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If you install Google voice you can receive calls, and the phone number you choose appears on the Caller ID for your outgoing calls.
Minor correction for newb: You don't need to install Google Voice. You just need to get a Google Voice number from voice.google.com. Then you can make/receive calls using this number from Hangouts app.
Minor correction for newb: You don't need to install Google Voice. You just need to get a Google Voice number from voice.google.com. Then you can make/receive calls using this number from Hangouts app.
Very good point. Google voice does not have to be installed on your phone, but you do need an account. You do need a reference phone number (it could be a willing friend).
I also have a correction on Scratch Wireless (not verified in person). Since the phone they sell is an Android phone, you can install Google Hangouts on there as well. You are better off giving your Google phone number to friends. If they text your Scratch Wireless phone and you are not within wifi range, you get a message that says someone is trying to reach you, but you don't know who. Scratch Wireless is hoping you will pay $2 and get a day pass on cellular to call back. But if they text your Google phone, you will receive a text telling who called. You can then text back on Scratch number. I have not verified this advice myself.
[QUE=Geneyus;37967308]I'm all about saving money, but I think I'd rather pay $110/month than go through the hassle of trying to locate usable Wifi every time I want to use the phone. I am intrigued by the commercials I've been hearing about Walmart's phone plans. Supposedly, they can cut your phone bill in half while still using the major carriers' cell towers, and data is included. I wonder if anyone on here has used them.[/quote]
My parents use walmarts plans and really love it. Never any problems, they have unlimited everything for $70 a month and it seems to work well. Plus the phone choices seemed good also. We are in att contract but will consider going through walmart when its up.
I'm all about saving money, but I think I'd rather pay $110/month than go through the hassle of trying to locate usable Wifi every time I want to use the phone. I am intrigued by the commercials I've been hearing about Walmart's phone plans. Supposedly, they can cut your phone bill in half while still using the major carriers' cell towers, and data is included. I wonder if anyone on here has used them.
But even if you don't want to find usable wi-fi to talk to someone, you shouldn't have to pay $110/month. There are unlimited talk and text cell plans for $35 /phone and under at Walmart. If you want to be frugal, you might consider looking for wi-fi to check e-mail or do other data intensive activity. Just limit your cell phone use to talk and text.
Careful that you don't eliminate yourself along w/ your phone bill. If you have a medical emergency or the house catches on fire, you'll have to get in the car and hunt for a wi fi spot to call for help. If someone breaks in, you'll have to tell them to hang out a while while you get in the car and look for a wi fi spot to call the cops. I'm sure they won't mind.
Careful that you don't eliminate yourself along w/ your phone bill. If you have a medical emergency or the house catches on fire, you'll have to get in the car and hunt for a wi fi spot to call for help. If someone breaks in, you'll have to tell them to hang out a while while you get in the car and look for a wi fi spot to call the cops. I'm sure they won't mind.
I don't think it is a good idea to have just a wi-fi phone. I think you need wi-fi and VOIP from cable, or wi-fi and cellular. Using cellular or wifi, then you should have a phone in fixed position with good reception. You should also have backup power via batteries or hand cranks if you lose power for a long time.
A home invader could cut your telephone line as well.
Some people have suggested that you could get a "sensible minute" plan from Verizon that allows you to make phone calls for 15 cents a minute. Simply consider it as an emergency number and don't use it for anything routine.
Any cell phone, even one with no plan at all, will allow you to dial 911 as long as you can get a signal. You just need to keep the phone charged and be somewhere a cell tower can access the phone. So, in a true emergency, as long as you have a cell phone, even an old one, you should be able to summon help. *Note - you will likely have to tell 911 exactly where you are. Total cost = $0.
Any cell phone, even one with no plan at all, will allow you to dial 911 as long as you can get a signal.
That would be the equivalent of letting your automatic activation device release your emergency parachute at 3000'. It should work, but you shouldn't push it to that level.
You can keep an old cell phone going on page plus cellular for a payment of $11.77 every four months. That way in addition to 911 you will have some minutes to call friends and relatives. You can also use it for more mundane "emergencies" like a boiled over radiator. Texts are 5 cents a minute and Talk is 10 cents a minute.
Even a cell phone with this minimal service will be registered to your name, so if you are trying to make a cell phone and you can't talk coherently, at least they know who you are and where you live.
The Verizon "sensible minute" plan is not much per month, and may give you more assurance than the pay as you go cellular.
There is no reason to use Google Voice without minimal backup.
I am currently trying Pure Talk at $20 a month ( tax and everything included) for 1000 minutes. You can also text with this plan. Each text uses 1/3 of a minute cell time. I'm not using their data plan at this time, only cell time. Cell service is fantastic.
I switched to them this month, chose the $10 plan with 250 min/month, so far so good, no extra taxes or fees. I like how you pay for text with 1/3 of a minute, and they gave me more than 100 extra minutes just for signing up with auto payment. I checked it the other day and had 366 available minutes on a 250 min plan, lol. Nice they give you extra minutes to make up for the week it takes for sim card to arrive (they start billing from day of purchase). I activated and ported my old number to them online and never had to call customer service, received an an email the next morning letting me know it was ready. Also nice how they don't try and rip you, if you go over on your minutes. I read from a customer forum they just bump you up to the next level plan for one month, then bump you back down to your original plan the following month if usage returns to normal. If I go over my 250, it bills me for the 500 min plan at $12.50 on my regular payment day, instead of $10.
I've been using the google hangouts feature in my Gmail for over a year or so now, just to make outgoing calls that may become lengthy, such as customer service calls. No need for obi device, just using my old desktop with headset plugged into headphone/mic jacks. I have to manually turn on and shut off the mic by clicking on speaker tab in taskbar>levels>microphone>mute/enable>level adjust. Not that hard, if I knew for sure that Google Voice will remain free with obi box for years to come, I might buy an obi box.
One day when they get cheap enough I will probably get an Apple smartphone that has VoLTE capabilities. Until then I will stick with my trusty desktop for computer stuff. I like stuff that does not break down, I have 4 desktops around here that still work, including my first one from 2000 that only had 256 MB of RAM. Laptops and smartphones are too fragile, have known many people that go thru laptops and smartphones like toilet paper, not me. Better to buy yourself a Swiss Army Knife for now, instead of a smartphone, it does a lot of things too and is much more reliable. When they can make a smartphone that can hammer things, I might get interested. Why don't they put a thick piece of plate glass over those screens, with an outter frame that holds the glass in place with 4 screws, one on each corner, so when you smash it, you just pop off the old one, buy a new piece of glass for 3 bucks and you're good to go. That's the way it ought to be.
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