Does anyone here use google voice?

[Krynn72]

So, once again, I've been pondering on my cellphone situation. I'm sick of spending ****in' $80+ per month on this thing I hardly use, so I'm trying to figure out how to stop doing so. I'm wondering if google voice could help with this goal.
What I would like to do is get a super stupid cellphone just for phone calls, set up google voice with it, and use google voice to do text messaging. I'm always near a computer, so I can just use that to text. Is that something I could even do, or would my cellphone plan need text messaging for it to work?

I need a phone obviously, and ideally I would just have a house phone for $19/mo and be done with it, but I'm not the sole occupant of this here domicile, so thats not really going to work for me. So I'd like to have a simple voice-calling phone in my pocket (which I can get for $39/month), and just use my laptop/desktop for everything else. If that's not possible, then anyone have any ideas on how I can stop paying almost a grand a year while still having a phone and some texting capabilities?

Like, seriously, look at this. I'm paying $82/month for this...

Spoiler

 

[Method320]

It depends what kind of phone you have. If you have a smart phone (iphone or android phone) google voice will save you loadsamoney.

I use google voice for texting and voicemail, if someone calls me, I can listen to the voicemail on my laptop/desktop or obviously, the phone. Texting through google voice uses data, so you better be sure you have some kind of data plan.

I used to have unlimited data through verizon, but recently upgraded my phone, so now I'm stuck with 2 gigs a month of bandwidth, which is plenty, and I do text a lot. You'll never get near 2 gigs (verizons lowest data plan) if all you do is text, occasional youtube video, and browse the web.

So yes, voice will definitely save you money. Calling via google voice will use actual minutes, that doesn't go through data. The only thing Google Voice uses data for is the voicemail and texting. Currently, MMS (picture messaging) is not supported.

 

[AtomicSpark]

I currently only use it for voicemail. Based on this feature graph, I have Google Voice Lite.

I should really get a Google number. Especially since my current area code is from a different state. Makes certain people nervous. Like when ordering a pizza.

 

[Rorschach120]

I went a couple months without a phone and honestly the only difference was I had to find someone to call AAA for me when my car broke down once. If you live in a city and don't drive then it is totally worth it.

What isn't worth it is the fact that Google can now look at your conversations. It's not like they would want to, but they reserve that rite. So I wouldn't recommend arranging any illegal actions over it. On another note though there is no register of you having a phone like their would be if you actually did so maybe that is a good avenue. I've been to court hearings where a friend's text messages were printed out and handed to the judge... But I digress.

Voice is great if you don't mind having your conversations permanently backed up to a server. Cell providers have a 6 month "half-life" for text conversations (or so I believe, I know they are not required to hold on to them after a certain amount of time).

 

[Krynn72]

If I need data to text with voice then its kind of pointless. I pay $5/mo for my texting service, versus $29/mo for unlimited data (the 2gb limit from verizon now is $30/mo).

After looking at my data usage though, maybe it would be worth getting a fancier new phone at subsidized rate, and dropping to the 2gb data plan. My usage includes listening to pandora, a decent amount of GPS use, and web browsing, and I'm still only using ~700mb. That also comes with the contractual obligation too though...

Also, I dont really care if google has transcripts of the things I say. I'm sure the government could get it as is if they really wanted, and google probably knows everything there is about me already anyways. I dont do anything illegal really, so I cant see it being a problem in practice (though ethically I obviously take issue with it).

This whole cell phone industry is really starting to aggravate me. Every time I think about ways to save money or get better value out of it I get pissed off. If I go with the most simplistic options I can get away with, I'm only paying an insignificant amount less for it. If I try to get the best stuff to make use of it, I have to pay a ridiculous premium (like buying an un-subsidized cell phone that costs as much as a decent laptop, but is far inferior). I swear, as soon as I can get a house phone landline, I'm done playing this stupid game.