[xxraffyxx]

In my opinion much better then youmail.

1. Get google voice account (make note of your number) its only by invite at this time
https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/

2. download app for blackberry
visit VIA your blackberry m.google.com/voice

3. log into your google voice account on your computer. Go to the settings (this is where you can personalize your greetings) tab and enable "Do Not Disturb, Then go into the Phones tab and UNcheck all forwards

4. Now you have to set all unanswered calls to be forwarded to your google number
With VERIZON (I dont know the code for other providers)
dial *71(xxx)xxx-xxxx (your google voice number) then hit send

5. DONE!

[paul386]

Can you explain what step 4 does?

[xxraffyxx]

*fixed* sorry about that

[anon(19759)]

I had some bad issues with the Google Voice app on my Tour. When dialing out, calls took forever to connect. The app hung up every once in a while. My Vonage home office line can do everything the Google app does, like simultaneous ring, forward after a specified number of rings, etc. The cost for vzw visual vm is minimal and it just plain works.

[xxraffyxx]

yeah with this you don't really use google voice the "regular" way. Instead of google voice forwarding to your phone, you have your phone foward to google voice. then google just goes straight to voicemail.

this works great, I have had 0 problems with it so far.

[Erkenntnis]

What does call forwarding for Verizon typically cost? How much airtime does it use?

[xxraffyxx]

What does call forwarding for Verizon typically cost? How much airtime does it use?

Its free. I called verizons support to ask how to do it, they first made sure it was a feature available to me. I asked if its going to cost anything they said no its free.

[jamesapatrick03]

I know the money adds up for Visual Voice Mail thru Verizon after awhile, but I'm satisfied with it. There's too many buggy applications out there....But good job to OP

[Troggie]

I don't know about "better", but the interface is definitely a lot nicer. The main thing I like about YouMail is the smart greeting feature. It actually surprised me that Google doesn't have something similar to this.

I've been using YouMail for a while now after switching from VVM. I don't like how the YouMail app doesn't give notifications other than the red star, so I switched to the VyMail application that works with the YouMail service. It has proper notification settings, but messages longer than about a minute will not download! So, I end up having to keep both apps to listen to long messages.

The Google Voice option is nice (free transcription is cool) but then there's the notification problem again.

I'll probably end up just going back to VVM and paying the $4 a month.

[xxraffyxx]

How did the special greet feature work?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[sq3rjick]

This is exactly what I do with my google voice number. I *really* hate voicemail, so having the transcription service is great for getting the gist of the message. And I can always listen to the voicemail if I need to.

Google Voice + Google Sync are the perfect killer combo for me.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[waterfrontmgmt]

you should not foward numbers to your google voice #. it creates a loop. ck the other threads.

[mallinj]

you should not foward numbers to your google voice #. it creates a loop. ck the other threads.

Not if you set your Google Voice to DND -- Do Not Disturb. Right?

Agree that this is a reasonable or superior (free, fast and accurate transcription) substitute for YouMail (no free transcription).

I've had Google Voice since it was GrandCentral.Com. I don't use it for two reasons: (1) Caller presentation blows. It only accepts DTMF responses and not voice responses. This is a feature people have been requesting for years (literally, years). So you need to turn it off if you drive and ever use a hands free. Will Google ever make this improvement? (2) Presently you cannot port your existing phone number to Google Voice. This feature is in the works, I have read. This will be a big improvement to the system for obvious reasons. You can then ring multiple other phone numbers with the number you presently use. Big win for Google.

Google Voice is a threat to the telecos, including Verizon and AT&T. 1. Free texting. 100% free in both directions. 2. Free calls to Canada and really low rates to other countries. But... telecos have a inherent advantage over Google Voice.. "in-calling." If you dial with Google Voice right now, you do not qualify for in-calling even if you and the line you call are with the same carrier. Instead you need to have a plan that allows you to add "free" landlines and you need to add your Google Voice number as a free landline.

That's my $0.03. I'm long GOOG too.

