The system is very similar to Skype. Calls between Gizmo5 users are free, calls out to the old POTS cost money. Up until Google bought Gizmo5, the rates to call out were similar to Skype Out calls. Once Google took over, the outbound rates for North America were reduced to 1 cent per minute. However only existing users are able to access the system. I'm sure a lot of the technology from Gizmo5 is what makes Google Voice and Google Voice Chat work.

I started with Gizmo when I started with Skype. I found that the early versions of Gizmo were actually more stable than the early versions of Skype. As things improved, that equalized.

Gizmo assign a SIP number that can call to and from huge numbers of other SIP systems. Several SIP services have "call in" numbers in cities all over the world. There is a long list of inbound numbers at SIP Broker. Using Winnipeg as an example, I would dial 1-204-480-4085 to get to the SIP system and then dial 1-747-mygizmo5number to call my Gizmo5 phone. That "phone" can be a desktop application on my computer, a smartphone, a VOIP adaptor like the ones Vonage, Primus, Shaw etc. use for their "Internet Phones" and/or a large number of possibilities.

Any discussion of Gizmo5 becomes a bit futile because if you weren't already signed up when Google arrived, you can't sign up. I'm guessing that when next we see Gizmo5 ready to accept new sign ups in Canada, it will be called Google Voice

RonM said:

I have a Gizmo5 number and a freephoneline Calgary number as my consolidated numbers from Google Voice. I then have my Calgary phone forwarded to my area code 204 SO cell phone.

Hi Ron, I'm just catching up on Gizmo5, had never heard of it before.
If I am seeing correctly, Google gobbled up Gizmo5 last year and is not allowing any new users to sign up for the service? That was very kind of them!
The site says existing users can still use the service.

What does the service provide exactly?

The easy question first. You said:

unless Google's shuffling you back out, as soon as you hit google.com/voice.. can someone clear that up for me?

Once you have a Google Voice account set up, you can log into it from a Canuck IP address -- you just can't use one to create an account. There is also some bad news for your trip:

You said;

FYI, sign up for Google Voice, integrate it with your gmail Chat, and then reroute your SO # through it -- you can end up making calls through a consolidated phone environment. I'm already doing it with three different phone numbers in three different area codes in the US (I travel a lot for work). You can also change your VM settings such that you can push ALL of your voicemail into a single google voice account.

Unfortunately, you can't forward/connect Google Voice to a phone on any Canadian Area Code except 403. I've tried with 204 and 250.

Any Google Voice incoming number will be in the USA (as yours is). If you want to consolidate that Google Voice phone number and all your phones, you can do it as you describe as long as all the numbers are in US area codes -- or 403 which is Southern Alberta and Calgary.

You can forward and/or integrate Google Voice to a Calgary number and then forward that to another number in Canada -- that forwarding might be free or it might not. I have a Google Voice number in area Code 360 (Washington State) I have a Gizmo5 number and a freephoneline Calgary number as my consolidated numbers from Google Voice. I then have my Calgary phone forwarded to my area code 204 SO cell phone. I can't forward it to my home phone in Victoria BC as freephoneline don't include Victoria as a free calling location. I can forward my Gizmo5 number to any North American phone and it will cost me 1 cent per minute for the forwarding.

It was a lot of work for very little gain for me -- it was fun trying all the permutations.

I have family in Winnipeg and Brandon so my SO phone is what I use when I travel there. The 365 day top up means that I only have to top up once a year and i can just take the phone and go. If i need time in Manitoba I can duck into a 7-11 there. The fact that I can call any Area Code 204 number as local airtime even when at home in Victoria just adds to the appeal. I sold the junker SO phone within days of getting my service and have been using the SIM in smart phones since that time. I currently have it in a Nokia E71 which gives me free turn by turn voice guided GPS that doesn't need a data connection, and Skype and Gizmo5 any time I can connect to a wifi network. Winnipeg airport unfortunately doesn't have free wifi.

