Google Voice?

[WoodPeckr]

Been using GV awhile now for both talking and texting on my PCs.
FWIW GV works better than Skype.
GV works great and is free plus I can talk or text from the US to Canada free with no problems.
When you are done with any calls or text conversations you just delete them......hopefully....

The question is, are there any downsides to using GV this way?

 

[Tangwhich]

You might be asking in the wrong place since GV doesn't work in Canada.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Really?
Thought it did work in Canada.
I have no problem calling/texting Canada from New York....

 

[Tangwhich]

It might work if you have an account, I don't know. But Canadians can't create an account without a whole bunch of IP masking and such things.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Yes that was one concern, that you have to create a G-mail account to use GV.....and Google tends to be more intrusive than others in keeping logs of where and what you do and go....

 

[Anynym]

Been using GV awhile now for both talking and texting on my PCs.
FWIW GV works better than Skype.
GV works great and is free plus I can talk or text from the US to Canada free with no problems.
When you are done with any calls or text conversations you just delete them......hopefully....

The question is, are there any downsides to using GV this way?

What would you consider a downside? Being able to get a transcription of the conversation? Not being able to get a transcription? The possibility that a copy of your conversation may be used for other purposes?

 

[WoodPeckr]

What would you consider a downside? Being able to get a transcription of the conversation?

Well for one we know how Google likes to store forever in some secret data base ALL your Google searches.
So you wonder if they will do the same with all your GV calls and texts, even if you delete them. Some phone companies store all your calls and texts which wives have used in the past to catch hubby in the hobby. So you wonder if Google does the same with GV?

BTW Skype does the same and keeps a history of every call you ever made and you can't delete your Skype history.....:eyebrows:

 

[George The Curious]

skype costs, google voice is free.

if you travel to the us, you should take a few minutes to make a gv account, when you come back, you have a free 2nd number (us number). great way to use it for contacting escorts. that's what I do..

 

[WoodPeckr]

The beauty of GV is it gives you a free US number in any area code you desire. Many SPs in the US are starting to use GV for this reason. Also US SPs like GV because they can change their GV # anytime they want if they get stalker or wacko issues.

Getting a personal number with Skype will cost you.

 

[George The Curious]

The beauty of GV is it gives you a free US number in any area code you desire. Many SPs in the US are starting to use GV for this reason. Also US SPs like GV because they can change their GV # anytime they want if they get stalker or wacko issues.

Getting a personal number with Skype will cost you.

There is one catch though. To get a GV US number that can actually receive calls from regular phone, you must have a landline or cell number with US area code for activation. If you are lucky enough to find a public phone that has not been registered to GV, or else buy a prepaid phone, use it just one time to register GV for free for life.

 

[Anynym]

Well for one we know how Google likes to store forever in some secret data base ALL your Google searches.
So you wonder if they will do the same with all your GV calls and texts, even if you delete them. Some phone companies store all your calls and texts which wives have used in the past to catch hubby in the hobby. So you wonder if Google does the same with GV?

BTW Skype does the same and keeps a history of every call you ever made and you can't delete your Skype history.....:eyebrows:

Precisely.

There are legal reasons for a company to keep various information. Google operates in a large number of countries, and under a large number of regulatory regimes. Although GV isn't offered in Canada (possibly to avoid some CRTC regulatory requirements; Google hasn't mentioned any public reasons that I'm aware of) Google may have requirements from some other jurisdiction which applies.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Recently I know of two buddies who are going through divorce proceedings. They both had matching separate cell phones with their wives. One couple were swingers and hubby got into some hot and heavy UTR swinging without wifey present which went on for a few months before she got suspicious. Both were not tech savvy but a girlfriend told wifey her cell company would give her complete call records of hubby's cell, even though he was deleting all his hobby calls. She checked and sure enough there were >100 calls between hubby and a swinger FB they had met a few times.

The other couple just had a horny hubby messing around. Both were not tech savvy either. Wife got suspicious and some online gfs told her how to check on who hubby was calling. She did and their phone company gave her the calls records and texting hubby was doing with his FB.....there were well over 300 calls and text messages for her to go through, that he thought were deleted. Both are going though messy divorces.

So it makes you wonder if GV saves everything that an investigator or a suspicious wife can easily find, to see who, when and what you have been doing?.....:eyebrows:

 

[George The Curious]

Recently I know of two buddies who are going through divorce proceedings. They both had matching separate cell phones with their wives. One couple were swingers and hubby got into some hot and heavy UTR swinging without wifey present which went on for a few months before she got suspicious. Both were not tech savvy but a girlfriend told wifey her cell company would give her complete call records of hubby's cell, even though he was deleting all his hobby calls. She checked and sure enough there were >100 calls between hubby and a swinger FB they had met a few times.

The other couple just had a horny hubby messing around. Both were not tech savvy either. Wife got suspicious and some online gfs told her how to check on who hubby was calling. She did and their phone company gave her the calls records and texting hubby was doing with his FB.....there were well over 300 calls and text messages for her to go through, that he thought were deleted. Both are going though messy divorces.

So it makes you wonder if GV saves everything that an investigator or a suspicious wife can easily find, to see who, when and what you have been doing?.....:eyebrows:

even if gv saves your conversation. You don't need to use real name to register.

 

[WoodPeckr]

even if gv saves your conversation. You don't need to use real name to register.

True but if saved, all those hobby conversations would be linked to your PC through the IP address.....:eyebrows:

 

[Don]

Google Voice kicks ass. I travel to the US a lot on business so I have a US mobile (sim card) and got a Google Voice number.

Still waiting for them to make it available in Canada. HELLLOOO GOOGLE??? Yes we are small potatoes compared to the US but we do have a population the size of California...

 

[zigma99]

In Canada, Fongo, provides the same service as GV. You can pick your phone number as well.
http://www.fongo.com/
Calling within Canada is free, other countries is paid. Call forwarding etc. all included.
One additional benefit is that it allows you to receive faxes as well