Google Voice and Skype Mobile … #fail
Doh! I’ve got to admit, Verizon is going for the gusto offering both Google Voice (via Android) and Skype Mobile on their phones. Either of them are a great way to get free calls on the Verizon Network … but not both of them.
Get Free calls with Google Voice if you have the 900 minute individual plan or the 1400 minute family plan which includes a Friends and Family list which you can update online to get free calls to 10 numbers. Google Voice works by calling a Google SIP Server and having that SIP server connect your call to your destination number (presenting your Google Voice number in their caller ID). I love Google Voice as I can give out one number and have it reach me wherever I want (and whenever too). I also like using Google Voice so the actual number I’m calling from is masked from Caller ID (great if I don’t want to give pesky co-workers or client my actual cell number). I posted about Google Voice months ago.
To get free calls on Verizon with Google Voice, simply determine what number Google Voice is calling out to and set that up as a Friends and Family number. Of course, this will cause your Mobile to Mobile calls to charge the recipient, but at least you are getting free calls. You can also set up your actual Google Voice number on your Friends and Family list so calls from Google Voice (regardless of what phone you are using) will also be a free call (that is nice for the family plan as I mentioned Google Voice does kill the Mobile to Mobile calling freebie). However, this last trick does use up one of your 10 Friends and Family spots.
A couple of things to watch out for is that the number dialed by Google Voice is not permanent and may change in the future. Remember to check periodically to determine if the Google Voice outgoing number has changed, if so, update your Friends and Family list to match. One trick I found on-line is to add the Google Voice outgoing number to your address book and you would notice if it were dialing a number (rather than a contact).
You will get free texts (SMS) with Google Voice as well as long as you are sending texts from the Google Voice Application or via Google Voice in the browser (and assuming that people text you using your Google Voice number).
With Skype Mobile on Verizon, you get free Skype to Skype calling both inbound and outbound. This means that you can leave Skype running in the background on your Android phone (or other smart phone) and anybody can call you via Skype for free. This is great for me as we use Skype to Skype at work. Likewise, you can call out Skype to Skype from your Android handset for free. There are a few caveats. First, Skype Mobile does not run on WiFi. To run Skype Mobile on an VZW phone, you have to disable your WiFi connection. This is fine on a VZW phone because the 3G network is generally fast enough that WiFi doesn’t get you much in terms of additional speed. This WOULD be a problem on the AT&T network as their 3G sucks and WiFi is often the only way to surf or download on AT&T. Another thing to be concerned about is if VZW follows in AT&Ts footsteps and nixes the unlimited data plan, you would be encouraged to transfer data over WiFi which means you would have to turn off your Skype Mobile app every time you wanted to surf or download data.
Skype Mobile doesn’t use VoIP (at least, not over the 3G network). Rather, Skype Mobile dials a Skype Voice Gateway and then connects your calls (not unlike Google Voice).
I started this post by saying that you could use either to get free calls, but not both. If you have configured your Android phone to use Google Voice for all outgoing calls, you break the Skype to Skype calling over Skype Mobile. I’m not sure why, but I believe it has to do with the incoming call from your Google Voice number to the Skype Voice Gateway (rather than coming from your wireless number).
I’ll update this if it gets fixed by some smart folks at Google or Skype (or VZW) or if VZW closes the loophole of allowing you to put your Google Voice outgoing number in your Friends and Family list.