Hm, for some reason the last time I attempted to use it for only Google Voice, Hangouts just kept trying to take over my SMS and was even pushing notifications for SMS.  Maybe I will take a look at it again if Voice is more integrated now.  Just hated Hangouts for SMS.  Blah.

 

Though now Google has Google Messanger, which is everything you like in Hangouts and nothing you don't.  Just a good simple SMS/MMS app.  If it had a dark theme I would still use it.

[mrjeff]

Anyone with GV Lite (voicemail only) having issues recently? My voicemails are suddenly going to the default Sprint system now, and when I try deactivating or reactivating my N5 with the * dialer code provided by GV (that always worked in the past), it says the feature code is not valid.

 

-Mike

 

I'm getting this right now.  

[Galaxyguy]

It looks like Google just updated the Hangouts dialer app to use your phone # when dialing outbound calls through Hangouts. This is for non-integrated users. I think it's a step in the right direction. You can choose to not allow this if you prefer your caller ID to still show as unavailable. There's a setting in the Hangouts app for it.

 

This will be great for times that I need to use data and make a phone call.

 

Sent from my Note 4.

[Mitsospiros]

My Sprint number is google voice enabled. Google voice number is the only number I use. Hangouts is the only app I use for texting. I love that I can text from my iPad and computer.

 

The problem is that quality of the image sent through hangouts (MMS) is very low resolution. This is can be a big problem when sending images of text. The recipient cannot read what was sent.

 

I know I can use a regular texting app but that would send it with my regular Sprint number since I have SMS disabled in hangouts. Problem is Google voice number is all I use and to have to use my Sprint number would cause confusion.

 

Since Google voice number is all that I use, I was thinking of porting that number to be my main Sprint number. That way all my sent images will be sent by normal texting apps with good quality. Not sure if losing Google voice benefits is worth better MMS images.

 

All my apple friends use iMessage. Sometimes I wonder if all this can be avoided if I just get an iPhone and use iMessages.

 

But getting an iPhone to send better image texts seem a bit drastic for me. There must be a better way to text good images using my Google voice number?

[Dkoellerwx]

You can fully integrated Google Voice with Sprint. No need for two numbers. If you can bring your GV number to Sprint, you can still use GV. I integrated my number with GV, so I have all the benefits, and still send regular MMS.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Mitsospiros]

You can fully integrated Google Voice with Sprint. No need for two numbers. If you can bring your GV number to Sprint, you can still use GV. I integrated my number with GV, so I have all the benefits, and still send regular MMS.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Yes, I already have done that. The issue is MMS is very low quality (resolution).

[jadedchameleon]

Yes, I already have done that. The issue is MMS is very low quality (resolution).

No, what he is saying is you can port your GV number to Sprint, and Sprint has special integration that allows you to use GV while still letting your phone have the actual number (no other carrier besides Fi has this). This means using Google Messenger or Textra still works and sends from the right number. And messages still show up on your computer, etc (albeit outgoing messages sent via textra would not).

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[travismheim]

My Sprint number is google voice enabled. Google voice number is the only number I use. Hangouts is the only app I use for texting. I love that I can text from my iPad and computer.

 

The problem is that quality of the image sent through hangouts (MMS) is very low resolution. This is can be a big problem when sending images of text. The recipient cannot read what was sent.

 

I know I can use a regular texting app but that would send it with my regular Sprint number since I have SMS disabled in hangouts. Problem is Google voice number is all I use and to have to use my Sprint number would cause confusion.

 

Since Google voice number is all that I use, I was thinking of porting that number to be my main Sprint number. That way all my sent images will be sent by normal texting apps with good quality. Not sure if losing Google voice benefits is worth better MMS images.

 

All my apple friends use iMessage. Sometimes I wonder if all this can be avoided if I just get an iPhone and use iMessages.

 

But getting an iPhone to send better image texts seem a bit drastic for me. There must be a better way to text good images using my Google voice number?

In hangouts next to where you enter text hit the little arrow. You can change between Google voice, hangouts message, and SMS on the fly. I currently have to do this when sending mms to Sprint customers, since I get an error about incorrect country code if I try mms via Google voice to a Sprint user.

 

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

[Mitsospiros]

No, what he is saying is you can port your GV number to Sprint, and Sprint has special integration that allows you to use GV while still letting your phone have the actual number (no other carrier besides Fi has this). This means using Google Messenger or Textra still works and sends from the right number. And messages still show up on your computer, etc (albeit outgoing messages sent via textra would not).

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Ok thanks. I had misunderstood the original statement.

 

Question. I know that after porting my GV# to Sprint, I would be able to use any texting app to send and receive from my phone. And the images would look good. But would I be able to use the hangout app on the iPad to send and receive sms?

 

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[modplan]

Ok thanks. I had misunderstood the original statement.

 

Question. I know that after porting my GV# to Sprint, I would be able to use any texting app to send and receive from my phone. And the images would look good. But would I be able to use the hangout app on the iPad to send and receive sms?

 

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

 

Yes (but not MMS) just like you can from your PC

[Dkoellerwx]

Ok thanks. I had misunderstood the original statement.

 

Question. I know that after porting my GV# to Sprint, I would be able to use any texting app to send and receive from my phone. And the images would look good. But would I be able to use the hangout app on the iPad to send and receive sms?

 

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

 

Yes, every GV feature is still available. And in addition, you can use regular texting apps if you want, and those messages still appear in your hangouts/GV app. MMS messages sent via a regular texting app of course won't be in your GV history since they will be sent through the Sprint network. 

 

Thanks to Travis for clarifying my earlier statement. My Sprint number is my Google Voice number, they are one in the same.

[Mitsospiros]

Thanks to all who responded. Been thinking about doing this for a while.

 

Unlocked my Google voice number. Paid $3. Called Sprint to port number over. Was told transfer would be complete by 3pm tomorrow. Hope there are no issues.

[WiWavelength]

Thanks to all who responded. Been thinking about doing this for a while.

 

Unlocked my Google voice number. Paid $3. Called Sprint to port number over. Was told transfer would be complete by 3pm tomorrow. Hope there are no issues.

 

Google Voice integration on Sprint is a thing of beauty.  Besides MMS, maybe HD Voice, almost nothing is lacking.  The seamless ability to send/receive SMS via SMS or data on the activated handset and to send/receive SMS via data on all connected devices -- secondary handsets, tablets, laptops -- to/from a single phone number is convenience incarnate.  That Sprint has this capability while other operators do not is a surprisingly overlooked advantage.

 

AJ