Check out Used Winnipeg and/or the craigslist cell listings for the 'peg. there are often SO phones or SIM cards on there. If not, you can duck into a 7-11 as soon as you get to Manitoba and grab a phone -- the basic one is free with a $100 airtime purchase for the month of September (check here) Once you have the phone, you can sell it on usedwinnipeg and keep your SIM. I know that is complicated if you are traveling -- could someone in the family help you set that up? There are no SO phones on usedwinnipeg or craigslist tonight -- I have seen them there other times.

I'm originally from the Peg, but live/work in the US now -and am headed back to visit family, the first full week in October.

Having a BUGGER of a time finding just the SIM I'm after - I've got a Google Nexus One (unlocked!) on AT&T in the US, and I'll be tinkering with some of the other services native to it, when I'm in Winnipeg, if I can a Sim - no desire to buy a phone, just to get a SIM out of it.

FYI, sign up for Google Voice, integrate it with your gmail Chat, and then reroute your SO # through it - you can end up making calls through a consolidated phone environment. I'm already doing it with three different phone numbers in three different area codes in the US (I travel a lot for work). You can also change your VM settings such that you can push ALL of your voicemail into a single google voice account.

If setting it up is problematic due to a Canuck IP.. well.. just find someone south of the border who'll sign up for the account - and Bob's your uncle, unless Google's shuffling you back out, as soon as you hit google.com/voice.. can someone clear that up for me?

D.

RonM said:
...I am using Skype and other VOIP applications on wifi on the same phone I just use for SO voice. I don't use the SO ULB but I do use the browser and other applications while connected to wifi either at home, or at a Hotspot. There are others that are doing the same. When I have a few moments, I'll start a thread about VOIP from my phone over wifi. I can't do it for a while -- so if someone else wants to start a thread, I'll chime in later.

I'll be looking forward to your post on this subject Ron.

The discussion expanded into ways of being able to check the voice mail and/or make other voice calls from the phone itself. It included questions about using data and especially SO Unlimited Browsing for that. (Unfortunately not.)

There has been good discussion here about using a voice application on wifi to access SO Voice Mail and potentially to make other voice calls right from the phone. Lots of us would like to do that and even more would like to do that if anyone has a free way of doing it.

I think that rather than continuing that discussion here, the whole question of voice from a phone on wifi probably is a good topic for its own thread. There are several snippets of information scattered through several threads.

Lots of people are using SpeakOut on much better phones than the basic 3 that you can get in a 7-11 store when you start with SO. Lots are using the ULB feature to squeeze more out of the browser than just browsing and e-mail at EDGE speeds. There is really good discussion in the forums about that and several forum members have helped others get their phones set up.

I am using Skype and other VOIP applications on wifi on the same phone I just use for SO voice. I don't use the SO ULB but I do use the browser and other applications while connected to wifi either at home, or at a Hotspot. There are others that are doing the same. When I have a few moments, I'll start a thread about VOIP from my phone over wifi. I can't do it for a while -- so if someone else wants to start a thread, I'll chime in later.

As SOmark points out the full version is only available in the US. That applies to the full Google Voice App whether for your computer or your phone.

There is one exception -- if you have an Area code 403 number, the full version of Google Voice will work with that number. You will need a proxy connection into the US to set up the account plus a US based number to set up Google Voice. Once it is set up, you can use an Area Code 403 number with your Google Voice account. You can't create the account from a Canadian Internet IP Address nor using a Calgary number. There is a thread here on this forum about that. It takes a lot of fooling around on your computer to set it up. The link is here. That particular thread is a good example of how forums work. Four of us each had figured out one different little bit of the puzzle. When we pooled our respective snippets of information, we came up with a group solution that had eluded each of us individually.

I'll save you some time and effort with this (if you come back soon enough).

reddleman said:

@SOMark: I don't know whether it's possible to install Google Voice Chat on a phone or not.

Yes it is possible. I did it.

Based on RonM's experiments, it sounds like your problems with not getting it to work on your phone might be caused by whatever browser your phone uses.

I was having problems getting it to work on my desktop, not my phone.

