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GoogleVoice improves its functionality on the iPhone

Allan Tépper
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GoogleVoice has recently improved its functionality on the iPhone by upgrading its optimized iPhone website, both esthetically and operationally. In light of the misinformation published by some other tech journalists, I must clarify that GoogleVoice has been working fine on the iPhone for many months, at least with three of its features. I have been using GoogleVoice on my iPhone since July 2009 to place inexpensive outgoing international calls, which has been my main reason for using it. Since that date, GoogleVoice has also worked for incoming calls to the iPhone, although I don’t regularly use that feature for now. Even though I don’t regularly use the incoming call feature -or GoogleVoice’s other features so far- I do cover all of them in this article, in addition to explaining specifically how GoogleVoice has improved when placing outgoing international calls from the iPhone as a result of this recent update. I’ll also cover how I expect the GoogleVoice service to grow even further in the coming months.

In this article…

Note for readers outside of the continental USA

GoogleVoice currently supports the continental USA only, but I have heard that it will expand to other regions in the coming months.

It feels almost like an application

Even before GoogleVoice’s recent upgrade of the optimized iPhone page, I had made a shortcut that sits on the iPhone’s desktop. Even then, it felt like a resident iPhone application. After the upgrade, it seems like a more polished resident iPhone application.

Inexpensive outgoing international phone calls

Since July 2009, GoogleVoice has been my method of choice to make inexpensive international iPhone calls when I am in the USA, and away from my computer. For example, the GoogleVoice rate to call a mobile (cellular) telephone in Colombia (South America) is currently US$0.07/minute, versus T-Mobile’s standard rate (without discounted calling service) at US$1.49/minute. T-Mobile’s discounted rate (if one signs up and pays US$5 extra/month) would be US$0.22 (over 3x the GoogleVoice rate). AT&T’s rate to a mobile phone in Colombia is US$0.26 (over 4x the GoogleVoice rate). The AT&T and T-Mobile discounted rates are fine for an occasional short call, but not for someone who makes frequent calls outside of the USA.

After the recent update of the GoogleVoice iPhone-optimized website, there is now a way to enter in a destination phone number manually. However, in my experience, the most comfortable way to use GoogleVoice for this purpose is still to add the contacts to the GoogleVoice standard website on your computer (if they aren’t already there), and then they’ll be visible on the iPhone’s GoogleVoice page. GMail users: GoogleVoice uses the same Google contact list, so if the contact you need to call from the iPhone is already in your contacts there -together with the phone number(s) entered in standard international format- and that contact list syncs with your computer’s Address Book, an that Address Book is synced to Google, then you are already set to go, since GoogleVoice already has access to all of your contacts and numbers.

Sidebar: International phone format

You should always enter all of your phone numbers in all of your databases in international format. An international formatted phone number starts with the plus (+) symbol, followed by the country code, city code (if used), and the rest of the phone number. So to call TecnoTur in the USA, it’s +1-305-668-8556, whether you are calling from within or outside of the USA. To call Apple in Spain from anywhere, it’s +34-900-150-503. This format works in Apple Address Book, GoogleVoice, all GSM phones, and Skype. It’s a standard! Also, for some reason, many people from the UK and from Venezuela tend to add an initial zero when intending to write the international formatted phone number, but that’s no good, since the call won’t be completed from outside the country when including that initial zero. If you see a UK number written like +44-0844-209-0611, omit the zero just after the +44, and make it +44-844-209-0611. If you call that number from anywhere via GoogleVoice, SkypeOUT, or your GSM phone with a compliant provider, you’ll get Apple in the UK!

Workaround for incompliant GSM providers

One more note: There are a few GSM providers in a few countries that unfortunately violate this international standard when you use a local SIM card, but in my experience, these same providers do follow the standard when foreign users are in roaming mode. If you plan to install a local SIM in one of those situations, then you should add a local “non-standard” version of the phone number to the contact cards of individuals/organizations located in that country, for use when you call when using the local SIM card there. This workaround is to compensate the particular offensive GSM provider which fails to comply with the standard when using a local SIM. Everything will still be fine with all of your other contacts who are located in other countries.

How GoogleVoice/iPhone outgoing calls are processed now, versus before

Before the upgrade, you would tap on the desired contact on the GoogleVoice page in the iPhone, tap on Call, and then GoogleVoice would call you back (a typical callback procedure) via GSM. A few seconds later, the iPhone would ring, you’d see the GoogleVoice number on the iPhone screen, accept the call, and a pre-recorded voice would say the rate, and then it would ring at the other end. After the upgrade, there is no longer any callback procedure. The GoogleVoice page prompts you; you accept; and then the iPhone initiates the outgoing GSM call to the GoogleVoice access point number. GoogleVoice is already expecting the GSM call from your iPhone, tells you the rate, and completes the rest of the call. If you have an unlimited voice plan (as I do with T-Mobile), the carrier charges you nothing, and Google deducts the cost of the call from your prepaid balance. So after the upgrade, you save a few seconds and no longer have to wait for the iPhone to ring back and then answer.

Minor limitations with outgoing calls
As it stands today, GoogleVoice does not have direct access to the iPhone directory. However, assuming that your iPhone is synced to your computer, and your computer’s Address Book is synced to your Gmail contacts, then GoogleVoice does have access to the same list. However, because as far as the iPhone is concerned, you called a USA GoogleVoice access point, your call history doesn’t show whom you really called, although the GoogleVoice history certainly does show whom you really called. I haven’t yet used GoogleVoice with an Android/Google phone like the Nexus One, but I understand that GoogleVoice is completely integrated with the AndroidOS, so the Nexus One call history may show the actual recipient. If any Nexus One user (or other Android user) comments below about that, I’ll update this article accordingly. Even the way it works currently, it’s okay, since it only affects the iPhone’s call history to international numbers, not every call.

