Smartphone And Making Phone Calls and Text Without Plan? (T-Mobile, remove, google)

[lizardblizzard03]

Im currently in the USA. I have a LG Optimus V Smartphone and i pay 35+ tax per month for my Virgin Mobile Plan that is month to month. I have 300 minutes and unlimited text and data. Thing is i rarely use more than even 100 minutes and almost all my phone calls are at home. I rarely use my phone to call or text when im outside.


I read that people can actually make phone calls and even texts on their smartphones without having a plan. Is this true? Because i certainly would have saved money this way since all my cell phone usage or majority of it is at home.


Someone said that as long as you have wifi, then you can do this.


That seems to be way too good to be true. Im not tech savy at all. I didn't know even a few years ago one could get online with their cell phone without wifi.


My questions are this


1. What programs would i need to download for this? Someone mentioned google voice for phone calling and another program for texting? If so whats that called?


2. Someone said you can PORT your current cell number to google voice and the moment you do this, your phone service with your carrier is canceled? is this true or false?


3. Does that mean doing this whether you make phone call or text... that the person you speak to will see the same phone number? I know this sound like a stupid question. But i assume when you text to someone and call them using these programs, its same number and not different ones?


4. Assuming you are in a place where there is no wifi, does that mean anytime someoen tries to call or text you, thus you wont receive the message/call but once you are at home with wifi or at a location with wifi, then your phone will show missed call and the missed text messages?


5. How is the phone call reception and texting? With virgin mobile, my calls to and from ppl are very clear and my text message i send and receive very fast. If i choose these free options of free phone calls on my smartphone without a plan and thus do everything on wifi, is it comparable to having a phone plan such as the virgin mobile one?

[jaredC]

I use viber. Its pretty neat. What it does is use your WiFi to send and receive calls and texts. If you don't have WiFi, well then it won't work. Sorry. I know though, that on my older smartphone that had viber, when I removed the Sim to install it on a new phone, the old phone, while being disconnected from T-Mobile, was still on WiFi at home, and I could still send/receive calls/texts.