I know next to nothing about mobile browsers, but I do know there's something called "Opera Mini" on mine. If it works in Opera on your desktop, would it work in Opera Mini on your phone?

I am also using Opera Mini on my phone.
Here's the scoop. Google Voice will install on your mobile phone.
BUT.... for the moment, you can only use it in the U.S., not Canada. 🙁

@SOMark: I don't know whether it's possible to install Google Voice Chat on a phone or not. If it is, I assume it would use data to make the call instead of regular airtime, so with the $10 unlimited airtime that SO offers, that could be a great idea! All I did was use it on my computer. I never use my phone to access the web, so that didn't even occur to me.

Based on RonM's experiments, it sounds like your problems with not getting it to work on your phone might be caused by whatever browser your phone uses. I know next to nothing about mobile browsers, but I do know there's something called "Opera Mini" on mine. If it works in Opera on your desktop, would it work in Opera Mini on your phone?

Hmm... does anyone know off-hand how much SO's data rates are? I feel like experimenting but since I don't typically use data, I don't want to lose my balance. 😉

Problem solved.
I remembered that I also have Opera installed on my desktop.

Opened Opera.
Logged into Gmail.
Hit the Call Phone button
Made the call.

It's easy when it works! 🙂

RonM said:

Rogers only has one voice mail server for the prairie provinces. It covers area codes 204, 306, 587, 780, and 403. It is located in area code 403 which is Southern Alberta. The number itself is based in Calgary. SpeakOut don't provide anything themselves, they use what Rogers has available.

OK thanks, I understand now.

I'm with SO for two reasons --1) the 365 day top up and 2) the relatively inexpensive service that I only use while traveling. I don't want them to add anything that will cost me more.

Makes sense to me. That's why I'm with them now too.

I use Firefox pretty much exclusively for any service that requires passwords -- like GMail. IE does some really strange things with passwords and add-ons..... However while the ease with which IE installs software you want is useful, IE will install some stuff you don't want just as easily -- Firefox makes rouge installations more difficult.

Thanks Ron for going the extra distance to try and figure out what is going on here.
I also use Firefox as my browser but I am always hesitant to upgrade to the latest version. Right now I'm using V. 3.0.3.
This could be the reason why I'm having problems.
When I switch over to IE inside Firefox I can't even pull up a screen at the site, it's completely white!

I'll mess around a bit more and see if anything changes...

SO do provide the equivalent of a local number -- which is calling my own number from my own SO phone. That call is not free as I have to pay airtime to them but no long distance regardless of where in Canada I may be. They have no reason nor incentive to provide any free services to me or anyone else. We pay $1.25 per month to protect our account and keep the number active. That doesn't generate much revenue with which they could buy more and/or "better" services from Rogers. And as far as I'm concerned, I like the price -- if I want more complex services, I could go to Rogers or one of the other services and pay for the extras. I'm with SO for two reasons --1) the 365 day top up and 2) the relatively inexpensive service that I only use while traveling. I don't want them to add anything that will cost me more.

I'm afraid I can't help with getting the dial pad and/or Google chat application to run on your computer. I installed it on Windows XP using Firefox on one computer, and Windows7 using Firefox on another, and it works for me on both.

After reading your post and checking the forum you provided the link for, I decided to play around. The results were interesting. The application doesn't always "play nicely" with Internet Explorer. It appears to consistently work well in Firefox.

My Macbook was sitting beside me so I booted it. The chat application installed first try on it -- and once installed, it worked in each of the Safari and Firefox browsers.

Then I booted a computer running Linux Ubuntu and the app installed and worked first try in Firefox.