[xxraffyxx]

you should not foward numbers to your google voice #. it creates a loop. ck the other threads.

Not if you set your Google Voice to DND -- Do Not Disturb. Right?

You forward you number to google voice, but since you put google voice into do not disturb mode it will automatically go to voice mail.

It works great! I'm telling you guys, anyone else try it out yet?

[mallinj]

I'm trying it out in a minute. I had to deactivate other GV phones to try it.

It makes sense. I do like the YouMail smart greeting which says "Hi [First Name], [My Name] can't come to the phone..." but not nearly as cool as free, accurate transcription.

[mallinj]

It works great! I'm telling you guys, anyone else try it out yet?

This is SWEET. I have it working just fine. I always put Google Voice on the bookshelf for the reasons I posted above but as a voicemail alternative, this just plain rocks. The transcription is damn near perfect.

The only advantage to using YouMail, as someone else wrote above, is the "smart greeting" which actually spooks out more people than does anything useful.

Long the GOOG and proud of it.

EDIT: OP, credit yourself for being among the first. When Google Voice begins rolling out invitations (which I heard will go to armed forces first), this will be THE voicemail alternative.

[waterfrontmgmt]

I'm trying it out in a minute. I had to deactivate other GV phones to try it.

It makes sense. I do like the YouMail smart greeting which says "Hi [First Name], [My Name] can't come to the phone..." but not nearly as cool as free, accurate transcription.

you can do this will google voice too. and it is easier in my opinion.

[mallinj]

How do you set up a smart greeting in GV?

Nevermind. I see you can set up a greeting on a per contact basis.

[Beau79]

How do I get to my VZW voicemail now? Or What if I want to rollback to just regular VZW voicemail?

Can you just *71 and your VZW cell phone number ?

Thanks!

[xxraffyxx]

To access you VZW voicemail (listen to it) just dial your speed dial for it.

to return to normal. no more call forwarding, and get regular ZVW voicemail
dial *73

[baldyguy]

How do I get this to work with Sprint?

Is it possible to somehow block a number with this method?

I heard the VZ had some web capabilities to block numbers or something to the effect. I know for a fact that Sprint doesn't have something like this.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Beau79]

To access you VZW voicemail (listen to it) just dial your speed dial for it.

to return to normal. no more call forwarding, and get regular ZVW voicemail
dial *73

Unless I did something wrong, after the *71 + Goog number, I can't hit my speed dial for my VZW VM, it just takes me to goog. Anyways, I did the *73 to review and delete what i dont need, back to goog!

Thanks!

[xxraffyxx]

How do I get this to work with Sprint?

Is it possible to somehow block a number with this method?

I heard the VZ had some web capabilities to block numbers or something to the effect. I know for a fact that Sprint doesn't have something like this.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

You will have to call Sprint and request Call forwarding on unanswered (make its for unanswered calls NOT auto call forwarding) then the rest of the steps should be just the same.

Yes VZW has the ability to block some number (calling texts) you could use google for this
click call blocking
Google Voice

the problem to using this method is your phone will still ring... then it will be forwarding to google voice then it will have the audio alert.

[ramsfan3068]

How do I get this to work with Sprint?

Is it possible to somehow block a number with this method?

I heard the VZ had some web capabilities to block numbers or something to the effect. I know for a fact that Sprint doesn't have something like this.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

the only thing with this and sprint is that sprint charges you to fwd calls where as most other providers don't

[rebel526]

Youmail's caller ID helped identify my wifes phone as that of her boyfriend.

Yes, that's right. I have, for months, been under the impression that her 'other phone' was a pre-paid phone. Over the last weekend, I told her that she didn't need two phones and subsequently turned off her VZW phone. She called me from the 'other phone'. I was unable, do to work, to take the call and let it go to VM. When the email notification came in for a new VM, to my surprise, it was the guy I suspected as being her BF!!! As a pre-paid phone will come in as "unknown", this means that the phone is on HIS ACCOUNT! Can we say "BUSTED"!?

So, thank you YouMail for revealing the truth!!