google voice help for dummies-updated

[tarheel618]

I want to cancel my home phone but keep the number in case I want to use it again. How do I transfer it to google voice so that I can keep it. We use our cells but I've had the home phone number for a long time and I don't want to let it go.

Thanks

**** So I didn't do google voice but I did cancel the phone a 40 dollar month savings.

For those who expressed concern about 911, I will still be able to use 911 in the event of an emergency because I kept my internet service through the phone company.

So I'm saving 40 dollars a month.

 

[clm10308]

I may be wrong, but I don't think you can keep your home number with Google Voice. It has been a couple of years, but when I signed up with Google Voice, I was able to pick from a list of given phone numbers.

However, you may be able to transfer your home number to a cell phone. We did this for my MIL when she moved into a nursing home so that her friends could still reach her easily. She passed away over two years ago and my DS now has the cell phone with her number.

 

[Flanigan]

clm10308 is correct, land line numbers cannot be ported to Google Voice only mobile (cell phone) numbers can be ported for $20. You can however obtain a new number via Google Voice.

source: Port Your Number into Google Voice FAQ

 

[RitaE]

You have to port the landline to a temporary Prepaid Cell Phone Number, and then Port the Prepaid Cell Phone Number to Google Voice. I used Page Plus to do mine because I had an old phone in a drawer that could be activated on the PagePlus network.

You can use any of the major carriers. The most common advice you'll see is to use TMobile because they sell some sort of PrePaid activation kit that is pretty cheap. You have to be careful to use a Wireless carrier that Google will port from because some of the smaller ones don't work. I've heard that TracFone doesn't work.

So you go

Landline to Prepaid Cell (PagePlus, Tmobile, ATT Go Phone etc)
Prepaid to Google Voice
Then let the Prepaid Number just expire

 

[RitaE]

adding:

This is the kit I see people using all the time. 99cents shipped. You have to have an unlocked or cheapie tmobile phone to stick it in. If you don't have one you can buy a used base model off of ebay and then sell it to somebody else when you are done.


http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Prepaid-SIM-Activation-Kit

 

[tarheel618]

**** So I didn't do google voice but I did cancel the phone a 40 dollar month savings.

For those who expressed concern about 911, I will still be able to use 911 in the event of an emergency because I kept my internet service through the phone company.

So I'm saving 40 dollars a month.