Getting the app to run in Internet Explorer proved to be more of a challenge. I logged in to Gmail on IE on my computer (which had the Google Chat application working in Firefox). It told me I would have to download the application once more. It took several tries with downloading and clicking the "allow IE to run this add on" bar before I was able to actually use the application. I had just installed the beta version of IE9 on the Windows 7 computer, so I tried there. I got into the same loop and it took 3 tries to get it working there too. Persistence paid off -- or maybe it is stubbornness

I use Firefox pretty much exclusively for any service that requires passwords -- like GMail. IE does some really strange things with passwords and add-ons. Firefox remembers exactly what you tell it to do from session to session and reboot to reboot. If you want it to save login information, it will -- if you say no, it doesn't. It also has a secure layer of password protection. You can set a master password to make any stored passwords secure. I do use IE for some things -- you need it for Microsoft Updates on XP, and it works better than Firefox for downloading and installing software and software updates that you intend to install. However while the ease with which IE installs software you want is useful, IE will install some stuff you don't want just as easily -- Firefox makes rouge installations more difficult.

http://www.google.com/support/.....#038;hl=en

RonM said:

However if I am home in Victoria and someone from Winnipeg calls me and I miss the call and they leave VM, I either have to pay the airtime to get my voice mail or call a Calgary (area code 403) number from my home phone to get my VM.

Why do you need to call a Calgary number to get your voicemail? Was it difficult for SO to provide a local number for you?

Once you install Google Chat Voice, and you are logged in to Google Mail, there will be a link on the lower left corner of your screen. It may say your account name, or it may say "Chat" with your account name and "Call Phone" under the "Chat" link. Click there until you see the "Call Phone" link and click that. A dial pad should open in the lower right corner of the screen. If Google Chat Voice installed properly on your computer, you are on your way to making your phone call.

There is absolutely no way I would have located that "Call Phone" indicator without your help here.
On my page there's a ton of information about this and that etc.
In the lower left corner there's Inbox Box, Buzz, Personal, Travel etc. etc.
Below that a green dot, to the right of that a '+' sign. And more and more stuff.

Who in their right mind would know to click on the + next to a green dot?
I mean it's not as if the green dot has writing next to it saying CALL PHONE!

Anyways I clicked on the + and this opened up Chat, with a bunch of stuff below, including Call Phone.

But I am not there yet.
I clicked on Call Phone, this opened up the dial pad window.
I entered a number to dial but it wouldn't dial. There is a "Please download voice plug-in to make the call" note just below the place you enter the number.

But I had already installed the plugin!

Well I dutifully clicked on the link and downloaded and installed the plug-in again.
And once again I was asked to re-start my browser, And once again I dutifully did so.
And once again I clicked on Call Phone which opened the dial pad window.

And once again I entered a number to dial but it wouldn't dial. There is a "Please download voice plug-in to make the call" note just below the place you enter the number.

etc. etc. etc. etc. (I think you get the picture) 🙁

When a voicemail is left on my cellphone I see a number to dial to retrieve it.
I have never done so yet.
I am sure I will be charged if I do.

Yes you will be charged airtime for the duration of the call. That can be the cheapest way to get your voice mail if you are away from home, as SO only charge airtime without long distance to call any number in your home area code -- including your own number.

You asked:

One of the things I don't understand is why a person who lives outside of the VM numbers doesn't dial their cellphone number from their landline and pick up the voicemail that way, as I do?

That works if you are able to phone your cell phone from a number in the same city and area code as your cell phone. If you are using a phone when traveling, it will be long distance to call the voice mail if you are in an area other than where your SO number is assigned. For example area code 250 covers all of BC outside the greater Vancouver area. If I have a SO phone based in Victoria, it is long distance to call that cell phone from a local phone in Vancouver or anywhere else in BC other than the Greater Victoria area. If I were in Nanaimo or Revelstoke, calling back to that SO phone is long distance so it would cost long distance to get the voice mail.

My situation is even more complicated. I live in Victoria BC. I have a SO phone with a Winnipeg Manitoba number (area code 204) because I regularly travel to Manitoba. People in Winnipeg can call me as a local call whether I am in Winnipeg or Victoria (or anywhere else in Canada). If I answer the call wherever I am, it is a local call. However if I am home in Victoria and someone from Winnipeg calls me and I miss the call and they leave VM, I either have to pay the airtime to get my voice mail or call a Calgary (area code 403) number from my home phone to get my VM. If I call my SO phone I pay long distance to my Manitoba number. Using Google Chat Voice saves me that long distance or airtime cost.