Outgoing caller ID with outgoing calls
Currently, when make an outgoing call via GoogleVoice, your outgoing caller ID is your GoogleVoice assigned universal number, which I’ll cover ahead in this article. According to Google, soon there will be the capability in the GoogleVoice control panel to set whether the transmitted outgoing caller ID is the GoogleVoice number or the iPhone’s GSM number. Also, it is expected that soon you’ll be able to port your GSM number to GoogleVoice if desired.

GoogleVoice SMS (text messages, in and/or outgoing)

GoogleVoice’s new iPhone page allows for sending free SMS text messages via GoogleVoice. I don’t recall whether that was possible before the upgrade. There are settings via the GoogleVoice control panel to determine whether an outgoing SMS you send has your iPhone’s number as the caller ID, or your universal GoogleVoice incoming number (see the next section). You can also receive SMS at your GoogleVoice number, and there are options to forward those incoming SMS messages to any e-mail address you’d like (to save money if your iPhone plan charges you for incoming SMS) or to forward to your iPhone’s GSM number.

GoogleVoice universal incoming voice phone number with simultaneous multiple ringing

Whether you decide to use it or not, GoogleVoice gives you a personal, universal incoming voice number. If you decide to use it, calls made to your GoogleVoice number can simultaneously ring any of several phone numbers you may program in the GoogleVoice control panel. So for example, if you decide to give out your GoogleVoice number, it could ring simultaneously on a GSM number (i.e. your mobile phone’s official number) and two other landline numbers. Whichever device accepts the call “wins” it, and the other devices stop ringing. Before GoogleVoice existed, Vonage -a leading Internet telephony provider, popular mainly for landline service- offered (and continues to offer) a similar feature which Vonage branded as SimulRing. This term clearly summarizes the function in a compound word. Perhaps Google should consider purchasing non-exclusive rights to the SimulRing brand from Vonage.

Basic options when adding a simultaneous destination number
When you choose to add another simultaneous destination number, the GoogleVoice control panel first asks you to select the type of number it is. Currently, the four types are (in order listed): Mobile, Work, Home, Gizmo. If you select Mobile, then below you get the option to have SMS messages sent to your GoogleVoice number forwarded to that device, or not. If your mobile phone also accepts e-mails, you may decide to deactivate that option to save on incoming text costs, depending upon the plan you have with your GSM provider. This option is checked by default if you select mobile, and grayed out if you choose Work, Home, or Gizmo.

Advanced options when adding a simultaneous destination number
If you reveal them, two advanced options appear which affect GoogleVoice’s treatment of the particular destination number you are adding:

Click here for page 2 of this article, to see:

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GoogleVoice incoming call screening, caller presentation, and do not disturb

Incoming call screening options include :

Caller presentation options include :

The Do not disturb function is self-explanatory.

GoogleVoice voicemail & transcription

One of GoogleVoice’s voicemail features is the capability to have a special outgoing voicemail message for certain contacts, and a general one for all others. I have been using another service to do this since before GoogleVoice existed (under its current name-before Google purchased GoogleVoice, it was known as GrandCentral) called YouMail. YouMail also adds visual voicemail to non-iPhone devices, and it also adds visual voicemail to iPhones that are connected to T-Mobile in the USA. So far, I haven’t had any compelling reason to migrate my voicemail from YouMail to GoogleVoice, but it’s good to have the option. GoogleVoice also has the option to have incoming voicemails transcribed and e-mailed to you. The transcription currently works only with English-language voicemail messages. Since most of my incoming voicemails are in Castilian, I haven’t yet had any inclination to use a transcription service for my voicemails, which is also available from YouMail. I’m not sure if I would use it even if it worked with Castilian. I am accustomed to listening to my voicemails.

GoogleVoice language setting

GoogleVoice’s control panel has a language setting, which currently as a single option: English. Since other Google services do offer multiple language selection, and Google has included the selection in the GoogleVoice control panel, it’s pretty clear that more languages will be coming, at least for the control panel.

GoogleVoice invitations, and three ways to get one

At present, you can only get a GoogleVoice account via invitation. I originally responded to Google’s Request an invite link, and received one a few weeks later. I have heard that some people have actually purchased GoogleVoice invitations via eBay. At publication time of this article, my GoogleVoice control panel says that I have three available invitations. If you would like a GoogleVoice invitation and have been unsuccessful with Google’s Request an invite link, then you can write to me explaining how you think you’d use it, what features you like, and what you might want to be added or improved. The first three readers to write something interesting will get an invitation from me.

Projected growth for GoogleVoice

These are areas where I expect GoogleVoice to grow:

The last one is the obvious next step after Google’s purchase of Gizmo in November of 2009.

Projected quasi-UMA on the iPhone

Read more about UMA in the related article, T©pper’s predictions for iPhoneOS 4.0. I don’t know whether Apple will choose to partner with the upcoming GoogleVoice enhanced service, or to partner with (or purchase) the iCall company, which is based in Connecticut, USA (coincidentally, where I grew up) and incorporate the iCall technology into iPhoneOS 4.0, using iCall’s telephone structure to bridge the Internet call to the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) network. However, I do expect (and hope) that one or the other will happen. I really think it’s a no brainer to do one or the other… and since the upcoming UMA or “Seamless switching between GSM calling and WiFi calling via GoogleVoice” will be on Android devices soon, Apple will really need to have it too, one way or another. Isn’t competition great?

Read the related articles

Allan T©pper’s articles and seminars

Get a full index of Allan T©pper’s articles and upcoming seminars at AllanTepper.com. Listen to his podcast TecnoTur, together with Tanya Castañeda, Rub©n Abruña, and Liliana Marín, free via iTunes or at TecnoTur.us.

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