You said:

I just downloaded Google Voice and installed it on my PC and can't for the life of me see how I can get into it, never mind pick up messages from Speakout!

There are two totally different services from Google -- "Google Voice" which is not available in Canada, and "Google Chat Voice" which will work from inside a computer logged on to Google Mail. That is what Peter linked to in his post above. The names are almost the same, but the services sure aren't.
Once you install Google Chat Voice, and you are logged in to Google Mail, there will be a link on the lower left corner of your screen. It may say your account name, or it may say "Chat" with your account name and "Call Phone" under the "Chat" link. Click there until you see the "Call Phone" link and click that. A dial pad should open in the lower right corner of the screen. If Google Chat Voice installed properly on your computer, you are on your way to making your phone call.

You said:

My aim was to install Google Voice on my phone and pick up my voice mail that way (via a WiFi connection).

Using a cell phone with wifi to make calls is a big wish for a lot of people. There are a few work arounds that can be used but none are easy and I haven't found any that are completely free. Depending on the make and model of your phone, there are variations of Skype, Nimbuzz, Fring, Gizmo5, and even MSN Messenger or Yahoo Messenger that will work different phones -- there are several discussion threads about those services scattered in this and other forums. You can use those services for voice calls over wifi IF Your Phone supports that. Your success will vary depending on your phone and what wifi connection you are connected to. I use Skype on a Nokia E71 with excellent results. However calling phone numbers from Skype is not free -- only Skype to Skype calls are free. I've used Skype on a Nokia N95 as well.

RonM said:

The discussion is about using Google Voice to check your voice mail from your computer. for some of us there is no toll free number to call to pick up our voice mail, so we either pay airtime on our SO phones or long distance from a landline to pick up our messages.
For example the voice mail for Victoria BC is an area code 604 Vancouver number, and the voice mail for all 3 prairie provinces is an area code 403 Calgary number. In both those cases Google Voice provides a way to pick up voice mail at no charge for those of us whose home phones are not in the same area code as the VM numbers.
The Rogers 1-800 number does not work for SO in Western Canada.

Hi Ron,

Thanks again for your help and expertise here.
You certainly have been using cellphones a lot longer than I have!

Yes the discussion is about Google Voice and checking your voice mail from your computer.

There are many concepts and issues going on here though, many of which are not clear with me.

Let's start at the beginning.

When a voicemail is left on my cellphone I see a number to dial to retrieve it.

I have never done so yet.
I am sure I will be charged if I do.

I have picked up voicemail using my landline by calling my cellphone number (not the number given on my cellphone) keying in my password and listening to the message.

One of the things I don't understand is why a person who lives outside of the VM numbers doesn't dial their cellphone number from their landline and pick up the voicemail that way, as I do?

Now let's get into Google Voice which is extremely confusing for me at the moment.

There is Google Voice, Google Chat, Google Talk and a whole host of other confusing terminology.

I just downloaded Google Voice and installed it on my PC and can't for the life of me see how I can get into it, never mind pick up messages from Speakout!

I can start Google Talk and GMail but that's about it.

My aim was to install Google Voice on my phone and pick up my voice mail that way (via a WiFi connection).

But when I launch it on my cellphone it tells me GV is not available in Canada yet.

I can go into Google Talk and add new contacts, but this requires an e-mail address, not a tel. number.

TIA

simon174 said:

are you doing this from your phone or pc? How can you be doing this from your phone, and if you are, doesnt that mean free calling?

Well this is all very complicated. See my reply to Ron below.
I was trying to do this from my phone.
Just as you can connect to the internet with your PC, so can you do so with your phone via WiFi, making your phone a PC essentially.

Peter said:

The app is described here and works within the GMail interface:

http://www.google.com/chat/voice/

Thanks Peter.
I'd still like to hear from Reddleman about this and what he installed/did exactly.
When I try to install Google Voice on my phone it tells me that Google Voice is not available in Canada at this time.